Tabatha Izumi: Average American by Christian Zeo
Part 2
Standing in front of the crowd, watching the horror of a hanging. I knew why it was so morbid, why I couldn't bear tto watch it; because it was caused by me.
20 years have passed since the day we arrived at this hell, and frankly, I don't know how we survived. Philadelphia, the city of choice for my master Adam Olson, located in Pennsylvania, was naturally where my family decided to settle. While it's not as good as home, it's still nice, with cold winters, but also hot summers.
Despite the way he seemed, Adam is a very nice man. I was very surprised to find out that he is the king's minister. Unfortunately, I found out in a way that caused the horrible death of a man to happen.
I was doing the chores as usual for Adam, when suddenly out of nowhere he went up to me, and started talking to me, which he usually never did while I was working, because he always said that it's better to be focused so I can get work done a lot more efficiently. What he said surprised me quite a bit.
"Tabatha dear, I have a request. I'm working on an investigation of a crime committed yesterday, and I want to hear what you think about it, and see if you can figurre out who committed it." Adam said, and at that moment I felt a bond had been made.
" Wait, you work for the king?! I suppose I could help; it would be an honor to do work for you and the king!" I replied, showing that I was reliable, and was willing to please him.
"Thank you so much Tabatha! Well as long as you're here, I'll show you the evidence, and we can walk over to the scene of the crime." He said, getting up to get some papers, and then leaving with me. And as we walked, I faintly felt something warm grasping my hand.
And I held it all the way there.
The following day, after I contemplated what I had seen, it hit me. When Adam asked me who I thought did it, I knew immediately what my answer was.
"The whole problem is that someone threw pig manure at a statue of the king, right? So it must be someone who lives with, or near, pigs." I said.
"Of course, so do you think it was the first suspect, Po Daniels?" Adam said, proving that what I thought was true.
"That makes sense, right? After all, he is upset with the king for not letting him move east to farm tobacco, and he's a pig farmed. However, that's exactly why he's not the one who did it." I said, finally able to prove to Adam Olson that I can do more than cook and clean.
"What?! He's not? If not, then who?!" Adam said, obviously surprised by how sure I was of myself.
"Eustice Fairbanks is your other suspect you said was most likely, right? Of course he has motives, because the king won't let him be given a title like "Earl", "Duke", or "Knight", but I don't think that would push him to doing something such as throwing pig manure on a statue of the king, especially considering his trying to be on the good side of the king. So all that leaves is..."
"... Seamus Block." Adam said, finally having a moment of realization, but then immediately snapping out of it.
"Wait, how is that possible? What evidence could you have?" He said, now looking at me curiously.
"Seamus Block. The indentured servant of Po Daniels. The only reason why he's still working for him is because Po caught him stealing a bread roll, and the only grudge Seamus has isn't even against the king personally, but against the ministers like you. Now, you may be thinking, 'well then why would he want to disrespect the king like that?', and the answer is, he didn't. He threw the manure at the king's statue, because he knew that his master would be the first one suspected, and everytime he's accused, he never says it could be Po who did it, because he knows that if he blames others, he will be immediately looked at as suspicious." I said all at once.
"You... you're a genius! You've done it!" Adam said, hugging me tightly, showing his respect for me, and his pride in my ability to solve the case. And right at that moment, I thought there would be no way that I wouldn't be recognized as a hero, and feel like one.
But I was sorely mistaken.
After that day, the king arrested the man, and brought him to the public so they could watch him be hung, showing what would happen to those who were disloyal to the king.
The terror in Seamus' eyes, the pain of knowing that he was about to lose everything, and that it was all my fault was more than I could take. I looked away, and that was when I heard the swing of a sword, the cutting of a rope, and the gasp of a man, as he took his final breath, and left the earth.
At that very moment, I regretted ever helping Adam, and ever trying to do something good. All I felt was pain.
The pain that I had caused others.
