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The Polar Opposites
Chapter 1: The Trial
Hawkins, Indiana
Monday, 8:00 a.m.
September 9, 1985
The criminal's eyes are set on his son, who's sitting in the back row of the crowd.
The criminal son's eyes are on the ceiling. He refuses to give his father one last glimpse.
The judge appears, and everyone stands. Regular initial procedures are done – introducing the case, introducing the jury, open statements by the lawyers, and so on.
The criminal knew he was guilty, but he didn't plead so in his preliminary hearing. He refused to go down without a fight.
As usual.
The criminal's wife is sitting between her stepson and her daughter. Her head is cast down, her eyes filled with silent tears. Her tears don't signal sadness, but rather embarrassment…
And relief.
The trial goes on. The charges include assault, battery, trespassing, obstruction, harassment, intimidation, assaulting US government employees, and resisting arrest.
On the night of July 4, the suspect harassed and intimidated a receptionist at Hawkins Memorial Hospital for not allowing him to visit his injured son. His wife tried to calm him down, and he punched her after severely threatening with motions of his fists – therefore committing assault followed by battery. The suspect then proceeded to trespass into the corridors of the hospital, where he came to meet two US soldiers guarding the door; he attacked those, attempting to fight them, inflicting aggravated injuries on them with his car keys. When he was eventually overpowered, he did everything he could to resist arrest.
Summing it all up, he's most likely going to be convicted guilty – but the law is the law, and he must have a trial.
Confirming everyone's expectations, nearing the end of the trial, the jury finds him guilty.
The judge then determines his sentence: 10 years in prison.
The trial is over, the criminal is taken away, everyone leaves.
The criminal's three family members stay, uncertain of how to move on.
"So… what now?" The youngest asks.
Her mother inhales deeply, then exhales soundly. "I have to sort out the papers for divorce from him."
"And us?" She continues. "I mean, our house is in Neil's name."
"We move out." She answers. "Maybe we should start looking for a new place."
"Somewhere else?" Her stepson finally speaks.
"Um… I'm afraid not, Billy." His stepmother answers reluctantly. "I don't think we can afford going back to California." She makes a pause. "Probably, we can barely afford it in here."
Silence.
"I could try to find some minor job, to help out." The girl says. "Billy could too."
Billy finally removes his gaze from the ceiling to stare at her. He is expressionless. He says nothing.
"It's probably better if we stick together." The mother says, and then turns to Billy. "Right?" She asks sounding anxious.
He takes a moment before answering. "Yes, Susan." He stands up and walks towards the door. "Come on Max, let's look for a less shithole of a place."
His younger stepsister stands up, and before following him, she says one last thing to her mom. "It's going to be fine."
Only now her mother allows a tear to actually fall down on her face. "I know."
[…]
[Later the same day – 5:22 p.m.]
Both Billy and Max have carried out with the day on automatic mode. No conversations between them. Only essential words with real estate agents.
Right now, they've met with Susan at Larry's Cafeteria, some cheap diner downtown. While the stepsiblings were looking for houses, she spent the whole day sorting out papers for her divorce filling.
Billy seems uninterested about being there. Max stares at him discreetly before bringing her gaze to table, and can't help but think he seems out of himself ever since he got out of the hospital. Well, at least he's doing therapy, she concludes.
As if reading her mind, Billy speaks up. "Let's get this over with, you know I have to be there by 6." He then puts out his cigarette on an ashtray at the table.
The government has been paying him therapy sessions to, according to them, 'cope with possible post-traumatic stress from the incident' – which in reality just meant they were using him as test study. They'd give him life advice he never asked for while they're at it, which he hates; he would hate even more to admit some of those things made sense... All he focuses on is that they told him the sessions would be over by October.
Susan clears her throat. "Alright, which are our best options?"
Max eyes Billy. It doesn't seem like he wants to talk. She then begins to explain. "We made a final list of three places with the best cost-benefit."
"And that we can afford." Susan adds.
Billy takes a sheet of paper out of the inner pocket of his denim jacket and places it on the table. Susan takes it and reads the options.
The first is an abandoned house at Cornwallis Road. It is big and in sale for a cheap price, but needs severe maintenance; because it has been empty for so many years, the neighborhood around actually became that of a bit more privileged people, even though it is distant from downtown. From what Billy can recall, that is located near Steve Harrington's house.
"An abandoned house?" She asks. No one answers, and she goes back to reading.
The second is a house three lots after their current one. Also located on Cherry Lane, it actually is smaller than where they live now, but has been thoroughly renovated.
"We're definitely not staying on Cherry Lane." She says before finishing the list.
The younger ones don't seem to object, and she takes a pen out of her purse to cross it out.
The third is a medium-sized house, of medium-level maintenance needed. It is located on Primrose Street, and Max pointed out how it is located in front of Dustin's house.
Susan puts the list down. "Well, I'm guessing the one at Primrose Street is the only real viable option." She looks at them; they remain silent. "What do you think?"
"I guess." Max says. Billy just shrugs.
"This one it is, then. I'll see what has to be done, and we'll move there as fast as possible."
"Can I go?" Billy sounds impatient.
"Yes. Sure. I'm not go-…" Susan says, but stops herself mid-sentence. It seems she has changed her mind. "Yeah, we're done." She casts her head downwards.
He gets up without saying a word. Before he goes too far, Max talks in a tone loud enough for him to hear. "See you later too." She rolls her eyes as he gives her no answer. "Why did I think he'd get better?" Billy's Camaro's sound gets distant afterwards.
"Maxine, stop that." Her mother tells her daughter, with a calm voice. "This is difficult for all of us." She makes a pause. "But especially to him."
Max brings her hands up as if signaling innocence.
"Let's see the real estate agent at once, shall we?" Susan tries to smile and sound positive.
At her mother's attempt, Max gives a sweet smile back. With that, they leave the place.
It's going to be a long month for them.
The End
Author's notes:
- I chose the name Primrose Street in homage to Primrose Everdeen of The Hunger Games.