The Reformation of Justine (A)

((((( author's note; This story was written during 2003/4. It had been my attempt to continue, mature, and rewrite my older story "Kehshathria". The characters are form the former book. But dont worry i present them anew for this story. This one is Alot shorter and less violent. And is a fine segway into the next portion of this blog which i belive will be dubbed "the life and times of the snail" - in rememberance of my old friend ( not in memory of, he aint dead) Larry. May you be well within unto well without. )))))




Kehshathria Two; the reformation of Justine.


Chapter One


I am disparing.


* From behind in the dence shadow, a muffled step.*


"Slowly kneel Justine." His voice somewhat sooths and utterly terrifies me . Lifting myself to my knees wiht my arms open to his veiw, he pats my body for weapons, and guides me calmly up the hill to the side of the road.

I am haggard form three days running and in the brightness of the three sets of headlights in the area the took me, I saw Carol, Lanel and Diana silloetted. He gently tucked me into passengers seat of one of the cars, and covered me with a course grey blanket. He handed me a bottled water and bade me sip it.

I felt safe. But i was aware that the delerium would soon ware off, when my head cleared. As I dreamilly gazed out of the windsheild i could both see and hear that Carol was doing allot of the talking. And that very adimantly about what was to be done with myself.

After a millinimum of eternities, a few minits, Carol walked over to me. Her face was gentle and alluring. She had a gentle smile and firm dark blue eyes.

" How do you feel, darling?"

" Confused, Mistress Carol." I answered quite naturally. She smiled with a sigh.

" Yes. Are you aware of where you are?" I looked up to her and then past her shoulder to the others waiting in the back against the lights. I remember running.

" I remember running." I state dryly.

" And where were you running to? She said.

" Here." I said.


And my body exploded with emotion. I broke down, cried and babbled incoherently. She held me and gently listened. I melted everything i had bottled up for ages into her. All my sadness and fears and my hatred....... dispair, hope........ Desparate hope.

Then the air suddenly stopped.

- A willfull overdose....... the words echo with dread.


" The running stops, now!" She spoke with sharp firmness, jerking my shoulders in a mannor that would cause me to straighten up and hear her with my eyes too. I watch her Intent and smirk willfully.

"The running stops? But now I can finially get away." Carol's eyes burrow deeply into mine and I both saw and felt tunderously in my temples.....


"TRY IT"


Then she calmed down. "Darling Justine, dont you remember how you got here? What you did?"
I glanced around me, pauseing at a tree, the dashboard of a 1970 barracuda, it is some kind of grey but it also seems red, the street lamp above us..... the humm of Carol's engine, the smell of light perfume, the tightness of my lungs.

The memory of words.

I opened my dry mouth, allowing parched stale air creap through my rusted vocal cords.................


" I killed myself."


*there was a long silent pause.*


" We dont take to kindly to such disreguard for life around here. And to think! You had US for to assist you."

My mind snapped. " I want to go into a NEW LIFE!..... " I scream. " I HATE the old one. I Failed! I missued myself and was unable to do as you wanted. I was too confuessed!"

Carol didnt respond, she merely leaned me back into the seat an dpersonally fashioned the five point harness seatbelt for me, pauseing before she closed the door to say.....

" And now everything will begin to clear up."

I watched her walk up to The man and Lanel.

Carol and her friggen riddles! SO, i end up in my own novel!?


Suddenly, the car door slammed, Carol, avoiding even a glance at me, she put the car into gear. Shortly after we pulled out onto the road i leaned forwward as much as i could and cried.

I supose Carol desided better i go home with her rather than with He. I suppose. There was only silence around me now. My mind wandered, when do we ever turn on this road? I wander on, watching the black road. How the trees ahead make the illusion of a tunnel into the deep blue night.

All the while for mile and mile i dreamed in confusion.

.................

A Sargent Lord... um... Donaldson i think his name was, and i belive he lead me into a dramatically lit courtroom. It was large and oval shaped and built ampitheater style. Before the Judicial Platform was an ornatly engraved palcard that announced "residing over Court today will be Her Royal Magesty, The High Queen of Kehshathria, Lady, Leutienit Connell, Judge Lanel Marie Anderson."

