Fate

A Story by Ryzo

I thought i'd try somthing a bit different to my usual. hope you enjoy it. :)

The black, smouldering smoke bellowed from my door, as I burst through the wooden frame trying to escape after being awoken from the screaming ring of my smoke alarm. A gust of orange flickering heat bounced at me blocking my path out into my front door. I dived down and rolled along the floor into my living room. I surveyed the scene of my crackling, blazing decaying furniture. The rose, red curtains dripping of ash as they quickly disintegrated onto the warm carpet. I crawled as fast as I could to the window avoiding the dancing, hungry flames as they continued to eat my carpet and walls. My blackened hands reached up to grab the metal bar of my window to open it. I let out a scream of pain as the heat burned my hand and surged up my arm. I choked out a loud, gasping cough as the window was thrown open; I quickly scrambled over the ledge and crashed to the hard, floor like a sack of potatoes. I speedily slipped into the darkness of my mind’s unconsciousness as I heard the approaching sirens and the screams of surrounding neighbours.

It’s been two years since the day of the accident. To this day I don’t know how or what caused the fire in the first place. The firemen say it was an electrical fault with one of the sockets hooked to my television set. Yet, I clearly remember switching it off and unplugging the damn thing! The ambulance driver and paramedic told me I was incredibly lucky to have not been burned alive. The flames spread quickly throughout my home before I managed to make my great and lucky escape. My mum came to the hospital to visit me no later than thirty minutes after the accident.

“You know it must be fate that you’ve made it out of there, god must have a plan for you.” she told me as she cried and held my hand tightly before I drifted off back to snoozeville. I’m no believer in god, or fate. I think it was sheer luck. I’m just about to graduate from law school and everything is going good for me . . . that’s until I got out and stepped into the court room to do my first case.

The smell of the wood in the courtroom filled my lungs as I marched down to the seats with my client Mr. John Luke. He was up for trial for assault and possession of drugs; I took the short straw in defending his lying a*s.

“Mr. Greensburg, call your first witness to the stand.” Judge Bullhorn commanded i stepped up out of my seat and looked at my list of five witnesses i managed to drag into court today after pulling strings.

“Which one of these losers is going to let me off this hook Mr. Big shot lawyer?” Mr. Luke hissed out his question to me as he grinned at the judge.

“Your honour, I bring Mr. Luke to the stand for questioning.” I announced as John looked at me in shock and disgust he quickly walked up to the stand while playing with his cufflinks on his pinstripe suit. He stared at me as I brought the evidence papers and walked towards him as he stood and took his vows. His piercing, dark brown eyes began to tare a hole through my light blue jacket and tie. He looked nervous. I turned to the rest of the courtroom filled with the faces of whom he hurt and loved. I turned to the jury all who were awaiting evidence for his crimes or his innocence.

I pushed up my dark blue tie and began to dig deep into the mind of the monster.

“Mr Luke do you personally know the woman sitting on the bench opposite to you in this courtroom this morning?” I asked as he smiled at me and looked up at the courtroom and answered.

“Yes, she’s my partner and trusted co-worker of my company.” John replied firmly.

“What is her name and how long have you worked with her?” I looked over at his secretary and watched as she shook in fear as his voice echoed throughout the room. Her black outfit mirroring and conveying how powerful she is, as a woman in a businessman’s world.

“Its Natalie and she has worked with me for four years.” John stated as he looked on at her with what I can only describe in his eyes, as a hunger. Natalie looked down at her desk with her lawyer comforting her in this awkward and messy situation.

“Have you ever laid a hand on your employees, Mr Luke? Ever threatened or harmed them in any way just because you’re and addict?” I spoke with a higher and a blunter tone, he looked at me with an unsettled and unsure expression.

“Of course not, and what I do after hours is my own business I don’t let my problems interfere with work related issues.” He calmly explained as he manoeuvred his yellow spotted tie closer to his collar.

I walked towards the jury and stood in the centre of the group, my arm extended pointing to my client, standing unnerved on the witness stand.

“My client obviously takes his work seriously, and does not waste his time harming others for kicks when he is too busy harming himself. I therefore state that Mr Luke is clearly the victim, of not only his own actions but that of his co-worker to bring us here today in a legal battle of absurdity and ridiculous accusations, which has no factual or physical evidence.” I looked on at the faces in front of mine, sitting looking with interest and at the same time, uncertainty.

“I have no further questions your honour.” I stated to judge Bullhorn as I sat down and crossed off my client from the witness stand list. John looked at me with a smile and winked at me from across the room.

“Have you any questions to ask Mr Luke, Mr Dennis?” The judge stared at Natalie’s lawyer. He was a short man, bald with reading glasses. He wore a grey and white suit with brown shoes and was a baseball fan. Despite all this, he was a lawyer not to be messed with.

“I do your honour.” He replied as he quickly stood up in a military fashion and marched across to the stand, just bellow John Luke. You could almost feel the tension in Mr Luke’s voice as he choked out a cough to clear his throat.

“Mr Luke you say you’ve worked alongside Natalie for four years, correct?”

“Yes that is correct” Mr Luke’s eye began to twitch.

“That’s quite a long time to be with someone, don’t you agree? You must be paying quite well.”

“Well, I do try to look after my staff.” Mr Luke began to sweat as he loosened his collar with an index finger.

“I have a police report and documents which all imply that you’ve sent threats to Natalie through email on her office and home computer. The email indicates you didn’t want her to know you were practising your habits within the workplace. Is this not true Mr Luke?” Mr Dennis looked on with an ice cold stare into Mr Luke’s eyes.

