The Whole Thing

The Part With The Proclamations of Innocence

It had been a week of silent observations. Noel Fielding didn't seem dangerous at all. He kept to himself. He read books all day. During lunch, he would sit alone. He went to bed early, before the lights had even been turned off. They always said the silent ones were the most dangerous but Julian was in disbelief that this man was a killer. He watched Noel Fielding take spiders into the courtyard so fellow inmates wouldn't squish them and butterflies sit on his skin with ease when he worked in the garden. He watched him chat with the prison librarian about favourite books and take recommendations. He wouldn't fight over the television remote or lounge in the recreational room. He broke up fights rather than created them. He wasn't what Julian had expected from someone deemed so vile.

He had asked Dolly to ensure an appointment with Mr. Fielding in his office right away. He knew he originally didn't want to be his counsellor but things had changed. He had to get a sense of what was going on in that mind of his that resided behind those electrifying eyes.

There was a knocking at the door and Julian had a split second panic attack before sitting up taller and beckoning the knocker to come inside.

The door opened and Noel Fielding stepped in. He looked... frustrated.

"I don't need a shrink"

He had grumbled, still lingering by the door as if he had any chance of escaping his session.

"The jurisdictional system disagrees"

Noel rolled his eyes and closed the door. He sauntered over to the seat in front of Julian's desk, hesitating for a second before sitting down.

"So, think you can fix me? Should I start with my troubled childhood first or the fact that I'm innocent?"

"You're innocent?"

"That's what I keep tellin' 'em"

Noel locked eyes with Julian who gulped down hard. He shifted his eyes around the desk which made Noel laugh.

"You people are always so scared of me" Noel rolled his eyes, "Which is bloody ridiculous cause I'm a thief. I'm not a killer"

"You're believed to have killed five people, one who happened to be part of the royal family. All the evidence-"

"Made up. I was framed. I was there to steal diamonds and suddenly people were dying around me"

"If you're innocent, why did you run and hide?"

Noel bit his lip as Julian raised his eyebrows. He solemnly shook his head.

"Cause I knew no-one would believe me. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time... Look I was an artist. I was poor. I barely had a roof over my head. I stole to stay alive but I wasn't stealing enough. That exhibition, I only went for the diamonds to stay out of poverty for good, there was no reason for me to kill those people too. I had no motive but still, I'm here. No-one believes my innocence despite the lack of motive"

"I do"

"What?"

"I do. I don't think you're capable of murder. I've watched you this week and you're... you're not a murderer"

"So you'll help me get outta here?"

Noel's eyes widened with excitement as he sat up taller, gripping the rests of his chair.

"I'm afraid I can't do that" Julian shook his head and Noel sunk back into his seat, "The fingerprints, the DNA, the missing weapon and the notes found in your hideaway, all the evidence points to you. People believe in the facts, they won't believe me just because I think you're too nice to be a killer. I'm just naive"

"I ain't ever been called nice in my life"

"Probably cause everyone thinks you're criminal"

"Don't call me nice and don't call me a criminal. Don't call me anything. I know what you're doing. You counsellors boost us up only to distract us from when we get torn down. I'm getting executed in four months. Nothing is changing that. Like you said, the evidence convicts me and your words won't save me"

Noel angrily got out of his seat and stormed over to the door.

"I still think you're innocent"

He stopped with his hand on the handle. He took a deep breath before looking into Julian's eyes.

"Maybe you shouldn't"

It looked as though he had tears in his eyes but he was doing a good job to hide them. He quickly left Julian's office and Julian shook his head. From that session he could deduct how clashing Noel's personality was. He was capable of opening up with little provocation to but not stable enough to allow any other opinions but his own. He was both confident and lacking confidence and it was destructive. He proclaimed innocence but Julian had a hunch not even Noel knew whether he was guilty or innocent. A troubled childhood and poverty-stricken adulthood was no reason to turn into a mass murderer but it could be an indication of his gentle nature and self-isolation. Julian needed to see more of him before he could draw anymore conclusions. So he arranged with Dolly to have more sessions with the notorious Noel Fielding.