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6. Pretending To Be Happy
The words hit me straight in the face like thick ice. I want to move, but honestly, I can’t find my muscles nor can I find room to breathe. This whole place is impure. What do they mean? The word keeps repeating itself in my head.
Murdered…Murdered.
My friend was murdered.
I see the inspector waiting for a reaction from me, but what does he think? I just received the news that my friend was murdered in cold blood, what reaction does he expect me to have? Does he expect me to scream and wail and cry like Jos mother is doing right now? Of course I can’t. I’m here as a lawyer, not as a relative.
Then what should I do? Should I silently walk out of here? Then again, won’t that make me look suspicious?
So I do the only thing I find possibly normal. I stay quiet and look down at my feet. I don’t blink in fear I might lose control of the bitter reality in front of me, no matter how much I wish to.
The inspector, seeing tha
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Oak Tree 7. Rumor
What the hell? The first thought that runs through my head is robbery, or something more dangerous. But then I hear the voice of laughter erupting from inside, and they are all too familiar. Surely, it isn’t any evil laugh coming from a robber or something. And why would he laugh? It’s not like he’s holding someone hostage or something. And for the record, there is NO ONE in my apartment to hold hostage anyway. And the voices are all too familiar for a robber. But the main question is, what in the name of the seven seas are they doing here? Right in my apartment? I type the code and swing the door open. Inside, I’m greeted by the sight of literally a dozen or so people roaming around. One by one, I recognise them. Ben. Charlie. Joseph. Joy. Lucy. Their friends. Ryan. Paul. Rob. Their friends. The rest of the cheer leading team including the soccer team. Lara. And of course, Kate. Well that explains the entry to my apartment tha
Oak Tree 8. FLASHBACK 2 [A Competition}
6th February 2016 “Alright guys. So here’s what we should do. I prepared our speeches days ago. Have you practised?” I asked Kate and Jos. They both nodded. “Good. Then it mustn’t be difficult. If we don’t stammer and deliver our speech without any faults, we can earn points. We need to win. Is that clear?” Once again they both nodded. I while later, I nodded too. I didn’t know why I wanted to win so badly, even when I knew that winning is not important as long as one participates. Maybe because I was the best debater in my school and I wanted to show it off, or maybe just that it was my first debate competition and I wanted to have a win record. I was completely sure I would win, a strong debater like me, of course no one could defeat. At least not in my school. But I just went to over board and thought that even the neighbouring schools won’t be able to defeat me. I was such a fool. Kate and Jos where we
Oak Tree 9. An Oak Tree
We let go of each other’s hands as quickly as we had grasped it earlier. Great. Just how great. After all we did, we lose like this, not even winning the debater of the day award. Were we that bad? Did we do it that worse? I don’t think so. That’s not how I saw it. Then why? I could feel the tears that where forming, stinging my eyes. I blinked twice, trying to pull it in. but no matter how hard I tired, I kept recalling all that had happened in just the last few minutes and that made me angrier and upset even more. To avoid embarrassment, I quickly stood up from my place, turning everyone’s attention towards me. I knew it was imprudent of me, trying to break rules in another school. But I couldn’t help it, not when I had so much anger bubbling inside me. My eyes where already blurry from the tears, so I walked out with my head bowed down, the other two following me. Through the blurriness, I saw a hand stretch out to me for a hand sha
Oak Tree 10. Suspect
5th August 2027, Unexpected incidents happen to everyone. Things you never expect eventually find you and make you expect them. But that doesn’t mean they will remain forever. They come, yes, trigger a lot of things in you, and then finally, they leave with a scar. But one way or another, they leave. Because they can’t stay forever. Nothing can. There only job is to leave an impact on the host. Once done, the rest is up to us, how we decide to live with it. The case is same here. Joslyn’s death left a huge scar on all of our lives, but in time, most people have moved on. Why shouldn’t they? There are people dying every single day, why should one death of a millionaire mean so much to them? If there’s anyone who is still effected by her death, then it’s us. I, Kate and Ben. Not to forget her family. But people like Cara and others, it’s not a big deal to them. Joslyn’s death is one of the many deaths in there list tha
Oak Tree 11. Kate Is Innocent
The words take me a full one minute before they sink in. As if on reflex, I push him away, much to James surprise. Now, I must look more than menacing to him. I can feel my heart beat quicken as I say, more like hiss, “What the hell are you talking about?” Now, it was time for James to act like the man he was. He doesn’t get scared, or doesn’t flinch. Instead, he runs his hand through his hairs before replying, “That’s what they told me. Ms Akirdnach is the prime suspect.” I almost scream at James for making such a joke before he holds me by the shoulder this time, as if expecting this reaction, “Rose, hear me out first, please!” All the formalities vanish but I don’t care. Nor does James. He has worked with me long enough to know what kind of relationship I have with Kate. I don’t want to be calm, not when the police have Kate, but I can’t do anything for the present. I feel helpless, but all I can do right now is hear James out. &nb
Oak Tree 12. Help Me
The corridor leading to the suspected prisoner’s prison isn’t a long one. Grayson insisted that I meet her as a visitor in the visiting area, saying that since I’m her ‘Friend’ I should visit her that way, but I said him I wasn’t visiting her as a ‘friend’ like he places it. I’m seeing her as her lawyer. So we decided to meet in the interrogating room. So here I am, sitting on one of the chairs, rocking back and forth in nervousness. I don’t know why if feel this nervous. Is it because it is my friend as the suspect? I don’t know. The cameras are shut down, on my request so that I can have a quiet conversation with my client, or friend. I know Kate isn’t guilty, I know it and I believe it. But somehow, deep down, I’m scared, scared that I might be wrong. Scared that what if, just what if I’m wrong, what then? How will I face Kate? How will she face me? What will Jos think? I shake my head , trying to push the thoughts away.
Oak Tree 13. Mrs Madeline Fairchild
06th August 2027 Mrs Madeline Fairchild’s residence is situated not far from the police station, just four blocks away in the residential area. Grayson and I checked it out first yesterday, after he had made his phone call to the forensics and I finished my business at work. The second investigation is over and Grayson promised to fill me in once we are done with Mrs Madeline, Kate’s boss. We sit in Grayson’s car, watching the building from a safe distance. Her apartment is in the 11th floor, which means we won’t be able to find a proper view from where we are. The only option is to go in. I can’t see any sensible reason why I didn’t do that in the first place itself. “Do you really wish to go in?” Grayson asks, for the eighth time now. “Are you scared Mr Grayson?” That very moment, Grayson’s cheeks flush red in shame. “Of course not! Whatever made you think that? I’m a detective!” Grayson sho
Oak Tree 14. Before The Trial
“So what next?” Grayson asks, once we are secured in our car. Grayson takes hold of the steering wheel, but does not start the car, as if waiting for me to speak. I pull out my cell phone from my coat pocket and check the digital map. “We pay a visit to the call centre.”Grayson groans dramatically but the detective part of him tells him that’s the right thing to do. Before Grayson can start the engine, I stop him, “Now, care to tell me how the second investigation went?” Grayson smiles, something he never showed before as he says, “Patience.”I sigh in frustration, but there was nothing I can do. Pissing Grayson off wouldn’t be a good idea either. It seems like the investigation bears good news, since Grayson is always in a good mood when I talk about it.Let him rejoice in his victory. I’l
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