Wicked

T H R E E

“Ok.” An old box tv strapped to a cart was rolled onto the floor and the forbidden tape was inserted into the VCR. 

The car was shown speeding down the deserted highway. Everything seemed normal. About fifty meters ahead of the car was Howard, a man in his 40’s only wanting to cross the road, not knowing his tragic death to come. 

Emily’s truck continued to speed down the road, no hesitation. About ten meters away from Howard you see the truck jolt, almost stop for a second, but then continue. The truck hits Howard with a dull and deafening sound, one that never leaves your head. The thud plays over and over, repeating until it becomes a distorted cacophony of sounds, and you want to rip out your ears just to silence it. After He hits the ground, the truck continues driving, not being able to stop that fast, and Howard’s head gets ran over. His head crumbles, sounding like the crackling of stale bread, and his body disappears under the moving vehicle. The tape cuts and everyone is brought back to court room where Emily awaits the final step. 

“Emily, you have come here today and pleaded to the jury for your crimes against Howard Steel. You are accused of involuntary manslaughter. You will be tested for your crimes, and punished as so.

    A doctor comes out from the door by the jury with a needle and a test tube, and asks Emily to put out her left arm. She does so, and then her arm is fastened to the table by straps that were installed there in the past for the past juries. She tenses when the needle goes in, but she does not cry. The needle finishes going in, and before the doctor draws any blood, the judge speaks. 

“If your blood is seen any darker than the lightest crimson, then you have committed this crime without remorse, and will receive an equal punishment of ten years in a state prison." 

               I’m on my way to a gas station nearby, I can stop there to eat and recuperate. Im driving down this cool road that's full of trees and animals. It smells like maple and pine and the road is smooth and calming. It’s very dark, and the constellations are shining in the sky. I look back to the road and jump about a million feet in the air. A man is walking across the road, he doesn’t see me, and he keeps walking. I press my foot to the break for a quick second, but then I think about it. How bad of a deed would I need to commit for my blood to turn darker? Would I feel it? The curiosity. The questions, I had to know. I can’t live as the perfect person forever, I need to make a few mistakes, let out my anger without fearing the consequences. But I can’t. That just isn’t the world that I live in. Instead I stay the poster child for any parent, the flawless being with no mistakes. But what is a human without mistakes, anger, passion. Then, as though out of my control, my foot switched pedals to rest on the gas. The weight on my shoulders to be the best, to be better than everyone else, suddenly it wasn’t just on my shoulders, but on my foot. The pressure weighed down my foot onto the gas, and lightened my head from the malicious mindset that it had been in since I was little. But hey, it’s not my fault, afterall, curiosity killed the cat.

    The blood was drawn, and shown to the entire courtroom. As the vial was held up to the sky, only one thought crossed Emily’s mind. How? 

    The doctor stood, arm outstretched holding the vial of pure white blood for all to see.