Ch 19 Glory Manifesto

Ronnie stood to hear his verdict. His heart trembling as he leaned forward holding onto the defense table to prevent him from falling forward. His beautiful black curly hair was all gone. And in its place was large gauze covering his head. Lazar told him it would inspire pity among the jury. Although he was against it he hated when his hair got in his wounds and would bother him. He thought he looked like a drugged up, beaten vagabond in a pastel suit. He looked back at his parents. His mom’s hands were clasped together and praying with her head tilted forward. His father stood firmly, unwavering. He saw Teddy with his hands over his mouth unable to stand straight, and Jane looking feverish and frantic along with Gemma holding her arm. And down in the corner, as if trying to hide from him was Kessler. That bastard, standing there, looking worried. He still hated him. 

Lazar grasped Ronnie’s arm tightly. He could feel that he too was uncertain of the outcome. 

A single man in the jury stood to give the verdict. 

“We the people of the jury, find the defendant, Ronald Abernathy… not guilty”

2 Days Before

Reverend James unhinged his grasp on Megan’s neck. His eyes shaken with horror, he jumped back and reviewed her loose figure on the wooden floor. Her white neck was stamped red with his hands. The Reverend suddenly felt himself heavy, as if gravity had been augmented, he plummeted to the ground shaking. He removed his glasses cupped his face and breathed heavily. He stood back up again, regaining his composure and started to pace around his office holding a pensive posture. He paced around her body, lightly kicking it to see if she would regain consciousness or out of some miracle she came back to life, although he wished she wouldn’t, fearing he would have to go through it all over again.

He looked out his office window, then back at Megan’s body. There was no way he could move Megan’s body out of his house without someone noticing. He couldn’t possibly bury her in the back yard without someone seeing. He was struck with an Idea and moved out of the office and then came back with a scarf, sunglasses, a pillow and a sun hat from his wife’s closet. He quickly stuffed the pillow under her blouse and wrapped the scarf around her neck and lifted her on his arms down into the stairs.

He walked out onto the driveway with her body in his arms, he kept her head tilted and quickened his pace toward her car. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you to the Hospital real quick!” He said out loud to anyone who could be listening as he opened the door to her car and stuffed her into the back seat.

He got into the driver’s seat and just as he was about to turn the ignition he noticed the car was a stick shift. 

“Dammit!” He yelled as he slammed his hands on the steering wheel. He calmed down and maneuvered the stick shift. He knew the basics of driving a stick, he’d seen it all the time on those racing movies. He looked below and saw a third petal not remembering what that was used for. 

“Dammit” He said again and looked back at Megan. He was thinking about dumping her body at the Sierra Vista Landfill, he was sure no one would find her there. He would first have to cover her up in large trash bags, and for that he would need to drive to the Liquor store a few kilometers away, then to the landfill which would be 5 miles from there, and then he thought of how he would get rid of the car, and quickly decided he would sell it to the impound that was on the main highway which was another 2 miles away. He pressed his forehead against the steering wheel, he muttered under his breath, as if praying that he could successfully make the round trip without the car overheating. He regained himself and turned the ignition.

Day Before Trial

Ronnie sat up in his declinable hospital bed. Everyone was gathered around him. All of the people whom he considered his friends: Jane, Gemma, Teddy, and Melvin. And in the corner, subtly taking notes was Lazar. There was an eerie tension in the room. Ronnie seemed to be at the center, and Teddy and Gemma kept making awful glances at one another. Ronnie was quickly recounting his last couple of weeks.

“They just took you in? Just like that?” Asked Gemma skeptically. Ronnie glared at her. 

“They were really nice people, but they were also easily convinced that I was a killer. I don’t wanna get them involved, they don’t speak English and they’re hardly a threat-“

“So does that mean you don’t want to end up in jail?” Asked Lazar as he quickly finished writing down Ronnie’s statement. Everyone glared at him. 

“What about Megan? Didn’t you say she was going to testify against the reverend?” Said Jane.

“I don’t whether she is actually going to testify or not, what did assure me was that she had compelling evidence that would prove Ronnie’s innocence.” Said Lazar. Everyone in the seemed at ease, a giant weight lifted from them.

