Case Suspended

He briefly closed his eyes every five minutes . The final night
would not bring sleep easy . Rain softly fell and outside the prison a
small crowd had already begun to arrive . He sat up and took a pen and
scribbled some final thoughts
on scraps of paper and left them with his other memoirs stuck to the
wall of his prison cell . He sat reading some of his poems and was
suddenly distracted by a rat that scurried across the floor . The
rodent squeezed its way to the outside world through a small crack
where the wall met the floor in the corner of the cell . He returned to
his bed and once again lay down with the thoughts of the dawn running
through the depths of his being .
Light began to creep into the night and the sound of cars horns echoed
from the distant city streets .

Within the prison an empty silence hung like in a noose from the roof
and fell down and splattered itself on the corridors of death row . The
prisoner closed his eyes and at last fell asleep but was awoke by the
prison guard who began his morning check and rattling the keys sent a
clod chill through the prisoner at the end of death row . He sat up in
his bed and said ,

"Soon it will be over ."

Teardrops fell from his eyes and his lips started to quiver . He
quickly wiped away the tears as the prison guard approached his cell
.

"Did you want anything this morning ?."
The guard asked .

The reply came ,
"Did you say something ."

"I just thought you might want a special breakfast this morning
."

The prisoner put on a brave face and said ,
"What for . Am I in training for the marathon ? "

The guard said ,
"You're not alone in this you know ."

The prisoner laughed
"Aw sure . Like you want to join me in the room this morning . Would
you take my chair ?"

The guard replied ,
"Listen to me John. There are some who believe you're innocent . I just
happen to be one of them ."

The prisoner looked up .
"I hear you . Keep talking ."

"The crime you were judged guilty of was fifteen years ago . The
murdered man set you up John . He is still alive on the outside .
"

"Who told you this ?"
The prisoner replied .

The guard stepped closer to the cell and whispered ,
"John when you were in the police force you hurt some major criminals
and they were out to finish you off . You were done good and proper
John ."

"I hear you . Keep talking ."
The prisoner said ,

Before any more could be said another man walked down death row towards
John . It was a catholic priest carrying a book . The guard opened up
the door to Johns cell then he said ,.

"Quickly we don't have a lot of time . Get out of those prison clothes
and put on the priests clothes ."
John did as he was told and the priest was locked up in the cell while
John and the prison guard walked down the corridor together . A shadow
followed them both out of the prison to the exercise yard . A large
crowd was waiting outside the prison . They always came on the day of
an execution . Like vultures or out of work grave diggers they would
arrive .

As the guard walked the priest to the front gate he said ,

"I promised myself I would do this for you . Go on John get a life .
You are an innocent man ."

"Who are you and what do you want of me ?"
John asked .

"I am your son . The boy you never saw grow up . The boy who spent the
last ten years going over your case . "
John stood there at the front gate shaking .
The guard continued ,

"At first I was mad at you for having killed those three people . The I
had to forgive Mum for taking her own life . After that I spent a few
years wrestling with both of your memories before I was driven into
action . I don't know what came over me Dad but something made me
question a lot of the things people had said about you . I asked around
and joined the force myself .
The I saw the corruption and things began to make sense . There are a
lot of people who want to help you Dad and with their help we will have
another hearing from a straight judge in a court ."

John threw his arms around his son and said ,
"Son . What can I say . You have come at the eleventh hour and brought
me a reason to carry on . Now I have a few people I need to visit
."

The guard handed over a bag to John and said ,
"Do what you have to do Dad and here is some cash and a list of phone
numbers and addresses . There are people who will help you anytime
."

John left the prison and waved goodbye .
The tall prison guard smiled and said ,
"Keep in touch ."

"I will ."
John replied .

On the footpath up the road a man approached and said .
"Has he been cooked yet Father ?

"Excuse me ?"
John said .

The stranger looked puzzled and replied ,
"The murdered who was going to the chair this morning . Have they
pulled the switch yet Father ?"

"I can't say but my thoughts at this moment is only God knows ."
John said .

The man on the pavement said .
"Oh right . Have a nice day Father ."

The morning was in full voice now as John made his way to the city .
Heavy trucks rolled in and buses made their way along the old routes
like many years ago . The sun shone brightly and birds were singing
from every tree .
Flowers opened up like never before . Everyone on the street looked
beautiful and the world was a different place today for John ,
Inside the bag John found a letter with his name on it . The letter had
a key to a house with an address . He made his way there and for the
first time in a long time was free to do as he pleased .

By Paul McCann