*One week later*
Ravela bought a proper suit for the hearing the sheriff had organized for her sake. The tie felt like a noose around her neck and she was nervous.
She was sitting in a courtroom full of people, waiting for her case to be called. Across the middle hallway, which separated the spectator's side of the room in two, sat half the sheriff’s office and sheriff Thorn himself. He had made it a point that not the entire office could stay for the hearing. They had drawn lots on who got to remain and who had to return to their shift.
“Case 126, Ramiel Roice.” The bailiff announces. Ravela got up from her seat and went to her place up front.
She looked over to the bench where a man with a stern look had positioned himself. The long black weaved beard, and long hair tied into a strict knot, sitting just over his neck, gave him an air of propriety.
A gray streak in his beard marbled the beard completing the image of a stern man in a suit. His skin is far darker than Ramiel’s or even sheriff Thorn’s.
“All rise for judge Briar,” The bailiff intoned, and Ravela stood up, as did most people in the room.
The judge walked in slowly. He looked more energetic than when Ravela first met him. There was a sparkle in his eyes like he had been waiting for this day.
“Good morning, everyone,” The man said while walking to his elevated chair, “Please, have a seat. The court is now in session.”
He took a swig from a water bottle and adjusted his glasses to read the file in front of him. “Ah yes, Mr. Roice. How long has it been now? Six months? No, it would have to be seven, ah here it is. Yes, seven months ago, we first met. Last time you stood before me our good sheriff had to speak for you. I don’t see him by your side today. I don’t presume you’ve regained your memories?”
Ravela shook her head and said, “No, judge. I am sorry to say I have not.”
The judge nodded thoughtfully. “But you have certainly found your words in that time. I congratulate you on your speedy recovery.”
His gaze shifted from Ravela to the paper and then to the man sitting at the other table. “And state’s attorney Malcolm, it has been a while since you’ve come to my courthouse. Your shining example is sorely missed, young man. How are you this fine morning?”
“I am doing good, thank you, judge, for your warm welcome.” He looked at the papers in front of him before he spoke up again. “It is my understanding that the state is asked to certify Mr. Roice here as a citizen. I fail to see any conclusive evidence as to who he was before his memory loss. How is the state meant to conclusively recertify him?”
The judge nodded. Ravela’s court-appointed lawyer chose this moment to jump in “If we sought to re-certify this man you would be certainly right. We, however, just seek to certify his new identity today. Does the state object to this procedure?”
Mr. Malcolm got up from his chair. “Your honor! That is highly unusual.”
“Well, while it isn’t that common a practice the sheriff brought some evidence in regards to the origin of the man, but sadly couldn’t identify him after extensive research. So we called on members of the community to find a solution and see how Mr. Roice’s situation has developed. I have given the state eight months to investigate this case. I see no reason to push this off much longer.”
The state’s attorney settled back into his chair, and the judge continued. “So let’s see. Let’s see… maybe we should start with Keeper Namon. Mhm, yes. Is the keeper here already? Make yourself known, please.”
Ravela saw Keeper Namon emerge from his seat in the middle where she had left him. “Yes, I am here, judge.”
Namon took his place in a small cabin with a chair and table a bit lower from the judge.
“Tell us how Mr. Roice has been doing. As I understood you’ve spent much of your time helping him.” The judge invited the keeper to tell of his experience. Ravela suddenly felt incredibly nervous.
The Keeper leaned forward in his chair. “I first met Ramiel the day after he was taken to this courtroom. Though, I had heard about his presence in Gradjia before that time. A man buys clothes and shoes without speaking, awkwardly pointing out things, picking things, or paying for them before touching them. The librarian told me about the strange fellow who spends every day in the library seemingly hiding from people looking at random books.” The spectators laughed as Namon told how he got to know her, but Ravela felt her ears become hot with shame. ‘That was how people had seen her. Those were their first impressions of me.’
“Eventually, sheriff Thorn sent out some of the deputies because the man didn’t seem to pay his libr-”
The judge interjected in the most gentle tone, “Keeper Namon, while we all like a good tale, I must ask you to keep your recounts more to your own experiences, please.”