“But we can’t rely on her. She is after all part of your rival club, it wouldn’t be too outrageous if she has a change of heart” said Lazar

“I knew Megan before this club feud, and she was never a hateful, homophobic wretch like the rest of them” Said Melvin. Ronnie finally acknowledged his presence and noticed there was something odd about him. 

“Hey where’s Albert?” Asked Ronnie. The room dropped silent, and their heads avoided Ronnie’s gaze. The uncomfortable silence was broken by Jane.

“He’s um, still in rehab. He’s very sorry that he had to miss your trial but don’t worry he’ll be back and up healthier than ever” she assured him. Ronnie put a grin on his face for what seemed like an eternity. 

Jane stunningly treaded down the campus quad carrying a heavy book bag and wearing large sunglasses to cover the bags under her eyes. After the meeting with Ronnie all she could think about Albert. She wasn’t particularly feeling well. She felt the need to overdose on the Tylenol and the migraine medicine, and felt an overwhelming pain in the depths of her stomach, her body was definitely off. As she walked, her phone started buzzing. She looked at the number and it was the same unknown caller as before. She stopped and hesitated, then slowly she pressed talk and held the phone to her ear.

“Hello?” She said. There was no answer.

“Hello?” She said again this time desperate for an answer. Suddenly she heard the slow and rhythmic breathing of a person. Her eyes widened.

“Albert?! Albert is that you?!” The breathing stopped. And the call was ended. She quickly thought of redialing when all of a sudden a familiar face appeared in front of her.

“Hey… Jane” Iago stood in front of her with a sinister smile. She was startled and dropped her phone.

“Oh let me get that” He said.

“No!” She quickly grabbed the phone and proceeded to back away from him rapidly.

“Get away from me!” 

“Jane what’s wrong?” He said. Her head started rotating, her breathing grew abnormal, and her heart was beating thunderously. She slowly collapsed towards the floor as Iago managed to catch her mid-fall. 

“Jane! Jane, wake up!” 

Jane’s eyes slowly solidified onto a drab and damp infirmary. She collected her head and lifted it from the paper covered bed. She was in the school infirmary. She sat up as a nurse walked in wearing a solid pink scrub with a cat name tag. 

“Hey you’re awake” Said the nurse.

“Yeah, what, uh, what happened” She said as she felt her stomach curl up into a ball. 

“I’m not sure, your blood pressure seems fine, temperature, heart rate. It could have been a slight heart attack, but that’s not likely either… hmm, do you feel nauseous? Maybe light headed?” the nurse asked.

“Well now that you mention it yeah, I do feel a bit nauseous” 

“Well it might not correct but if I were you I’d take a pregnancy test” The words struck Jane’s heart like lightning. No… Hell no. It was impossible. She immediately thought about the probabilities, she doubted herself.

“No, that’s… no. That can’t be” Jane violently shook her head.  She got up from the bed and retrieved her stuff from the counter.

“Are you sure you don’t want one just in case?” asked the nurse. Jane paused, and solemnly said 

“No”.

Albert awoke on a concrete floor. His bruised face burned and ached as he tried to open his eyes, he felt his entire orifice swollen. He tried to move and felt something heavy on his ankle. He moved his bare foot to find a chain connected to his ankle. 

“No, no, no, no” He yanked on the chain and didn’t manage to budge the pipe that was tied around it. He lifted his pants that were around his knees to his waist. He lay on the floor, gritting his teeth and slowly sobbing onto the cold hardness of the floor. Chico suddenly burst through the door in the distance; the light entered the room and illuminated the boiler that was right next to Albert.

“Rise and shine sweetheart. I brought you a blanket, and some chow-“ 

“Why am I chained to a pipe?!” Screamed Albert. Chico was wearing a fitted suit and tie, he dropped the blanket on him and placed the bowl of what looked like oatmeal right next to him.

“You crossed the line Albert. I had to lock you up in the basement. You see, at the moment you were making this call I was certain you were calling the police, and I was about to have over a very particular dangerous customer over, if the police had shown up here while he was here… things wouldn’t have looked good in my favor. You see, you weren’t just putting my life in danger… this customer would’ve killed you too” Said Chico as he leaned in closer to Albert to kiss him on the forehead.

