"How does the defendant plead?"
"Not guilty, Your Honour."
"Describe your whereabouts on the 27th April of this year."
These were things I had heard before... all of them inconsequential, really, in the long run. The arrest and trial was a farce, thinly veiled 'evidence' covering up the true nature of the accusations leveled against me. They thought I had ended the life of another... as if that would happen so soon, when one takes the first and last time I did so into account. Or, well, there had been that one time back in the early days before Murderville was a thing, but that had been a one-time occurrence.
The 'trial' was a quick one, with the jury so blind to the honest truths laid out before them. I remember catching some of them glaring at me. In truth, I have to say that I am a little disappointed by them. Why suspect me? Why even consider me as a possibility, so soon to the time when I took a turn to guide the actions of another? Such blind weakness... it will lead them to their destruction.
This was my last request: a pen and paper. My second to last request was that they did not kill me. I think you, reader, can imagine how well that one went.
And so as I write this, I face the trip to the gallows... hopefully someone will read it after I am gone. I look to my jailer... I do not know if this is ironic, or a simple happenstance. Either way, I find it morbidly amusing that the one who would prevent my escape is the one for whom I have come to care.
I try to reason with her. She ignores me. As I expected. She probably thinks I turned on her, thinks I betrayed her, thinks I would eliminate her at some point. But I could never do that. With my final hope gone, I offer a silent prayer to anyone in the multiverse who will listen. Naturally, no-one answers.
I shall not commit my final thoughts to these pages when we reach our destination. Nor shall I speak further. A silent protest, because words would fall on deaf ears. Instead, I remember a song sung by those who have gone before me. Granted, they were fictional characters on screen, but meh. It was a good movie, and I deem the verse fitting to my fate even if others would disagree.
Yo ho,
Haul together,
Hoist the colours high
Heave ho,
Thief and beggar,
Never shall we die