The Criminals

Monica and Davy sat on the bench.

Monica chewed on gum. Davy looked at the ceiling.

They had heard that Before, people had sat in chairs and the judge sat on a bench. But what the people did Before the Elimination was different if you asked someone else.

It is time to talk about the Criminals, the Judge said. Monica stopped chewing the gum. Davy looked down from the ceiling. They are ready, said the Defender.

The Witness has told us already about the Crime the Criminals have done, the Judge said. Because of what he said, I will give the Criminals the result of Prison.

The Criminals did not do this Crime, the Defender said, and they would like to say what they did. He looked unhappy.

Okay, said the Judge, and his eyes looked at the ceiling too.

Davy said what he did first. I have done other Crimes but I have not done this Crime, he said.

And the Judge was surprised. He did not talk for a minute, and then he said But the Witness has said that you did the crime, and you have done other crimes before, so we will say that the Witness was right.

And the Witness nodded his head.

Davy did not say anything at first, and then he nodded his head and said Okay.

Next it was Monica’s turn. Before she got up, she rubbed her necklace with her fingers. It looked like a Heart. Rubbing the Heart does not work, Davy told her. It works sometimes, she said back. Then she stood up.

I have not done the Crime that the Witness says I did, Monica said. And he is saying I did it because he does not like people like me.

Now the Judge was the most surprised, and he said The Witness has already said you and Davy did the crime and Davy is okay with it. You are one of the people that does not know what is right.

Monica started to make a sad face and said I have heard that Before, there was a Jury who would decide if someone did a crime. That is what I want.

The Judge shook his head. Only the Rule Makers know how things were Before, and I have only heard what you are saying from people who do not know what is right, he said. You are doing what everyone did Before. But to show that you have done the Crime, we will have a Jury decide. Only we do not have a Jury, so the Witness will be the Jury.

The Witness nodded and said I will do that. Monica kept looking sad though. I do not want a Jury now she said, but the Judge said No, this is what is wrong about people that do Crimes, is that they do not know what they want. If you want to keep the Rules then you will be right. Now the Jury will choose if you did the Crime which the Witness and Davy have said you did.

The Jury stood up and he said A boy and a girl came to my house when it was night, and they did the Crime. And it was this boy and girl here in the room.

Monica kept having a sad face, and now sad noises too.

So what is your choice about whether Monica did the Crime, the Judge said.

My choice is that she did it, and the boy too.

The Judge nodded. Once someone has done a Crime, they will keep doing Crimes, he said. So we will stop them. Davy will go to the Prison, and the girl will sit in the Franklin Chair, but there is a long line for the Chair so she will go to the Prison first. We are all done.

Then the guards took Monica and Davy out but Monica kept being sad and talking loud. She said I did not do the Crime and Davy will tell you that we did not do the Crime if you ask him now and I have friends I was with on the night that he says I did the Crime who will tell you what is right and The Witness is the one that does not know what is right he just does not like me so is that the Crime I have done, until they could not hear her any more.

Then it was just the Judge and the Witness, and they both shook their heads back and forth. The Judge said As I had said, once someone has done a Crime, they will keep doing more Crimes. Now the Witness nodded. He said And it is always the people that say that things were right Before, and not that the Rule Makers are right. Now the Judge nodded. And both of their faces were happy.