Prologue

A Chapter by ReadingAddict

“And what does the jury say?” The judge asked.

One of the jury members stood up. “The jury says that the defendant is found guilty and her sentence is death.”

“So it’s official,” The judge said.” The court says that Miss Weathersby is found guilty.” The sound of the gavel hitting the podium echoed through the courtroom. Ashley Weathersby had tears starting to form out of the corners of her eyes. “No.” She whispered so only she could hear.

Her attorney and her parents hugged her as they sobbed. Her mother cried the hardest out of the four of them. Ashley hugged her parents as tightly as she could back. She thought about how it felt to be hugged by the people she cared about because it was the last time she would ever feel it before she died, or was executed or whatever you wanted to call it. She didn’t really care because it all meant the same thing. She would never see another day.

Eventually the guards came up and started to drag Ashley away from her parents as she kicked and screamed, “Mama! Dada!” Her mother screamed back, “My baby!” Her husband then wrapped his arms around her as Ashley’s mother tried to muffle her sobs in his sleeve. Ashley was then, dragged out of the room and down the hallway. When they finally stopped at a door labeled

EXECUTION

She was then taken to an empty cell and left alone to sob and think of what might happen to her. They claimed that the execution was as humane as possible, but those who could truly tell you, were dead.

Time passed. After what seemed like weeks, Ashley started hoping she had been forgotten. Sadly, she was not that lucky. One day her cell door was opened, someone put a hood one her head and she was dragged out. When the hood was removed, Ashley found herself in a room with a stainless steel table and two chairs on either side.

Ashley sat down with her arms crossed and a knot in her stomach. “Today was the day.” She thought. A man walked in alone with a metal briefcase. Ashley tensed up. She assumed there would be a syringe full of cyanide or some other drug to kill her. “Are you the one who is going to kill me with whatever is in the syringe in that case?” Ashley said as she was trying to lighten the mood. If she was going the die, she might as well die trying to laugh.

Instead of responding, the man just sat down across the table and opened the case. He then continued to fiddle with whatever was in the case. He placed something in his lap, closed the case, and set it on the floor leaving nothing between Ashley and himself. Ashley squirmed in her seat while the man across the table stared at her.

“So are we going to get this over with or what?” Ashley asked. The man cleared his throat. ”My name is Mark Bowler, I’m with the Convicted Protection Program or CPP for short.” Ashley Ashley interrupted him, “Wait, the Convicted Protection Program? I’ve never heard of it. How do-“
"That's kinda the point." Mark said.

"If you knew about it, it wouldn't be very effective now would it?" Ashley shook her head.Mark handed her 3 things. A passport, driver's license, and cell phone.” From now on your name is Tarra Eastwood. You are 19 years old and you are from Canada. Your parents are dead and you are on your own.” Ashley looked dumbstruck as she looked at the documents in her hand.

“So you mean, I’m not going to die?” Ashley said. The Mark pulled out a stack of cash out of his briefcase.

“Here is your starter money. We will arrange a scholarship to any school you want and you can get a good education, get a job and have a fresh life.” Ashley was still sitting there in shock.

“How long have you been saving people's lives?” Ashley asked. “And how do you know who is truly innocent and who is guilty?” Mark put his hand up to stop Ashley from continuing.

“I know you have a lot of questions and a can try to answer them all, but first, I must make this VERY clear. You CAN NOT contact anyone from your old life. That is the most important rule. Is that clear? If you compromise yourself, you will not be safe.” Ashley nodded. Mark’s com beeped in his ear and Ashley could hear a voice coming from it. Mark nodded a bunch before hanging up.

“I’m sorry, but I have to let you know that earlier this week, your parents received your ashes.”

Ashleys heart sank. The image of her mom and dad sobbing over an urn with her ‘ashes’ caused Ashley to start breaking down. Before she knew it she was sobbing . Mark got up and kneeled down next to her to try and comfort her.

“I know this is hard,” he whispered in her ear, “But they can’t know that you are alive.” Ashley nodded again. She wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m OK.” She said. Mark gave her a hug before returning to the other chair.

“So now any questions you have, just ask away.”

Ashley sat up taller and wiped the tears from her eyes before speaking. “How do you know who is truly innocent and who is guilty? I mean you wouldn’t want to set a true murderer back on the streets. Would you?”

Mark considered her question before answering. “No we wouldn’t that is true but we get word from our friends in the justice system and then we hold our own mock trial. We give each tiny piece of evidence a fair chance. Even something as small as a marking on the carpet is important to us. From there we find our own ruling and decide whether or not to step in from there.”

Ashley considered this and then responded with, “That makes sense. But why cremate me? What if I wanted to be buried?”

“You can’t get DNA from ashes and you don’t need a body. It keep question from arising.”

Ashley nodded in agreement. Mark pushed out his chair and stood up.” If those are all your questions,” He walked over and opened the door, “Are you ready to start a new life?”