Shadows in the Night

Chapter 21

Hey! Wassup peeps?!?! Long time no write! Okay okay I'll get down to business now...again I apologize in advance for the crappy quality of the rest of this book...*sheepishly laughs and scratches back of neck*...sorry. 😑 But hey! If you're reading this that means you've stuck with me for this long! So I'm happy about that. Keep in mind this is one of my FIRST books for wattpad so yeah...here's the next chapter!

-TMNTNinjagoLover

I was escorted into the courtroom by two cops. I was, of course, handcuffed and in my atrocious, orange jumpsuit. It was humiliating to be treated this way.

I was ordered to sit down at the table in the front-left area of the courtroom. The judge sat atop his tower of a chair and stared at me with cold, intimidating eyes. The jury looked on with curiosity upon seeing my age. Everyone took their places. Now the battle for my freedom begins.

They began with me and my story. I told them the whole thing...from 'Adrian' The Black Wolf killing my parents and burning my house down to the part where the cops found me (I told them everything, that is, everything except how I had vowed in my mind to kill my uncle for my parents' murders and how the family feud started in the first place). There was only one person that the prosecution had to use against me...and that would be one of the pack members that they had managed to capture. The only things the pack member said was that The Black Wolf had captured three teenage girls and then how I showed up to presumably rescue said teens and had apparently killed The Black Wolf in my efforts...pretty much what I had just said, but more vague in detail.

Next were my friends' turns. They each took turns telling their heartfelt stories of how they had been captured and what had happened when I had confronted The Black Wolf...of course they were all asked who struck first and all of them had truthfully said The Black Wolf had struck first.

This court session had already been going all day. We had already taken three recesses: one for lunch and two in order to use the restrooms (sorry Nicky really REALLY had to pee..."Ya good now Nicky?" "...yeah let's get this show on the road!") and stretch our legs. The last questions had just been asked...now it was up to the jury to decide my fate.

The judge told everyone to wait in the courtroom while he and the jury discussed the verdict and my sentence. 

The courtroom waited in silence for the next half hour while the judge and jury discussed the verdict. No one moved not a paper was rustled and not a soul moved even an inch in their chair.

Finally the judge and jury entered...this was it...was it going to be freedom or disaster. Ria stood and raised her hand. The judge called on her and allowed her to speak. Ria spoke softly at first in a wavering voice, "Before Nicky's sentence or freedom is announced we would like to say something to her...(Sophia and Karly now stood as well) in case we never see her again." Turning to me Ria spoke for all three of them as she said, "Nicky there has never been a better friend than you. I know of no one else...not even myself who would put their life on the line for even their best friend. We want you to know that no matter what happens, no matter who says you are not to be trusted...know that we now and forever will be your friends. We love you Nicky."

When she finished and the girls sat down again to comfort each other, I looked around to see the entire courtroom in tears...even the seemingly made-of-stone judge was wiping away a runaway tear.

When the judge had composed himself he cleared his throat and said, "Due to the consistency of the testimonies' descriptions of the events that night...the jury has ruled that Black Wolf was slain in self defense. By order of the jury you are hereby found not guilty..."

The courtroom broke into cheers and a round of applause as people stood.

"Order! Order in the court!" Called out the judge as he bashed his desk with his little wooden hammer, causing everyone to swiftly sit down and behave themselves. "Nikole Veridas...because of the oddity of this case the jury has also suggested that the death of your uncle at your hand be wiped from your records...and I am going to carry out their suggestion. In the eyes of the law you have committed murder to no degree. You are free to go."

One of the cops unlocked the handcuffs binding my wrists and lead me to one of the cop cars outside where he drove me to the police station to reclaim my possessions and drove me back to the courthouse to speak with the judge about my current orphan status.