SOOOO I was trying to sleep and this story started rolling around in my head. I decided to get this part down....not sure where it may go (if anywhere) but here you go. My very first attempt at writing (outside of school that is).
Katy awoke heart hammering and body tensed. She rolled over and peered at the clock
3am. Fuck. I need sleep.
It was the dream again, the same damn dream. She was so tired of this and all she wanted
was one decent night’s sleep. She lay
there and tried to calm her racing heart and empty her racing mind. Hopefully she could catch a few more hours sleep;
she needed to look her best today. Today
was so important to her future and to Jason’s future. She rummaged around in her mind for all of
the happy and peaceful thoughts she could summon and settled on Christmas when
she was seven. As she lost herself in
those happy memories, she could feel her heart start to slow and her body start
to relax. She finally drifted back to
sleep but slept fitfully and woke up a few hours later groggy and melancholy.
Stumbling to the shower, she hoped hot water would revive
her. Finally dressed and feeling somewhat
human, she headed to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. Thank goodness for timers on coffee pots she
thought, for the umpteenth time.
Settling down at the table, she pulled her notepad over and started her
list for the day. She smiled as she
thought of how often Jason would give her shit for her lists, asking her if she
had a list to keep track of her lists. As
she jotted down what she needed to remember and what she need to bring to the
meeting, she could help but think of her parents. She knew they would be so proud of her and
would be rooting her on today. Finished
with her coffee and her list, she gathered up her stuff and stopped to look in
the mirror one last time. As she
inspected herself, she saw the tell-tell signs of sleep deprivation but she
looked as good as she could. She told
herself, Katilyn Allison Moore you can do this.
Everything is riding on you and this interview so put those big girl
panties on and nail this.
Arriving at the admissions office, Katy nervously checked
her list again. Mrs. Landry, office 235,
ok Katy you can do this, stop being a wuss.
She moved towards the door of the office and knocked. Mrs. Landry opened the door and warmly
greeted her, “You must be Katilyn Moore, come in, and have a seat.” Katy glanced around the office as she
sat. The warm tones of maroon and brown
were what she had come to expect of this campus. It all came across as inviting and perhaps
even a bit refined. She had always loved
the vibes she got from this campus and she finally realized that Mrs. Landry
was speaking to her. “…..and so with
your scores we thought you might be a nice fit for our school. Your resume is impressive, but your personal
statement was vague. Perhaps you would
like to elaborate on it some?” Katy
stammered, “I would be happy to answer whatever you would like to know, Mrs.
Landry.” “Well then, why don’t we start
with an easy question, why do you want to be a lawyer?” Katy stared and swallowed hard, “Would you
like the long answer or the longer answer?”
“Why don’t you give me both answers.”
Well I have wanted to be a lawyer since I was a child. When all the other kids were playing cops and
robbers or school, I was playing lawyer.
Katy laughed, “I was the kid that was trying to drag the robber to court.” As I got older, the love of the law and
everything about it solidified. I would
endlessly watch law dramas and read courtroom dramas. I would also devour any book on a famous
lawyer or judge. I just saw everything
that was good and right with the system and I wanted to be a part of it. Mrs. Landry looked at Katy and could sense
the but that was coming. “Please Katy continue
because I can tell there is something else.”
Well, that was how I viewed the law and the legal system my
whole life, until two years ago. In one
night, my whole life changed and everything that has happened since then has
opened my eyes to the harsh reality of the legal system. It made me realize that innocent people go to
jail for crimes they didn’t commit. It
made me realize that the truth does not always prevail. It made me realize that good lawyers are few
and far between. It made me realize that
no matter how much I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, now I NEED to be a
lawyer. It added to my passion in ways
that I can scarcely relate to you. I
need this. I need to get in here and I
need to finish my degree. I promise you
Mrs. Landry you will not be able to find someone that will work harder than I
will.
Mrs. Landry sat and studied Katy but she was not prepared
for the answer she would get to her next question. “Katy, what happened two years ago that
changed your view of the legal system so dramatically?” Katy sighed almost imperceptibly and steeled
herself for Mrs. Landry’s reaction. “Two
years ago my parents were murdered.” “Oh
my dear I am so sorry and I understand how..”
“That isn’t all of it.” Mrs.
Landry fell silent and waited. “My
parents were murdered and my brother is on death row for their murders.” Mrs. Landry sat, stunned into silence. Katy went on, “You see, this is why I need to
get my law degree. I need to be able to
help my brother. I need to be a resource
for him and we have a long fight ahead of us.
There are few things that I am sure of in my life anymore but I know
that I need this and I know that Jason is innocent. These are the things that are keeping me
going.”
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