Prolouge
If there's one thing I've learned about the human mind, it's that it cannot comprehend extremely large quantities of something. We know a thousand is a lot, but how much is it exactly? We know how strong "hate' is, but how powerful can such a common word really be? We also know how serious insanity is, but how far are people cursed with it willing to go? Apparently that's the one thing the human mind can comprehend, otherwise I wouldn't be in jail right now.
I really shouldn't be in jail anyway, I didn't do anything--at least nothing I can recall. The judge said I hurt somebody badly, and that I was insane; but I never hurt anyone and I'm perfectly healthy. I can honestly tell you I haven't a clue to why I am here. No one has told me yet, and I don't think they will, either. I have the haunting feeling a great injustice is being brought up upon me, and it scares me to think it's succeeding. Unfortunately, I don't have long to speak, so I'll tell you everything that has happened to me up to this point that I can recall, perhaps it will help me to remember something important. I guess I should start with my name. Good Evening, my name is Marcus Novel. I am on death row, and I haven't a clue why.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PART 1: CHILDHOOD
CH. 1 MAPLE
I was born and raised in North Dakota, but I don't exactly remember when or where. I can recall living in a quaint little place not far from Valley City, and I remember on days we celebrated my birthday it was fairly warm, but also slightly chilly. I can recall having a happy childhood. I had a little sister whose name was Maple, because my father had proposed to my mother under a maple tree. My father had always told me if they ever had a girl, they would name her Maple.
Maple did always stay true to her name. She had light, syrup-colored hair and huge chocolate brown eyes to match. She was always a tiny little thing, and one of the sweetest kids you'd ever meet. However, Maple was always separated from her peers. All the other children would always whisper about her and move away from her when she moved towards them.
I remember being young and this confusing me. Then my mother explained that Maple had down syndrome, but that didn't make her any different from anyone else. I grew up loving Maple, perhaps even more than my parents loved Maple. I would never go anywhere with any of my friends unless Maple could come too. Which they didn't really mind, because they also loved Maple.
Yes, my childhood was happy, and I foolishly believed everything was always going to be like that. The summer night cookouts, the slay-riding down our favorite steep hill during winter, the fireflies we used to catch on clear, cool nights when all the stars were shining proudly in the sky, I thought none of would ever change. Unfortunately, things did change, and they changed for the worst.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CH. 2 SLEEP
I remember one of the most frightening moments of my life, it still gives me nightmares today. At the time this was actually happening, I was in such a daze I didn't know right from left. Someone explained everything that happened that night to me later, so this next part is from what they told me. It was a cool fall night, and I remember being wiped out from chasing fireflies for a few hours. Yes, on that night i was sleeping so deep, it took me rolling off my bed and falling face-first onto the floor to wake me up.
I got up and rubbed my eyes sleepily.
What time was it? I glanced over at my digital clock wearily, it was exactly 4:19 in the morning. At first, I thought it was strange to have woken up at such a time, then, I realized that is was unnaturally quiet around the house.
Why was that? Around this time, my father was normally getting ready for work while my mother was still sleeping. This silence made me uneasy.
Then it occurred to me that my father might be sleeping in, so I went to double check in case he needed to be woken up. However when I got there, there was not a soul in sight. Not my mom, not my dad, not anyone. Around this time, I started to panic. I ran to Maple's room to go and get her.
If mom and dad had been kidnapped, I was going to take Maple down to the police with me. I burst into Maple's room without knocking, only to find that she too, was gone! I felt a wave of nausea sweep over me. my vision started to blur and I made my way for the stairs as fast as I could, turning every light on I could find on my way. I finally made my way to the front door-which was next to our living room- before I heard a soft groan coming from our living room couch.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CH. 3 FEAR
I froze in my tracks.I started to tremble so violently I could barley hold myself up anymore. Laying on top of my couch was a silhouetted figure, rolling back and forth and mumbling something in his sleep. The next thing I knew, I was screaming so loud that it must have woken the figure up, because the unfamiliar person then jumped up off the couch and headed towards me.
I ran into the kitchen as fast as I could with the stranger chasing me. Thinking fast, grabbed an empty wine bottle and held it over my head, ready to strike the intruder when the lights came flickering on. Instead of finding a blood-thirsty killer with a knife, I found my math teacher and next door neighbor-Mr. Collins- standing there waving his arms frantically for me to be quiet. I instantly dropped the empty wine bottle and glass shattered everywhere. The last thing I remember was him calling "Marcus!" before I finally passed out on the floor.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CH. 4 TEARS
Earlier that morning, I found myself in the hospital surrounded by my crying mother and my tierd-looking father who was speaking with Mr. Collins. "I am so sorry, Mr. Novel." Mr. Collins apologized.
"No, no, it's fine. What's important is that you got him here in time. I don't know what we'd do if lost another one."
My mother got up and hit my father with her bag.
"SHUT UP!" she yelled. "YOU NEVER LOVED HER! i KNOW YOU NEVER LOVED ANY OF US! AND NOW THANKS TO YOU SHE'S GONE!"
"CAN IT, MARISSA." My father shouted.
Just as my mother was about to say something else, a doctor-looking figure walked into the room. "Excuse me." he said in a clipped tone. "If you two are going to argue, I suggest you go and do it outside. You're disturbing my other patients."
"No, we're sorry." my father said. "My
wife was just leaving." Father gave mother a piercing look I had never seen before.
"I am no longer you wife." she said coldly. The she left in a huff.
I was too confused to realize what just happened. The doctor pinched the area between his eyes and nose and Mr. Collins had a look of devastation written all over his young face. "Um, Mr. Novel," he started, "Perhaps you should go let off some steam as well."
My father looked like he was about to say something smart when the doctor chimed in. "Yes, perhaps you should, Mr. Novel. Don't worry, your son will be safe here."
The doctor gave father the same piercing look my father had given my mother.
"Very well then." my father sighed. Then he too, left.
"What's happening?" I asked Mr. Collins in a hoarse voice. "What was all that?"
Mr. Collins sighed. "Well, I suppose you're old enough to know. Besides, keeping secrets won't do any good now." Mr. Collins paused and looked at the doctor, then back at me.
"This morning.....your sister suffered from a heart attack. Luckily, it was when she had gone to your parents room first, so they saw the trouble and were able to take her to the hospital."
I nodded my head, still confused to where this was going.
"Maple was in critical condition so they had to perform open heart surgery. The doctors did everything They could...i'm sorry..."
My eyes started to well with tears. "What does that mean?" I asked. "What happened?"
Mr. Collins chocked. He looked at the doctor for help. The doctor than sighed and sat on mu bed.
"Now young man, look me in the eyes." He said. "You're ten years old, right? That means you're a big boy, you can handle this."
I nodded and studied the old man's once-stern-now-gentle-face.
"During the surgery," he started. "something went...kind of wrong, and-"
"And now she's dead?" I whimpered. Hot tears started to poor down my face.
The doctor sighed and got up to leave.
"What was wrong with mom and dad?" I yelled. "What did you do?! Why are they angry with each other!?"
The doctor looked at me, than at Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins took me gently by my shoulders and turned me towards him. "Now listen." He said in the same tone he used when I didn't get my homework done. It was stern, but gentle.
"Your parents are just upset because Maple is not here anymore. You have to be the man of the house now and take good care of both your mother and father, can you do that?"
I nodded my head, still unsure of how to react to all of this. Death is another large thing the human mind can't comprehend, especially that of a ten year old. "What's going to happen now?" I asked through my uncontrollable breathing. Mr. Collins sighed and hugged me tight. "Everything's going to be alright." he said.
But he was wrong. Things didn't get better, they got worse.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
