THE SECRETS OF ASPHALDITE

by Udyan Sharma

  There was a trivial gaffe in the court’s digital calender which alleged the date to be 16-10-2024 but how could it be possible; that date was actually outdated and as per the theories of Newton, Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Archimedes etcetera, it didn’t give any right to the Superior Court of Zurich to assume their own dates and dupe people by giving them gratuitous information which might impair the emotions of few people like Susan, who were mostly fretful of the deadlines.

  Scientists were more or less right. The time was fixed and would only move according to the theories of their calculations.

  The maintenance in charge was once more sighted in front of that grimy erstwhile calender. It was completely effortless for him to listen to the grievance of people as he had developed a habit of lodging complaints and when they were not completed and why shall he listen to anyone; he already knew the paramount word to be exonerated which was rather very simple and meant another chance for the evolution of act : ‘SORRY’.

  He hastily came leaping over the fences, which gave fortification to his one and only shelter in the town, roaring that magical word, he took out his screw driver, unbolted the screws, changed the date to 20-12-2024 and reprimanded the overnight low gale, which was hardly a gust of wind, instead of filing a report in the court’s Property Maintenance Budget as it required a lot of uphill struggle and fortitude, which he didn’t have at all.

  He went back and only a diminutive jiffy could regard his appearance after which he embraced his pillow and went to sell the remaining horses which were left by him after hearing the crowd’s cry for the calender.

  Mr. Hassleton was in a scurry as the court bell had already resonated his chamber, which was eventually a reminder for the hearing of David and Susan’s case. He knew that he was liable for the bail of Susan and David and if any blemish raised at the time of their case, he was incontestably not to be pardoned.

  Mr. Hassleton packed up his brown coloured bag, wore his black knee-length court and headed towards the court number fifty six, which was the only court free at that time inside the Superior Court of Zurich and had the judge who was chiefly elected by the Zurich’s mayor- Mr. Heincks Congruen, for such butcher cases.

  The sedan of Mr. Heincks bunged in front of the court, followed by the jiffy when his driver came out of that Infunitive CS26D(car model), acknowledged Mr. Heincks, opened his door and formally took the enchantment of taking him all the way to court number fifty six along with all the security provision which was rumored to be subsidized by the Zurich Government but actually the bribe for the security provision was remunerated from the judge’s wage which was roughly $10,000 and after all the legal expenses, he got only $7,000 for his routine outlay.

  Another car, which was not exactly an Infunitive model, but much more than that; it was a Wrodlock AD12B(car model).

  People standing outside the court were fervently waiting for the person to step out of that aristocratic stunningly equipped sumptuously blue coloured sophisticated vigorous sedan.

  Finally, a person wearing a recently procured tuxedo came out of the security van, brought a wheelchair with him and with the aid of some more people took out a person from the car and while assisting him with their full support, they were finally able to take him out of the car.

  It was none other than Mr. Charles. He was not in a moral condition but he could be taken to the court number sixty five with the facilitation of a few army men and his charming wife Mrs. Jane, who esteemed her spouse a lot and had vowed for his welfare till the end of her life.

  The cars were parked in the vast parking area of the court and all the security men fortified with latest arms and rifles encircled Mrs. and Mr. Charles, forming a seven layer security ahead of them, which was rather a security protocol prepared by Mr. Charles for the interests of his family but at the same time no one endeavored to question Mr. Charles regarding his son as it might be possible that he had lost his memoirs and the time spent with his adored son David, who was extensively being reprimanded for the slaughter of his own father.

  There were a lot of frowning situations, which were perhaps not in the control of anyone and a kind of suspenseful story was going on, which till yet, had not yelled the end of it.

  David, too, was brought from the National Prison and took to the court room with an encircling security which hesitated to leave him alone in the skepticism of he being disappeared, while betraying the security men all over, in the excuse of rushing to the washroom and then giving impractical elucidations which didn’t make a sense at all.

  Mr. and Mrs. Franklin were another family who reached there with their daughter Susan, who was another victim of the case, suspected of butchering her father-in-law with her partner David, in the avarice of few green notes which were not more than the life of an exemplary person like Mr. Charles.

  They should really be reluctant if they were involved in this case but there was no substantiation or any act by them which would prove the police right for which Mr. Venginny had filed a report against David in the Police Headquarters of Zurich.

  This was actually an appeal by David, to which the court had trusted and pondered upon and finally deigned to affirm everything from the tip of that night, including all the witnesses who had sighted things going wrong at that night.

  It was absolutely neither a squall nor a hurricane for David and Susan but it was surely, not right to say, a blizzard of misery, wretchedness and melancholy which was too hard to control and save the lives of people who were eventually stuck in it, not able to brawl against it and were spurted out in a barren area where there was no sign of exhilaration, delight and bliss.

  There was a kind of hush in the room, which perpetuated only for a jiffy until the influx of the judge into the room, which was rather very raucous as the trumpets resonated the court walls and gave some warmth to the people who were zealously waiting for the case to start.

