Limbo

Something To Remember Me By

DAWN:

      Victor and I glare at each as the cops move toward him, neither of us willing to back down, as the judge continues to pound on the bench with his gavel, until the handle finally snaps and the head goes flying off behind him. His upper lip curls into a familiar sneer as he leans forward across the table and snaps, "I said, BE SILENT! I am your father, and more importantly, I am the Master's mortal representative, and I demand respect!"

      "Too bad, because you're not getting it from me. You've never been anything that remotely resembled a 'father', so don't even try to go there!" I inform him. "And I can't imagine why you're so proud of your ridiculous 'Master', when it should be obvious even to you that if it actually exists outside of your wild stories, it isn't nearly as powerful as you want everyone to believe. Because if it is, then why are you sitting here chained up like an animal, and going back to a cage every night? Either it doesn't exist, or it's nowhere near as all-powerful as you claim. Or, here's another thought... maybe it just doesn't give a shit what happens to you. There's something for you to think about when you're trying to sleep tonight, Victor: maybe you're not as important as you like to believe you are. Oh, who am I kidding? There's no 'maybe' about it, you're not just nothing, you're less than nothing, and if you vanished off the face of the earth right now, I'd throw the biggest fucking party you've ever seen!" 

      Before he can say anything else, a loud whistle cuts through the babble of the crowd. I turn my head and see that the judge is now standing up behind the bench with two fingers stuck in his mouth. When he sees that he has everybody's attention, he removes them and in a very loud, clear voice says, "Everyone be quiet! We will have order!"

      He turns to look at me, and in a slightly calmer voice, says, "Mrs. Monroe, I understand your frustration, but I will not tolerate this behavior in my courtroom. If the jury reaches a guilty verdict, you will have a chance to offer a statement prior to sentencing, but if there are any further outbursts beforehand, I will have no choice but to hold you in contempt. Is that clear?"

      "Yes, sir, perfectly clear."

      He turns his attention to Victor and his lawyer, and practically barks, "Mr. Geary, if you have any actual questions for the witness, then ask them in a professional manner. I will not tolerate any more of your grandstanding, or your propensity for badgering the witnesses, and if it happens again, there will be consequences. Do you understand?"

      Geary's face looks like someone has asked him to swallow a slug or something, but he mutters, "Yes, Your Honor." before he sits back down in his seat, seemingly ignoring the pair of RCMP officers standing behind Victor, trying to get him back into his chair. He locks his knees so they can't force him down, and stares defiantly at the judge.

      "You have no authority over me," he declares. "I answer to no one but the Master, so I will say and do as I please."

      "Mr. Berridge, if you don't sit down and be quiet, I will have you removed from the courtroom. And if I have to do that, then you will spend the remainder of this trial viewing the proceedings via closed-circuit cameras in one of the holding cells in the basement. This is a court of law, not a carnival sideshow, and I won't have it treated as such. From now..."

      "You most certainly will not!" Victor interrupts. "You cannot keep me from speaking my mind, and revealing the will of the Master. I will say and do as I please!"

      "You're absolutely right, Mr. Berridge. I can't prevent you from speaking your mind," the judge agrees. "However, I can, and will, prevent you from disrupting these proceedings with your continuous interruptions. Officers, if you would be so kind as to escort the defendant to the holding area for the rest of the session."