“I’m innocent.” she pleaded. “I was merely saving myself.”

Mary Bright walked to the stand just like a lamb would to the slaughter. She was beautiful, that Mary. A svelte figure with golden blonde hair. She stood close to six feet in those heels of hers. Her eyes were burgundy, deep burgundy like stale blood. They whimpered and implored for mercy. Tears trickled down her toned face leaving a salty trail. Pin drop silence followed the whimpers. It was as if every tear was meant to be heard, splashing onto the cold hard wooden floor of the court room, drop by hushed drop. “Ms. Mary Bright, do you swear to speak the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?”

Zachary Bright was a handsome bloke but handsome is as handsome does. What Zachary did was nothing a handsome man, yet alone any man, should be proud of. He was a ladies’ man, one would say. A little too fond of the ladies, I might add. He partied all night, drank all day. He would leave the house as the sun would shine through the milk coloured clouds on a Sunday morning and return a week after with a lady in one arm and a bottle of Scotch in the other. Poor Mary had to suffer the ramifications of his terrible deeds. Forbearing Mary picked up her husband’s slack and cleaned up his mess. Bills from various hotels and bars from across town arrived at her doorstep daily. Mary was a righteous woman, when she made a promise, she abided by it. She promised to be true to Zachary through good times and bad, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, until death do them part.

You see, Mary was a perfectionist. She made sure every single detail was perfect, however small it may be. She owned a quaint bakery uptown. She ensured that every doily was ironed before she placed a cake on it. She even iced every cupcake exactly the same. Not a Red Velvet Mini, as she called it, out of place. Mary had an upscale clientele who ordered her Mini’s for afternoon tea. Although Mary was an amiable character who shared her life stories with her clients. She never spoke of her problems with Zachary. Then again, she never spoke much of Zachary. She thought of her husband’s behaviour as an embarrassment. She wondered what people would think of her. Years were spent building her well respected repute. She feared her husband’s wild nights would tarnish her stature. Being the perfectionist she was, she concealed her marriage. She managed to masquerade her troubles pretty well. She put on an act and made it seem like she had the ideal marriage, white picket fence home, doting husband, the works. Everyone figured she was living the dream. How they were all so very wrong.

Zachary proposed to Mary after a five year courtship. They were on a trip to Spain, Mary’s favourite holiday destination. A blue and gold sunset veiled the sky. He knelt down on one knee by the Spanish courtyards and asked for her hand. It was truly magical. They had a fairy tale relationship, storybook wedding, it all seemed like pure bliss. However, their happily ever after lasted for a very short period of time. A little more than a month to be precise. At first Mary thought it was because Zachary wasn’t used to the married life. Then she realized it was much more than that. Zachary started with humble ‘late nights’ at the office. He fooled around with a secretary. Or two. He soon developed a serious drinking problem. Everything went downhill from henceforward. Mary watched her lover wash away, drift apart and drown in a sea of sorrows. She struggled to gain control over the situation. This was never in her ‘perfect’ plan. She tried everything to fix things. She would get rid of the liquor bottles that were hidden away under the bed, in the bathroom, under the kitchen sink. She would sit down and have talks with Zachary about their future together. She tried her best to make him realise everything he was giving up and wasting away.

For the sake of his loyal spouse, Zachary attempted to abstain from alcohol. Things slowly seemed to get brighter as if it were the light at the end of a dark tunnel. The number of bottles in the house reduced tremendously. There were barely any ‘late nights’. Mary was thrilled. She felt as if all her actions had finally paid off. She was hoping she’d have her husband back. Mary hoped that this was a second chance at life for her husband. Like god had a greater purpose for him.

Little did Mary know, between all the therapy and the guilt, Zachary cracked. He couldn’t digest the fact that he had done so much wrong. The guilt ate him alive. Zachary’s strange behaviour came out of nowhere. No therapist could find the cause of his doings. He went back to his usual habits. This time with a twist. He no longer cared for Mary. Not an inch. Not one bit. He made that fact extremely lucid.

The rhythm of the wall clock by the fireplace overwhelmed the room. Zachary slowly approached Mary. His breath tingled the back of her neck. His callused hands gradually caressed her. He whispered saying that everything was going to be all right. That it was only going to hurt a little. She didn’t understand what he meant until she noticed a knife in his pocket. She covered her ears but his whispers only grew louder. As usual she gave in, she thought this was the end of her. Mary knew Zachary, she knew what his next action would be. She turned around and kissed his wrinkled forehead farewell.

Her life flashed before her eyes. She loved Zachary, nevertheless, the sweet images of Zachary from her past had long been forgotten. She no longer saw him as someone she held deep affection for. She now saw him as someone who had robbed her from her youth and love. He stole her heart and broke it into a million pieces. She saw herself crying every night because of him. She saw him hurting her. That was it, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Mary grabbed the knife. Mary was finally relieved of a burden that had long been haunting her.

“The ticking, the pulsing of the wall clock possessed me. I never had bad intentions in mind, but I had to put an end to things. I had to save myself.” Mary justified.

Mary was on trial for unlawful killing of a human being by a human being with malice aforethought. She pleaded self-defence and was later granted clemency by the judge based on mitigating circumstances. Zachary Bright’s murder was then filed under justifiable homicide.