The Beguiler by Jo Michaels

Author:Jo Michaels [Michaels, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: apocalyptic fiction
Published: 2018-11-05T00:00:00+00:00

Markaza and Shelia were ushered into the courtroom through the back door by the DA. He turned to Shelia and put his hands on her shoulders. “Shelia, this is the moment. You’ve got to get on the witness stand and tell your story to the jury just like you told it to me. Your uncle will be in the room. Are you okay with that? Are you ready?”

Shelia glanced at Markaza and nodded.

“Okay then. You have to sit on the pew and be quiet, okay?” he asked Markaza.

She nodded.

They entered an empty courtroom and were ushered to their seats by the DA.

Next, the court stenographer entered and set her machine up to record the events.

Shelia’s heart hammered in her chest when she thought about her words being in a permanent record forever for anyone to see. She turned around and looked for her friend for reassurance.

Markaza winked, smiled, and gave two thumbs up.

Shelia faced forward again, put her elbows on the table, and dropped her head into her hands. When the door banged open and the jury streamed in, her stomach clenched around the coffee she had for breakfast. Her appetite had improved over the prior few days, but that morning, she was too keyed up to eat. After the jurors were seated, the door was thrust open again to reveal Aunt Ivy and Uncle Melvin. She looked thinner, and he looked like he’d been to Hell and had been dragged back especially for the hearing.

Burning every detail into an already overloaded brain, Shelia scanned the pair from head to toe.

Melvin had a six-day beard growth, a yellowish bruise that encompassed half his cheek under his left eye, various cuts and scrapes, and hair that looked oily and dirty.

Ivy looked translucent and despondent, her skin sallow and wide eyes empty.

Their appearances made Shelia feel better; like she got some small form of revenge for all the wrong that had been done to her over the years.

Dr. Candy entered, and Shelia hugged the woman before she sat down. Thoughts ran roughshod through Shelia’s head, and she recalled that if it weren’t for the good doctor, daily life would still be wrought with constant fear. They smiled at one another, and she found herself relaxing into the big leather chair. It’ll all be over very soon. Finally.

Everyone stood when the judge entered, he called court to order, and the trial began.

The DA was amazing when questioning Melvin and Ivy, and Shelia watched the jurors make faces at some of the admissions. When it was her turn to take the stand, she stood on shaky legs and stepped up into the box. Her oaths of truth were given and she sat, wringing her hands. When the DA approached her, he said, “I’m not going to bombard you with questions. Just tell the jury what you told me.”

She talked for over an hour, and then she reached the part where she told Dr. Candy everything and how she’d notified the authorities on Shelia’s behalf. When she stopped, she hazarded a glance at Ivy and Markaza; both looked sick.

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