 Albert paused to think what such person it could be. It was certainly someone who made Chico nervous and afraid; it was certainly this person who inspired such great fear into Chico that the thought of awakening his rage made him tear up his face.

“Who were you calling?” Asked Chico. Albert laid down his head as to ignore him. 

“Let’s see.” Chico pulls out his phone and scrolls through it. Albert shuffles on the ground praying that the number wasn’t there. 

“Ah here it is, let’s see who you were calling. And if you make a noise this basement is where you’ll stay for long, long time!” Chico dialed the number and pressed the phone to his ear. 

“Hello? “ Albert could hear Jane’s voice from Chico’s cellphone. He wanted to cry out for help, to yell at her, to bring the police. But Chico held up a finger at his mouth to signal to remain quiet.

“Hello? Albert? Albert is that you?!” Chico quickly closed the phone and ended the call. 

“That’s right, you mentioned once that you had a sister. I’m so glad that you called her and not the cops… although I’m kind of wondering why you didn’t? Are you that stupid?” He chuckled and slightly kicked him in the face. He walked out of the room opening the door and illuminating Albert on the floor curling up into fetal position.

Day of the Trial

The bald Ronnie sat in the defense table looking as if he’d been in a terrible workplace accident and he was suing for damages. Either that or he had cancer, and he was suing a pharmaceutical company.

Beverly was on the stand testifying. She wore a cheetah tank top with low cut booty short and her hair was flared to the sides. Lazar was in front of her wearing a very gray European styled suit. He was questioning her about her recent testimony. Her, Olivia, Regina, and Shawn all testified the same thing. That they were heading out of Shawn dormitory for a quick meeting when they saw Ronnie running out of the campus looking flustered and guilty.

“And what did you say he looked like again?” Lazar asked Beverly.

“He, um, you looked like he’d done something, like if he was hiding something, very sneaky-“

“Interesting, according to Shawn Roach’s testimony, the defendant looked constipated and frightened. 

And according to Olivia Freeman’s testimony the defendant looked ‘unnaturally thuggish’”. 

Beverly remained silent as she looked back at Reverend James who was sitting right behind Carmichael in prosecution. 

“So Mrs. Summers, is there anything else you noticed about Mr. Abernathy that day? What was he wearing? Was he holding anything?” Ronnie could tell that he was going into full attack mode. He waited for the dumbest blonde to take to the stand so he could make a meal out of her in front of the jury. 

“Um, um” She hesitated before saying anything, looking back at the reverend for signals but Lazar quickly placed himself in front of the Reverend’s view.

“Um, I don’t remember what he was wearing, and I don’t think he was holding anything” She said. 

Lazar paced around in front of the jury, then to the defense table and retracted a bunch of photos from a folder. He walked over to the jury and showed them the pictures. The jury looked away. 

“These are the pictures of Enrique Machado, how he was found that morning with his rib cage pried open and left his organs sliding down the bed like slip n’ slide-“ 

“Objection your honor; relevancy?!” Remarked Carmichael. The judge, a large man of color, adhered. 

“get to the point Mr. Lazar” said the judge.

“Certainly, what my point is that if Beverly’s claim were true, Mr. Abernathy would be a genius. In the forensic reports, there were no finger prints, no semen, no bodily secretion of any kind not a single strand of the suspect’s DNA. In order for Mr. Abernathy to pull that off he would have to have an IQ of over 120, however Mr. Abernathy’s test scores and cognitive reasoning tests far below that. Furthermore the assertion that Mr. Abernathy was holding nothing is pertinent to the findings of the Crime Scene. The victim was lacerated with a large and blunt object… but no such object was ever found at the scene. That means according to your testimony Mr. Abernathy must’ve stashed the object. But where? You said you saw him come out directly from Enrique’s dormitory- the entire building was strip searched for anything that might’ve contained the slightest clue… In conclusion, ladies and gentlemen of the jury we have here two stories, two facets, two pathways, and two Ronald Abernathy. One who was out with a policeman staking a killer, and the other a masterful psychotic mass murderer…” Lazar retreaded to the defense table. 

“No further questions” Said Carmichael. Lazar sat down. 

“Where’s Megan?” Asked Ronnie. 

“I told you we don’t need her, I knew she couldn’t follow through. Don’t worry I’m prepared for the next witness.” 