Namon smiled gracefully despite being scolded. “Oh, of course. I am sorry, it is the habit of my trade, I’m afraid.” He then looked up at the ceiling for a moment. “Then, hm, where was I… oh yes. I met Mr. Roice for the first time in the library where Sheriff Thorn introduced us to each other. There I witnessed him pay his library dues and receive a library card. After that, I spent almost every day with Mr. Roice, working on him regaining speech. I witnessed him show a wealth of knowledge, yet be completely blank on other topics. I have come to appreciate him as a friend and someone who will help out in the community.”
“Any questions for the keeper?” The judge asked her lawyer and the state attorney.
“No, your honor,” Her lawyer quickly responded.
“Just one or two for completion’s sake,” Mr. Malcolm answered while getting and straightening out his suit. “You said you spend a lot of time with Mr. Roice, did he ever show signs of remembering anything from his past?”
Keeper Namon tilted his head before responding. “Not as far as I can tell.”
Mr. Malcolm glanced back at Ravela for a moment. “Now that is an interesting phrase: ‘Not as far as you can tell,’ What could you mean by that? Has he come to confess to you?”
“Objection!” Her lawyer interrupted.
Judge Briar coughed and smacked his gavel down once. “Mr. Malcolm, the confessional secret is a respected institution we don’t question keepers on those. That is preposterous. Keeper Namon you may ignore that question, and Mr. Malcolm I must say I don’t like the method you’ve picked up from the big city right there. Even for curiosity’s sake, this is an unwarranted intrusion.”
Mr. Malcolm spread his hand open-palmed in a likewise defensive and apologetic manner. “No further questions, your honor.”
Ravela watched the man return to his desk. He had a keen mind. She wasn’t sure if she liked that in her current position. She respected him picking up on the thinnest hint of something though. Namon pulled her out of her thoughts when he spoke up again. “That is all I can add for now. It is my understanding that I am not to recount all that has transpired that I know of.”
The judge pursed his lips but motioned for him to clear the bench. “Then next… Sheriff Thorn, if you would be so kind.”
As the judge said that the sheriff was already on his way to change places with Namon.
“I met Mr. Roice first after my deputies had picked him up. Of course, back then he didn’t have a name. He couldn’t articulate the words he used right. There wasn’t exactly a conversation to be had, but he provided me with some good drawings that told his story as best as he could.” Sheriff Thorn paused for a moment. “He since that day learned to speak properly. He has conducted himself by the book as far as I am concerned. He helped my son and his colleagues when their lives were in danger. Just last week he saved one of my deputies from a criminal on the run.”
Ravela relaxed a bit after she heard the sheriff give such a rousing endorsement. Mr. Malcolm didn’t question the sheriff or the deputies and those who spoke on her behalf drew the picture of someone doing right by the community and trying their best to save people.
When the judge ended the calling of witnesses he turned to Mr. Malcolm and said, “I believe those testimonies speak for themselves. Is there anything the state would like to add?”
Mr. Malcolm leaned back in his chair. “No, I think we can see the circumstances and the character of the person in question. Under the current facts, the state has no objections to the motion.”
Ravela’s heart skipped a beat as the judge put down the gavel declaring, “Then I grant the motion for certification of citizenship under extraordinary circumstances. Congratulations, Mr. Roice. Please, for further procedure talk to the state’s attorney and the sheriff. ”
Ravela got up and shook hands with half the people gathered there, including her lawyer. When a new case got called, they left the courtroom.
From there, sheriff Thorn led Namon and her to the billing center for the public defender. Ravela paid her dues, and from that office, they hurried to the following office putting in the official request for an identity card. They went back to the reception, where one of the office workers was already waiting with preliminary paperwork confirming her new status. Then the sheriff split off into an office where he quickly changed out of his uniform. Namon and Ravela waited outside of the building in the parking lot. One of his deputies would take his uniform and belt with all the equipment back to the station.
“Alright, no time to waste, boys. We have plenty of time to make it to Pliada City, but if we hit too many snags on the road, we might have to skip lunch, and I don’t know how my fellow men here feel, but I am not big on that,” He unlocked his car, “so hop on in, the Keeper in the passenger side, please.”
Ravela slid into the backseat of the sheriff’s private car and on the road, they went.
“Are you truly feeling ready for this? Those exams are harder than you think.” The sheriff asked after a while.
“Keeper Namon, all the teachers, Safora, Laena, and the librarian all put their effort in to get me ready for this. How could I not be ready?” Ravela confidently stated. Though she wouldn’t get perfect grades, she was confident in almost all the subjects except for the language exams. Then again, life wasn’t about grades.
