Chapter Four
The Trial
Later that day, the town's cars all gathered in the courthouse. No one could tell that Melody was nervous to be going against her father. The only one to know was Joseph himself. He knew his daughter would hide her emotions, and he smirked as he saw Melody come in. She had several files with her, and her dark blue gaze was as cold as ice.
Melody glanced up from finalizing her papers, only to see her father with a smug look on his face. She felt as if her father would lunge at her, and hurt her again, though she knew he couldn't. She could see the boot on him, plain as day, and knew she was safe as long as he had it on.
The trial started just as Melody's had. Things went smoothly, that was, until Melody was brought up to give her recount of the incident. She knew just what she would say, each word was written out perfectly, all she had to do was read what she had down in front of her.
"Now we shall call the victim to the stand," Tom said,, and Melody came forward to the stand. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" he recited.
"I do," Melody agreed.
"We will now hear your recount of the incident," he told her.
Melody nodded, quickly riffling through her papers. Though she had thought that she would be able to keep calm explaining what her father had done, she found herself frightened. Under the gaze of everyone, including her father's own angry stare, Melody began to find it difficult to keep her composure. By the end, Melody was glad that hers was the last recount of the incident before a period of recess was announced. Several of the cars dispersed, including a fairly distressed Melody, who went behind the courthouse, hoping not to be seen or heard by the others. She knew that to recount the events was too much for her. Though she knew it would help to put her father in his place.
After a brief time, everyone was called back into the courthouse. Melody had finally managed to pull herself together. This was the moment of truth, and she knew it.
"In the case of the cars versus Joseph Thomas Song, has the jury reached a verdict?" Tom asked, his voice stern.
"Sally drove forward a bit. "We have, your honor. In the case of the cars versus Joseph Thomas Song, we find Mr. Song guilty on accounts of abuse, both verbal and physical," she said, and Tom nodded, and Melody relaxed slightly. Joseph would be held in the impound until an escort came to take him to a prison in a different town.
Mater towed a nearly livid Joseph back to the impound and the rest of the town filtered out of the courthouse. After a short time, only Melody, Tom, and Sheriff were left in the room. Sheriff was talking with Tom, discussing what they should do next.
Though Melody was simply sitting where she had been when she heard her father, the only family she had, declared guilty. She didn't know where to go from here, she knew that it was the law that she couldn't yet live on her own, though if she wasn't on her own, who would she be with? Melody had no other family that she knew of, and didn't know anyone who would take her in. Just like when her mother had passed on, Melody's life was turned upside down and filled with uncertainty. The only thing she knew was that her fate was now in the tires of two cars she barely knew.