FLOOD 

By Tessa Harvey

       The judge spoke again. "You may be seated." No smile, just matter of fact, indifference - years and years of procedure.
    Polly adjusted the microphone herself as she sat down, though the court assistant had moved to help her.
    The defense lawyer asked her some basic questions, but her mind would not work and she gave two wrong answers, later corrected.
    Trying to discern the dimness, she was aware of one person staring at her, a close relative. Her eyes had always been blue but now it seemed they glowed with glacial fire, more green than blue.
    Unable to bear the pain, Hazel had turned away. She felt so old.
Eventually after an ordeal of awful questions, the judge turned to her in his box of light. "You are free to go." Somehow she stumbled down the narrow twisting steps. The court lady smiled up at her. "Take your time," she whispered.
    Somehow Hazel made it outside, aware of how dim and quiet the court had been. No noise at all - only the voices of the lawyers and the judge.

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