“Prosecution calls Bradly Haynes to the stand” Said Carmichael. 

A shaken Bradley emerges from the back door and sits inside the cubicle. A man approaches him with a bible. Bradley puts his hand on the book and drones out an inaudible muttering. Carmichael then lifts herself from her seat wearing a skin peach body suit, the color of which blended with the walls of the courtroom. 

“Mr. Bradley Haynes where were you the morning of November 12?” Asked Carmichael.

“Before I answer any questions I have two tape recordings that I want heard” He said and everyone began to murmur in hushed tones. He looked at Jane and her at him. 

2 Days Before the Trial

Megan shuffles through the halls of the south side dormitories. She quickens her pace as she sees Bradley coming down the hallway. She kept her hands on her satchel as to protect something she was carrying. She approached him. 

“Hey, Bradley, what’re you doing here?” She asked him. He looked torn and confused. 

“Nothing I was just.. nothing” 

“It’s Jane isn’t it?”

“How did you-“

“Olivia told me everything… Hey you haven’t seen Jeremiah around have you?”

“No why?” 

Megan looked disappointed, she hesitated before saying anything and then she just blurt out.

“You wanna grab some coffee?” She said.

“Coffee?” 

“Yeah, you look like you need someone to talk to. And so do I.” 

“Yeah sure” 

The two sat in the same coffee shop that she spoke to Jeremiah in. Bradley looked uncomfortable with an irritable frown on his face. Megan kept her bag tightly close to her as she sipped on her coffee.

“So, this thing with Jane… what’s up? I mean two months ago you were technically shoving her out of our room and now you’re waiting outside her dorm room-“

“She’s a devil, Megan, her and her faggot brother. She has me around her finger… her slightly timid hands pushed up against mine. She seemed so nice Megan-“

“It seems like there’s a schism between you two… And I think I know what it is.” She said. Bradley held his head up and paid close attention. 

“It really is simple Bradley. This is a classic Romeo and Juliet scenario, Bradley, except Romeo and Juliet were able to overlook their family’s feud and despite that they died loving each other. And neither are you willing to overlook her acceptance of her gay brother and she’s not willing to overlook your scolding homophobia” She said. Bradley glared at her, then sunk his head into his elbows and hung his head. 

“If you want her, Bradley, you have to show her that you’re willing to compromise. That is if you love her.” 

“Well then how do I do that then?”

“Well… for starters you can do the right thing at Ronnie’s trial”

“What are you talking about Megan? The reverend was clear-“

“James is a lying filthy pig, Bradley! Ronnie didn’t kill Enrique, he didn’t kill his best friend, he’s innocent and James is falsely incriminating him!”

“Megan this is not the place to discuss this!” he said in a hushed tone. She placed her hand on top of his.

“Please, just listen to me. If you want Jane to see that there’s some good in you, you will hear me out” Megan pulls out a large yellow envelope and hands it to Bradley. He opens the envelope and pulls out the photos of the Reverend and Regina naked in his office while engaged in intercourse.

“No way…What? Why are you showing me this?” He said.

“To prove to you that he’s a liar! And because you’re my back up.” She said.

“Your back up? For what?”

“Well originally I was counting on Jeremiah but since I found you, you have to do it.”

“Do what?”

“If I don’t show up at the trial I want you to present this evidence to the jury” Megan pulls out two cassette tapes. 

“Why won’t you be at the trial?”

“Because… I’m going to confront him-“

Why Megan?! Why do you want to do this to the rev?!” He said. Megan’s eyes flashed with bright tears of anger. 

“Because… that bastard deserves this, he… was everything to me, and then just like that, like a filthy rag he tossed me aside like I was garbage! Do you have any idea how that feels?!” Megan tried to keep her voice hushed. Bradley quickly got up from his seat. 

“you’re delusional Megan. A butt-hurt reject.” He began to walk away when she firmly caught his hand. 

“Take them! Please just take them. Please if you won’t do it for me then do it for Jane” Megan grabbed the yellow envelope and the two cassette tapes and placed them in his hand. Bradley glared at her with intensity. He released himself from her grip but kept the items in his hand and walked out of the coffee shop. 

