Darkness

Chapter 25

Calum's POV

After 10 dragging minutes of waiting for my trial we were guided by a broad and tall police officer into the court room. As I walked through the doors the muttering that bounced around the room was silenced and all eyes shot onto me.

I was guided down the side of the court room and behind a glass wall, caging me from the judging eyes. The feeling was so degrading.

I stand up straight, my hands behind my back and take in a deep breath, scanning the people in the room until I spot Ashton, Michael and Luke. I try to search the area looking for Ruby but she isn't there. Maybe she's outside I say to myself. I try to catch the eye of one of the guys but none of them even glance at me, as if they're trying to avoid any eye contact.

I try to distract myself from what's going on with them and why they're acting in such a strange way. Suddenly the trance is broken by the court chancellor entering the room and I am brought back to normality - well, if you would call this situation normal.

"All rise." The vice chancellor speaks, summoning everyone to their feet as they watch in silence.

"You may take your seats." The lord chancellor announces, taking his own seat and gathering scattered papers from the desk at where he is sat. "We are here today for the hearing of Calum Hood; deciding the fate of guilt or innocence with assisting the suicide of Brian Silver."

The chancellors narrow eyes peered at me over the top of his oval shaped glasses, as if he tried to read my mind. "Mr Hood, do you plead guilty or not guilty of assisting the suicide of Mr Silver?" He asked, causing all eyes in the court room to burn into me.

I remained eye contact with the chancellor, afraid to look in Michael, Luke and Ashton's direction. "Guilty." I said quietly.

"Can you speak up please?" He replied, impatience in his tone.

I cleared my throat and tried again. "Guilty." I repeated, this time loudly and more clearly.

He nodded his head, beginning to write something down onto the paper on top of his desk as the other spectators whispered to one another.

"Lord Chancellor, if you will, I would like to give forward Calum's statement now." My lawyer announced as he stood from his seat.

"You may begin." The chancellor replied, looking over his glasses at Lee.

Lee walked over to the centre of the court, visible to all the spectators and judges within. He had such confidence in his body language and facial expression; I wish I knew how he could be so content.

"Brian Silver - suffering everyday from a brain tumour - asked my client to assist with the ending of his life. But you must see it was not just the end of his life, it was the end of the suffering. The pain. The torture and agony Brian Silver would face every single day as he awoke. Every day a new challenge, but not just this. He also had to live with knowing his death was slowly creeping up on him. Brian knew the end of his life was close - and so do you and I, so why go through the needless suffering just to wait for something that could happen so simply with the help of an innocent young man. Calum did this man a favour, this was no criminal act but a simple human rights act, freeing Brian from the pain he lived with everyday." Lee finally ended, not pausing until this point, leaving the whole room in silence.

The Lord chancellor cleared his throat, a look of surprise overriding his once expressionless face. "Thank you. May you exit the room as we discuss the charges pressed on Calum Hood." He announced, as everyone began to leave the room - exiting in the opposite direction to me.

I was led out of the glass room I was caged within and out of the court room, back to the waiting room where I had been before. Lee followed in after about 2 minutes and I stood to thank him, shaking his hand. "Thank you." I said as our hands were grasped together in a handshake.

"You'll be fine." Lee replied, giving me a reassuring smile and a wink before walked behind me and taking a seat. I just really hope he is right.