I. The Imaginary Trial

The last day of March came quickly, the type of quick that Viper didn't appreciate. She was nervous about what would take place and her final decision. Detective Justin's warning stuck with her; it made her choice of being not guilty limited.

Viper freshened up and waited anxiously in her holding cell. She paced the cold stone floor, back and forth until her feet hurt. Viper had never felt so nervous before; her old life was definitely dull compared to her new, wild one. Viper heard her cell open and turned to see a police officer and Detective Justin by the door. She walked out and followed them down the long corridor, everything was fast-paced.

"Remember what I said to you," Justin reminded.

"Yes, I remember. How long will this trial be?" Viper asked.

"It depends on what you say and how you deliver it."

She nodded, following the men to the courthouse, where she saw people dressed up in professional attire speeding in all directions, trying to reach their destination. She followed the two into the courtroom. Her mouth dropped as she looked around the spacious room, seeing who she guessed was her lawyer on the left side of the room, an audience of other Detectives, Swindle H, Birdie, Lester, and Oak — to her dismay, and the jury. It was silent as the convict stood as a defendant while Swindle H, Birdie, Lester, and Oak stood as the plaintiffs.

A male Judge entered the room quietly, his growing in gray hair and brown eyes darkened the room. "All rise for the case of Viper Lehmann," everyone rose.

The plaintiff's and defendant swore under oath as the Judge requested Viper's plea; she took Detective Justin's word and said 'guilty,' and the young Detective smiled to himself quietly. The trial began as everyone took their seats quietly. Oak was called up to the witness stand; Lies spilled out of her mouth.

Everything took a curve when the Judge asked Oak about Viper's past and her behavior.

"Viper was at the orphanage from the time she was a few months old," Oak recited. Viper narrowed her eyes. It sounded like Oak rehearsed her foster care file. "Her mother couldn't afford to keep her. Miss. Lehmann always had trouble with other children; she always tried to get them into trouble and was quite aggressive. Viper also had imaginary friends, one was named Ivory."

Viper choked, but Justin sent her a warning look. Viper felt her chest tighten up. She felt intimidated, wondering what she should do.

"How many imaginary friends did she have?" Viper's lawyer, Andrew, asked.

"About twenty to thirty of them, at least. Viper had delusions; she would accuse people of saying things about her when nothing was said. She heard voices that would threaten to hurt her if she didn't do bad things."

"What type of bad things?"

"Hurt the other kids, steal money and extra food, threaten to kill people. She told me the voices wouldn't leave her alone, so I brought her to a therapist," she nodded toward Swindle H, "who diagnosed her with Schizophrenia."

"And how did that make you feel?"

Oak began to cry. "I feel awful. I truly do. I regret locking her up every single day."

Viper's lawyer said, "No further questions," and walked away.

One by one, Swindle H, Birdie, and Lester were seated at the witness stand, and they iterated their stories one by one, each with more detail than the last. Viper felt nervous; there was no way that she would win this trial. The three explained the story that they gave to Detective Justin, how Viper heard about the Blue Dragon's on the news three to four years ago, how she got paranoid and thought about her imaginary friend, Ivory. Swindle H gave some bogus story and got into detail about Viper's apparent symptoms and why she was a Schizophrenic.

Swindle H went into detail about her mother carrying the gene for Schizophrenia, and Viper felt her heart race.

This big question made Viper snap. "Why was Viper put into a foster home? Was that shared with you?"

"I was told that her mother took drugs while pregnant with her. She was a baby dependent on drugs."

Viper stood up, "That's a lie!" she shouted as everyone stared at her. "My mother wasn't on drugs!"

"How would you know?" Oak asked. "You were never given the real reason to your admittance to my foster facility."

Viper then realized something — the real Ms. Campbell never told her why she was an orphan. She refused to believe that her mother was on drugs.

"Young lady," the Judge turned to look at her, "I order you to sit back down and be quiet, or else you will be led out of this courtroom."

Viper bit her tongue but listened.

After what seemed like a full day, but was only an hour and a half of answering questions and trying to keep eyes open, Viper was called to the witness stand. Her lawyer warned her to watch what she said, and she walked along the floor, her slippery feet echoing the loud floor. Everyone stared at her, some in disgust, some in dismay, some in ignorance, and a few were sympathetic. The few sympathizing people in the room believed in her; they gave her hope. She slowly sat down as the wooden furniture made creaking and booming sounds.

All eyes were on her.

"Viper Lehmann," the Judge said, "you plead guilty?"

"— yes," the word took forever to come out. Viper looked around the room as her eyes narrowed at the four Plaintiffs, who giggled silently. "But I change my verdict."

"What do you mean, you change your verdict?"

"I plead not guilty."

All in the courtroom gasped.

Viper looked at the four plaintiffs who were shocked; her lawyer narrowed his eyes, looked confused, and then rummaged through his notes. Detective Justin looked down in defeat; he was beyond annoyed. It went from silence and gasping to twenty different conversations within a matter of seconds. People talked about her changed verdict, others were biased, others argued, a small amount agreed, and many stayed silent, waiting for what would happen next.

"Young lady, you do realize that you have no evidence supporting you and that anything you say can and will be used against you, correct?"

"I know my rights, Judge."

"If the jury finds you guilty, you can be locked up for a very long time."

"I'll take that chance," she scanned the room.

Viper then began her story, the one, and only real story. After about fifteen minutes, the court was silent as she sat back down, and everyone filed out so that the jury could decide her fate.

Justin turned Viper to face him, "Viper, do you realize what you've just done?"

"I know, Justin."

"Did you take any of my advice into consideration?"

"Of course, I did! It didn't matter. I'd rather serve extra time in jail."

"Why? I can help you!"

"No, you can't!" she said. "No one can. I'm doing this for my own good."

"Viper, you don't realize how dangerous jail is. You don't want to go."

"They'll place me in solitary confinement."

"Solitary confinement makes any normal person go insane. Please, Viper —"

"— My mind has already been made. You can't stop me," Viper said before walking away.

"She's making a big mistake," Justin said quietly to himself.

***

Later on, the court trial retook place, but this time, a verdict had been made. The Judge had everyone rise, and the room was silent in tension, nervousness, excitement, and boredom. A middle-aged woman on the right side of the room stood up, a white piece of paper in her hand.

"How do you find the defendant?" The Judge asked.

"We find the defendant … guilty," she said.

The Judge looked to the left side where a middle-aged man stood up, and he held a white piece of paper also. He was asked how he found the defendant, and the unknown man replied the same verdict as the woman — guilty. Everyone sat back down as the word 'guilty' filled Viper's mind. She couldn't win all of her battles, but she thought she made the best choice.

The Judge began to speak after reading the pieces of paper. "Viper Lehmann," she looked up, "you will serve two years' in solitary confinement, and then be sent to a facility."

Viper nodded; at least she had two years to come up with something.

The courtroom emptied quickly as Viper was placed in handcuffs and led to the side door. The new prisoner turned back to see Detective Justin and her lawyer looking at the floor; they were so disappointed that they couldn't look at her. Viper's attention met Lester, Swindle H, Birdie, and Oak, who stared back; however, their eyes held deception. Viper turned away and was led outside; the news and paparazzi coming up to her and blinding her eyes with camera lights. Viper hoped that this was it.

The ride back was quick as she was placed in solitary confinement. The people around her yelled like little children on a playground; poop, food, and urine were thrown and sprayed everywhere all over the small corridor. Some of the prisoners talked to themselves, laughing at their conversations as if someone were in their cells with them. Viper wondered if she'd turn out that way. She sat in confinement fearfully.

Viper knew that it wasn't safe outside her cell. Her two-year sentence would undoubtedly be long, but just long enough for her to plan an escape.