From the Other Side

Phoenix Wright was sweating bullets. If he didn't calm down soon he wouldn't make it into the courtroom. "Wright!" I shouted.

"Oh, hiya, Chief!" he stammered.

I grinned. "I'm glad I made it on time." Phoenix shifted his feet nervously. "Well, not everyone takes on a murder trial right off the bat!" My attempts to calm him were futile.

The kid smiled nervously. "Um… thanks." He turned his head and surveyed the rest of the lobby. Empty, apart from us. "Actually, it's because I owe him a favour."

What? I hesitated. "You mean… you knew the defendant before this case?"

"He's one of the reasons I became an attorney."

I hid my surprise. "Well, that's news to me!"

"It's over!" a loud voice boomed through the lobby. I turned to face it.

"Isn't that your client screaming over there?"

Phoenix grimaced and mumbled.

"Death! Despair! Oooooh!" Butz, the client, wailed. He stumbled towards Wright, floods of tears streaming down his face.

Desperate, Phoenix asked him what was wrong. "I can't live in a world without her!" Came the reply. Butz started hurling questions towards Phoenix, who took a while to gather his thoughts.

My name is Mia Fey. I'm a defence attorney – one of the best in America. My protégée, Phoenix Wright, took on this case; and I'm beside him, helping him. The case is supposedly simple – a young woman, killed in her apartment. The defendant? Her boyfriend, Larry Butz. It had to be said, Wright took to this case with a kind of steely determination. Outsiders thought the case was already closed, but not Wright. Which is explained now, I thought. Now I'm aware they know each other. Confidence is one thing, getting the verdict is another. It is time to see how far Phoenix has come. It is time to get the acquittal.

.~.~.~.

I dialled her number. She picked up on the third ring.

"Mia!" she couldn't hide the surprise in her voice. "You haven't called in a while!"

"Sorry sis, I've been so busy. How you been?"

Maya giggled. "Well, lonely. And it's all your fault. Nah, just joking. I'm good."

"That's good to hear." I hesitated. "Actually, I'm calling because I have a favour to ask."

"Let me guess – evidence to look after?"

"I just don't feel safe keeping it here."

"I gotcha." My sister replied. "So, what is it this time?"

I breathed a mental sigh of relief. "It's… a clock. Made to look like that statue, 'the Thinker'. I should probebly warn you – it doesn't work right now." I had taken out the clockwork and hid papers in it; papers that may or may not be important evidence in a case.

Maya agreed and we set a time to meet up. Well, as long as I took her to her favourite burger joint. Typical little sis.

I hung up the phone and sat at my desk.

. ~ . ~ . ~ .

There was a crash in the reception. I hurried to scoop up all my papers and shove them away.

In the hall was a figure.

"Hello Miss Fey." A deep voice spoke from the darkness.

"Who are you?" I shouted.

He chuckled. "I'll take what's mine now."

I inhaled, pushing down fear and mustering all my calm. "I'm sorry, but I can't give you what I don't have."

"Miss Fey, you are a poor liar. Why, I see it right over there!" he pointed to my desk. "That must be the Thinker that swallowed those papers."

Crap. "How could you know?"

Another laugh. "Gathering information is my business, you see."

Resigned, I cursed myself. "I… I should have been more careful."

"My dear Miss Fey… I am so very sorry." Was this it? Will– "I must ask for your eternal silence." I– "Farewell, Miss Fey." Die?

He lunged for the door, pushing me out of his way. Adrenaline pumping. Weapon? Escape route? He grabbed 'the Thinker'- too slow Mia - and raised it above me.

Shooting pain. Liquid heat seeped over my head. He was gone. I saw my blood trickle onto the carpet, drip-drop, drip-drop too much this pain. I'm sorry… Maya.

Red…white…blue…

I'd had my fair share of contact with the dead in my life –over?- but I'd never been on this side.

The pain; was it ever there? Not here, anyway. I could no longer feel my body but instead my thoughts. A wave of understanding washed over me. I could feel my eyes but not my bodies' – my mind's. My brain, working – no, not my brain, but… me.

Just me.

Where was I? I was not in my office, but… the thought of my office. Watching through a window. I could see my body; I was standing over it, but in a different level.

So hard for the human brain to comprehend.

Maya. The thought occurred to me. I've left Maya. No, not left. I would never leave her. I was still here, remember.

With death comes an awareness, another conscience. And someone was with me.

"Sis?" The voice was hesitant.

Did I want to witness this? When one realises the death of their loved one? Not just anyone – my Maya.

She crept into the office, looked around. She smelt my blood. "Sis?"

And then she saw my body.

"Sis!" she shouted. "Mia?!" She ran to the window and held my shoulder, shook me.

I wanted to reach out and touch her. To wrap my arms around her and tell her everything's okay.

There were centimeters between us, but a whole universe as well.

"Maya." I put my arm around her and closed my eyes.

Tears plunged to the floor with my blood.