“Well, that was all a very long time ago. I deny making any kind of threats to her.” Mr Luke began to argue

“On the contrary, Mr Luke you have on many occasions. This document reads: “If you ever say anything to anyone I will fire you, and you will be refused all bonus payments for covering my tracks over the past few weeks.” This was an email written twenty days before this trial Mr Luke.” Mr Dennis argued back and passed the document up to the judge. Mr Luke looked on in shock at me and signalled me to do something.

“Judge Bullhorn, if I may. . .” I began, but the judge lifted up his hand and stopped me.

“Wait your turn Mr Greensburg! Carry on with your questioning. Mr Dennis.” The judge spoke with certainty as he turned to Mr Dennis and gave him a nod.

“One final question. The assault on Natalie Robertson took place ten days ago where you grabbed her by the arm and groped her in a sexual manner and threatened her once again. My client told me if she didn’t comply with your demands that you’d rape and beat her! Is this correct Mr Luke? Mr Dennis angrily yelled as he slammed down the photos of severe, red marks and bruising which were made on Natalie’s neck, arm, legs and groin in front of for Mr Luke to see. I quickly averted my gaze to the projector, which also showed the court the same images. I held my head in my hands not knowing what to do.

“Well I can’t deny it when you got the balls to provide the evidence, hot shot!” Mr Luke snarled as he held up his arms in protest.

“I have no further questions, your honour.” Mr Dennis stepped down and gave me a satisfied grin across the court room. My client quickly returned to his seat and stared at me with a red, flushed face.

“What we going to do now? I’m fucked if this is the end. My business and reputation will be ruined!” Mr Luke cried out as he guzzled down a glass of water.

“I’ll do my best, just give me a moment and I’ll try to get you off the hook.” I replied as I stood up and looked over at Miss Robertson smiling over to my cowering client. “I call Miss Natalie Robertson to the stand your honour.” I quickly gathered up my pile of evidence and took it to the bench. Natalie Glided over to the witness stand without a care in the world, she smiled at me with an unpleasant grin upon her face.

“Natalie, is it true that you and my client, Mr Luke have had an affair?” I questioned as Natalie stared down at me in shock.

“No, of course not! I’ve been working for him honestly and loyally over the past four years in a professional basis only!” She denied angrily as she took a sip of water and clasped her hands tightly together looking at the judge’s reaction.

“Do you have any evidence to support this accusation Mr Greensburg?” Judge Bullhorn questioned.

“As a matter of fact, I do your honour. This CCTV footage is within Mr Luke’s private penthouse after hours at two in the morning.” A giant, white screen rolled out at the back of the court room next to the police officer. “It shows Miss Robertson sneaking into the house via Mr Luke’s bedroom and sleeping with him. This was taken on June the tenth, a year ago.” I explained as Natalie looked on in horror as I unveiled another hidden gem within the court case. “I also have a recording of Mr Luke and Natalie having a conversation which was taken by another member of staff at the time. What was being talked about was Mr Luke “breaking up” with Miss Robertson, but Miss Robertson didn’t like this at all. So, to get back at Mr Luke, she self harmed got pictures taken of the bruising, and falsely accused Mr Luke of assault!”

Miss Robertson was bubbling with anger and outrage. She screamed and yelled in denial of the accusations being thrown at her. “I am innocent! I did none of these things!” The judge called order as he slammed the hammer down onto his platform as the court room was in chaos. Mr Luke laughed on in hysterics as the panel of jury members argued amongst themselves about the events that had unfolded just minutes ago.

“We’ll all take a fifteen minute recess break while the jury decides on the appropriate action for the defendant!” The judge bellowed as he swiftly left through the back door into his office. I quickly left with my client who was still in stitches of laughter and excitement as he knew he was going to be freed in the next twenty minutes.

“You’re too good, you know that Gary Greensburg!” He applauded, as we headed outside for a smoke. The noise of cars, people and pigeons were in the air as we stood outside the large, old white court house lighting up. I took a drag of my cigarette and looked up at the street as a dark, black and sinister looking car screeched down towards the courthouse. It’s shiny, silver wheels glistened brightly against the sun blocking my view of the driver.

The car skidded up to the corner of the courthouse. The vehicle crept to a slow mileage as it passed; the window rolled down and revealed a machine gun. The finger pulled hard at the trigger, the blistering noise of gunfire roared though out the street as pigeons flew wildly away from the deafening noise. I took cover and grabbed Mr Luke by the scruff of his shirt. It was like a cannonball flew hard into my chest, as the pellets and shrapnel of gunfire whizzed through us both. I looked across as the car came to a halt. Natalie ran from the side entrance of the courthouse and dived into the car before letting out an evil laugh and disappearing into the distance.

We were both covered in blood. The screams of people carried their melody through my ears. I turned Mr Luke’s limp body over; his old and wrinkled face was a joyful smile and his chest, riddled with bloody holes.

Without him I wouldn’t have gotten promoted, and talked about for years the way that the people of the city did. Without him, I wouldn’t even be alive today. Mother was right, it must have been fate. God must have a plan for me.

© 2011 Ryzo

Author's Note

I haven't had the time to write as much because of work and things. But i'll write a story or so every week at most. Hope you enjoy it, even though some of you will be thinking What the hell!?? i don't think its great myself, its why i post these things here. I can never tell the difference between the ridiculous and the sublime. I let you guys tell me that. All the best,

Ryzo :D