kellyintrouble
Moon
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2025
My arms and shoulders ache, hands trapped in unyielding steel cuffs locked to a chain hanging from the ceiling. I have no idea how long I have been standing here. It feels like an eternity. The events since the protest all seem to blur together in a never-ending series of grabbing and shoving and pushing and waiting and crying. Closing my eyes and trying to hold back another round of tears, I bite down hard on the ball trapped between my teeth, the plastic taste of it filling my mouth. It wasn't fair. None of this should be happening. It had just been a peaceful protest. I hadn't hit that officer. I'd just been shoved into him.
Overcome with frustration, I twist in my bonds. I pull at the cuffs, only serving to make my sore wrists feel worse. The rubber soles of my sneakers squeak against the plain tile floor as I struggle desperately. And then I slump down once more. My chest heaves as I pant through flared nostrils. I feel drool glide down over my chin to spatter on the floor below.
I push myself back up when the door to the small room suddenly opens. The light from the hallway seems blinding and I turn my head to the side to shield it with one upraised arm. Eyes closed, I hear rather than see the officers approach, accompanied by an ominous rattle of chain.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney," a nasal, almost bored voice reaches my ears. "You are summoned to the Chambers of the Honorable Carl Justins for arraignment, trial, and sentencing."
I groan into the gag with relief, blinking rapidly as my eyes slowly adjust. Two officers are in close, one looking down on me while the other squats by my side. I can smell the slightly sweet cologne of one of them. Their close proximity, looming over me, makes me feel like I am shrinking.
"Officers Jones and Anderson will prepare you for transport," the nasal voice continues, and I look past the officer in front of me to see a slender man in a suit and tie holding a tablet. "Any resistance will add to your sentence. Do you understand?"
I nod quickly, trying to assure him with my eyes that he will have no trouble from me.
"Proceed, officers."
The touch of cold steel to my bare stomach makes me gasp around the gag. I look down to watch the standing officer wrap a chain around my waist, exposed flesh between the hem of my short t-shirt and the waistband of my shorts. I grunt softly as he pulls it tightly into my flesh and then locks it in place. Down below, I feel something press against my bare left ankle, just above the bone, and then the sound of ratcheting metal fills the little room as he closes the cuff securely in place.
My shoulders throb and ache anew when the standing officer reaches up to detach the cuffs on my wrists from the chain hanging down from the ceiling and I can finally lower them. He gives me no opportunity to stretch them out, however, as he brings them down to the front of my waist chain and locks them in place there. Another cuff closes on my other ankle, linking them now with a short chain.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney is judged properly prepared for transport," the clerk lazily taps the tablet. "Officers Jones and Anderson, please conduct her to Judge Justins Chambers."
Each grab one of my arms and they begin to propel me out of the room. Conducting me to the judge's chambers, as it turns out, is just me desperately trying to keep my feet between them while they almost drag me through the halls. I'm panting when they finally stop in front of door with a plaque that bears the judge's name.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney, I will now remove your gag," the clerk says from behind me. "When I do so, you are still not permitted to speak. During your trial, you will be given one opportunity to say your peace. You will not speak other than during that one time. If you do, it will be added to your sentence. Do you understand?"
I nod quickly. He unbuckles the straps behind my head and then plucks the wet ball from between my lips. I swallow hard, slowly working my jaw as it threatens to cramp. Then he knocks twice on the door.
"Enter," a voice says from within.
The clerk opens the door and then steps aside. The officers guide me within. This time, they move at my pace as I step into the courtroom with the small steps required by the chain between my ankles.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney presented to this august court, your honor," the clerk says as he enters the room behind me and closes the door.
The judge, an elderly gentleman, sits up high on a platform, most of him hidden behind a desk. Two men in suits sit at tables before him, one on the left and one on the right. A tall pole with a strap dangling from the top of it stands between the tables. As they lead me down the aisle toward the judge, I am shocked by the number of people who fill the rows of seats. I blush as their eyes all turn to me while I shuffle down the aisle in my chains. Still dressed in the same clothes from the night before, having slept on the floor, I know that I must look like an absolute disaster. The man at the left table stands.
"Your honor, the state brings charges of disorderly conduct, assaulting an officer, and disrupting the peace," he says, turning to smile out at the audience, who murmur in response, almost appreciatively.
When we reach the front of the room, I expect them to bring me to the empty chair at the right table. Instead, they bring me to the pole.
"Defense?" the judge asks.
