The Trial of Jack Merridew

Chapter 2

The morning of the trial came fast as expected, and Ralph was definitely not ready. At all. The steps of the court house loomed before him as he looked up at the entrance; all of his instincts telling him to run back home and hide away in his bed forever but his pride betrayed his mind and his limbs listened to the former.

So, there he sat in the cold marble room waiting for the trial to start while simultaneously screaming at himself internally. It seemed like hours for the trial to start, in reality it could only have been about fifteen minutes, and when it did he finally looked up at the stand only to meet two piercing eyes staring right into him. Ralph's breath caught in his throat as he looked into those cold, blue orbs. Jack Merridew; a name he'd dreamed of and cried to, and pictured in almost every way. Then, after a long moment, those blue eyes were ripped away from his as someone in the room called out his name. Suddenly time caught up to Ralph, and he could breathe again.

"Today we will be reviewing the case of Jack Merridew," said the Judge, who had yet to take her seat, "Mr. Merridew, please stand."

Now that Ralph got a better look at him he could see how truly tired Jack looked. His bones stuck out even more than they did all those years ago, his eyes were sunken into his skull and the color faded from that stunning ocean blue they had once been. Ralph was confused. How, how could this boy, who had once been so proud and intimidating end up looking so pathetic, so old.

He was dragged out of his reverie when the Judge spoke again, "Do you promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"

Jack nodded, hand placed on the bible. "I, Jack Merridew, promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"Mr. Merridew, you may take your seat."

Jack sat in the stand and waited for questioning, eyes locked on his lawyer. Ralph, on the other hand, was looking far off into space. . . not quite thinking of something, just staring at the wall trying not to look the other man's way lest he be overwhelmed. Ralph dug in his pocket and got out a bottle of pills, shaking four of them out of the bottle with trembling hands. He swallowed them and tried to calm himself, going back to staring at the wall trying to distract himself.

It was only when his own name was called did he snap out of his thoughts, "Mr. Merridew, what is your response to the allegation that you knowingly attacked one Mr. Ralph Knotting, and aided in the murder of both Simon Peterkin, and another, un-named boy called Piggy?"

Ralph stiffened at the names. He remembered the sight of Simon's Mother at the trial, her head bowed in grief, bawling her eyes out while the coppers told her what had happened. They never found Peggy's family. There was no one to mourn his loss. Sometimes, Ralph liked to think that there was still hope for finding the Aunt he had talked so much about on the nights where they would sit alone on the beach just looking at the stars and talking, but the chances were slim to none. All that was left of his friend was the memory of his blood mixing with salt water as the ocean carried him away with the tide. Soon all he could see was the blood that spilled from Simon's body as the other boys tore at him with their nails and hands, grasping and grabbing and gasping for air as it left Simons lungs, oh god, where was the air? It was burning, everything was burning, the island was burning, his lungs were burning. He was running out of air, choking on the smoke, all he needed was some air!

Ralph sprang up from his chair, suddenly aware of how many eyes were on him, he mumbled a hurried "pardon me" to the man sitting beside him as he practically ran out of the courtroom trying to ignore those beautiful blue eyes that were boring into his back as he left. 

He never looked back.