Ocean Eyes

Chapter 15

The Judge said" John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the 1st degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty." She hit her gavel, everyone started talking,
JJ said" Your honor, he's 17."
Kie said" Stop."
" He's 17! Are you kidding me?"
I said" You're good, you're good." I grabbed his shirt, keeping him grounded from doing something worse.
" Hey, John B, we're gonna figure it out."
Sarah said" John B! John B! John B! No!" Sarah tried to get to him, but an officer grabbed her,
Kie said" Sarah! Stop! Don't touch her! Let's go, Sarah. Let's get out of here." Kie got her and we walked out.

Kie said" Is this a joke? Like, are we in hell or..."
Sarah said" I should have never come home."
JJ said" They're gonna kill him, guys. I know it."
A guy said" I'm so sorry for what your family has gone through. Thank god the system works."
Kie said" Can you please shut up? Of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you."
" He'll have his day in court. A jury will decide."
" He shouldnt even be in court! You should, 'cause you're a murderer. You have a lot of nerve showing up to court."
Ward said" I know you're upset. I understand you're upset, okay?"
" Upset?"
" I know he's got you fooled. He's got you all fooled."
" No, I'm not just upset!" She jumped forward, Thomas and Shoupe grabbed her, Pope, JJ and I immediately jumped to defense, grabbing Kie away from them.
" Show some respect!"
JJ said" Muzzle your goddamned dog!"
Pope said" Get off her!"
" Why don't you take the kooks down for a change, Shoupe?"
Shoupe said" You wanna get arrested? Get out! You need to go."
Kie said" This is bullshit."
Sarah said" Come on. Come on. Look, it's not worth it." We started walking away from the courthouse,
" It's not a coincidence that your daughter's sitting with us."

Sarah said" I'm gonna testify under oath. I was there. I just need to get ahold of my sister."
JJ said" Sister?"
" Kie, do you have your phone? Wheezie is the only other person that knows Rafe wasnt home that day."
" Wheezie?"
" I don't know what else to do. I got us into this mess. I'm gonna do my best to get us out." She walked into the house,
" Wheezie? Yeah, that will work. Well, she's right about one thing. We gotta do something. Our boy is a PO-dub right now, okay? He's held captive by the enemy right now, maybe even scheduled for execution. Are we just gonna sit here?!"
Kie said" What's the plan? We start by kidnapping Shoupe?"
" Maybe, like, that's not the worst idea actually."
" Oh, it's not?"
" No!"
Pope said" That is actually the worst idea I've ever heard."
Sarah said" It's pretty bad."
JJ said" You know? Please, just stay out of this. Okay, Pope, look, we've been doing everything your way, and how has that been working out? Huh?"
Pope said" Okay, okay, so what's your plan? You gonna storm a jail, guns a-blazing?"
" Look, Pope, all I'm trying to get you to understand is they got our boy. Now, are we just gonna sit here and do nothing? No! We're gonna go get his ass. We're gonna do something about it!"
" JJ, we're not storming a jail. It's not happening."
" No, fine, man. Sit in your comfy chair. Do nothing. I'm gonna see what I can do. Make something happen, even if I have to do it by myself."
Kie said" Okay." He walked out, heading to his bike, shit, we should be concerned.
Pope said" Should we be worried?"
" Yes, for sure. Look, I'm gonna hit my parents, and I'm gonna see if I can get money for a lawyer."
" John B has a public defender. He doesn't need that now."
" Are you crazy? Justice costs money."
" You're right. So I'm gonna dig in hard into anything I can find out about this key, because that tape Limbrey has, that's exculpatory evidence. That can exonerate John B."
" Yeah, we gotta try. We'll talk about it later. Okay?" She walked away," Kai? Any ideas?"
I said" I can try and go talk to my mom... she knows... a lot of people. So does my dad weirdly, uh, where's my keys?" I got up and walked inside to find my keys.

I stopped at my house, staring at it, I gulped, then got off my wheeler, I headed up the stairs. I got onto the porch, looking around,
I said" Anyone home? Mom... Dad?" I heard running, then I saw my parents and Nick.
Mom said" Oh, thank god!" She ran to me and hugged me, I wrapped my arms around her, holding onto her tightly. Dad hugged me too, I breathed heavily, then sighed, squeezing my eyes shut.
Dad said" Lord! You're okay? You're okay!"
" Oh, my baby's alive, my sweet boy, oh, thank god."
Nick said" I kept a little hope." He hugged me too, kissing the side of my head, I relaxed for the first time in a while.