"Defend Me, Attorney." (Law Series #1)

PART EIGHT: THE GAME CHANGER'S RETURN

"I love you, attorney..."

I felt a burning sensation on my cheeks and I know it was getting really red. I looked at the ceiling of my room, smiling from ear to ear like an idiot, embracing my banana pillow so tight, feeling not just the butterflies but the whole zoo inside my stomach.

I closed my eyes, thinking of a scenario that happened just hours ago.

"I...tried forgetting you," Traise said, pain still on him. "But even up to this moment, I'm trying still..." he then smiled painfully. "8 years had passed, pero ikaw pa rin..."

In no time, I found myself smiling and biting my pillow, fighting the urge not to scream.

And as I expected it, I found myself screaming while smiling still like an idiot, giggling. Pinagkakalampag ang kama, pinagpapatyag ang paa. Nang mahimasmasan, I laid back in bed, looking at the ceiling still.

"I was just a witness before, powerless," I said to myself, as if he's in my room. "But this time, I'm in the position to fight for you. To defend you."

I confidently smiled.

"I'll be your game changer."

After hours of thinking things, with a smile still written on my face, I fell asleep.

And then, I felt things feel so uneasy. It seemed so vague, so disturbing, utterly uncomfortable.

And then I heard noises, really loud noises.

"BUTI NAMAN!" one said.

"DAPAT LANG 'YAN, 'NO! DAPAT NGA NOON PA 'YAN!" one angry man said.
"'WAG N'YO NA PATAGALIN!" angry people were complaining.

Then, things became clearer to me now. There was a mad crowd in the middle of a place I don't know where.

There were militaries and police all over the place as if securing their safety, and they were all screaming and shouting at a man standing on a stage. As I rerouted my eyes at the stage, I saw two familiar figures there— Tyler, the prosecutor and Traise.

What's happening?

And then the prosecutor smiled. "Your Honor," he said confidently. "I move a strike.

In a flash, police surrounded Traise and brought him up in a tool I can't recognize.

Wait.

WHAT?!

And I found myself purely shocked when I recognized what it was; a guillotine. It was used for decapitation for the death penalty. It was being used to behead someone, cutting their head off in front of the public!

The crowd was wildly cheering, and I found myself in lethal pain. Traise's eyes were wandering around as if seeking something and then our eyes met.

He stared at me.

"If pleading guilty means protecting you," he smiled so weakly. "...then I will."

And before I could move, I found blood spitting in the air, a head just got beheaded and the crowd was cheering insanely.

I heard a loud bang in my chest, everyone was celebrating, all joyful faces and I felt my tears just fell.

I opened my eyes, in tears.

WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

Chasing my breath still, I sat up with my hand on my chest. I wiped off my tears.