The two deputy’s stood in front of the large desk that sat on the stage, Sandra Skellam and Dylan Williams, the towns 2 deputy’s appointed by the sheriff, they bore no arms, handcuffs and a baton the tools of their particular trade, but they didn’t need anything else, the fear of the person they worked for would make most people think twice about committing any wrongdoing, the consequences were just too great, it wasn’t a job they chose, it was a job they were given.

In the field beside the centre lay a dying fire, where a funeral had taken place earlier in the day, where the body had been laid on the bonfire and set alight, there was no grace or respect, no words of prayers or comfort, no family to weep for them, as they too had died during the past years, any tears by those who looked on were hidden, it was just a body burnt like a Guy Fawkes on a bonfire, or what was remained of it, as it was found on the edge of the woods with the bottom half of the torso missing, just another person trying to flee the terrors of Underwood.

The hall stood silent and the air somehow grew cold as Philip Lenan, Underwood’s judge and jury took to the stage, Philip had been the judge in Underwood since it was created, along with the vicar and sheriff, they were the rulers of Underwood, they were the law, the creators, and the rule makers. The vicar and the sheriff were not in attendance at today’s hearing, the judge had never failed to do what was right, and he would do what was right this time, it would be short, sharp and decisive, there was no time for anything more, that was his style, there was no need for a jury, his word was final, they nicknamed him “the judge of death.”

Philip Lenan was of the same build as the other rulers of the town, he also gave off the same aura of fear, he was clean shaven and extremely well presented, underneath the wig he adorned for the courts, was a fine head of brown hair, and as the other rulers appeared to do, as he sat he rubbed his chin with his fingers and his thumb, he looked around he didn’t ask for silence for his presence demanded it, to the residents of Underwood he was the one they feared most, he was the one that determined who lived, who died, and the most fearful ruling, who would be sent to the woods, it had a sentiment of the town congregating for a hanging, except those that gathered did not want to see no hanging, they did not want to see anyone sent to the woods, they wanted peace and quiet, no longer wanting normality as no one could remember what normal was anymore.

Philip shuffled some papers in front of him, although he didn’t need papers, he knew the charge against the man in the Cage, he knew that insubordination could not be tolerated, his was a professional organisation and looking professional was paramount to him, it was only achieved by years and years of discipline and training.

His voice was deep and loud and could be heard at the back of the hall, some of the 200 or so people shivered as he spoke, not for the first time had they shivered at the sound of his voice.

‘Peter Ford, you have been charged with insubordination and striking a police officer, how do you plead’

His words ran cold to everyone that could hear.

His family huddled each other, unsure what world they were really in, if they were to ask someone, no one would really come up with an answer.

Every single eye in that room went towards Peter, and all Peter could think about was how the hell he had landed up in this kangaroo court, it still wasn’t real, he was somehow expecting it all to end and someone explain to him that it had all been a mistake, but here he was in an iron cage like a wild animal waiting to be sentenced for protecting his family, Philip’s stare was cold and challenging, he was expecting defiance, Peter scanned the room, wondering how the hell he had become a holiday maker to a caged man awaiting sentence, it felt like he had gone to sleep and woken up in the wrong century, he wanted to shout, scream swear and tell them how wrong they all were, and that someone was going to pay and as he glanced around his eyes locked on a man in his 50’s, he was stood no further than 3 feet from the cage he was kept in, no one stood by him, the man was alone, he appeared to want to attract Peter’s attention, the look on this man’s face was distinctive in a way that Peter felt drawn to, the man squinted his eyes and nodded, he mouthed the word Peter thought he wanted him to say, and he said it.

‘guilty’ said Peter as he faced the judge, as if the words were not his own, as if the words were given by the man who stared at him from the crowd, and the tension in the body of the man in the crowd seemed to lift, and suddenly there was relief on the faces of the people who stood looking at him, Eileen crumbled to her knees as Craig held her, Lily hugged Nathan, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

‘No’ she screamed, ‘he’s not guilty my dad hasn’t done anything’ she tried to make her way through the crowd until Craig held her back, all eyes fell upon the grief stricken teenager,

the judge eyed Peter, it had been their first resident in a long time, he looked in fine fettle, thought the judge, and the wenches that were with him looked in fine shape, particularly the young pretty one, it had been a good day for Underwood, the best catch they had for decades.

‘Is there any mitigation’ he asked Peter, again Peters eyes met the same man who whispered the words for him to say,

‘I apologise sir, I am new to the community and did not know any better, but I will learn from my mistake’, he sounded confident and convincing, if not scared.

Philip Lenan smiled, he liked it when they bowed down to his power, and ‘this one knows who is boss’ he thought, ‘and we need a good plumber’ he let a smile form on his lips, the next part was the bit he liked most.

‘I sentence you to 10 lashes’ he said, still grinning, the crowd gasped, they had never heard of this punishment before, who would administer them, Peter shook with dread and fear, he wanted to protest the man in his fifties put his hands to his head.

‘Suspended’ added the judge, and he grinned as he said it,

‘Case closed’ he added, he had had his fun for today he enjoyed that, he thought the fear he saw in the prisoners eyes were enough punishment this time, but it felt good to the judge to make him sweat, the two deputy’s opened the cage and gestured for Peter to leave, Philip Lenan stood and left the hall, it was then Peter noticed the sheer size of the man, and as Philip left he stared at Peter, grinning, and as the crowd dispersed, relieved that there was going to be no public lashing or hanging, at least not on this day, Peter ran towards his family, grateful to be reunited as he hugged them and saw that they were all well, and for that moment Peter thought their nightmare was over, he thought they would be set free, he didn’t know it had only just begun.

‘Where the hell are we dad’ asked Lily as she wept and hugged her father, Nathan clung on to his leg as if he would never let go, Eileen was just pleased to have him by her side so they could try to sort this mess out, she needed him now more than ever, she didn’t realise how much they all depended on him.

‘It will be okay’ he told Lily as he hugged her, he doubted his own words and that’s what scared him most.

‘They’ve given us a house’ Eileen told him as they went to leave, outside Peter noticed the man in his fifties, the one who helped him, he shouted,

‘Excuse me’ at the man, Tony Griffiths turned and saw Peter standing there, their eyes locked and a smile drew on Tony’s face,

‘Thank you’ Peter said as he held out his hand to shake it,

‘No problem’ smiled Tony as he shook his hand,

‘What would have happened if I pleaded not guilty?’

‘Don’t ask’ said Tony ‘I’ll see you about’ he added