Vangsvere Academy

Chapter 23: Trials.

It turned out that Jesse and Michael had both been put on trial the same day, it scared me a bit, knowing one of them or both of them might be sentenced for something longer than this.

Jesse's served five years, he was apparently a student here but killed his family during a Christmas dinner.

Millie was selling herself in the academy.

Ronnie, well he fooled around with too many young woman, strangled one choking her out.

Jack pushed his room mate out of a window after a crazy party, killed the guy and then went down and drank his blood from his corpse.

Psycho & crazy I still haven't figured out.

I sat on the bed eyeing the door and waiting impatiently for it to open. They'd both been taken this morning and I've been sitting waiting for almost five hours.

"Can we put on a song? Anything to make it not so damn quiet?" I asked Max and Willis, they where the switch outs for Marshal and Lenny, they take turns for days off.

Max was a stocky guy who hated when we talked to him and Willis took his job too serious.

They both inevitably ignored me.

Jerks.

I laid on the bed holding Lily's sweater and waiting until the door finally opened and Jesse walked in looking sad.

They took him to his cell and he shook his head walking in and letting them uncuff him, "Alright guys, I want you all to know I love you. You all mean a lot to me. It's been good knowing you. Anne, I really want to kiss you." He said looking to me while the guards stood by his door.

I walked to the cell and reached a hand through the bars "What's happening?" I asked looking from him to the guards.

He shook his head "I uh, I'm about to lose my head." He said calmly and laughing while shaking head terrified.

No, not Jesse...

I shook my head "That's not fair, you didn't even massacre people, that's ridiculous they can't just-"

He shook his head "Don't, I already tried. I've accepted it. Just, take care Alright?" He said taking my hand.

I took it and shook my head "They can't kill you." I said again.

Jesse nodded "they can, Anne. I didn't just kill my dad and brother. I've been killing since I was four. The total is probably five hundred at this point....No way to repent either, I've had my chance." He shook his head.

I felt the tears drop down my face and I pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around him, "I hate these bars!" I cried and shouted.

He nodded "Me too Annie."

Looking to the guards, I cried "Can you just let me hug him? Please?" I asked watching as Willis eyed me with sorrow.

He gave a single nod, "I could lose my job for this, make it quick." He said.

My cell door opened and I stepped out and walked to Jesses door opening it and going inside.

The guards shut it behind me and I smiled at him "So this is what it looks like from here." I said laughing through tears.

He wrapped his arms around me, and I hugged him back before pulling away and kissing his lips for a long lingering goodbye.

Then he grabbed a single tape, "The Stylistics?" I asked him reading the tape.

Jesse nodded "You are everything, and everything is you." He spoke the lyrics to one of their songs before handing me the box of tapes.

My heart broke as he put it in his pocket and nodded to the guards.

Millie cried "Bye Jacky." She said reaching and holding his hand.

He gave her hand a squeeze sighing and walking out with his hands cuffed.

I stepped out behind him and headed back to my cell. Jack shook Jesses hand "Nice knowing you kid, wish it didn't have to end like this."

Sitting in my cell, I stared at the box shaking my head wiping my tears. Jesse has become a good friend to me, and such a sweet kid. Watching him go, I couldn't help but call her name, "Jolene." I said softly.

"Jolene please." I shook my head.

As the door shut and Jesse was gone, I looked up at the door "I'm sorry Anne...I know you keep losing friends. I really hope Michael makes it." Jack said trying to keep his badass demeanor.

I smiled to him "I think I should stop making friends. Easier that way." I looked down at the tapes picking up the KISS one and smiling at it.

The door opened and I thought it would be Michael, but instead "Jolene." I said softly.

She looked to me with her eyes soft "Anne."

Jolene had them open the bars and she had them walk me to the showers where she dismissed them.

They left us alone and she shook her head "I can only save one Anne, Jesse or Michael? I've got enough to pull strings for one. The other I'm sorry I can't. You'll need to pick though. Michaels being sentenced to injection, they refused his request to repent." She said as if handing me the lives of two men was a simple decision.

I wiped my eyes "Please, I can't." I shook my head.

She eyed me "Michael repented, told them he'd change over and search for the light if we let him off. He's clear of vampire and human blood, tested clear. I'm quite proud, but when he told us about the law I was a bit surprised. The entire council was, which is why they refused him." She said softly.

Crap, I hoped they wouldn't track it back to me. Helping him makes me look bad.

A couple minutes passed as I pondered the decision, as much as I felt pained, I knew who I'd choose. The guy that I owe so much to so far, the one who I promised wouldn't get hurt.

"Michael." I chose, looking to her face for an opinion.

Jolene smiled "Your going to be a great warrior in the future, but today, I need you to accept the loss of Jesse and accept the change of Michael." She said pulling me into a hug.

I sobbed in her arms, letting her comfort me. I'm sure my tears where more than just Jesse tears, they had to be tears of losing Kris, Vesper and Jesse, then missing the others. It was just everything tears.

She pulled back and wiped my eyes "Go back in there, wait and I'll be back tomorrow to sign you out." She said gesturing for us to go back to the cells.

I sat in my cell and watched as they brought Michael in, his face bruised and bloody, he was tossed in the cell still cuffed and they locked the door leaving.

"What the fuck?" I shouted yelling at the guard who left.

I dropped to the cell bars and looked to Michael "They really got you." I hissed staring at his bleeding and bruised nose.

He pushed himself up and walked to the bed plopping on it and leaning into the wall, blood spilling down his broken nose.

Looking around, I grabbed Lily's sweater pondering before tossing it to him.

Michael grabbed his nose and took a deep breath before snapping it into place. I cringed and watched him place the sweater to his face.

He smirked over at me "Good news Ace, I'm not dying." He sighed.

My heart fell to the floor and I smiled at him, please say I made the right decision. "Told you they wouldn't kill you." I moved my eyes to the box of tapes and Michael looked to them.

His eyes steadied over the tapes, watching the box like it was a mysterious fortune teller.

"He uh, didn't make it huh?" Michael asked.

I shook my head.

Silence filled the cells and we all took a moment of silence for him.

Rest In Peace Jesse...