A Message to Scott Cawthon: Reimagined

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Finale

"Yes, unless you have anything else to ask, be seated Mr Gabriel," the judge ordered. For a moment, Mr Gabriel swayed on the spot in his concentration, but he then smiled at Rhys and sat back down. "Thank you, Mr Williams, you may return to your seat."

When Ryan heard his name called, he wanted to stay glued to his seat. With a gulp that seemed too loud in his own ears, he stood up and slowly made his way over to the witness stand, acutely aware of the dozens of eyes boring into the back of his skull, his movements were stiff. When he got to the stand, he almost hid behind it in his discomfort. He looked towards the Scotsman who gave him a comforting nod before the bailiff presented the Bible to perform the oath. He did so hastily, not wanting to be there. Out of all of the people in the room - all of his friends' family, his friends, his own family, the jury, the random members of court - the one gaze he feared the most was Ronnie's. Baz's younger brother looked at Ryan with betrayal and disgust; it surprised Ryan that he hadn't left or made a scene yet. Ben - who was one of Baz's older brothers - was seated beside him, slowly shaking his head.

"Ryan?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry. Sorry, I..."

"Please don't apologise. This is a very tough time for you, so if you need to stop, it's okay." Ryan nodded; the prosecutor continued. "I hate to ask this of you, but what relationship did you have with Ryan? Or "Baz" as you called him?"

"He was my best friend for over twenty years."

"I am deeply sorry for your loss, I truly am. This tragedy must have affected you the worse; to lose someone so close to you. Do you think Lewis Dawkins had a sound reason to kill him?"

"No, not at all."

"Do you think Mr Dawkins could control his actions?"

Ryan hesitated, "Probably not."

"But by the sound of it, you don't fully believe that, do you?"

"I, err... I don't know what to think anymore. I think I was just so angry that I wanted to blame him, but if there was actually something wrong with him mentally, I don't think that's right."

"What was it like? When you first found him dead?"

"What?"

"How did it make you feel?"

"Um, distraught? Lost? I felt super lonely all of a sudden, really angry that I wasn't there for him."

"So, you were angry at Lewis?"

"Yeah."

"Would you agree that being angry is a reason for someone to retaliate?"

"Yes...? It depends what you mean by retaliate..."

"Because medical reports show that Lewis had also been attacked, and the few marks on his body corresponded with the damage to your hand - namely your bruised knuckles and the split skin above them - while forensics found out that shirt fibres from your clothes were on his clothes and under his nails, indicating a struggle. Did you attack Lewis Dawkins, Ryan?"

Ryan was shocked, and he didn't notice the tear drop down his face until it landed on his hand. "Yes, after he killed my best friend."

"But you confirm that you provoked him?"

"Provoked? I was trying to defend someone!"

"Really? Why would you need to defend someone from him?"

"Because he was going to kill R..."

"He was going to kill Rhys?" Ryan realised the trap he had fallen into. "So, Lewis Dawkins, who apparently was so grief stricken and regretful of what he did, tried to do it again? Good to know. That is all, thank you."