They had all been cleaned up and fed. They were wearing clean and fresh orange People’s Ministry Justice of Rehabilitation jumpsuits. On their feet they wore orange flip-flops. Each of them were bagged up in a fresh clean bag and were hooded. On the front of each burlap hooded bag was pinned a rectangular white card with a number and a name. Their ankles were shackled together.

They were sitting on a bench lined up, and a uniformed guard was sitting opposite to them, watching. The room they were in was narrow and windowless. The floor was black polished concrete and the walls were a faded, yellowish tile. At the end of the narrow room was an old metal door that had been painted black many, many times.

There were 12 of them.

The black metal door opened and a uniformed guard stepped in.

‘He wants to move quickly today - says he has a lunch appointment’ - the guard said.

‘Alright - how’s he doing it? - Asked the sitting guard.

‘Alphabetical’ - said the standing guard.

‘First or last?’

‘Last’ - the standing guard replied.

‘G Adams - 1207433’ - said the sitting guard, looking at a clipboard.

The sitting guard looked at the line of bagged prisoners and pointed at one - ‘G Adams - 1207433’

The standing guard walked over to the prisoner the sitting guard had pointed at, checked the card pinned to the front of the hooded bag and then lifted them to their feet.

‘Come along G Adams’ - the standing guard pulled the prisoner to their feet and they shuffled forward towards the open metal door.

The guard and G Adams left the narrow room and the standing guard closed the door behind him. He continued leading the prisoner forward until they came to a narrow staircase.

‘There’s a few steps - so take it slowly’ - the guard said to G Adams.

They walked up the steps until they emerged in the defendants dock set inside a vast courtroom.

The walls of the courtroom were painted white. There was a high ceiling that extended several meters above the floor. At the back wall there was a high bench of varnished wood with a burgundy high back chair behind it. Behind the bench and chair was a painted mural of handsome revolutionary fighters shooting and bayonetting ugly and leering soldiers. A palace was burning behind the handsome revolutionary fighters.

In front of the bench in the center was the dock. Either side of the dock were two wooden, polished tables with a single wooden chair behind each. There was a polished wooden door with brass fixtures behind the bench, and a polished wooden door on either side of the courtroom. To the left of the bench was a small wooden table with a stenograph machine on top of it, and a wooden chair behind it.

G Adams stood - unaware of where he was or the grandeur of their surroundings. The guard stood behind him, arms crossed behind his back.

The door to the left of the dock opened, and two men came in wearing black barrister garb, with white shirts and white ties and white powdered wigs. The two men were followed by a youngish woman wearing a black dress, and black shoes. The woman sat down at the stenograph machine. The two barristers were deep in conversation, and one of them laughed. They were both carrying a bundle of papers each. They stopped in front of the dock and spoke for a few more moments and then they both laughed again before splitting up, taking seats at the two tables.

A few more moments passed, and then the door behind the bench opened and an ancient man wearing rich red robes and a long white powdered wig entered the court. This was the judge of the People’s Secret Court.

The judge was followed by a uniformed officer of the court. The uniformed officer closed the door behind him and then announced - ‘All rise, this session of the People’s Secret Court is now in session.’

The two barristers stood whilst the ancient judge shuffled towards the burgundy chair. The judge had skin as white as his wig, and wore half moon spectacles. His nose was covered in hundreds of red burst blood vessels. This gave the judge a strange appearance, with skin as white as snow but a bright red nose. The judge’s pale blue eyes were watery and large flaps of skin hung under each eye socket.

The judge made it - slowly - to the chair behind the bench, and then fell into it. With the judge in his chair, the two barristers sat back down.

‘I want to move fast today - do you hear me?’ - The judge wheezed - ‘I have a lunch appointment and I want this to be finished well before 12.’

The judge looked at the uniformed officer of the court and nodded.

The uniformed officer of the court picked up a sheet of paper and read out - ‘The first case today before the People’s secret court is case number 1-2-0-7-4-3-3. The People versus Gerald Adams.’

The judge looked to his left and nodded.

The barrister stood up. It was the man not named Roger.

‘If it would please the court - the People do charge that the defendant - Gerald Adams - did willfully and maliciously conspire with one or more unknown co-conspirators to undermine the faith of the People in the People’s Republic through an ongoing regime of sedition’ - the man not named Roger sat down.

‘And how does your client plead?’ - The Judge turned to the other barrister.

The other barrister stood up - ‘If it would please the court - my client pleads guilty, your honor.’

The judge picked up his gavel - ‘I find the defendant guilty of these most serious crimes, and sentence him to be transferred to the custody of the People’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farming for an indefinite period of rehabilitation.’

The judge banged the gavel on the bench - ‘Next case!’

G Adams was led away by the guard and replaced with the next defendant, and the next defendant, and the next defendant. All had pleaded guilty and were found guilty and transferred to the custody of the People’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farming for an indefinite period of rehabilitation. An indefinite period of rehabilitation was a People’s Secret Court euphemism for being taken to the farm, killed, and then put through a wood chipper.

The uniformed officer of the court read out the next case before the court - ‘The next case today before the People’s secret court is case number 8-7-6-6-1-3-3. The People versus Charles Ellis.’

