INNOCENT MAN

First Friend.

When they finally stepped out of the courtyard, he was taken to a room to change, the room was like a locker room with numbers on every. From one of the lockers with digits, an officer collected a prison wear and handed it over to him. He hesitated in collecting the wear, he wasn't a criminal he thought, why should he be here, why should he be given a prison wear and why should he be addressed as such. These where the thoughts going through his mind.

'' Penny for your thoughts'', the officer with that had given him the prison wear asked breaking into his thought.

'' You're a murderer and that is what you will be, the tag will always follow you till your innocence is cleared. I do better advice you, behaving accordingly in this place will be to your benefit. It will be to your detriment if you act otherwise. Most of these criminals here said the same thing you said when they where found out. But at the end they were guilty and some couldn't even stand the chance of a trial. Engage whoever you want to for help for now you still have that grace. But If eventually, you are found guilty, you will have the same fate as everyone else. For now on you are still one of them''. He concluded uncuffed him and threw the clothes to him, leaving the room with his partner to give him privacy to change.

It took him minutes to accept the reality that was in front of him. There was no going back making up his mind, he decided to take things slowly, firstly he needed to find a lawyer. But he would acquaint himself with the rules here. Once he was done dressing, he stepped out of the dressing room. A police man entered the room to secure his old dress, while one after scrutinizing led him to his prison cell. Once the door to his cell was closed, he slumped down on the make shift bed shivering, the facade he had been putting on all along where gone as fear of the big reality engulfed him.

Xavier lay down on his bed, his thoughts to how he could set himself free from this new life. He needed a lawyer to start with, but how was he to get one. Damon would have been of perfect help, but he couldn't trust him anymore not when he was betrayed by Cressida. His heart felt heavy as he thought of all the promises he made to Amalia that he was likely to break again. He hadn't even been present on her burial and now he had to neglect the promises he had made. If he wanted to find Amalia's killer, he needed to be free from this place first. His thoughts were troubled and soon he drifted into a disturbed sleep.

A loud bang woke him up. He sat up slowly from his bed, blinking his eyes in the process to adjust to the darkness. He strained his ears again to know what woke him up. This time around, the loud noise of metals hitting bars sounded closer, and it was accompanied by words that sounded incoherent, but listening at a closer range, one could discern that it was actually a singing voice. Xavier stood up from his bed and went to the bar by his left that demarcated each cell room, that was where the noise had come from. Getting there, he sat down on the floor, leaning on the bar gently he listened to the voice that was singing a heart wrenching song as if it was mourning. Soon the voice stopped as. Noticing another presence, the voice asked with a little bit of anger.

'' Who are you'', the accent used was British.

The angry tone made Xavier want to scramble up and rush to his bed, but he ruled the option out. He was bored, and wanted company so he decided to stay and start up a conversation.

'' Am Xavier and you ''.

No answer came from the other end, and Xavier continued anyway without minding.

'' Am new here, just got in today, how long have you been here ''.

This time, he expected at least a sound from his listener but none came. He wasn't perturbed. He decided to talk till he was tired. At least the other party was still listening to him and it gave him a little bit of relief.

'' Am a murderer you know '', he closed his eyes as he said this. Right now that was how he really felt like. Amalia's death had been his fault, partly he had murdered her before the killer had come that was why she wasn't able to defend herself and get killed. It was the self blame that made him promise to bring her killer to book no matter what it would take him.

'' Have you ever had the feeling of watching the people you love die, and you feel hopeless that you couldn't take the pain away for then and the reason for their death turned out to be you. It haven't been easy to live with the guilt, knowing that each day you wouldn't be able to see each other again'', he wanted to continue, but he was getting choked with emotions and he didn't want a stranger to see his weakness which was his emotions. He wasn't expecting any reply from listener his listener, but to his surprise, he got one.

'' The pain is heart wrenching, I have witnessed the pain. My sister was killed and I witnessed it ''.

'' What happened '', he asked expecting another answer.

'' You should go get some sleep, tomorrow is a long day''.

'' Can I at least know your name ''.

'' What's the use you can't even see me'', the voice said getting up from his position.

'' It doesn't matter''.

'' Fine Its Ciara '', the voice replied fading away.

'' Good night Ciara '', Xavier said as he stood up and walked towards his bed. He wasn't sure if his goodnight wish was heard, but not withstanding he was glad to have made a new friend.

Once he lay down, he soon fell into a blissful sleep.