Well, better forget about a letter with two obscure sentences. Now let's jump into the days and into the weeks to find out about Luke's second trial . Jeremy always convinced Luke that going to the Children's and Youth Center was much better than going to Juvenile prison.
“It's just like going to school in a boarding school, really. You're just studying and… yeah, getting a little discipline training. The good news is, you can add friends,” said Jeremy with a fake cheerful expression. It seems he too has resigned himself to his convictions to win Luke's case. After all, after all, Adam Bowleans died because of what Luke did. He is a perpetrator of violence, on the other hand he is also a victim. Irony, right?
But it seems, what Jeremy predicted was true. Because, at the second trial and Luke sitting beside Jeremy, Luke saw the city's Attorney propose a sentence of ten years in prison with a fine of ninety-six thousand dollars. Wow, you're a loan shark. Though Luke had no problem with the Attorney. But luckily, thanks to witness statements as well as some accurate post mortem evidence, the jurors agreed that Luke would only be jailed for two years, significantly less than the Prosecution demanded. Even before that, the judges also agreed that Luke would enter the Children and Adolescent Center until Luke was seventeen years old. Well , it only stayed a few months there. But, thank goodness.
Even though the Bowleans family urged this and that, the jury and panel of judges remained in their decision. they argue that Luke's character can still be improved because basically Luke has no trace of evil.
On Luke's last day in the detention center, Fish and the Bronx were no longer there. They had been transferred to a real prison two days before. So, Nad and Luke were left so even though Luke didn't want to talk to Nad, Luke felt he had to say hello to him.
" Well, tomorrow I'll be gone. Hope we meet again.”
Instead of replying to Luke's farewell, he asked a question, "Hey, I'm still curious about that time."
"Ha?" Luke raised an eyebrow, not understanding the direction of the conversation.
“When you suddenly jumped on that wall and clawed at it. You kind of said something. Is… what you said is real?”
Dozens of question marks perched on Luke's head so that all Luke could say was, "What the heck do you mean?"
Luke saw Nad silent while biting his finger. “You say something like… I don't know … some sort of reappearance. Lycans and stuff like that,” he said softly.
“Li… what? Speak clearly. Can't hear huh .
“Lycans…”
"Fish?"
"Lycan... They are... Ah, never mind, forget it. Well , like you said before, I hope we meet again."
Luke could only gape at Nad's obscurity which disappeared with his deep sleep that night.
***
This morning Luke was ready. With a bag filled with clothes and a toothbrush, to get into the van that had been prepared to take Luke and several other child prisoners, to Saint Juvenile whatever it was. Luke along with about eight other children, sat in the passenger seat. There was a wire mesh barrier between the driver's seat and the passenger's seat so they couldn't go around talking to the officers who escorted them . So, if one of them really needs to relieve himself, then he has a choice. First, hold it until it arrives at its destination. Or second, have the courage to press the bell on the wall of the van but be prepared for the consequences of being yelled at while urinating. If Luke, anyway, prefer the first option. Luke can hold his bowels as long as he doesn't drink more than a pint of water.
Speaking of water, each of them is provided with two cups of bread and 600 mL of EVIAN—a brand of mineral water—during the trip which will take about half a day. The routes that are passed also vary. Some had to cross a river, through a tunnel, along a straight road with dry fields for about twelve miles, and when it was almost evening, the route they took was a wet paved road with forests of Birch and Maple trees on either side. Luke was a little grateful that they—the officers—hadn't coated the van windows with something, because then Luke could cheer himself up just by looking outside. Luke thinks the other kids are too, judging from their reluctance to greet each other. Well, so do I.
Just now there was an announcement from the officer at the front that they would soon be arriving at their destination. As he looked around, Luke thought this would be cool since there was a building for troubled children in a location far from the city center. Hey, it's just like in the movies! But, Luke didn't want to look that happy. Although Luke likes quiet, lately Luke is a little afraid of ghosts. It couldn't be separated from the strange things that happened to Luke—all those strange possessions—and the house. Long ago, Luke had seen the film of the psychic couple Warlon… or Warren? Or Wayman? I don't know. Anyway they caught a terrible ghost in a large empty building and the location is far from the crowds. Ah, that's right. Luke's house, right, is not far from the edge of the forest. Well, so Luke watches the film while terrified, considering that the characteristics of the building are the same as Luke's house. So along the way, Luke begins to feel happy but also has misgivings.
Haah… why is Luke thinking about this kind of thing? By the way, Luke had read that a person would think a lot about things that had happened, are happening or will happen and other random things when he was silent. The stagnant movement also supports the atmosphere to experience that contemplation. It was the same with the scene Luke saw outside. Maybe that's the reason why Luke thought of something that is not sustainable.
Oh yeah, it's Luke's seventeenth birthday in two months and, alas, Luke has to spend Luke's birthday night at that place. Wretched.
Well, right… Luke was thinking other random things again. He stretched his sore neck from constantly looking out the window, observing the static scene.
But speaking of scenery, it wasn't even dark yet, except for a few twigs and leaves of a Maple tree that seemed to be starting to blossom. Quite beautiful, although not as beautiful as maple leaves in autumn. So, Luke thought it was only natural that this van would come to a sudden stop. Maybe the two officers in the front seat wanted to stretch their backs for a moment or see the beauty of the Maple trees. But a few seconds later, a warning sound from the officer was heard.
"Children, please stay calm. Stay where you are and don't scream," he said in an oddly low voice.
Although asked to calm down, the instructions were quite strange. They don't tell them to calm down from anything. Luke was in the middle row so couldn't see what was going on. Meanwhile, several children who were sitting right in front of the wire netting began to whisper anxiously.
"Hey, what's up?" asked Luke while teasing the girl in the front seat.
The girl turned and shrugged. But he then did the same thing to the guy in the front seat again and there was a relay of questions until finally an answer arrived in Luke's ear.
He said in a whisper, "There's a group of people blocking this van, coming out of the woods. They're carrying strange weapons."
Luke couldn't respond with words. Because then, when Luke glanced at the window, towards the gap in the Maple tree line, Luke saw something gray that was flying very fast towards this van. Then before Luke could make out the shape of the thing, it had crashed, crashing into the window where Luke was.
Broak…!
Damn it. Luke was shocked and fell backwards.
***