The man at the right table doesn't stand. He raises his hand lazily before he speaks, but doesn't take his eyes off the computer screen in front of him. Kelly realizes in shock that he is playing a game.
"Your honor, the defense denies the charges, and demands testimony to prove them."
The policemen lead me just in front of the pole and then pull me back against it. One of them lifts me slightly, forcing me up onto my toes. The other wraps the strap around my throat and buckles it firmly in place. When they suddenly release me, I choke on the strap for a moment before shoving myself up on the tips of my toes to be able to breathe.
"Your honor, the state presents the sworn testimony of Officer Meadows, offered into this court as Exhibit A, as proof that Detainee was present at an unlawful rally and that she struck him," the man on the left says.
"Any objection," the judge asks.
"None," the game-player says vacantly.
"Does the detainee waive her right to speak on her behalf?" the judge ass.
"She does, your honor," what I can only assume was her lawyer says.
"Does the state have a sentencing reco-" the judge begins.
"I do not waive my right to speak!" I blurt out, interrupting the judge.
A hush goes over the courtroom. I can practically feel their eyes on me. Even the game-player looks away from his screen to stare at me.
"Your honor, the defense has already waived her right on the record," the man for the state sighs.
Struggling to stay up on my toes, I look up at the judge. He looks down on me warmly. I can see kindness in his eyes.
"Now, now, if the girl wants to speak, this court will hear her," the judge says. "So then, what do you want to say for yourself?"
"I didn't assault him. It was just a peaceful protest. Someone shoved me and I bumped into the policeman. That was it," I say quickly, voice quavering as tears begin to well in my eyes. "And then they arrested me. They shoved me in a van, and made me sleep chained up on the floor all night. But it's all just a mistake. It shouldn't be happening. None of this should be."
A sob wracks through me as I finish, my voice trailing off.
"Does the state have a sentence recommendation?" the judge asks.
"The state recommends a sum of $50,000, your honor," the man straightens his lapels as he speaks. "If paid, the detainee would be sentenced to 2 years of house arrest with appropriate monitoring. If unpaid, the detainee will be sent to a prison work camp until her labor paid for that same sum. That is estimated to be four years at the current rates."
My mind reels. I don't have access to that kind of money. I don't even know anyone who does. Four years in a prison work camp? I look up at the judge, pleading with wide eyes.
"So sentenced," the judge says with a crack of his gavel. "The detainee will be held in the transfer stalls for 24 hours. If the sum is not paid by that time, she will be sent to a camp."
Overcome with frustration, I twist in my bonds. I pull at the cuffs, only serving to make my sore wrists feel worse. The rubber soles of my sneakers squeak against the plain tile floor as I struggle desperately. And then I slump down once more. My chest heaves as I pant through flared nostrils. I feel drool glide down over my chin to spatter on the floor below.
I push myself back up when the door to the small room suddenly opens. The light from the hallway seems blinding and I turn my head to the side to shield it with one upraised arm. Eyes closed, I hear rather than see the officers approach, accompanied by an ominous rattle of chain.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney," a nasal, almost bored voice reaches my ears. "You are summoned to the Chambers of the Honorable Carl Justins for arraignment, trial, and sentencing."
I groan into the gag with relief, blinking rapidly as my eyes slowly adjust. Two officers are in close, one looking down on me while the other squats by my side. I can smell the slightly sweet cologne of one of them. Their close proximity, looming over me, makes me feel like I am shrinking.
"Officers Jones and Anderson will prepare you for transport," the nasal voice continues, and I look past the officer in front of me to see a slender man in a suit and tie holding a tablet. "Any resistance will add to your sentence. Do you understand?"
I nod quickly, trying to assure him with my eyes that he will have no trouble from me.
"Proceed, officers."
The touch of cold steel to my bare stomach makes me gasp around the gag. I look down to watch the standing officer wrap a chain around my waist, exposed flesh between the hem of my short t-shirt and the waistband of my shorts. I grunt softly as he pulls it tightly into my flesh and then locks it in place. Down below, I feel something press against my bare left ankle, just above the bone, and then the sound of ratcheting metal fills the little room as he closes the cuff securely in place.
My shoulders throb and ache anew when the standing officer reaches up to detach the cuffs on my wrists from the chain hanging down from the ceiling and I can finally lower them. He gives me no opportunity to stretch them out, however, as he brings them down to the front of my waist chain and locks them in place there. Another cuff closes on my other ankle, linking them now with a short chain.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney is judged properly prepared for transport," the clerk lazily taps the tablet. "Officers Jones and Anderson, please conduct her to Judge Justins Chambers."
Each grab one of my arms and they begin to propel me out of the room. Conducting me to the judge's chambers, as it turns out, is just me desperately trying to keep my feet between them while they almost drag me through the halls. I'm panting when they finally stop in front of door with a plaque that bears the judge's name.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney, I will now remove your gag," the clerk says from behind me. "When I do so, you are still not permitted to speak. During your trial, you will be given one opportunity to say your peace. You will not speak other than during that one time. If you do, it will be added to your sentence. Do you understand?"
I nod quickly. He unbuckles the straps behind my head and then plucks the wet ball from between my lips. I swallow hard, slowly working my jaw as it threatens to cramp. Then he knocks twice on the door.
"Enter," a voice says from within.
The clerk opens the door and then steps aside. The officers guide me within. This time, they move at my pace as I step into the courtroom with the small steps required by the chain between my ankles.
"Detainee Kelly Delaney presented to this august court, your honor," the clerk says as he enters the room behind me and closes the door.
The judge, an elderly gentleman, sits up high on a platform, most of him hidden behind a desk. Two men in suits sit at tables before him, one on the left and one on the right. A tall pole with a strap dangling from the top of it stands between the tables. As they lead me down the aisle toward the judge, I am shocked by the number of people who fill the rows of seats. I blush as their eyes all turn to me while I shuffle down the aisle in my chains. Still dressed in the same clothes from the night before, having slept on the floor, I know that I must look like an absolute disaster. The man at the left table stands.
"Your honor, the state brings charges of disorderly conduct, assaulting an officer, and disrupting the peace," he says, turning to smile out at the audience, who murmur in response, almost appreciatively.
When we reach the front of the room, I expect them to bring me to the empty chair at the right table. Instead, they bring me to the pole.
"Defense?" the judge asks.
The man at the right table doesn't stand. He raises his hand lazily before he speaks, but doesn't take his eyes off the computer screen in front of him. Kelly realizes in shock that he is playing a game.
"Your honor, the defense denies the charges, and demands testimony to prove them."
The policemen lead me just in front of the pole and then pull me back against it. One of them lifts me slightly, forcing me up onto my toes. The other wraps the strap around my throat and buckles it firmly in place. When they suddenly release me, I choke on the strap for a moment before shoving myself up on the tips of my toes to be able to breathe.
"Your honor, the state presents the sworn testimony of Officer Meadows, offered into this court as Exhibit A, as proof that Detainee was present at an unlawful rally and that she struck him," the man on the left says.
"Any objection," the judge asks.
"None," the game-player says vacantly.
"Does the detainee waive her right to speak on her behalf?" the judge ass.
"She does, your honor," what I can only assume was her lawyer says.
"Does the state have a sentencing reco-" the judge begins.
"I do not waive my right to speak!" I blurt out, interrupting the judge.
A hush goes over the courtroom. I can practically feel their eyes on me. Even the game-player looks away from his screen to stare at me.
"Your honor, the defense has already waived her right on the record," the man for the state sighs.
Struggling to stay up on my toes, I look up at the judge. He looks down on me warmly. I can see kindness in his eyes.
"Now, now, if the girl wants to speak, this court will hear her," the judge says. "So then, what do you want to say for yourself?"
"I didn't assault him. It was just a peaceful protest. Someone shoved me and I bumped into the policeman. That was it," I say quickly, voice quavering as tears begin to well in my eyes. "And then they arrested me. They shoved me in a van, and made me sleep chained up on the floor all night. But it's all just a mistake. It shouldn't be happening. None of this should be."
A sob wracks through me as I finish, my voice trailing off.
"Does the state have a sentence recommendation?" the judge asks.
"The state recommends a sum of $50,000, your honor," the man straightens his lapels as he speaks. "If paid, the detainee would be sentenced to 2 years of house arrest with appropriate monitoring. If unpaid, the detainee will be sent to a prison work camp until her labor paid for that same sum. That is estimated to be four years at the current rates."
My mind reels. I don't have access to that kind of money. I don't even know anyone who does. Four years in a prison work camp? I look up at the judge, pleading with wide eyes.
"So sentenced," the judge says with a crack of his gavel. "The detainee will be held in the transfer stalls for 24 hours. If the sum is not paid by that time, she will be sent to a camp."