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"Paging Doctor Malcom Wrede! Emergency with patient Daniel McCormick, room 327! This is Connor Hendrick! Paging Doctor Malcom Wrede!"
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The trial came the next morning.
It seemed like the entire island showed up, awaiting John B's fate. Half the congregation sat on the edge of their seats with hopes that somehow the trail could fall his way, whereas the other half sat back in the benches, arms crossed with eyes of daggers, hoping they dragged him away into that cell by the collar. The Pogues sat in the middle of the room. Affinity was squeezing the life out of Kiara's hand when they brought John B out. The bags under her eyes were stained with tears and her leg was bouncing up and down nuerotically. Kiara squeezed her hand back and rested both of their hands on Affinity's thigh to stop her anxious behavior.
"John Booker Routledge," the judge began. "Persuant to the North Carolina statue section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convincted, the maximum setence would be the death penalty."
Affinity tensed so hard she thought her heart stopped beating. Her free hand cupped over her mouth as she let out a quiet gasp. JJ and Pope, who were to her left, sat up a little straighter. Pope's eyes widened, JJ swallowed his fury. Around her, people clamored and murmured about the statement from the judge. As for those that sighed a breath of relief, she wished they would drop dead right then and there. The judge struck her gavel onto its wooden pad.
JJ jumped up from his seat. "Your Honor, he's 17!"
"Quiet," she stated blatantly.
"He's 17!" Are you kidding me?" JJ pointed at John B. "Hey, John B, we're gonna figure it out."
Now that JJ and Pope had already stood, Affinity was able to push herself out of the bench row and through the crowd of people. "John B!" She cried.
John B looked back to her, eyes hopeful that he might be able to hold her one last time.
"John B! Please, don't take him away! He's innocent!"
A police officer stepped between her, his arms seizing her shoulders. The man shoved her back. Kiara was right behind her.
"Fin," she pleaded. "Fin, let's get out of here."
Affinity allowed both her palms to collide with the officer before she let Kiara drag her out of the room. Her world was spinning. All she wanted to do was scream, cry, and drive her fist through the Cameron family. All around her she could hear the kooks of Figure 8, those hollow bastards, speak of how justice was served.
"They're gonna kill him," she muttered to herself as they walked down the courthouse stairs.
"I'm sorry for what you and your family have gone through," a voice spoke in the crowd. It was a man that was walking with the Camerons. "Thank God the system works."
