Despite the Pain -Klaus Baudelaire FF

Bonus - The Trial

My hands shake. All around me, people talk, but I can't hear a thing they're saying. They were kind to me. I hadn't had much friends. It's possible I only did what I did because they wanted me to. It was their idea. They brainwashed me. I run over Detective Grendowyn's words. It took me days to decide whether I was going to listen to him or not, but he's right. I don't want to spend the rest of my life in prison for something I didn't do. Olaf isn't dead, but no one believes that. Lying is my only option for a less harsh sentence.

The judge enters the room, and we all rise to our feet. He glances at me, and I can see the look in his eyes. Disgust. Sadness. It's an odd combination.

The trial begins. The prosecutor gives his speech, telling the jury everything I did (technically didn't do) and why they shouldn't believe a thing I say.

It's soon my turn, and I slowly make my way to the stand. My lawyer wants to begin by asking me questions. Sighing, I search for Grendowyn's face, relieved when our eyes connect. He nods, and I know I have to say everything he told me to.

"Miss King, when did you first meet the Baudelaires?" It's the same question from when I was being interrogated.

"A few months ago...at Prufrock Preparatory." I answer.

"Their parents died, did you know that?"

Of course I knew that. "Yes. They told myself and my friends this."

"Your friends, the Quagmires, correct." It's not meant to be a question. "Isadora and Duncan Quagmire. The three of you were kidnapped by Count Olaf only a few days after meeting the Baudelaires." I close my eyes, willing the memories to go away. "What happened while you were with him?" I shake my head. "Miss King, I know this is difficult, but you must answer the question."

Grendowyn smiles softly. "Olaf was abusive towards the three of us...me more than Isadora and Duncan. He would hit me, kick me, squeeze my throat until I was certain I was going to die. He uh...he whipped me a few times." My nails dig into my palms. "While he was doing this, he would tell me all the different ways he was thinking of killing me. He also told me how he murdered my parents. He snuck onto their boat...and he sliced their throats. Then he turned the wheel so the boat would crash into some rocks." By now, tears were streaming down my face. When I was younger, I never allowed others to see me cry. But for the past few months, I don't seem to have any control over it.

The lawyer stares at me sympathetically. "Did you want Olaf to pay for all the pain he caused you?"

"I wanted him to be in as much pain as he inflicted on me." I admit. "I wanted him to hurt, to suffer. But I never wanted him to die. The thing I wanted most was for him to be in prison. To spend the rest of his life locked up in a cell."

"Olaf also caused the Baudelaires a great amount of pain, would you say they wanted him dead?"

It takes me a moment to answer. This is the part where I lie. To save myself. "It's possible they could have. When they first told me of Olaf and everything he had done to them...they were angry. Apparently they were angrier than I realized."

"Miss King, did you have anything to do with the murder of Count Olaf?"

"No. The Baudelaires came up with the plan. They were kind to me. They were one of the few people who cared about me, and I cared about them. I realize now they were lying to me...they only wanted me to get revenge on Olaf. It was their idea. The Baudelaires murdered Count Olaf."