Dead Wings

Chapter 4

"Tell the court what you saw?"

"When?" Kathryn asked. She was sitting in a large court room at the witness stand and suddenly she felt like her mind went... blank.

"You know when...the day of the shooting, May 6th."

"There was a shooting?"

"What? Yes there was a shooting, you were there! Don't play games you little b..."

"What the 'ell? I wasn't at a shooting. What are you talking about?!?"

"I am talking about Kris!"

"What about him?"

"You killed him!"

"What? No, I didn't!"

"Yes you bloody did!"

"No I didn't!" She screamed; she didn't like this. She was in a room being asked questions she didn't know the answer to. "I wasn't at a shooting; I don't know anything about a shooting! 'Ell I had no idea that there was a shooting!" She yelled at the man in the black suit. The man she suddenly dispised, the man accusing her... accusing her of murder? "Josh what is he talking about?" She asked but she heard no answer.

"Yes you were there and yes you did! Josh was there with you, and... he's dead! Thats why you killed Kris!"

"What... He’s dead? You are bloody questioning me and you are just now telling me Josh... is dead?!?" Her heart broke as she screamed those words.

"Unbelievable." The man in the black suit said as he turned away from Kathryn. He had enough of her little act, though he began to wonder if it was in fact an act. Well of course it’s an act she remembered it all yesterday!

"No. No! He can't be dead there’s a mistake!" She screamed at the man but he didn't appear to be listening, so she screamed louder; "You’re lying. You’re lying to me! Tell me where Josh is because he is not dead!"

"Ok. Forget it! You don’t want to talk? Then you can rot in prison. You can't shoot a guy and then act like it never happened! You killed her son!" The man in black pointed to a crying women that was suddenly all alone. "You saw him shoot those people. You saw Josh die, so you shot him!" The man stopped as he felt he had made his point; if he lost it in her little act...

"No! Don't say that, quit lying! No, this is all a dream. Shut up you... lying pig!"

"You shot him and-"

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Kathryn screamed as she clogged her ears with her fingers.

"-you're going to rot in prison for it!"

"He's not dead! It’s all just a dream! He's not dead! Just a dream....wake up... wake up Kathryn! Just a dream... You didn't shoot anyone, wake up, No one died, wake up... wake up..."

"This is not a dream! Josh, Peter, Jessica, Mr. Thompson, and Kris. They are all dead and you killed one of them. You killed Kris Parker!"

"No. I didn't kill anyone!" She pleaded as she wiped the waterfall from her cheeks.

"Yes you did! Quit lying to yourself! We know that you shot him and there’s no use denying it. You shot Kris, you killed him. We have almost a hundred witnesses!"

"No. You’re lying! Shut up! Shut up... shut up... this is all a lie... all a lie; in a dream... "

"Kathryn. I'm not lying to you!"

"Then why don't I bloody know I shot someone? Huh? Answer that!" She asked him as if she really expected an answer.

"Uh..."

"Why don't I remember Josh dying?

"How could you not?"

"Why don't I... Why don't I feel the gun in my hand? WHY DON'T I REMEMBER FIRING THAT GUN?"

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“You think this will really buy her time?” I asked.

“Buy her time? She looks crazy, they can’t put her away if she doesn’t remember a thing; can they?” Kris asked. He looked over to Josh who was completely unaware of what Kris had done.

“What happened to her?” Josh yelled at Kris as he just realized they were there.

“I tweaked her mind.” Kris laughed.

”You what? If you hurt her I will ki…”

“’Cause you can do that… right? Relax Josh; I just stole all her memories of the shooting. They might kill her other wise!” Kris explained.

“What does a punk like you care for?”

”I care because I messed up. Don’t you get it? You were the only one who was supposed to die!" Kris laughed at his mistake, "If she dies too, then well I couldn’t deal with that!” Kris stated. Josh stared at Kris and for a moment he thought maybe he respected him… maybe.

Suddenly Josh jumped up at Kris; swinging his arms at him! Strange though to think a ghost would try to fight a ghost... Then I realized though that Josh was starting to fade away. He screamed something but not a sound came out he kept thrashing trying to grab a hold of something as he slowly disapeared…

”Josh grab onto my arm!” I yelled. Kris stopped me. “We have to help him!” I yelled at Kris.

”No. No, we can’t and we shouldn’t… he’s going to heaven.”

"Oh."

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“Given that Kathryn has no memory of the shooting, and that she is perhaps insane. She will stay in an insane asylum for five years and then we will trial her again.” The judge said. The man in the black suit looked furious at the girls punishment. Kathryn looked surprised and relieved... insane?

The nightmare was over, wasn’t it? No more false accusations. No more… ‘The nightmares over’ she said to herself and for a moment she believed herself. Later she would realize that it was just the beginning.


Steve H.