The Last Message:Run

The day Regal dreaded had finally come. She had always loved the sunrise, but today the sight of bile rise to the back of her throat. The soft golden light spilling through her window no longer looked beautiful, it looked terrifying. Today she would face the jury. For a crime she didn’t commit. Murder. The word alone made her stomach twist. Taking a life was the last thing she could ever imaging doing, yet in a few hours she might be condemned for it. With a heavy sigh, Regal dragged herself to the bathroom, the monitoring anklet heavy on her ankle. She brushed her teeth slowly before stepping under the shower. “If I’m going to rot in prison” she thought bitterly, “I might as well enjoy the feeling of showering in my bathroom while I still can”. She lingered there more than necessary, letting the warm water run over her skin as if trying to wash away the nightmare that had become her life. The courthouse was about thirty minutes from her apartment. Regal had decided not to take her car. There was no point, if she was convicted, it would probably end up abandoned or towed away anyway. This could be the last day she would ever see her apartment. Her gaze slowly moved around the space she loved so much. Her cozy bedroom. The small bathroom she had just left. The neatly decorated living room. Vases of fresh flowers sat in nearly every corner. Regal loved flowers, they filled the room with a gentle, calming fragrance. Posters of Liverpool F.C. covered parts of the wall. She has always been a huge fan, though she has never been much of an athlete herself. Her small two-seater couch sat against the wall near the entrance. A beanbag rested beside the bathroom door. Across from the couch, the television hung neatly on the wall about a meter above the floor. The kitchen was connected to the living room, with a tiny dining set placed a few steps away. Everything looked neat. Everything looked like home. Regal walked to the mirror and studied her reflection. Her caramel skin glowed softly under the light. Big almond-shaped eyes stared back at her. She has a small nose, full lips, the bottom lip slightly fuller, and an oval shaped face framed by long black curls that partially covered her cheek. After a moment, she tied her hair into a bun. Court wasn’t a beauty pageant. A last meal in her apartment wouldn’t hurt, she thought. But when she checked the time, she sighed. There wasn’t enough time. She had to be in court in less than an hour. Regal had refused the offer for police officers to escort her. The idea made her feel even more like a criminal. She slowly walked down from her fifth-floor apartment just as the taxi she had booked arrived. The driver showed up almost immediately. Under normal circumstances, that would have been convenient. Today, it just felt cruel. The ride felt painfully long. Regal sat stiffly in the back seat, her hands trembling in her laps. The driver tried to make small talks and even hinted that she should leave him a good review on the ride app. But today wasn’t the day for small talks. By the time the courthouse appeared in the distance, Regal felt like she might throw up. All hope had nearly vanished. Her thoughts drifted to her lawyer. A government-appointed attorney. A useless one. He had barely tried to defend her. In fact, he had repeatedly advised her to plead guilty. Son of a — Regal clenched her jaw. Fists tightened. There had only been one witness, and even his testimony had been vague. She wanted to scream to the judges that she was innocent. That she had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. ———————————————————————— It had been her first blind date in almost three years. She remembered thinking it wouldn’t hurt to try. But her date had turned out to be a disaster, though not in the way she expected. She was having a nice conversation with the handsome, 6-foot something, muscular man in a well-tailored suit across the table. Until disaster struck. Everything had happened so fast. There was no gunshot sound. No warning. She remembered the exact moment. His eyes widening suddenly. His fingers trembling as he quickly typed something on his phone before shoving it as hard as he could towards her. One word. Run. Confused, Regal had stared at him. Then she saw it. Pain in his eyes. Something was terribly wrong. When she tried to help him, she saw red. Blood. Everywhere. On him. On her. “Help me! Help us!” She had screamed. But no one responded. The next thing she remembered was the sound of sirens. Then darkness. She had blacked out. ———————————————————————— “Miss Regal, I will advise you stay calm this time, unlike the last session”. Her lawyer’s voice pulled her back to the present. Last session had been absolute chaos. Regal had cried and screamed, desperately trying to prove her innocence while no one seemed to listen. “Understood”, she replied stiffly. Her fists tightened at her sides. Right now, she almost felt capable of committing murder, specifically towards the useless lawyer standing beside her. “I believe I mentioned that a new witness has appeared”, he continued. Regal stopped walking instantly. “A witness?”, she asked. “Yes. She is a waitress from the restaurant”, her lawyer explained. “Miss Kelly. She came forward two days ago”. A small smile appeared on Regal’s face. Finally. A glimmer of hope. “Great”, she replied quietly. With renewed determination, she walked towards the courtroom doors. Taking a deep breath, she whispered a quick prayer. Then she pushed the door open, ready to face whatever fate awaited her. But secretly hoping … it would finally be a good one.