This is a short story that I formulated a few months ago that I recently unearthed in the far reaches of my memory. It may be inappropriate for some people because I am basing parts of this off of real events, with names and contexts changed. I hope that you enjoy. Line of Fire The following testimony was transcribed on the 15th of April of 2010 by Defense Attorney Madeline Aurison and Detective Ken Crowsk at the Cottonwood Police Department holding cell. ‘Case number #742: Ken Crowsk, indicted for Police Brutality and Vehicular Homicide. Detective Crowsk, this meeting is a formality to inform you that the prosecution has issued an appeal, demanding the use of the death penalty.’ ‘It was a mistake, a rookie error--’ ‘--An error that cost the lives of an entire family. As your lawyer, I believe you, but a jury rarely believes anything is considered accidental anymore. The prosecution has been flooding the news channels with your face and the crime scene.’ ‘…what can we do?’ ‘Fight this. The city should support the men and women who risk their lives to protect them, even if mistakes were made.’ ‘What are my chances?’ ’20 years or more or the death penalty. The prosecution will take nothing less.' ‘…let them appeal. Let them put me in front of the firing squad. God knows my sin and only he can do the bidding of judge and judicator. I’m a dead man whichever outcome I receive.’ It’s true, I am a dead man whichever outcome I receive. In prison, I’ll become an empty shell devoid of all emotions as I slowly rot to nothingness. Death penalty, I get to have drinks with Lucifer as he and I both burn for my mistake. Release? It’s not something I’m counting on, because the community, my own family, my fellow cops, they’ve all turned against me. ...Not sure that I blame them... I sit here in this holding cell beneath the Cottonwood City courthouse, and that conversation with me and the doc keep rewinding and playing again inside my head. The jury upstairs are all falling to the words of that stiff lawyer, unsympathetic to my side of the event. You are the only one who I can talk to, the only one who will hear me out. As long as you listen to my story, I know that one person will hear the truth, maybe that will be enough to ease my mind. It’s going to be better to start out from the beginning, almost two years ago: July 1st 2008, the week everything changed.