  The Magistrate Justice of Zurich professed the case to be open and while picking up the black ball-point pen, he proclaimed, “Today, the date being twenty fourth December, I avow this case to be recognized open by the indorsed people present in this consecrated court room which has obliged us, not only when we were forlorn but also when the conditions were grimmer and we were wretched,” in an accent which was full of lucidity and sympathy, while his voice, for a few jiffies replaced the voice of a hoary remonstrating matured person which was rather, at times, filled with some qualms regarding David and Susan but he had to reconnoiter everything from the tip of that befuddling case and for that time could not chastise anyone for no reason.

  Mr. Hassleton, taking a leap from his seat, stood over the well furnished wooden floor and entreated the clemency of any muddle done during the case; making the judge liable for a firm castigation if he endeavored to thwart the law and create a debate on the concluding and enforced statute of the Magistrate Justice of Zurich.

  Mr. Salyver Kreger, being a lawyer, not for the sake of being the oppositional lawyer appointed by the Zurich Government to fight the case on behalf of Mr. Charles too stood up and with an admiring crux, acknowledged the court and took approval from the Honourable Magistrate Justice of Zurich.

  The case instigated with an indulgent bell voice which only remarked the starting of the case for a few seconds and Mr. Hassleton being on the side of David and Susan, got the first significant chance to change the initial direction of the case, which was completely opposing them and could result in an outrageous future for the adorable couple as speculated by him.

  Being the first and in the favour of the David, he said, “In the favour of, not exactly David but too for the mankind, I would like to pursue the conformity to call Mr. Jane on the verdict box; your honour,” in a good tone, for the case had just started.

  “Permission granted!” The judge said while filling the information of the first witness of the case.

  Mrs. Jane came, leaving her seat, stood up and went to the verdict box and was ready to answer the questions put up by Mr
. Hassleton in absolute scrupulousness.

  “May you, please awake the senses, not truly but make the judge perceptive about that vehement night,” demanded Mr. Javrich in a tone of candor as Mrs. Jane being the chief eyewitness of that eerie night.

  “My honour, as per my point of view, I believe that David is the alleged till now but by the fault of nature, I being the true devotee of Christ and as per my genuine oath to him, assert that I was snoozing under a tin roof at the time when the thing happened. Truly to say, I never knew what exactly happened at that night,” she told the jury in a lousy voice, looking at the condition of her desolate mate, who was the primary casualty of the case.

  “Well then do you know whether Susan and David were exactly doing at that time. They were with you, lying under the tin roof or they were somewhere else?” He questioned her once again; he himself being oblivious of the situation.

  “No! I mean I didn’t remember and as I had told earlier I had fallen asleep and that night being too squally, my retina was crammed as the mud which made my eyes unable to open, had collapsed my vision for sometime after which, I being on an exhausting ground was determined to repose for sometime and I was hardly able to see anything,” she replied nastily, repeating her statement once again; exclaiming that she was unacquainted with situation.

  “No problem! No problem! Now you may proceed back to your seat,” Mr. Hassleton thanked Mrs. Jane but not too luckily as he was completely empty handed. That strain could be easily seen when he rubbed his hand over his chin and his throat which was rather growing dry minute-by-minute.

  He still had a few evidences and he, being a proficient, kept the ultimate dexterities to change the case, not every, but many in the favour of the person he wanted but this time things were flummoxing a lot as every evidence regarded David and Susan to be the slayer and it was exceptionally hard for Mr. Hassleton to keep doing the dishonest work, which he was doubting to be; himself.

  Mr. Salyver, being on the opposite side of David, gave statements against him and wanted the Justice to admit him to be a slayer.

  A moment, which was not too silent but audible enough gave a glimmer of optimism to both of the convicted ones as they stood naively under the sight of the police.

  Mr. Hassleton had requested the permission to call the carpenter to the verdict box who could be a major witness which would help in acquitting David from the prison.

  A set of question answers between the two people had not proven to be enough for the bail of David. It was like a question by Mr. Hassleton and then followed by an answer by the carpenter as mentioned below respectively:

  “I know that you had come to unbolt the mobbed door and you know that there was no other option than to enter the house, which could regard the victim to be a criminal. Please, I appeal in front of you to be honest but please prove David to be guiltless; which he deserves to be.”

  “Umm! I had come to unbolt and fix the door and I was paid for it too,” the carpenter said, while having the receipt of payment by David in his hand which he presented to the Magistrate Justice and as he continued,”But there is a point to add to it. I had come but not when anything had happened but at the time of, well, I think, dawn and I don’t think so that it conclude the actual slayer so please pardon me as I don’t want to be implicated in this intricate case; I have a family to live and hardly I earn $200 a month. Thank you,” he said while leaving the verdict box full of impairment.

  “Well! Take it easy, no need to worry, your assertion won’t mischief anyone, rather it would pretext for the bail of an innocent person. If you could help at least; state that David is innocent, then,” he said in hope but only a single second remarked his anticipation, which was followed by the resistance of Mr. Salyver, which objected, “Mr. Javrich, so sorry to object you but as per the Article Number-32 of the sacred constitution of this legalized nation, it rigorously prevents an advocate to oblige or bribe people for making proclamations in the errand of the censured one and it has to be maintained by the Magistrate Justice of the city or the country. That’s all your honour.”