There was, a few yards back from the sign, a small defence table, where sat Carol Wiese-Ford, court appointed counsoler at law. Beside her was myself. Beside us was a small platform with as round podium where only one person could stand and speak. And the podium stood directly in front of the judicial desk.

Behind the desk and up a small teir of steps was a single empty throne. The Judges seat.

On either side of the podium where twin pillars and behind that were three balifs and of course there was behind them , the Door of the Throne room. The Court room was filled with people. Watchign trials was a public event, unless other wise mandated.

The Queen entered, dazzleing the courtroom wareing a bright red satin gown with royal velvet blue trimming, she looked, fomritable. I have never used that word before untill i saw her.

Her ice blue eyes where hollow, she looked at one in such a way that, it seemed, that senced your thoughts. I remember when she had fined Stephen and myself for sneaking around the palace, she was jsut undeniable.

Carol drew my attention to my file.

" It says here you are an imigrant. And a runnaway at that! Arew you aware, you are faceing deportment?" She asked me.

" They can deport me." I said self-assuredly

" Oh, I see." Her eyes gleemed as she spoke. "Well there are worse things to fear form us than being deported back to Earth anyhow Justine. Thing, i believe you need ot be made aware of." Carol then whispered just so i could hear...... My heart fluttered , my eyes fixed to her's


" How did you know that i was form earth?" I asked, she gleamed.

" I am Carol Wiese-Ford, Diana's ex-refomer. I know alot about you already."

I stared blankly at her, vividly recalling Diana's tales about the savagry of this particular Reformer. She was was well respected and even owned a Reformatory and Safe house. This demure, mousey, 5 foot tall.... wareing a nice formal black skirt suit, slit up mid thigh.... With her delacate proud mannor.

Carol Blushed at me sweetly as the court was being called into order. I took a moment to gaze around that faces int he audience for Dian's. I began to feel desparately alone.

The attentdant of court stepped up to the podium announceing....

" The Case of Justine Marie Reese, imagrant reformee, caught smugglign herself out of Kehshathria Soil along with the aid of one Stephen Mark Cramer of Stranburgh. She had ben in the costody of Reformer Diana Aleshia Kohn for 8 months. Here, sumitted to Her Majesty, in her record we can see Miss Justine Reese has been a constant disiplinary problem, Having one been remanded to Behaviour Modification with Reformer Master Kehensu-san for 3 months of said term." The attendent paused to catch his breath, but before he could resumne, Lanel raised her hand quietly form her lap, and he bows and steps back to his post.

" Justine. Do you wish to remain in my Kingdom?"

"Yes..... Your Majesty." i stammer weakly.

" Explain why you chose to leave us." She asked.

" I was talked into it by Stephen. And Diana's a freakazoid."

I might have went on but suddenly one of the balifs moved and i was silenced by a searing lash across my shoulders. I flexed and sucked in my breath, stifeling my shock.


"There will be no disrespect heard by a non-citizen toward a respected citizen in my court, Justine. I have seen you now a second time, in less than a year since your arrival." She pauses.


" But this really falls upon yourself." She looked deeper at me, my throat hardened with my silent cry. " Kehshathria is a hard land. We value order, honer and discipline. There are other Realms in this world.... Some harsher. Particularly that place you had been so woefully misguded into running to. I am in a rather distressed perdictiment, Justine. For reasons hitherto unmentioned I cannot deport you as i would any other unbreakable. And you cannot be initiated into any place of learning untill you become a citizen.

And the only other situation ic an imagine for you are a private cell, or a lifetime enslavement."

The crowd murmmered at the Queen's severity. I was confussed, entierly confussed. This world is so terribly lawful. I started to cry. "Please give me another chance. i am confused. How could i know anything?" I said.

" I have had many imagrant reformees like you, in the past. Those who fail to comform. These are the people who are always seeking ways to get around the Law. WHo could not bear the reformation system." She paused, and sigh wearilly. " I have wasted time on many one more chances, Justine. How will you have me be convinced that you are any different than the multitude?"