The date for T.J.'s trial was set. We all went down to Strawberry for it, me, Stacy, Christopher-John and Little Man. Papa didn't let us in the courtroom, but we where allowed to come because it'd properly be the last time we ever got to see T.J. and Papa understood how we felt. Stacy's eyes where red. He had been up all night worried about T.J., even though we could all predict the out come of the trial.
When T.J. came into the hall leading into the courtroom we where shocked. He was hunched up, his head facing down at his chest. He seemed amazingly smaller then usual, T.J. had always seemed so big before and now walking down the hall it looked as if someone had shrunk him down.
Stacy tried to run to him but felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Mr. Morrison held him back. "Don't do it Stacy" he said to him "he knows how you feel. Stay here and hope" With that Mr. Morrison left us standing in the hall. As doors shut T.J. looked back at Stacy. His eyes filled with tears. T.J. mouthed something to Stacy and the rest of us "Pray for me". The doors shut and we where left alone in the long hallway.
Stacy wiped the tears from his eyes and delve deep into the small bag he had brought along. I hadn't noticed it before as I didn't think any of us would think to bring anything along. "What you got there Stacy?" I asked. Stacy looked around the hall to see if anyone was there and then brought out a glass. "What are going to do with that glass Stacy?" I asked even more puzzled then before
"Are you daft Cassie! What do you think I'm going do with it? Have a drink? At a time like this?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe." I murmured. Stacy rolled his eyes at me.
"Look I want to find out what's going on in there, and if you're too daft to understand what I'm going to do with this glass then you're properly too daft to understand what's going on in there." said Stacy. Stacy toke the glass and held it up to the door of the courtroom. "Oh I get it" I whispered "With that you'll be able to hear what's going on in there" Stacy rolled his eyes at me again.
"Well Done Cassie you finally found the answer." Stacy placed his ear to the glass. "What can you hear?" asked Little Man. He was sitting on one of the wooden chairs next to Christopher-John who seemed to be in some kind of dream world, staring into space. "Nothing much" replied Stacy "they just seem to be doing all the accusing and stuff like that. Don't think they've even had the witness up yet."
-
We sat there for about an hour. I sat with Christopher-John and Little Man talking about T.J. and what might happen to him and praying that it would turn out alright. Stacy sat on the floor beside the door always listening to what was going on inside. Every now and then he would say something like "Mr. Jamison is talking. I'm sure he'll do something to help T.J.". Suddenly he stood up quickly and rushed to the seat beside me "They're coming out" he whispered to me.
"But I thought the trial wasn't over yet." I murmured
"No. But I think they've just finished half of it." Just as he spoke the doors of the courtroom opened and everyone started to walk out talking about the trial. We saw T.J. walk out lead by Mr. Jamison. T.J. looked at us tears streaming down his face. We all knew then that it couldn't be going well. Then he was taken into a room by Mr. Jamison.
Papa came up to us. There was not even a glint of happiness on his face. He sat down next to us and spoke to us softly "I want you kids to know that it's not looking good for T.J.." The tears that Stacy had been holding back for so long sprang into his eyes "It never looked that good anyway." continued Papa "but now we don't think there's even a chance for him"
Little Man looked up at Papa "But we can still hope" he murmured "right Papa?"
Papa forced a tiny smile "Yes." He whispered "yes we can still hope." But Papa didn't sound too certain. He picked up Little Man and placed him on his knee "But you must understand Little Man. That sometimes, even if hope and hope and wish and wish on every star you see at night, then sometimes nothing will happen."
-
After about 10 minutes or so everyone handed back into the courtroom. This time Jeremy stayed behind with us.
"How is it in there?" Christopher-John asked him.
"Awful!" replied Jeremy "I really don't think T.J.'s going to get through this."
Stacy clenched his fists "Don't say stuff like that!" he murmured "It's your stupid brother's fault he's in this mess anyway!" turning to Jeremy "If those idiots had just left him alone then he wouldn't be in court right now waiting to find out if he is getting hanged or not. And it just makes things worse that they aren't in there when it was all them anyway!" Stacy was now shouting at Jeremy, just taking out all his anger on him. Christopher-John jumped off his chair "Hey! Calm down Stacy! It ain't Jeremy's fault what's happened! So just calm down." Stacy suddenly relised how unreasonable he was being "Sorry Jeremy" he muttered "I'm just so angry right now" with that he turned back and held the glass back up to the door.
Me Christopher-John and Little Man asked Jeremy what had happened in the court. Stacy's description had ok but Jeremy had actually been in there and hear everything and seen everything that happened. He explained that although Mr. Jamison was a good lawyer the lawyer against him was really hard. But Jeremy also said that he had the feeling that Mr. Langson (the other lawyer) had made a lot of the stuff he said up. Although this didn't matter to most of the people in there. They did care weather what they where hearing was true or not they just wanted to see a little black boy hanged.