  “Objection accepted! Mr. Hassleton if you have an apt reason or evidence in the courtesy of David, you may proceed but if not, then please allow the jury to accomplish the result of this case. We don’t have enough time. It’s already been forty-five minutes since we’ve started and there’s many other alleged people with unwarranted cases on their heads and as being the Magistrate Justice of Zurich, I to look for innocent people and help in their service. So, keeping the law in mind, I give you exactly ten seconds to prove David but if you fail, then it’s completely over and we will proceed to a conclusion,” said Mr. Congruen in distress while looking at the hundreds of cases coming his way.

  Mr. Hassleton publicly requested Mr. Congruen to forgive him. He felt humbled as it had been a long time since he had not demanded for forgiveness from a judge especially the Magistrate Justice of Zurich

  Finally, he took out the telephone records of Mr. Charles from his pocket and handed them over to the judge after giving it to Mr. Salyver so that there could not be an objection but there truly was, “I don’t really comprehend this list your honour, as it doesn’t state or prove anything, being of neither use,” he said in his opinion.

  “Yes, it is. Its a significant proof and I would like the honour to have a glance at it,” he said gently, keeping the list in front of Mr. Congruen and making a way out of the situation, he finally stood in the center of the verdict area.

  Mr. Congruen attached that sheet of records to his file and very gloatingly said, “I respect Mr. Hassleton a lot but due to the lack of evidence and time, especially. This case has now reached the stage of final conclusion and I’d like the advocates and the bystanders to spare us some time until we combine the results and reach a conclusion.”

  For two minutes, which didn’t even remark the approaches of Mrs. Mariah, there was a pin drop reticence in the whole room and Mr. Charles being the most mystified person amongst everyone present over there, was endeavoring his best to fathom the situation and he being naive of David, felt a kind of acquainted bond with him.

  As soon as the conclusion hammer resonated the room, everyone sat tangled in front of the Magistrate Justice of Zurich; they being only and only in the insecurity of bail to the convicted ones for the sickening condition of Mr. Charles but as Mr. Congruen had given his views on the telephone records and the proclamation of Susan, everyone began to think something else.

  It was an obfuscate state of mind for the spectators, especially the advocates who had put in a lot to win victory over this case. Mr. Hassleton was perceiving flexed as he was the advocate with most few evidences, whereas Mr. Salyver was very much assured as he knew that the triumph fitted only to him. The situation, somehow had created a notion in the minds of people which regarded a life imprisonment to David and Susan.

  Finally, beyond the introversion, came the order of the Magistrate Justice of Zurich which striked the ears of Mr. Salyver the most.

  The Justice proclaimed, “Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for helping me so much in joining the very much diminutive tips of this case and concluding me to a rational and evenhanded correct decision for David and Susan. Today, I stand at the heap of a fast transforming nation like Hitzerland and being very much ceremonial and shrewd, it is a sturdy situation for me but according to the meticulousness of the law of this nation, I stick to the Article No. 322 Stanza 2 Phrase No. 6. It says that in a case like this; the condemned shall be meticulously rebuked and should not be given an opportunity for mercy, passion and clemency. As said before, I stick to my words too and declare a very much vindictive but correct for the reviled; a heated chair electrical shock death to David along with a belly crush death to Susan. I am very much fortunate at this jury to help the person who has served for this nation and made us constantly proud; the one and only Mr. Charles”

  Mr. Charles was very perplexed when he heard Mr. Congruen and the advocates talking about him as he
was completely oblivious of the situation; for he being in a complete dilemma.

  “I know that this retribution is too much spiteful for David and Susan; for they shall be facing the revulsion of death. David would be facing the absolute classical death, which would include a 14,232 volts shock followed by the state when he would be sitting on a nastily heated chair with long and sharp nails at a distance of around one centimeter from each other, which would relentlessly scar his skin as well as his organs as the heated diabolic nails pierce into his skin and burst his nerves, giving him sentiments of high agony and grief, which would lead to his instant death,” Mr. Congruen explained the correct definition of a heated chair electrical death punishment to the officials present.

  “For Susan has committed a crime, not purely enough but at an extent which goes beyond the limitations of our stern constitution; she shall be penalized equally. Basically, in a belly crush death, the victim is made to lie down on a contented mattress but the comfort vanishes away as soon as the belly crusher is placed above the stomach. It pierces the stomach and eventually the intestines of the victim and the fear of death can be witnessed. This is neither to intimidate anybody nor to make you feel pity, perhaps it is a pure form of a Judicial Decision. My dear citizens of Hitzerland, let the slayers fear of their death and let the victims know that Zurich’s law was vicious, is vicious and would rather remain vicious until an end comes to humanity and mankind. I request you all to please empty the place as the jury has declared the decision and especially the police to arrest David and Susan as their penance would be taking place on the very much next day. Thank you everybody!” Mr. Congruen said and left the room, hastily rushing for his next case.

  Susan’s eyes, dazed with horror, looking towards David, bawled the dread of death and while putting her hands forward, surrendered and went with the police to National Prison.