After the Fall

Hands sweating

Knees shaking

Mind racing

Heart pacing

Everything happens at once when all eyes turn to Max. Everyone is looking at her, the guard stands still while holding Lucas wrists behind him, the cuffs still on his hands. Steve looks between the judge and Max, Mike has a fearful look on his face, every one of them has a fearful look on their faces. It is a look of almost hopelessness, a look of fear for the worse, a look of what is going to be said.

Right now, there are no lies that surface inside of Max's brain, just the truth, just the pure and utter truth, and she decides to get that truth.

"When I was in coma, more so trapped inside of that sick son a bitches mind, it was terrifying. You all have seen the pictures of the creel house before it was taken down, but imagine being in it. Inside of it with all of these live particles, things that makeshift instantly, doors that lead me to scary places. I was trapped, I was completely trapped. I was almost consumed, I almost died. Apparently I did die." Max says the last part a little to herself but everyone hears nonetheless.

"Henry he...he always tried to bring me down and tell me that death was the only option for me, that no one cared for me and I wasn't loved, he wanted me to give the okay to just let go. I almost gave in, I almost gave up if it wasn't for Lucas." Max admits, a tears beginning to cloud her vision. "Lucas was there with me every single day, he was always there. He would read to me, talk to me. That is what I needed to be here right now, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for him. Even years ago when I was blind and broken bones he still took care of me. He took me where I needed to go, he read to me, he never abandoned me, even though I feared he would. He would always assure me that he loved me and he would never let me go."

"Sleep is only possible when I'm with him, I never get any without him, the nightmares always surface without him. Everything is possible with him with me, and absolutely nothing is possible without him. I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me I'm telling you this that way you can try and understand what it has been for me without him. Nightmares have gotten worse, it just all gotten worse because he isn't with me your honor. So please...please I beg of you, if we could...just put one of those little things around his ankle and he comes back home until the decision is made? Please...it has been literal hell without him, and I don't know how long I can keep doing it. Please." Max finishes, her voice cracked while tears escape from her eyes.

The crowd is in complete silence, they are all moved by the words, except Frank who just rolls his eyes. The judge looks at Max for a minute before she goes to sit down. Max lightly begins to play with her hands, she doesn't know how long she can take this feeling in her stomach, she doesn't know how long she can take this harsh feeling in her heart.

"How about this? I want you to be the last witness questioned by both lawyers. It seems like this case all circles back to you." The judge says.

Max looks over at everyone before turning to the judge and nodding her head. She wipes the tears from her eyes, going to sit down in the chair. She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes lightly before opening them.

Chester is first to stand up, him buttoning up his suit jacket before standing up in front of Max. "Max, how long would you say you've known Lucas Sinclair?"

"Since middle school."

"And based on multiple witnesses just from school a lot always hear you call him stalker..." Chester says while looking down at a file. "...why is that?"

"It's harmless, it was one day in school where I saw him and the others watching me while I was skateboarding." Max answers.

"And yet you only call Lucas stalker?" Chester questions.