Hannah, Vira, and Carol moved in with the Kurtzmans. Their old house was not fit to live in anymore as the entire front side collapsed. They were all in mourning for their lost loved ones and preparing for the trial helped them deal with the pain in some small way.
Vira was speaking again but said she couldn’t recall a thing that happened that day. Every morning she would make the long walk to the Avery’s old home to visit her husband’s and son’s graves.
Between the residents and trial guests, the house was packed. In some cases four to a bed with many more sleeping on the floors. But none minded, and only eagerly waited for it to begin.
Many more camped out on the front lawn; over the weeks a small tent city grew there.
When the final juror was found at last, a judge and lawyers were chosen. All three also had to swear on a Bible that Rob would be treated fairly before the law.
On the morning of Wednesday, March 14th, the trial began. Rob immediately started it off with controversy by refusing to have a lawyer represent him, saying he could do a much better job himself. His first official act for his client was to decline giving an opening statement.
The prosecution gave a short statement of its own and afterwards a long line of witnesses began coming through. Carol and Hannah were called and testified about the attack on their house. Their testimony lasted most of the morning. Vira was also called to the stand but was unable to help at all, and only started crying after asked the same questions again and again. It was then the judge decided to break for lunch and Carol and Hannah ran up to comfort their friend.
After lunch, more witnesses were called, all people Rob and his gang had victimized over the years.
Hannah recognized a few faces among those testifying. With tears in her eyes, Sarah Whitman told how everything they owned was stolen and how her husband was later killed by a gang trying to trade his boots for some food.
The older couple that lived in the drain pipe also came to testify and for the first time the girl found out their name, Greer. Old man Greer said he came all this way just to see Rob’s execution, he “wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
Many other faces unknown to the girl took the stand. Apparently Rob and his men had been pillaging the region for years.
Through it all, Robert declined to question a single witness.
Late in that first day, the whispering began.
Sarah Whitman, the Greers, and two road refugees saw Hannah and thought she bore a remarkable resemblance to a boy in Rob’s gang. They all went to the judge.
After the show was over for the day, Hannah sat at the table prodding her dinner, trying to find a reason to eat. She was hungry yet couldn’t finish a thing.
Carol came into the room. “Hannah, we need to talk somewhere, alone.”
Hannah looked up to her friend, “I know, where do you want to go?”
She looked around, “Nancy is still over at the barn, making preparations for tomorrow, let’s use her bedroom.” It was obvious to the girl that Carol had bad news to report.
They walked into the room and three unknown women were there getting ready to go to bed early. Carol tried to be as diplomatic as she could. “Would you mind leaving for a few minutes, there is something I need to speak to this girl about privately, thank you.”
The three quickly put their clothes back on and quietly left.
Carol closed the door behind them and turned to her friend. They both sat down on the bed. “Hannah, I want you to know that Judge Stewart ...” Carol paused and wiped the tears from her eyes. “She’s signed a warrant for your arrest.”
Hannah was not surprised, “I know ... I saw Sarah Whitman pointing me out to the prosecution attorney, later on I saw her, the Greers, and a couple others talking to Judge Stewart. They know about me, don’t they?”
Carol took her friend’s hand. “Yes, they figured it out. They were going to come here and arrest you, take you out to a holding cell in the barn. But I talked Judge Stewart into letting you stay in the house for now. So you wouldn’t have to be near Rob. She said you could stay in here but when you go outside there would have to be a guard with you at all times.”
She put her arm around Hannah and hugged her young friend. “It’s going to be okay, Hannah. I’ve already talked to the defense attorney and he’s agreed to take your case. I wish we hadn’t made you testify.”
“You didn’t make me, I volunteered. I had to testify, it was my duty.”
“There was enough witnesses to get Rob convicted. You didn’t need to testify.”
“I had to, it was my duty. Rob has to pay for his crimes, and now so do I.”
“Hannah, don’t talk like that, you’re still a child. You’re not guilty.”
Hannah looked right into her friend’s tear-filled eyes. “I am guilty. I know right from wrong. I knew what we were doing was wrong but didn’t care enough to do anything about it. I am guilty.”
The conversation abruptly stopped when there was a light knock on the door, then it opened wide. It was the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and several armed men. Judge Stewart held a folded paper in her hand as she spoke. “Hannah, I guess Carol has already told you everything?”
The girl looked up at the judge, “Yes.”
The judge reached out and handed Hannah the paper. “You are under arrest. There are five charges against you, four counts of robbery and one count of murder.”
Carol stood straight up in shock, “Murder?!”
Judge Stewart stayed calm and professional as she continued to address this girl she knew and liked, “Yes, that’s right. Hannah, you are charged in the death of Mark Whitman.”
Carol tried to argue with the judge but she put her hand out and stopped her mid-sentence. “Carol, you’re not going to change a thing. Those are the charges and they won’t be changed. If you want to help Hannah, help her defense.”
The next day Rob’s trial began again early. There were several more witnesses against him and all that was left was closing statements.
For the first time, Rob stood up to speak and asked the judge if he could give his closing statement last. Both the judge and prosecution agreed and she gave her summation first.
When the prosecution finished, Rob stood up again. He made a long eloquent plea that lasted nearly an hour, but essentially his legal argument came down to “survival of the fittest.”
The jury was not persuaded.
The judge finished her instructions to the jury at 11:02 AM; they came back out with their verdict in twenty-one minutes. To no one’s surprise, especially Rob’s, every verdict was guilty and the sentence was death.
Most of the audience stood up and cheered. It sounded like they were going to tear the roof off the old building.
Judge Stewart confirmed the sentence, telling Rob that “you are to be hanged by the neck until dead” as soon as the gallows could be built.
Rob didn’t have a thing to say.
Later that afternoon, Hannah came out to the barn; two armed guards escorted her there. When she came inside, Rob was sitting in an old horse stall, his only arm threaded between the planks in the gate. He had a few guards of his own.
They could all hear men hammering away at something outside.
He lifted his eyes to her and stood up, a wide smile came to his face. “James! Glad to see you!”
The girl approached him and was stopped short by one of his guards. “My name is Hannah. Would you please call me Hannah. Could you do just that one thing for me, Rob?”
For the first time since she met him, Rob looked like he was ashamed of himself, “All right, Hannah.” Then that smile returned to his face. “I’ve got to tell you, though, I still like James better. So why did you come out to see me, to gloat?”
“No Rob, not to gloat, you know you have very little time left, don’t you?”
“Yeah ...” Rob stopped to scratch his back with his only remaining digit, “The judge said they were going to hang me as soon as the scaffold
was finished. From the sound of it I’d say it won’t be too much longer.”
They both stood there for a moment listening to the enthusiastic hammering coming from outside.
“They say it will done by morning,” Hannah replied.
“I don’t know why they waited until the end of the trial to start building it. Everyone knew what the verdict would be before it started. Hell, I don’t know why we even had a trial at all.”
Hannah sat down across from him. “Judge Stewart said it might prejudice the jury if they started building it before the verdict ... and we’re having a trial because we’re civilized.”
Rob smiled again, “We’re civilized?”
“I don’t mean you, Rob, I meant these people. We’re building a real community here, it’s going to be just like in the before times.”
Rob’s smile grew wide.
“What’s so funny?”
“Kid, I think you’re only going to end up being disappointed in your new friends. The wheels are about to come completely off of your ‘civilization,’ it won’t be too much longer before we’re swinging from the trees again.”
“‘Civilization’ is going to be just fine, Rob. We’re going to rebuild it.”
Robert nodded as he grinned, “Uh-huh.”
“Stop smiling, Rob; not everyone is like you. There are lots of decent people still out there and we’re going to make this world a better place. It will be as good as before, maybe better.”
Rob’s smile was suddenly gone. “Okay, kid, I won’t destroy your delusions. I don’t guess I could talk you out of them anyway. But it’s obvious to anyone paying attention that we’re on the down side of the slope. Resources are getting scarcer every year ... people are getting more desperate ... more vicious. It doesn’t take a fortune teller to see which way this world is really going.”
Hannah didn’t bother arguing, she was sure he was wrong.
“As for the gallows influencing the jury, no, I don’t think that would have mattered at all. Besides, what are they going to do about you? Won’t it prejudice your trial?”
She stood up again, “So you’ve heard?”
“Yeah ... I’m sorry, I know you won’t believe this but I didn’t have anything to do with it. I didn’t want to get you involved.”
“I believe you, Rob. I know you wouldn’t tell.”
“Thanks, I’m glad you can admit I’m not a complete monster. So, what are you going to do?”
Hannah thought about it moment, “Nothing, I’m not going to do anything, Rob. I’m as guilty as you. I’ll let the jury decide what my punishment will be ... I can live with that.”
“You’re going to plead guilty?”
“No ... I’ll have a trial, I’ll go through the whole thing. I don’t deserve to get off with a plea ... and the victims deserve to have it, to hear about every awful thing I’ve done.”
“So why did you come out here?”
“To talk to you about God, you only have a few hours to live. Rob, don’t you want to be saved?”
Robert was growing a little angry now. “No, I don’t want to be saved. I’m not ashamed of what I’ve done, I did what was required to survive. If your God didn’t want me going around robbing and killing people, he shouldn’t have made this whole world go to shit!”
“Don’t try to blame what you’ve done on God, Rob.”
Rob paused, and that honest smile he had returned to his face, “I’m sorry I snapped at you, kid. You need to understand, I’ve been fed that church crap all of my life. I didn’t believe it then and I don’t believe it now. This leopard is not going to suddenly change its spots.”
Hannah was deeply saddened, her whole manner said so, “Okay, but you understand, I just had to ask.”
“All right, I understand. I hope you understand me too.”
“What do you mean?”
“I hope you didn’t believe all that rhetoric the prosecutor was spewing out. Like when she said I was as ‘bad as Hitler in his own way.’ Come on, I’m not even close,” Rob said as smiled. “Okay, I’ve done some things that in the old world would have been considered ‘bad’ but I’m not so bad.”
“They were bad things, Rob. Killing, stealing, selling people into slavery, it was wrong in the ‘Old World’ and it’s wrong in this one too.”
Rob had to laugh, “Well, obviously we’re going to have to disagree on that. But at least you can admit I was always loyal to you guys. I always looked out for my men.”
“I don’t remember it that way at all.”
“What?” Rob was truly surprised.
“You killed John. You put Nicky’s life in danger many times.”
“I killed Alton because he tried to break up the group. I told you we wouldn’t have survived this winter if we separated.”
“Yeah ... that’s what you said; what about Nicky?”
“I never used Nicky unless it was absolutely necessary. He knew that, he didn’t mind. He was a good little soldier.” For a split second it appeared Rob might cry.
“He looked up to you, Rob, he would have done anything for you. In the end it got him killed.”
“We were at the end of our rope, we needed to take that church and using him was our best chance of success. I’m sorry you can’t see that the group was always my first concern. Maybe I haven’t given you a good enough example. I’ll give you a better one, Peavey. I loved that guy. He was like a kid brother to me. I died a little inside when I had to kill him.”
“You killed Peavey?!” Hannah rushed at Rob in his pen but a guard held her back.
“Sure, you don’t think he just died, do you? I suffocated him in his sleep that night. Like I said, I died a little too. But it had to be done, for the group.”
“Why, Rob?! Why would you do that?!”
“Don’t you remember how he was? He wouldn’t have wanted to live like that. Besides, the whole group was being jeopardized by trying to keep him alive. He was slowing us down, eating up resources we didn’t have. It was the best thing for all of us he died.”
“How could you, Rob?! You don’t know he wanted to die!”
“Sure I know. Just like me he lived for the group. He wouldn’t want to be a burden on his friends. He wouldn’t want to go on suffering. It’s like with Mary, I didn’t want to kill her either, she was a nice girl. But I had to. It’s the only way the group could survive.”
“Mary? Wasn’t that the girl sleeping with all of your men? You said she killed herself.”
“Well, actually, no,” Rob awkwardly told her. “I crawled up to her bed that night. Shot her through the roof of her mouth with a twenty-five Beretta, made it look like a suicide. But I had to do it! She was a nice girl but she was going to get us all killed!”
Hannah rushed him again but couldn’t get past the guard, so she finally backed off. “Rob, you’re a killer. You are evil, you might even be insane.”
“All right, I’m a killer, that goes without saying. But I’m not evil or insane. If anything I think I’m too soft-hearted.”
She was stunned, “Did you just say you were too soft-hearted?”
“That’s what I said. I’ve thought a lot since Nicky was killed. I can’t believe all those times we robbed people and let them live. I was so stupid. I don’t know what I was thinking, anyone of them could have come back and killed us. It was just dumb luck that it never came back to bite me on the ass. I guess it took Nicky dying to make me come to my senses. McCain was right all along, the best thing to do is kill them all before they have a chance to take one shot at you. You never want to leave any enemy alive, that’s just asking for trouble. You know what my problem was?” Rob didn’t wait for an answer, “I was just too nice.”
Hannah stood there without a word in her gaping mouth.
Rob went on, “Well, I can’t complain. I’ve lived like I wanted to and I’ll die like I want to. I never bowed my head to anyone, not even God. I won’t beg for my life either. I won’t give the scum that come to watch me
die the satisfaction. But enough about me, what are you going to do after all of this?”
At last Hannah found her voice again, “My trial starts in the morning, Rob. I’ll probably only live a few days longer than you.”
The sound of Rob’s hearty laugh filled the whole barn, that honest smile he had returned to his face too. “Kid, you still don’t know a thing about human nature. If all of your jurors thought like me you might be executed. But these people here, they’re still living in that old world. They don’t have the balls to hang a teenage girl. Oh ... you’ll be punished, of course, but they won’t kill you. Like I said, they’re still living in that old world. Either they’re too afraid to jump into this new one, or, even sadder, they think the old one will be coming back.”
The girl honestly asked, “So you don’t think that old world will ever come back?”
“Nope ...” Rob stood up, straight and tall, then patted his chest with his mangled hand. “Look at me, Hannah, I’m the future. All of your ‘nice’ friends out there, they’re the past. A few years from now they’ll be extinct, they’ll all be as dead as the dodo, but people like me will still be here.”
Hannah turned for the door. “I think you’re wrong, but thank you for calling me Hannah anyway.”
“You’re welcome. Are you coming to my execution?”
The girl stopped and looked back at him, “No, I don’t think so. A month ago I would have come, might have even took some satisfaction in it. Now, I don’t think I would.”
“Well, I guess we won’t see each other again.”
“I wouldn’t think so.”
“Then I’ll just say good-bye, Hannah ... and wish you luck in whatever you do.”
Hannah turned for the door again and kept walking. Even though Rob didn’t deserve it, she felt like crying for him.
The workers finished constructing the gallows at 11:25 that night; Judge Stewart ordered Rob’s execution for midnight. She said they wouldn’t wait for sunrise because he wasn’t worth one more meal.
Rob was brought up on the platform, his one arm tied behind him. He was offered some last words but he kept his promise; he didn’t beg but only politely declined. A preacher also offered to pray with him but he refused that too.
Joshua (Book 2): Traveler Page 19
