Fever dream • JJ Maybank

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐦𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥

"John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the Noth Carolina statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty." The judge speaks making me gasp

"You honour, he's 17!" Jay says as he stands up "quite" the judge says "he's 17! Are you kidding me?" Jay says "Jay" I says trying to calm him down

"Hey, John B, we're gonna figure it out" Jay says "John B! John B!" Sarah says as she was running towards John B "John B! No!" Sarah says before some cop stops her "Stop! Don't touch her!" Kie says "It's okay" I tells Sarah "let's go, Sarah. Let's get out of here" Kie says before we left the court

"Is this a joke? Like, are we in hell or...?" Kie says as we hears comment on John Bs sentence saying he deserved that and justice had been served "I should never come home" Sarah says

"They're gonna kill him guys" Jay says "what if we'd clear John Bs name in time?" I asks "how?" Jay asks "I don't know! I don't want to see John B dies" I says "oh well I do?" Jay asks

"I didn't say that" I says "guys" Kie says snapping us out "sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Thank god the system works" someone says to Ward making us look at them

"can you please shut up? Of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you" Kie snaps "he'll have his day in court. A jury will decide" someone says

"He shouldn't even be in court! You should, 'cause you're a murderer. You have a lot of nerve showing up to court" Kie says "I know you're upset. I understand you're upset, okay?" Ward says

"Upset?" Kie repeats "he's got you all fooled-" Ward says "no I am not just upset!" Kie says as she was about to fight Ward but we all stops her, Thomas and Ward separate her from Ward as well "show some respect!" Ward says

"Muzzle your god damn dog" Jay says to Shoupe pointing at Thomas "get the fuck off of her" I says "why don't you take the kooks down for a change?" Jay says "you wanna get arrested? Get out. You need to go" Shoupe says

"This is bullshit" Kie says "I know" I says "come on. Look, it's not worth it" Sarah says "sorry. You shouldn't be going through this" Palm says to Ward

"It's not a coincidence that your daughter is sitting with us" Kie says before everyone all walks away

-

"I am gonna testify under oath. I was there. I just need to get a hold of my sister" Sarah says "sister?" Jay asks "Kie, do you have your phone?" Sarah asks "Wheezie is the only other person that knows Rafe wasn't home that day" Sarah says

"Wheezie?" Jay says "I don't know what else to do. I got us into this mess. I am gonna do my best to get us out" Sarah says "Wheezie? Yeah, that will work" Jay says "at least she's trying to think of something!" I says

"Well she's right about one thing, we gotta do something. Our boy is a PO-dub righ now, okay? He's held captive by the enemy right now, maybe even scheduled for execution. Are we just gonna sit here?" Jay says

"What's the plan? Kidnap Shoupe?" Kie asks "maybe, like, that's not the worst idea actually" Jay says "oh it's not?" Kie asks "JJ, crazy plans won't help right now" I says "that's the worst idea I've ever heard" Pope says