Learn to Conquer

Chapter 1: Recruitment

"I am telling you the damn truth, you're just not listening to me!" I yelled, my fuse getting shorter by the second. 

We heard a knock at the interrogation room door. "We're busy." Detective Giles responded. In walked an old man. He had white hair with grey specks and was actually shorter than I was. Not that I'm short, just he is. He was wearing a nice suit topped off with a kippah. 

"Not anymore." The lawyer's nasally voice responded. "Melvin Horowitz. Defense attorney for the suspect." 

I looked up at him all confused. "I didn't ask for a lawyer." 

"Your parents did." He replied. "I'd like to take a moment with my client." 

"As is your right." Detective Giles nodded, leaving the room and closing it behind him. 

I ran my fingers through my hair, becoming stressed. "My parents know?  God they must be so disappointed." 

"Not if you didn't do it Carmen." Horowitz explained. "That is the story you're going with, isn't it?" 

I rolled my eyes at his mere words. "It's not a story, it's the truth. Why won't anybody believe me?" 

"Your fingerprints are on the murder weapon. He was in your house, and the housekeepers heard sounds of distress coming from downstairs. There was no sign of anyone else in the house, and the housekeepers all say that they were cleaning up your father's study. I've seen people convicted for less." Horowitz explained. 

"So what? Are they gonna ship me off right away, or give me the chance for court?" I asked. 

Horowitz shrugged. "They have put a deal on the table. Ten years in the program, without jail time. It's the best deal I can get." 

"But people die in the program. It's for war mongrels, actual guilty criminals. Not me." I hung my head, weighing my options. 

"And people die in prison." He replied. "Especially blonde rich girls such as yourself. And the government won't give you ten years, they'll give you twenty five to life. But it's up to you Carmen." 

~*~

I walked out with the cuffs around my wrists, an orange jumpsuit complimenting them. Although there was so much going on around me, the yelling of protesters, the snapping of cameras and the detectives emanating a winning aura, all I could focus on was my family. My little sister,  Delphine, was asleep in my mother's lap. Who's tears were falling onto her little blonde head. And my father putting one comforting arm around them, watching calmly as the events unfolded. He wasn't crying, he didn't even look disappointed. He never did, it was just dollar signs to him.

"Carmen." Horowitz elbowed me, which snapped me out of my trance. 

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I asked, waking up. 

The judge looked down at me over his stand. "Do you wish to plead guilty or not guilty?" 

I bit my lip, a veil of shame glossing over my features, "Guilty." 

I heard my mom cry as my "friends" just gasped, gossiping to themselves about how they knew it all along. Because they're genius' and I'm just a screw up. Carmen  will be a name that will be remembered for a long time in my high school. It might even be a new nickname for basket cases later on.

"Order in the court." The judge banged his gavel. "Miss. You do realize that the recommended sentence for felony murder is one life sentence." 

"Yes I do your honor." I replied, my voice gone completely monotone. I really couldn't believe that this was happening. At least, not like this.