Day of Trial

Bradley was uncomfortably seated in the witness stand as the first cassette tape was being played. His heart thundered as he searched for Jane’s face in the crowd and once he’d find her he’d stare at her with gaze that seemed to plunge him into outer space. He was under terrible pressure, his eyes and face red of hitting and touching his face. And his eyes spurted tears as everyone in the court room heard Megan’s voice through the tape.

“This is Megan Summers recording on Sunday, December 2^nd 2001. I’m currently in my room and im on my way to see the reverend of my parish, Reverend James Sorenson. If Jeremiah took my plea then this recording should be heard in front of a jury… reverend James is a liar” Everyone in the courtroom started to converse in hushed tones. The reverend’s face turned bright red, his breathing started to accelerate. 

“This is outrageous!” he burst. 

“Reverend, please be seated!” Stated the judge. Megan’ recording continued. 

“I have proof that this man is a liar and cannot be trusted, Jeremiah, take out the photos” Bradley whipped out the yellow envelope and handed them to and standby officer who then gave it to the judge. The judge looked at them with a raised eyebrow. The reverend was clenching his fists and gritting his teeth with immensity. The judge then allowed Carmichael and Lazar to come up and see the photos. Then the jury was given the chance to lay eyes upon the naked bodies of the reverend and Regina.

“Reverend James Sorenson is a liar and a fraud. I have another tape recording of a call that he made to Shawn Roach that proves that he had sent Shawn to follow Ronnie and bashed his head in. Furthermore I have instructed Jeremiah to present this evidence on my behalf if I do not arrive here today. I am currently headed to Reverend James’s home on 112 Jeffereson Court, Maple County. I have placed G.P.S tracking chips on my bracelet and in the trunk of my car, both of which can be located by Satellite tracking using my Locator outlet which I have left in my room-“ The tape cuts off. The reverend is stricken with terrible shaking and sweat that runs down his forehead. The entire room is deadly silent as Bradley hands the officer the next tape.

“Yeah, I’ll be there don’t worry” It was The reverend’s voice that was being heard throughout the courtroom. A large pause was heard as shuffling paper sounds were heard.

“Dammit! That son of a bitch Ronald is alive and he knows… a lot more than he should. I can’t tell you how I know! He must know the police is looking for him and he’s trying to get out of it by blackmailing me that bastard!”

“Wait, wait hold on, hold on rev I hit that kid hard. How the heck is he blackmailing you?” This was Shawn Roach’s voice that was being heard. At this moment Ronnie turned round glazed with rage searching for Shawn but Lazar held him firm. “No don’t stop” he told him. He held his hand tightly and would not let go. Ronnie calmed down but continued to glare at the reverend.

“Well apparently you didn’t hit him hard enough! Listen, it’s not unlikely that he has an accomplice. These pictures are recent, there’s someone else, someone else took these pictures… and it looks like they were taken from the neighbors” The recording cut off and ended there. The room was staunch silent, reverend James muttered under his breath. “That wasn’t me”. Carmichael walked over to the table with death glare set on him. “It’s not me, theres a mistake” He uttered again under his breath. His words were shaking and his breathing exaggerated. 

Lazar let go of Ronnie’s hand. “It’s over” He said to him.

 The entire courtroom was filled with whispers and convulsions. And officer walked up to the judge and spoke something inaudible into his ear. Then the judge slammed his mallet. “Order, order.” He sighed. “We’ve just confirmed that Megan Summers has been missing since last Sunday” Two officers walked over to the persecution table and handcuffed the reverend. He kept muttering under his breath “It wasn’t me, it’s a mistake, She’s the liar not me” 

Shaken and torn out of reality. He seemed to be transported out of the courtroom and into an asylum as he kept repeating those phrases as he was read his Miranda rights and was taken out of the court room. He saw Beverly breaking down in tears as he was escorted out. He saw Olivia and Regina and Shawn look at him with an unfamiliar despair as if he was no longer part of them, as if he was now below them. He stretched his neck backwards to take a glance at Bradley, who was still sitting in the stand, and gave him a look that would shake the core of his being, of lightning struck, of a deafening blow to his stomach. He felt it in his entrails, the feeling of imminent betrayal. Like a child being cast away from the playground, he hung his head and continued to repeat the phrases. The reverend shed silent tears from the corner of his glasses as the doors of the courtroom were shut behind him.