Hays sat there a moment as he sipped his ice water before he began the story. Mr.Pruce leaned forward eager to hear the tale as Hays began. "Well, first of all it was in the fall, a clear crisp morning there in Texas as the guards led us through the prison gates. There was the family and myself, along with two reporters for the A.P. we were brought into the building first. Now Huntsville prison is huge! There are so many different buildings, all red brick with white trim, and the bars of course. It would be very easy to get lost..," he paused as a strong wind blew up off the ocean. "We were led to a plain red brick building with a sturdy metal door, each of us entered one by one. They showed us to a room that is painted white and has a long glass partition between the room and the death chamber. That room is painted a calming light blue color and has, in the middle of it, a long medical gurney with seven black straps. There is a wall between our room and the family of the prisoner. They have to be kept seperate, as you can understand. They are led in after us, before Charles was brougnt in." Hays paused as Mr.Pruce interupted with a question.
"Charles had a family? Did they come to watch?" he asked astonished.
"No." Hays said picking up the thread of his story. "No family, no brothers or sisters. His parents were long since dead, but there was one person." he shook his head.
"Who?" he asked his heart racing slightly as he sat wide eyed sipping his wine.
"That woman, Melissa Christian." he sighed "I don't know why, or how she was allowed to be there, but she was, and it was to her he made his first comments after they led him in and buckled him down to the table."
"What did he say to her?" Mr.Pruce asked his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Charles thanked her for helping him and convincing him to do the right thing. He apologized that he took another life before he turned himself in, and he told her he loved her and asked that she pray for his soul. We could all hear her crying from the other side of the thin wall; which made me want to punch a hole in it and spit at her." here he paused again Mr.Pruce seeing the seething anger in Hay's eyes as he recalled the day of the execution. He sighed and began again "Then he made his last statement to the family. Aphina could not look at Charles so she buried her head on Carlo's shoulder and wept. Serena watched him as she sat perfectly still next to me, I think she was in shock, a little. Felina, however, stood up as Charles spoke, and she approached the glass to get a better look at Charles as he lay on the table, arms stretched out at his sides, in the shape of a crucifix. Charles turned his head to the side to look at us and this is what he said." Hays stopped as he felt a lump in his throat and he suddenly felt extremely nauseous.
"Charles had a family? Did they come to watch?" he asked astonished.
"No." Hays said picking up the thread of his story. "No family, no brothers or sisters. His parents were long since dead, but there was one person." he shook his head.
"Who?" he asked his heart racing slightly as he sat wide eyed sipping his wine.
"That woman, Melissa Christian." he sighed "I don't know why, or how she was allowed to be there, but she was, and it was to her he made his first comments after they led him in and buckled him down to the table."
"What did he say to her?" Mr.Pruce asked his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Charles thanked her for helping him and convincing him to do the right thing. He apologized that he took another life before he turned himself in, and he told her he loved her and asked that she pray for his soul. We could all hear her crying from the other side of the thin wall; which made me want to punch a hole in it and spit at her." here he paused again Mr.Pruce seeing the seething anger in Hay's eyes as he recalled the day of the execution. He sighed and began again "Then he made his last statement to the family. Aphina could not look at Charles so she buried her head on Carlo's shoulder and wept. Serena watched him as she sat perfectly still next to me, I think she was in shock, a little. Felina, however, stood up as Charles spoke, and she approached the glass to get a better look at Charles as he lay on the table, arms stretched out at his sides, in the shape of a crucifix. Charles turned his head to the side to look at us and this is what he said." Hays stopped as he felt a lump in his throat and he suddenly felt extremely nauseous.
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