The traffic slowly became worse and worse, and Sheriff Thorn became moody. “This is why I moved away from the city. Who wants to spend their life sitting in traffic?”
“Ah! Here would be your exit if you get to buy that property. Don’t you think you planned too much for one day, Ramiel?” Namon spoke up.
Ravela turned her head after the passing exit. “I spent so much time learning and sitting in Gradjia. I have barely seen anything of the state so far. You might as well try to get the big things done before the year ends.” She rested her forehead against the cold car window, she watched them enter the suburban neighborhoods of Pliada City.
When Ravela wondered how long these suburban neighborhoods would stretch, they entered a different structure. Houses gave way to rows of multi-story blocks. Sometimes they passed industry parks or shaping centers, and other times there were old villas lining the side of a public park. She could feel the heartbeat of this city pump with vibrant vitality.
The streets now had multiple lanes. A little while later, they drove through the historic town center. Namon began to tell her about the center in detail. The historic town hall, courthouse, market place. The old safe houses. The main safe house is made entirely from white stone. Ravela spotted the needly white towers between the other buildings.
“And on this side, we’re now driving past Liberty Park in the Liberty Hall holding the famous Liberty Bell.” Namon ended his sightseeing tale once they reached the school district of the town. It was a large hub and a gated one at that. It was like they suddenly weren’t in a city anymore.
Ravela found a new appreciation for the way this society set up their education. Shortly behind the gate, the sheriff pulled into a parking lot. He checked his clock and declared, “With two hours to spare no less, lovely. Let's go eat lunch.”
They walked through broad pedestrian streets. Seeing only bicycles riding around in the middle of this district was a new experience for Ravela. Besides blocks, many buildings stood with huge clearings to, what Ravela assumed to be dormitories. She saw open spaces with fields for sports, gymnasiums, small libraries, a big central library, and many colored flags marking different schools for different counties, as she was told by the sheriff.
“The adult cafeteria is near the stadium. Come on, I’m starving.” Sheriff Thorn walked almost with a skip in his step. It must have been a while since he took some kind of day off, Ravela thought.
Ravela was impressed with the food served in the cafeteria. Though they had to pay full price for being outside visitors, she didn’t mind. She wasn’t big on the vegetable-heavy focus. Every meal came with a heavy side of vegetables. She pursed her lips, trying to make a decision.
They took their time before they moved on to the place of the exams.
Ravela entered the building without Sheriff Thorn or Namon. The following eight hours were very burdensome.
It has been a week since Markus returned to school and every day since then he has had to visit the school counselor.
He wasn’t the only one, but having to be questioned on what happened over and over again didn’t help him at all.
“Mr. Pontis, please come in and have a seat.” The counselor knew full well that Markus arrived early to sit outside to gather his thoughts for a bit. He didn’t begrudge her that she waved them in as soon as they sat.
Most of his team members wouldn’t step inside if they weren’t called upon. They had been pushed by the coaches to receive counseling, but like most of his friends, he hated being told to go.
“Mr. Pontis, Mr. Pontis,” Counselor Vella muttered while searching her file cabinet, “Ah yes, here you are. We talked yesterday about how you were doing and how the training went. So, how are you doing today?”
Markus sat in his usual chair, settling into it. “Had classes today, much like yesterday. Was happy about the lack of explosions during the lessons. I got back the latest math test and did well despite the distractions.”
His counselor looked entirely unimpressed with the swipe at her. She was probably well aware that this was as close to admitting that the explosion had been on his mind day and night as she would get.
“One hour a day? Is one hour a day enough to consider yourself distracted? Why don’t we talk about what is keeping your mind occupied?”
Markus shifted in his seat. “Final exams won’t be easy this summer. The college applications already started, and I worry about what is to come,” In his head, he added. ‘Oh, and I watch a good friend of mine die horribly after we both had just survived a gigantic explosion! AND I KNOW WHAT IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN, YET I CAN’T TELL HIS FAMILY! RARGH!’
“Oh, I thought about joining the boxing club to work off some of the stress.” Markus clasped the armrests of his chair. “But that was just a whimsical thought during the lunch break.”
“Interesting, why don’t we explore that a bit more?”
Markus saw in the eye of the counselor that he hadn’t fooled her one bit, but she was willing to play along. He relaxed a bit and they began to talk about this new fictitious idea of his.
