All at Once (Complete)

i. Wings

"Please state your name, age and date of birth." The stiff officer standing before me was probably about 40 years old. Married. Kids. Normal.

"Sabine Paige Greyson. Seventeen Years Old. 10th of September, 2000." I wish my life was anything like his.

"Do you swear to speak the truth, only the truth and nothing but the truth within this courtroom?" I can imagine it now. He'll go home, help his kids with their homework, kiss his wife. Just like my dad had done.

"Yes," it's not like I had a choice.

The officer nods, satisfied, and returns to his seat, giving the judge at the head of the room, beside me, the audience's full attention.

"Miss Greyson, I understand you have been through a tough time recently-" No bloody kidding, "-but we will require your full cooperation during the trial." I said nothing, didn't even nod my understanding.

The birds in the window immediately visible to me became incredibly fascinating all of a sudden. Their wings intrigued me, their pathways to freedom.

If only I had my own wings. If only I could escape from this nightmarish hell someone had decided would be my life.

My mother had loved birds, believed she had been one in a previous life. I remember the days of coming home from school where she would greet me in the backyard, feeding the birds. She adored them...

"Sabine? Sabine," I allowed my gaze to return to the short, tubby man social services had assigned to be my lawyer. I couldn't afford one on my own. "Can you concentrate for me, sweetie?" The fake sympathy rolling off him in waves only made me despise the man more, if possible.

"Yes. Just ask the questions already," if I was doing this, I wasn't going to hold back.

The shock settled upon his face, although, it couldn't be that big of a surprise that I didn't want to be here, maybe he just thought I'd tone it down in a courtroom. Oh well, I'd said I would speak the truth.

Instead of disputing my attitude, he decided to remain professional and looked straight at me.

"Can you tell us the full names of the victims?" Victims... That word makes them sound weak. They were anything but weak.

"Emily Paige Greyson and Adrian Noah Greyson." Their names brought back painful memories. The aching sense of loss threatens to consume me again, but somehow, I manage to keep myself together.

Despite my pain, the solicitor continues. "Do you understand why you are here? Can you explain what you saw?"

I automatically glance toward the man I've been trying to avoid seeing for the past hour. But it's a little hard when he's sitting first row. So very close.

The evil smirk that is plastered on his face makes me sick to my stomach. He's like a car crash, I want, so desperately, to look away, but I can't.

That smirk... It's the same one he held on that night.

"That monster-" I point toward him in his dark glory, replying to the question, "That monster killed my parent's right in front of me."

                               -

"Sabine, you don't think it would be safer to stay at the station, like detective Hudson said?" My best friend, Bliss Holly, asked for the billionth time. I don't know why she keeps asking, my response isn't going to change.

"Bliss, I told you. This will be my last night at home before they ship me off to God knows where... I just need to be here one last time. Please understand."