Writers debate: Fiction

Reader's note: I purposefully left technology out of the Talbot's house. All of a sudden, a television appeared from nowhere. Alas, the story must go on. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jason jumped up to leave and began to head for the door, but Rev. Talbot called out to him. "You don't have to leave. There is a place in the attic, if you'd need to hide." The reverend calmly spoke. "No, I have to leave." Jason said. "I escaped from prison when I was sentenced to death for a crime that was self defense. My father killed my mother, and I was afraid I was next." "Who would come to the cottage on the grounds of an old church, here of all places?" The reverend replied. "Why are you offering to hide me?" Jason asked. "Because I see you, son. I see the pain in your eyes and I understand it." The reverend's voice lowered. "Sit down." As he motioned to the chair in the living room, beckoning for Jason to return to his seat, Rev. Talbot raised his bible from the coffee table. "Why wouldn't you turn me in?" Jason demanded "Justice exists in this world, Jason." The reverend said. "But on my day of judgement when God the father asks me why I sent one of his children to his death, I don't believe I could tell him that I thought it was the right thing to do." Mrs. Talbot walked into the room and sat beside her husband. "Dear," Mrs. Talbot looked at Jason "I can see you had a rough childhood. Even though you've never told either of us, it's clear that you don't easily trust. We're not going to turn you in. That, I promise you." Dumbfounded, Jason stood up and walked over to the window where he looked outside. No one was there. The streets were empty, silent and cold. "You're safe here, son." Rev. Talbot stood up. "How you found your way here, I will never know. But, it is not for me to know. You were meant to come here, and it is not my place to interfere with the Father's will." "What day is it?" Jason asked. "It's a Saturday." Rev. Talbot replied. "I'd like you to go to church tomorrow. You can sit out of sight, if you like, so that no one will see you." "I've never been to church before." Jason confessed. "That's all the more reason to go." Rev. Talbot replied. Jason walked out the back door to survey the garden, and saw that it was dry and baron. When he walked back inside he asked Rev. Talbot what he should do. "There is a plough in the shed. I'll hook it to the tractor when it's time. They aren't ready to come in yet, though." Rev. Talbot smiled. "I'll be happy to do anything I can." Jason said. Jason walked upstairs to find some old sneakers and a pair of cotton gym shorts in the closet along with a few dusty sweatshirts. Without asking, he put them on. Even though the shoes were a few sizes too small, he decided to go for a run on the road that led out of town. 'I'm running for fun, now' He thought, relieved. As he walked back downstairs and out the same back door he smelled the West Virginia air; sweet with the faintest hint of wood smoke and dry leaves. "I'll be back!" Jason called to Rev. and Mrs. Talbot as he walked down the sidewalk before he started jogging. He could see Mrs. Talbot in the window, waving as he departed. Jason recalled his dream before he woke up, about his mother -bloodied and bruised from his father's abuse. He thought about his father, and all the times that he punched, slapped and beat him and his mother. 'If there was any eternal justice,' Jason thought, 'surely my father is burning in hell.' Almost lost in his own memory, Jason didn't notice that a car had pulled up beside him. When he saw that it was a police officer, his heart began to race. "Howdy, stranger!" The police officer's tone suggested an old familiarity. "I haven't seen you around before. You in town visiting?" "I..." Jason paused, searching for an answer. "I'm a friend of Reverend and Mrs. Talbot." "Well, hey there, son!" The officer smiled widely. "I've known Rev. Talbot all my life! He's the pastor at our church down yonder, but hell I guess you already know that. What's your name?" "I'm Jason." He replied, knowing fully the potential consequences of telling the truth as he extended his hand into the squad car to shake the officer's hand. "It's sure good to meet you, Jason. Say, you sure look a lot like a guy the state's put out a warrant for, but if you're with the Talbots, there's not a chance on God's green earth that you're Jason Styles." The officer shook his head. "Tragedy what happened to that poor kid." "What happened?" Jason was curious. "Well, there's been all these reports on the news that the prosecutor introduced evidence in the trial that he shouldn't have and that Jason boy's attorney's been filing appeals left and right trying to get his conviction overturned. Jason's been on the run for a while now, but it's lookin' like he'll be exonerated if he comes in, but right now they're just tryin' to find out where he's hiding." The officer said, still shaking his head in disappointment. "Also, there's been new testimony from one of the neighbors that apparently might suggest that the Jason fellow's actions might have been in self defense. Everyone just assumed when he ran that he was guilty. Stupid thing to do, if you ask me. But hell... I've been keeping you from your run all this time. I apologize, son!" "No trouble, officer." Jason didn't know what else to say. "Has all of this been on the news?" "Oh yeah," The officer paused. "It's been all those damn reporters can talk about, day and night." "Well, I hope everything works out for him." Jason replied. "Hell, me too." The officer looked right at Jason. "I remember when my old man used to set in on me when I was a kid, but nothing like what that Jason kid's father did to him and his mama." "I beg your pardon?" Jason was confused, because none of his abuse came out at trial. "Oh yeah." The officer replied. "That lawyer of his went on 60 Minutes. Had an hour long special on the kid and his life. Really rough childhood, he had. His father beat up on him and his mom, drank a lot, and the usual. Terrible situation. The forensic reports are sayin' that now it's lookin' like the father killed his mother, and this Jason fellow killed his father as he was coming at him." "But was that always what the forensic reports said?" Jason pretended to act dumb. "Oh hell no. They first thought that he killed both of his parents, but the so called "expert" turned out to be just crock." The officer replied. "I'll tell you, I think that boy's innocent." "Well, I've got to get back to my run." Jason replied. "Oh yeah. I'm sorry to bother you!" The officer started to pull away. "No problem at all!" Jason waved and started to pick up his pace again. "No problem at all."