As I start to leave for work, I drop my things to the ground.
Bilge is stabbing a man several times in the stomach before the knife is finally stilled and the man drops to the concrete.
Kodgah is crying in his mother's arms.
I'm quick to his side to see what's going on. "Oh, gosh. Bilge, what happened?!"
Bilge is shaken up. Apparently, this filth on the ground broke into Bilge's house. When he was startled by Kodgah, the man struck Kodgah and then tried to strangle him.
"Bilge, give me the knife." I try to coax it from his hand. Intruder or not, if police find out that Bilge killed a human, I know what they'll do to him.
"Oz, my son," Bilge cries.
"I know." I frantically try and clean the knife, then put my fingerprints on it. "Go change, hurry! Get that blood from you."
The man that attacked Kodgah is dead. What a coward to attack a child. I lived it for most of my childhood, and it disturbs me to know that this kind of thing still happens. "Bilge, listen to me," I start when he comes outside. I take some of the blood and put it on my hands, jeans, and shirt. "When the police get here, I did it. Do you understand me?"
"No!"
"Yes. It has to be this way. It's the only way. We were outside and the man attacked Kodgah. I ran to get a knife, then stabbed him. That's what happened. That's what happened," I say louder for everyone to hear.
The police come fast when it's a human and I'm quickly taken to the ground after I drop the knife. Gosh. They don't have to be so rough. I'm not even one hundred pounds.
Everything is so overwhelming and so degrading once I arrive at the jail. I'm treated like an animal. Stripped, then given this green jumper. The shoes are soft, at least. My bed mat is about two inches thick, and the sheets smell like bleach. Though that's better than the waft of smells that hit me every time they open another door.
It's better me than Bilge, I tell myself with every step. The cops probably would have beat him to death in front of his family. At least this way, I know his boys will have their father.
I cry my first night in jail because I've never been this scared in my entire life and I'm even more terrified as I step out of my cell that morning.
"Oz," one of the officer's call.
"Yes, sir? I'm Oz."
"Phone call."
It's hard to hear anything with how wound up everyone is, but I manage. "Hello?"
"Oz, it's Bilge. Are you ok?"
It's so comforting to hear his voice. "I'm ok," I smile even though I'm talking to a phone.
"Look, I'm going to make this right. I swear to you. Look around. Do you see a heavy set older Orc?"
"Yes."
"That's Smitty. She's gonna take care of you. After we hang up, you go sit by her. Anything you need, you ask her."
"Thank you, Bilge."
"No, Oz. Thank you. You saved my life… again. Everyone here knows what you did. I'll call you tomorrow. Just think of this like a place to relax. A very… boring, but place to relax."
"Ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow." I hang up the phone and take my seat next to Smitty. "I'm-"
"Oz! Hey," she snaps at one of the humans.
This god-awful looking chocolate pie mess is scooted over to me.
"We call it correctional cake. It's better than it looks."
What I come to realize is being in jail, stuff like this is a rarity. Bilge let Smitty know why I was here, and the women used their commissary to welcome me. Another rarity. "Thank you." I turn my attention to the TV. My heart aches as I watch the news. Jakoby and Ward were injured severely in a fire. Jakoby managed to pull Ward out of the burning building, but both are in ICU.
The women think I'm distressed about being here which I am, but... Jakoby! Will he be ok?
"Oz, you'll be out before you know it."
"Yeah," I stammer, tucking some hair behind my ear. At least, that's what I'm trying to tell myself.
'Before I know it' turns into two months. Bilge kept his promise and called me every day. He also sent me money for commissary. I enjoy the days I can talk to Kodgah.
"I miss you," Kodgah says.
"I miss you, too. Are you being nice to your brother?"
"Uh. Not really, but I'll be nicer. Are you coming home soon?"
"I'm not sure."
"Ok," he sighs. "I gotta go now. Oz?"
"Yes?"
"I love you. Thank you for saving my dad again."
My eyes well up. "I love you, too."
Jakoby and Ward are being released from the hospital the news reports. I know that with his job Jakoby can't associate with me, but it hurts as the days pass. Or maybe he doesn't know I'm in here. I just don't know how much more of this same routine I can keep doing. Soap carved dominos. Pacing. Working out. TV. Soap carved dominos. TV. Pacing. Repeat.
I just fear that I've ruined everything between Jakoby and me.
I don't believe in violence solving violence.
Jakoby has always had a code when it comes to humans. Just like I have always had one for Orcs. If he thinks I've killed a human to save an Orc, it's an absolute certainty our time is over before it even begins.
Today is the day of my trial. Either I'll be released from jail, or sent to prison to serve the rest of my time for murder.
I speak to the jury and let them know how the person I killed was attacking a child, but I'm interrupted by a man.
"It's an Orc, not a child."
The man's words start to fill me with doubt because I fear that they'll all have this mentality. That even despite how Jakoby saved Ward's life for all the world to see, it doesn't change anything. Why can't a human safe an Orcs life? I can stand here and cry and plead my case, but I don't because some people will never change their thought process. "I don't regret what I did, and I'd do it again to save the child's life." I return to my seat next to my lawyer as my words rile up the courtroom.
"Order," the judge shouts.
The jury is dismissed to decide my fate.
"That wasn't a good closing argument," my lawyer tells me.
"I know it was." If the truth means being behind bars for the rest of my life, so be it.
A/N The next chapter will be the last one because I'm really down about my writing and I just don't want to waste anyone's time more than I already have. Thank you to those of you who have made it this far.