Forlot: Who Framed Her? - Book Seven {Completed}

Chapter Forty-One

Caleb pulled off his cast, threw it across the room, and leaned his back against the wall. Then, without helping it, he burst out crying.

Everybody who was in the room and witnessing his cries at the time felt bad for him.

"Caleb. Caleb," Joe said softly, but loud enough for all of us to hear. "There is no reason to get upset."

The poor boy dropped to his knees and continued sobbing. "I am sorry! I did not mean to! I was just trying to act cool. Y-you know that staying cool and clearing my mind helps my anxiety." He fell on his stomach, his arms outstretched. "My anxiety would be out of control if I did not..."

Ash was slowly scratching her cheek as she stared at him. "Oh, Caleb."

"I am sorry. I really am. If I could take it all back, I would! What was I even thinking? Littering next to the button!"

"You did not litter," Sue protested. "Like you said, you were trying to have a clear head. You should not be ashamed of that."

He glanced up at us, and his glasses slid down a little. "But...that is no excuse for me to toss down a banana peel."

"You saved the day," Jane complimented.

"Saved the day. More like ruined the day. I ruined lives..."

Our writer sighed and rubbed her arm. "You did not ruin any lives, Caleb. I...I did."

We turned our attentions to her now.

"Oh, Ash. Ash, no," I managed to choke out. "Do not start blaming yourself."

"I have to. I created such a button after all."

"But you had no idea how to get rid of it."

"You...you are right about that fact. I never knew how to destroy that button. Heck, I still do not. But despite that, I am responsible for it. I made it, so it is my responsibility. It is my fault."

"No!" Caleb cried as he crawled to her and wrapped his arms around her legs, hugging them ever so tightly. "It is not your fault. It was never your fault. Or the Lord's." He clenched his teeth and uttered a low growl. "It...is those real worlders' fault. Those darn real worlders. They gave me my disorders and ruined fictional franchises by shoving political views down people's throats. But that was not enough. They decided to hate you and drove you out of town!"

Ash shook her head and gently grabbed ahold of his arms. She tugged them off of her legs and helped him to his feet. He was whimpering, and she brushed strands of his hair that were covering his eyes away.

"No one drove me out of the real world," she explained. "Not even the real worlders."

He sniffed and wiped his nose. "They...they did not?"

"Nope. I was never drove out."

"Then...why did you leave?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders. "I left the real world because I chose to. It was my choice."

Caleb pushed up his glasses with a finger and opened his mouth to speak, but Tank beat him to it.

"You never told us that you chose to leave the real world. Your loved ones," Tank spoke.

Ash glanced at him and the other judges, and then back at Caleb. "I did not want to tell you."

"Why not?" Scott asked.

"It is because...I did not want you all to worry about me."

"We would not be worried about you," Libby said. "I mean, if it was your choice."

"It was my choice, and I am proud of it. No. More like relieved."

"As long as it was your decision to make, we will not question it," Ian commented.

"So...who will be held accountable for dooming all the real worlders?" Jenny asked.

"I should be," Caleb answered, raising a hand. "I activated the button, even though that it was an accident, so I should be punished."

"It has to be me, Caleb," Ash stated. "I created the button. I should be punished. Locked up, and they should throw away the key."

"No. I cannot allow that to happen. You made it crystal clear to not push it."

"But you were trying to keep Mary Sue from pressing it herself."

"I have problems! Disorders! I should be locked up!"

"No. I should."

Elliott pounded the gavel against the leaders' desk and set it down. "Order in the court," he said.

Ash looked at the leaders, and her face saddened. "My apologies."

"No need to be sorry, writer," Scott said. "We just would like you all to listen to our verdict."

"Verdict?" I repeated. "You made a verdict?"

"Yep. We will be sentencing..."

Our writer and Caleb hugged each other as we listened in on the verdict.

"Goodbye, freedom," Caleb said just above a whisper. "It was nice knowing you."

"...no one."

We were surprised - and confused - at what Scott admitted.

"I am sorry, sir," Ash apologized again. "What did you say?"

A sweet smile spread across Joe's face. "Nobody will be sentenced for pressing it."

Caleb's mouth dropped open, and he stuttered like crazy. "B-but...the b-button...it k-killed p-people."

"Yes. We are extremely aware of that," Ian told him. "However, given the circumstances...and new details...it proves that no one is truly responsible. Ash, you made the button out of pure anger, and the other leaders and I understand. And Caleb confessed that it was only an accident and nothing more."

"Caleb, you did something amazing that day when you encountered Mary Sue, and that is something that you cannot look past," Elliott reminded him.

Caleb's bottom jaw quivered. "But..."

"But nothing." Elliott picked back up the gavel and pounded it again on the desk. "Case dismissed."

"Excuse me?"

We all turned to where we heard that voice and saw a young boy stepping into the room.

"I am Cal," the boy greeted. "Have you seen my mommy?"