Suddenly Stacy interrupted us and whispered "It's time for the verdict". We all sat up straight in our chairs. "What do you think the verdict will be?" I murmured to Jeremy. He looked at me. His eyes sad. "What do you think it'll be?" he said softly. I fought to hold back the tears that weld up inside of me "Let it out Cassie." Jeremy whispered to me "Let it out Cassiefor not all tears are an evil."A trickle of tears ran down my cheek. Jeremy put his arm around me for comfort.
Suddenly we heard a crash of glass that echoed around the quite hallway. We all turned to Stacy, a looks of shock was on his face. He spoke softly and clearly "He's guilty. They're going to hang him" A tear crept silently down Stacy's face. He slowly bent to the ground to pick up the pieces of the shattered glass wincing every time one cut his hand. We all rushed to help him pick the pieces up before all the people came out.
-
When T.J.'s mother and father came out of the courtroom they where both in tears. Papa came up to us. Jeremy had sat several seats away from us when the doors opened so he wouldn't get in trouble with his father. Papa sat down in an empty seat. "'pose you've all guessed the verdict of the trial" we all nodded slowly, tears still trickling down our faces. Papa's eyes where filled with tears to, though he did not let them fall.
-
Next week was the date of T.J.'s hanging. On the Friday it was set. No one in the house could sleep we where all so worried about him. Papa and Mama told us not to go into strawberry. They didn't want us to get too upset, for T.J. was going to spend the days until Friday locked in a cell only to see the light of day at one o'clock ever afternoon when he would be shown to the public like some kind of animal.
At about twelve o'clock the next day Stacy headed out. I went after him curious of where he was going. "Where ya going Stacy?" I asked him
"To Strawberry" he replied firmly.
"But Papa and Mama said.."
"I know what they said!" he said turning quickly to face me "but I'm going down there whether they like it or not. Do you know what it must be like for poor T.J.? Being locked inside all day. Only seeing the sun when he comes out to get jeered at by a bunch of heartless people. Only to be locked up again, and ever waiting that day. The end!"
"I'm coming with you Stacy!" I said
"No way Cassie! I'm going alone."
"Do you think I'm going to let you go there alone? It'll be dangerous!" So we sent off for Strawberry. When we got there the first thing we saw was a huge crowd of people standing around a small cell. Inside the cell we could see T.J.. He waved at us to get our attention. He looked worse then ever! His clothes all dirty, cuts and scratches on his cheeks. We could tell the guards at his cell had not been treating him well. As the crowd slowly parted we came up to the cell. "T.J.!" I said when we reached him. He tried his best to smile but failed. "It's nice of you guys to come" he murmured "but don't bother coming tomorrow."
"Why T.J. what's happening?" I asked. Stacy was silent. He knew what T.J. meant.
-
We headed back home. Stacy turned to me "Let's not tell anyone about this. Not Christopher-John, not Little Man. No one." He muttered
"But I don't understand why he wants to do that. It's seems so stupid." I said tears pouring down my face. "It's what he wants to do Cassie. It's properly for the best"
-
It was not too much past three o'clock when we arrived home, but Mama was really angry. "Where have you two been! You just walked off without saying a word" She screamed at us
"We went out to the forest. I wanted to think things over. Cassie wanted to come along too." He explained (lied). Mama calmed down a little "Well I'd prefer if you told me before you go off." She said calmly
"Sorry Mama. We will Mama." We said in unison
-
The next day when woke up Papa was sitting at the table frowning at the mornings newspaper. When we entered he looked up "I think you better see this kids" he said handing Stacy the paper. On the front was a picture of T.J. and a title reading 'Young Criminal found dead in cell'. "They say he committed suicide" continued Papa "apparently he knocked his head onto the wall until it cracked. Killing him. Found the blood on the wall all". Stacy and I had expected this "How awful. Still it's better then being hanged in public" said Stacy "in front of all those people" We could tell by his voice that he was holding back his tears. He rushed upstairs and locked his door.
-
Later I went to the forest where we meet Jeremy to see if he was there. He was. "So I guess you hear about T.J." he muttered. I nodded. "How's Stacy feeling?" he asked. I let out a long sigh. "Could be better." I replied "I haven't seen him since we read the paper. He's locked himself in his room. We don't want to annoy him so no one's gone up there. He knew T.J. was going to do it. We went down to Strawberry yesterday and…" Jeremy suddenly cut me off "Are you crazy how could you go down there?" I shrugged and continued with the story "And T.J. told us that he was going to do it."
"I guess Stacy just thought that T.J. wouldn't have the guts to do it." I shrugged again
I headed back home tears falling down my face. Crying for T.J..
-
Note:
To understand any of whats going on you have to have read the book Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry.