Silence is Deadly
by Lyndsey Werner
Everyone knew it was wrong, and, yet, no one spoke. Not one person objected. Why did they sit there mute? Allowing the execution of an innocent woman, a woman who had only tried to do the right thing. Some of the most powerful people in the country waited for her to be brought in; for her death to speak volumes to the nation.
The woman was brought in. She looked around at those people who condemned her to death through their silence. Not one of them could meet her gaze.
“Please,” She begged in a raw voice. “Don’t let this happen.” No one spoke, tears poured from her already red eyes. She didn’t have any family she could look to for comfort; the only people around her were those who knew of her innocence, but refused her the right to live. She was led to the chair. She was going to die here.
She tried to stop crying as she was strapped into the chair, but couldn’t, her entire body was wracked with sobs. The needle that entered her arm felt like a shard of hot glass. She couldn’t scream, she wouldn’t allow herself to scream. She stared around desperately at the people, half hidden in shadow.
“You know I didn’t do this!” She pleaded with them. “I beg you!” It was futile. Though many looked down in shame, not one came to her defense. The woman leaned back and squeezed her eyes shut; shedding her last tears, as she braced herself for her last breath.
“…wrong.” The voice was quiet, and she only caught the last word, but the woman heard it. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around. “This is wrong!” It was louder this time, spoken with more conviction. The woman’s eyes, along with everyone else’s, focused on a young guard. She’d never seen him before. “You all know this is wrong! Why aren’t you saying anything?” The guard demanded.
“You are dismissed.” The warden said.
“Any one of you could stop this!” The guard continued; now that he’d begun, he was undeterred.
“You are dismissed!” The warden almost shouted. The guard tensed. The woman’s eyes filled with tears, but not of sorrow, they were tears of gratitude. She was going to die here, she knew that. She tried to speak but couldn’t, choked by emotion. She swallowed.
“Thank you,” She said as the guard was being escorted out. He looked back at her. “For saying what no one else would.” Grateful tears poured down her face. “Thank you so much!” The guard was removed from the room. The woman looked back at the people, the powerful people who could save her, but lacked the courage and decency to speak. “He’s a good man.” She finally said. “He shouldn’t lose his job for that.” It was all she could think to say. The only thing that might help the guard who had been unable to save her life, but at least had offered her a more peaceful death. Those watching exchanged glances. The woman closed her eyes… And the execution proceeded.
Everyone knew it was wrong, and, yet, no one spoke. Not one person objected. Why did they sit there mute? Allowing the execution of an innocent woman, a woman who had only tried to do the right thing. Some of the most powerful people in the country waited for her to be brought in; for her death to speak volumes to the nation.
The woman was brought in. She looked around at those people who condemned her to death through their silence. Not one of them could meet her gaze.
“Please,” She begged in a raw voice. “Don’t let this happen.” No one spoke, tears poured from her already red eyes. She didn’t have any family she could look to for comfort; the only people around her were those who knew of her innocence, but refused her the right to live. She was led to the chair. She was going to die here.
She tried to stop crying as she was strapped into the chair, but couldn’t, her entire body was wracked with sobs. The needle that entered her arm felt like a shard of hot glass. She couldn’t scream, she wouldn’t allow herself to scream. She stared around desperately at the people, half hidden in shadow.
“You know I didn’t do this!” She pleaded with them. “I beg you!” It was futile. Though many looked down in shame, not one came to her defense. The woman leaned back and squeezed her eyes shut; shedding her last tears, as she braced herself for her last breath.
“…wrong.” The voice was quiet, and she only caught the last word, but the woman heard it. Her eyes snapped open, and she looked around. “This is wrong!” It was louder this time, spoken with more conviction. The woman’s eyes, along with everyone else’s, focused on a young guard. She’d never seen him before. “You all know this is wrong! Why aren’t you saying anything?” The guard demanded.
“You are dismissed.” The warden said.
“Any one of you could stop this!” The guard continued; now that he’d begun, he was undeterred.
“You are dismissed!” The warden almost shouted. The guard tensed. The woman’s eyes filled with tears, but not of sorrow, they were tears of gratitude. She was going to die here, she knew that. She tried to speak but couldn’t, choked by emotion. She swallowed.
“Thank you,” She said as the guard was being escorted out. He looked back at her. “For saying what no one else would.” Grateful tears poured down her face. “Thank you so much!” The guard was removed from the room. The woman looked back at the people, the powerful people who could save her, but lacked the courage and decency to speak. “He’s a good man.” She finally said. “He shouldn’t lose his job for that.” It was all she could think to say. The only thing that might help the guard who had been unable to save her life, but at least had offered her a more peaceful death. Those watching exchanged glances. The woman closed her eyes… And the execution proceeded.