96 Opportunity to Speak (1/2)
”Alicia Williams.” The classroom waited with bated breath. I didn't react because he had taken my permission to talk about the case when I first joined him. He had taken this example every year since Alicia was caught and my presence wouldn't change his syllabus.
Also, I wanted to know what others thought. There must be a reason he used this case as an example in this class.
”Who can tell me about this case?” he asked the class. His eyes didn't meet mine so I knew that I wasn't supposed to answer. I knew far too much to actually have an input in this class. But I was itching to hear what the others had to say. It was like being a fly in someone else's conversation.
A post-graduate student gave an overview of the case.
”Right,” he said, appraising the class. ”Now, of all the victims that survived the serial killer in that building, I have spoken to two. Do you know why?” Sebastian asked.
”Because it gives you a perspective on the killer?” Someone asked.
”Sebastian shook his head. Indeed, talking to the victim gives you a first-hand account of what happened. And it is a very good thing if we have the victim tell the story themselves. It means that they survived. But I could only talk to two.” He paused, silent.
”Only two of the victims survived? What happened to the other two?”
”No, only one victim survived.” My head snapped up. That meant... only I... what happened to the other one? I took in a shuddering breath.
”You said you spoke to two victims,” a doctoral student mentioned.
”Yes, one victim passed away shortly after they were discovered due to physical complications. Despite the medical attention given to them, the malnutrition and shock had set in. There were also complications from blood loss,” he mentioned. ”The second person killed themselves. He bought a gun and put it to his head because he couldn't take the images in his head anymore.”
I hadn't known the details. I had prided myself for holding it in, but I couldn't deny that I had thought of doing such a thing as well.