The Squad

Chapter 44: Insanity Defense

“Insanity is relative. It depends on who has who locked in what cage.”

~Ray Bradbury

-Monday, January 23rd. 10:15am.

The snowy morning haze down on the New York district court, the temperature as low as 3 °F. The weather is awfully colder than the deepest part of a butchers refrigerator. Visions are blurred by light white flakes precipitating from the sky. Every breath released is escorted by exhaled breath condensate.

Bodies clinging onto winter coats. Snow boots sink into snow packs as people struggle to walk on the frozen ice crystals covering the earth. But the unfriendly weather didn't stop reporters from prowling the courtyard, seizing every opportunity to question everyone who showed up for the cases in court.

"Your honour, the defendant would like to take the stand."

The judge nods in approval. The court enforcement officer escorts Allison to the witness stand. People murmur lowly in the gallery. This is in fact the moment they have been waiting for, it's Allison's first hearing after withdrawing her initial plea of not guilty.

Allison's legs reluctantly leads her to the witness stand, while her head spin in thoughts. She turns to face the court. She lift her eyes to take a quick glance throughout the courtroom. A small rush of relief hits her when she sees Chandelier and Becky sitting on the last row. She quickly look away, unable to stand the gaze in the eyes of her two best friends. She wonder what could be going through their minds. Are they wondering why she shot Mr Jean-Pierre?

Of course they are. Who wouldn't?

She look pass Britney and Katherine. Her heart tells her they are definitely judging her. Perhaps so are everyone in the courtroom. She stops herself from looking at the bench on the first row in the gallery. She couldn't look at her mother. Allison fight to hold back the tears in her eyes. She could imagine the question on everyone's mind, why did she pull the trigger?

Even she cannot answer that question. She has no idea what came over her. Is she going crazy?

Allison shudder when her breath came out unsteady. She mumble about not wanting to go to jail. She should be sent to a therapy, and not to jail.

"Could you please state your name to the court?" The firm voice of the court clerk draws Allison out of her thoughts.

"Uh, Allison. Allison Kringle."

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

"I do." Allison say in all sincerity.

"Please be seated." The clerk wave to the stand.

Allison sits. The defense attorney walks to the open space, his left hand fiddling with his tie. He gives her a small nod of encouragement to which she replies with a weary smile. "How do you feel today?"

Shaking off the hostile feeling of anxiousness, she clench her fists by her sides. "I feel uh, a little anxious. And uh, a lot perplexed with the dawning of this reality."

"When you say dawning of this reality, could you elaborate what that mean?"

"Uh, for one, I'm here in court today, charged for a crime I can only vaguely remember. Waking up to this actuality where my memories are fragments of blind spots is a lot to take in." Allison sniffle.