The defendant was standing in the dock.

The judge nodded at the man not named Roger.

The man not named Roger stood - ‘If it would please the court - the People do charge that the defendant - Charles Ellis - was recruited and conspired with a known Commander of a terrorist organisation and engaged in the planning of terrorist activity to undermine the People’s Republic.’

The man not named Roger sat down.

‘And how does your client plead?’ - The judge said, looking at the defense barrister.

The defense barrister stood - ‘If it pleases the court - the defendant pleads guilty, your honor.’

The defense barrister sat down.

The judge picked up his gavel - ‘I find the defendant guilty of these most serious crimes, and sentence him to be transferred to the custody of the People’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farming for an indefinite period of rehabilitation.’

The judge banged the gavel on the bench - ‘Next case!’

The defendant was taken away, and replaced with the next defendant.

The judge nodded at the uniformed officer of the court.

The uniformed officer of the court read out the next case before the court - ‘The next case today before the People’s secret court is case number 8-6-6-1-3-3-7. The People versus Charles Ellis.’

The judge hesitated for a moment, and then nodded at the man not named Roger.

The man not named Roger stood - ‘If it would please the court - the People do charge that the defendant - Charles Ellis - was recruited and conspired with a known Commander of a terrorist organisation, and engaged in the planning of terrorist activity to undermine the People’s Republic.’

The man not named Roger sat down.

‘We have already done this one - pay attention counselor!’ - The judge snapped at the man not named Roger.

The man not named Roger stood - ‘If it pleases the court - I beg your pardon your honor?’

‘We have done this one - you just did Charles Ellis. Pay attention to the counselor. I have advised you once today that I want this session to move quickly, I do not have time for you to not pay attention to your charge sheets.’

The man not named Roger remained standing - ‘If it pleases the court, your honor - these are two different cases.’

‘It does not please the court counselor - I may be old, but I am not senile! There is a mistake on your charge sheet’ - the old judge leaned forward and looked over the top of his half moon glasses at the man not named Roger.

The man named Roger looked at the papers in front of him, and then looked at the table next to the defense barrister. The defense barrister avoided his gaze. The man not named Roger picked up the papers in front of him and shuffled them, and then put them down.

‘Well counselor…?’ - The old judge was still leaning forward and eyeing the man not named Roger.

‘If it...errr...if it pleases the court’ - the man not named Roger glanced again at the defense table looking for assistance, but the defense barrister was doing everything he could not to look back at him - ‘If it pleases the court - there doesn’t appear to be a mistake, your honor.’

‘You are telling me counselor - that two people, both named Charles Ellis were both recruited by the same terrorist organisation, and both planned to execute the same terrorist attacks against this People’s Republic, and were both arrested, and both confessed, and both turned up in my court on the same day - today? Is this what you are telling me counselor...?’ - The old judge peered forward even further over the bench staring at the man not named Roger.

‘If it pleases the court - yes, your honor’ - the man not named Roger again shuffled the papers in front of him.

‘Nonsense - I will not have my courtroom descend into some farcical pantomime counselor, where you make a mockery of me’ - the judge turned to the uniformed officer of the court - ‘Bring back the last defendant - we will get to the bottom of this.’

The uniformed officer of the court instructed the guard in the dock to bring back the first Charles Ellis.

After a short while, the guard returned to the dock with the first Charles Ellis.

‘Unhood him’ - the judge shouted at the guard in the dock.

The guard in the dock looked puzzled - ‘I beg your pardon your honor?’

‘UNHOOD THAT MAN, DAMN YOU!’ - The old judge screamed.

The guard did as he was told, and unzipped the hood covering the first Charles Ellis’ head, and pulled it back.

Charles Ellis stood there blinded by the bright light and confused.

‘Is your name Charles Ellis?’ - The judge asked him.

‘Erm, yes’ - Charles Ellis said, blinking and looking through half closed eyes.

‘Are you a member of a terrorist organisation?’ - The judge asked.

‘No - they made me say I was’ - Charles Ellis said, one eye open looking around and at the judge.

‘That’s enough - unhood the other man’ - the judge ordered the guard.

The guard unzipped the hood of the other Charles Ellis and pulled back the hood.

‘Are you Charles Ellis?’ - The judge asked.

The second Charles Ellis - Charlie Ellis - squinted at the judge and courtroom.

‘What?’ - Charlie Ellis asked.

‘You will address the court as your honor’ - the uniformed officer of the court said.

‘What, your honor?’ - Charlie Ellis corrected himself.

‘Are you Charles Ellis?’ - The judge asked again.

‘Yes’ - said Charlie Ellis.

‘And are you a member of a terrorist organisation?’

‘No, your honor. They made me say that.’.

‘Okay - hood the defendants again’ - the judge ordered the guard..

The guard pulled the hoods back over the heads of both Charlie and Charles Ellis and zipped them back up.

‘Do the people have anything to say, counselor…?’ - The judge asked, peering over the bench at the man not named Roger.

The man not named Roger stood again and tried to smile at the old judge, but the smile turned into a strange twisted grimace when he saw the face of the old judge staring back at him - ‘If it pleases the court - no, the People do not have anything to say.’

