| abstract
| - Carolina White taps on her desk. The false Jacob Hemsworth takes the stand again. Looking around, he isn’t amused. Hemsworth: I’m guessing you think I’m the culprit, don’t you Ms. White? White: I won’t jump to conclusions, Hemsworth. You had access to all the evidence. We also know none of this is entirely conclusive. Hemsworth: Why would you say that? White: All of this lacks fingerprints. The only thing we can truly PROVE James Barmms to be the murderer is the security footage. Even then, that could be interpreted different ways. Hemsworth: Yes, it could. But our eye witness says he saw Mr. Barmms in the burning building. That, I feel, should be enough. White: So you think he could sabotage a scene of a crime and kill someone within such a short amount of time? Hemsworth: Do… We know the times? White: Yes, we do. White presents the autopsy, and then the check in and check out reports for James Barmms’ hospital visits. White: James was out at 11:26. He came back at 11:40. The mayor died at 11:31. The location he died at is a 4 minute drive from the hospital, and to come back adds 4 minutes. There simply isn’t enough time, Hemsworth! Bailways: You make a fair point, Ms. White. However, James WAS seen, and the security footage got him. You can’t simply disprove his position there by stating times. He could have done all this in a short amount of time. The timing, to be frank, proves NOTHING. Carolina steps back from the witness. She thinks for a moment. Judge: Any more questions, Ms. White? Carolina: I’m thinking, Your Honor. Then, she gets an idea. Carolina: What if… There was another person in the building entirely, and James happened to have been seen there? Bailways licks his bottom lip and folds his arm. After some thought, he gives his point of view. Bailways: While a helpful theory, I… I don’t see anything that could have PROVED someone else was there. Hemsworth: Besides, only one set of footprints was found at the scene of the crime. Nobody could have prepared it, if that’s what you think. Carolina looks at the hospital times, and then the knife. Suddenly, it hits her. Carolina: I OBJECT! Judge: To what? Carolina: The last line! That’s what’s going to decide this case for us. Hemsworth: Preparation? You can’t be serious. Carolina: No. Not that he prepared it. He could NOT have prepared it! Bailways: What… What are you insinuating? Carolina picks up the knife. Carolina: This is made of metal, correct? Bailways nods. Carolina: If that was the case, James could NOT have been the true murderer of the crime! The jury begins to chatter. The judge bangs her gavel and orders silence. Carolina: The hospitals all have metal detectors in them. If James was visiting me in the hospital, he could have never come inside with the metal! Hemsworth begins to sweat. Hemsworth: (I didn’t think of that…) Carolina: And we can’t say he bought them either. James would never have had the time to buy them at a store with such a small time gap. Don't say he had them in the car either. I have witnesses that can testify against that. Bailways: Then where DID he get the knife and lighter? Carolina: He didn’t. Someone else was the owner of the lighter and the knife. Who that someone is, I can’t tell you. I don’t know the true identity of the culprit, but they HAVE to be in this room! The audience begins to discuss. “In this room? Who is she talking about?” “Who was the man inside the building then, if not the defendant?” “I think she’s trying to trick us!” Bailways: Alright, I can agree that Barmms could NOT have been the owner of the knife and lighter. HOWEVER, you cannot deny he was there at the scene of the crime! White pauses to think for a moment. James: It’s risky, Carolina. So are you willing to say that’s really me? You know what the truth is. But can you handle the consequences of it? White looks at the Prosecutor, then Hemsworth. Rubbing her chin, she finally nods. White: It was impossible for James to be at the scene of the crime. The prosecutor’s face goes red. Bailways: Your honor, I object! Ms. White is now trying to waste the court’s time. Judge: I concur. We see this evidence, Ms. White. Don’t waste our time. Now do you agree that IT is the defendant or not? White stays still. Judge: If you do not, I will simply hold you in contempt of court unless you can somehow make a logical point. White nods. White: I can give my theory. You’re not going to like it, but it’ll make sense: What if our culprit POSED as James Barmms? The judge is unamused, as well as Prosecutor Bailways. Bailways: That man in the footage is the spitting image of your client. I am convinced that it is him! White: People can imitate people to the point of looking like them. There’s things like advanced make-up this day and age! Bailways: Improbable on so many levels. I refused to believe this dribble! Your Honor, hold her in contempt! Judge: Perhaps I shall. Carolina: OBJECTION! Bailways, what if I could prove to you this: that a man can change forms to look like an entirely different thing altogether. Bailways (laughing): So. You suggest you can prove something scientifically impossible? HA! Carolina: It’s not and you know it. We live in an age of advanced humans. We’ve had a few in our city. The Emerald Woman, Megan Mataline, and others. They’ve appeared across the country, and across the globe. You have to take my word for it. I can prove it! Bailways: Then show me proof a person can “shape-shift” or whatever you’re driving it. Right now. I require it. Carolina looks at James. He’s sweating, but even through the sweat, he closes his eyes and nods. Then, Carolina lowers her head, and smiles. Carolina: Here it goes. Carolina’s body began to shake. She cries in pain as she feels a cold shimmer waltz down her spine. Suddenly, her skin begins to change a different color. The jury watches carefully as the Defense Attorney demonstrates such an absurd idea. Carolina begins to grow, and muscles pop out of her body. Her eyes grow, her teeth sharpen, and her ears become fins. Speckles come across her body. Her clothes rip. The transformation finishes with Carolina giving a sigh of relief. Bailways is stunned. The judge’s eyes are wider than they’ve ever been before. The Jury is silent, coldly staring at the Merrow. Merrow simply smiles. Merrow: As you can see, Mr. Bailways… I’m living proof of my argument. Bailways: This- This can’t be possible! The Merrow points her webbed finger at Bailways. Merrow: Oh ye of little faith! Now does my point come across? Hemsworth begins to sweat, pulling against his collar. Merrow walks up to him with her broken shoes. She slams her hands on the witness stand and looks sternly at Hemsworth. Merrow: Your little secret ends here! The possibility is out there: shapeshifting! So don’t be shy. Otherwise I’ll provide evidence that’ll prove it for me! Hemsworth looks at her desk. Nothing. However, he touches his forehead. Hemsworth: The mask… I forgot all about the mask… Merrow smiles. Hemsworth grows terrified of the fish woman showing a gleeful mouth stretched from cheek to cheek. Merrow (with song-like voice): Why don’t you just admit it here, and now. Would you? Hemsworth twitches. Hemsworth: N-no. You’re wrong. I’m not a shapeshifter! Just a detective on duty! Merrow: That’s who you are PRETENDING to be! Just like you pretended to be my client, James Barmms! Bailways: Object- The monster turns around and gives the prosecutor a disgusting look. Merrow: I’m not done. Bailways stays back. Merrow: Here’s what you did! You decided to stalk Barmms, and then one day, you took his form! You decided to murder the mayor and pin the blame on Barmms! Why you ask? The mayor was proving to be irresponsible! He never listened to you, especially with a threat on his life! So you had to prove him wrong. So you murdered him, in cold blood! Hemsworth’s face begins to glitch. The jurors notice this, and chatter quietly. Suddenly, a small square is shown on the spot on his forehead he touched, revealing his true, pitch black skin. Merrow: If I can even call you Hemsworth. Take off the disguise! Reveal to the court who you TRULY ARE! The Fetch shakes his head. The black spots grow numerous, until all the skin is wiped clean. The creature’s dark foggy hands clench. And then, out of anger, he shows his disfigured, pure black face, with his eyes shining a bright green. Fetch: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! I’ve… NEVER… Failed… With a framing! He slams his hands on the witness stand. Then, he grabs Merrow by the shirt. Fetch: Listen, daughter of Li Ban. Your trickery won’t save this man! Not- Not if they don’t catch me! He punches Merrow. As he runs from the bailiff, Bailways starts to breathe heavily. Merrow turns around. Bailways: H-help! My heart… Merrow: Oh. NO! She rushes to help him. Bailways collapses on the floor, twitching as he tries to keep his air. Merrow: No… Stay with me here! Bailways: The face… It was demonic! Suddenly, Stephanie Barmms bursts through the doors. She is shocked, and her evidence drops out of her hands. Stephanie: No… She couldn’t have… Merrow: Stephanie, Please! Call an ambulance. He’s having a heart attack. Stephanie: No wonder! You must have terrified him! Look at yourself. Merrow shakes her head. Merrow: No. I’m afraid it’s more worse than that. It was the Fetch. He frightened him! Bailways: Ooh… Stephanie: Alright alright! I’ll call 911. Stephanie is pushed out of the way by a man in robes. Fetch: Me mask! However, Stephanie snatches his hands before he can do anything. The bailiff comes to arrest him. Fetch gives a miserable laugh, and then, his entire tone shifts. With little emotion, a poem arises from his voice. Fetch: Although ye think ye caught me, soon the distraught shall be upon thee! Ye ol’ jail of misery, will never take me liberty. As sure as the river meets the sea, you won’t see the last of me! The bailiff pushes hims out of the room. Stephanie sits down in an empty audience seat. There, she waits for paramedics. Then, she gives a look at James Barmms. James looks distraught. ~~ A few hours later, and the Jury makes its decision. The judge orders the defendant to face the Jury. Bailways is missing in his spot. The foreman gives the verdict. Foreman: We the Jury find the defendant, James Barmms… NOT Guilty for the murder of Robert Naise. Carolina jumps for joy and hugs James Barmms. Stephanie rises from her seat and begins to clap. Stephanie: (I guess all things do work together in the end!) James Barmms has his handcuffs removed, and he gives a hug back to Carolina. James: I’m sorry… That I didn’t trust you. Carolina: I understand James. I was a jerk. And yet, now I did this all for the better. Kiss? James and Carolina (now out of her merrow form) make out. Stephanie: (And yet… Part of me feels like things are about to get worse…)
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