《S.H.E.》CHAPTER FIVE

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Gilly got changed slowly, every effort was monumental now, and every task seemed pointless, without worth. He stood before the mirror in the living room dressed in the only suit he owned. It was old and moth-eaten, a baggy thing. Its poor fit made him look even more miserable than he already was. It was the mirror however told him the truth. He had deep bags around his eyes, each of them lifeless. He was unshaven, unkempt, and sour as an old brush. In his hand he held a bottle of rough, harsh whiskey. The same stench had been rolling from him for days.

Out on the street corner he hailed a cab. The morning was grey, overcast. Already the rain was beginning to spit.

It was just as he was getting in that he saw a young man staring from across the street. He was wearing a curiously strange hat. A fluffy orca, the fin nestling soft against his ears and dangling with tassels. When he blinked again the strange man was gone.

Within the driver screamed to hurry up. Gilly looked down at the whiskey, then he slumped in the taxi and slammed the door.

***

‘All rise.’

Gilly sat, watching as Judge Queely strolled into the empty courtroom of The Old Justice. Gilly’s eyes hadn’t wandered once, they were nailed to those of the red-haired man from where he sat in his shiny, black jumpsuit. Detective Cloud had since made Gilly aware of the man’s name.

Spindlefingers.

‘Evidence against the defendant?’ said Judge Queely.

From the table opposite stood Detective Cloud, ‘Try fourteen past cases with exactly the same M.O. We even have DNA evidence of this man at the crime scene. What’s more we have a confession from Spindle himself.’

‘Objection’ shouted Spindle’s lawyer, ‘that evidence has since been tampered with. What’s more my client was forced into that confession under duress.’

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‘Is this seat taken?’

Gilly turned, only to see a smile beneath darkglass optics as Seldom sat down next to him.

‘Terrible what happened’ said Seldom, that smile still plastered across his face. ‘I can’t imagine how hard these last few months have been. Torturous.’ He kept his voice low, whispering as the court proceeded in session. They were the only two in the gallery.

Seldom tapped Gilly with his cane. At the touch he began to quiver.

‘She was such a beautiful girl too. So exquisite.’ Seldom shook his head with a sigh. ‘Life’s never the same after a child passes. We never quite heal.’

Gilly watched shaking as Seldom leant in once more with a smile.

‘That being said I’d like to offer a valuable piece of advice. Forget about this–’ the silver griffin knocked against his chest, ‘There’s nothing you could have done.’ Again, he smiled, ‘Would you like to know why?’ Gilly felt the eyes of the griffin staring up at him, ‘Because there’s only one antidote to this city Mr. Rivers, and that antidote is power, and you…’ Seldom made a long, low noise of terrible disapproval, ‘you… are weak.’

From the front Judge Queely cut Detective Cloud off with a single strike of his gavel, ‘I think this court’s heard enough Detective Cloud. It’s on that basis that I hereby find our defendant not guilty–’

‘You rotten fuck!’ shouted Cloud. ‘He killed them! He murdered fourteen girls!’

‘Security!’

Gilly watched as security rushed in to restrain Detective Cloud.

‘Fourteen girls!’ screamed cloud, ‘Fourteen–’

Gilly listened wide-eyed as Cloud was dragged away, his voice growing quiet and dead as the courtroom once again found silence.

‘Case closed.’

The judge’s hammer came down tearing through Gilly’s heart.

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Seldom stood with a sigh, ‘My deep condolences Mr. Rivers… sometimes life’s just not fair.’

Spindlefingers smiled as he walked out behind Seldom, only to stop, turn, and slide onto the bench beside Gilly.

‘A present for you Mr. Rivers.’

Gilly watched as the man tucked a folded piece of paper into his hands.

‘See… I told you we’d meet again.’

Then he was gone, and Gilly was left holding the paper. As he opened it, he saw the drawing of a young man in a black suit, his hair burning bright as the morning sun.

Beneath lay four words.

My Daddy… the Hero.

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