‘And you…?’ - The judge turned to the defense table.

‘If it pleases the court - the defense has nothing to say either’ - the defense barrister said, standing.

‘So in light of the accused’s statements before this People’s court - the defense doesn’t wish to enter a motion on behalf of their clients?’ - The judge said, leaning towards the defense barrister.

‘A motion…?’ - The defense barrister said, looking at the man not named Roger.

‘Yes, a motion’ - said the judge frowning at the defense barrister..

The defense barrister stood - flustered - ‘Erm, if it pleases the court - the defense would like to enter a motion for a…’

‘Motion for what exactly…?’ - The judge leaned forward further, peering at the defense barrister with his pale, cold eyes.

‘For a…’

‘Spit it out man!’ - The judge shouted.

‘For a motion to dismiss all charges, your honor’ - the defense barrister sat down, and covered his eyes with his hands.

The judge picked up the gavel - ‘Motion granted. The defendants are free to go’ - the old judge banged the gavel on the bench.

The uniformed officer of the court looked at the judge, and then at the man not named Roger, and then looked at the guard in the dock.

The guard in the dock shrugged.

The uniformed officer of the court walked over to the judge and lent down - ‘Your honor, what do you mean free to go?’

‘What do you think I mean you fool?’ - The judge snapped back at the uniformed officer of the court.

‘Free to go where, your honor?’ - The uniformed officer of the court asked.

‘Free to go wherever they bloody well like - I will not have the People’s Ministry of State Security and Policing coming in here and making a mockery of me, or this court. Get these men out of here, do you understand?!’ - The old judge had stood up and was glaring at the uniformed officer of the court.

The uniformed officer of the court glanced back to the guard in the dock who shrugged again - and then back to the judge - ‘It’s only that, your honor, we haven’t ever had anyone free to go before.’

‘Untie them, give them a new set of clothes, take them down to the front door, and let them bloody go you blithering idiot! If this is not done immediately I will have all of you - not you dear’ - the judge leaned over to address the stenographer - ‘I will have you all held in contempt and sent to the bloody People’s Ministry of Agriculture and Farming for an indefinite period of detention - do you understand?!’

‘Yes your honor’ - the uniformed officer of the court straightened back up and addressed the guard in the dock - ‘Take the prisoners, and let them go.’

‘Go where?’ - The guard replied, looking confused.

‘Anywhere they like.’

The confused guard led Charlie and Charles Ellis down the steps out of the dock. At the bottom he knelt down and unlocked the leg shackles. He then undid the burlap bag, and pulled it off of each of them over their head.

The guard from the narrow room opened the door and looked out - ‘What the fucking hell are you doing?’

‘The judge said they could go’ - the guard said, folding up the burlap sack bags.

‘Go where?’ - The guard poking his head out of the narrow room said.

‘Anywhere they want’ - the other guard said - ‘The judge said we had to untie them, give them some clothes, and then take them down to the front entrance and let them go.’

‘Let them fucking go…?’ - The guard poking his head out of the narrow room voice was getting more and more high pitched.

‘Yeah - here, help me find some clothes for these two.’

Back in the courtroom the judge hadn’t finished with the man not named Roger - ‘I would suggest to you counselor, that the next time the People want to charge the same crime to two men with the same name, then you should make the effort to make sure they come to my court on different days - do you understand me counselor?’

The man not named Roger stood - ‘If it pleases the court - the People will endeavor to do so in the future, your honor.’

‘It would please the court very much, counselor. Next case.’

Charlie and Charles Ellis had been fitted out in a pair of ill-fitting police trousers and a white under-shirt each. They were wearing police issue boots which were too big. The guard from the dock walked them down the steps to the entrance hall and the front door of the People’s Secret Court.

There were two police officers armed with 9mm automatic machine guns in the foyer inside the entrance hall.

‘What's going on here?’ - One of the armed police officers asked, blocking the way.

‘Judge says they’re free to go’ - the guard replied.

‘Free to go where?’ - The armed police officer said.

‘Anywhere they want.’

‘Anywhere they want?’ - The armed police officer said.

‘Yes - free to go.’

‘You hear this?’ - The armed police officer said to the other armed police officer.

‘What?’ - The other armed police officer said.

‘The judge said these two are free to go.’

‘Free to go where?’ - The other armed police officer asked.

‘Anywhere they want’ - the armed police officer said.

‘Anywhere they want?’ - The other armed police officer said.

‘Yeah’ - the armed police officer said.

‘That’s fucking crazy.’

The armed police officer moved out of the way and the guard opened the front door, smiling - ‘Okay, thanks a lot for coming today, and you can now go anywhere you like.’

Charlie and Charles Ellis walked through the door, waiting for the armed police officers to grab them. They stepped out into the morning light and the guard smiled again.

‘Thanks a lot for coming - take care. Goodbye!’ - The guard waved and smiled and closed the door.

Charlie Ellis looked at Charles Ellis. Charles Ellis looked at Charlie Ellis. And then they both walked off, in different directions. They didn’t know where they were or where they were going, but they were free. Free to go anywhere they wanted.