Dream within a Dream Ch. 01

"A beautiful piece of work, it was, too." Cindy replied, deadpan straight, not rising to the bait.

Part 5 - The Executioner's Song

As evening came on, the waiting room began to fill up. Priemus had little family, just some cousins. They stayed in there a while before being asked to go to another part of the prison. Some reporters that were being allowed to witness and report on the execution had been shown into the waiting room with us.

Priemus's lawyer came out right around sundown. He was youngish, probably still idealistic. He introduced himself as Jeff Nations and said he was headed out to make one last try at a stay of execution. He then left. Some moments later, Reverend Williams and Pastor Westboro came into the room. Only State Chaplain Ikea was allowed to stay with the prisoner on his last walk to the execution chamber.

"I never had a chance to even speak to him." said Williams quietly to me a few minutes later. "Guards just would not leave us alone, even after I protested... especially after I protested. Something's up, Commander, something's up. And I think you know that." I just nodded, then thanked Reverend Williams for trying on my behalf.

The crowd outside was getting a bit larger, many burning candles. It was not as large a crowd as I'd seen on newscasts in the past; this case had not really generated much Media interest beyond excoriating Republican legislators as bloodthirsty savages determined to use the death penalty to scourge the populace. Yeah, I'm exaggerating; and yes, I hate the Press.

"Ladies and gentlemen," said a youngish man in a suit with very black hair, "I am Assistant Warden Cox, and I am here to brief you on what is going to happen tonight, barring a stay of execution. The prisoner is having his last visit with his family, and will be served his last meal in about half an hour. He requested steak, chicken tenders, and pizza."

"After the last meal, he will be escorted by the Warden, prison guards, and and the Communications Officer, who will receive any messages if there is to be a stay of execution. The prisoner will also be escorted by the SBI Chaplain Ikea on his final walk to the death chamber."

"The prisoner will be strapped to the table, and then three drugs introduced into his body via two tubes, one in each arm." said the spokesman. "The first drug is a sedative that will render him unconscious. The second is a fast-acting paralytic, which will cause the muscles to stop working completely, including the diaphragm. The third is a potassium compound that will stop the prisoner's heart, rendering him instantly dead."

"In this State, there are three men behind a wall that have three buttons to push in front of them. They will push these buttons in order at the same time. Only one button actually delivers the drug, and the whoever's button delivered the first drug may or may not be the one to deliver the second drug when the second buttons are pushed, and so on. Are there any questions?"

"Yes." said a reporter. "I'm John Hardwood, KXTC News. Lethal injection has been outlawed by several States as being painful, and therefore cruel and unusual. Will this prisoner feel pain as he is executed by the State?"

The young man replied "There has been controversy over the painfulness of this procedure. However, if properly done it will be painless for the prisoner, and death will be pronounced quickly. Yes?"

A reporter from the City asked "Will you be in touch with Governor Jared the entire time, in case he changes his mind and gives clemency to the condemned man?"

"Yes." said Assistant Warden Cox. "We are in touch with the Governor, who of course could stop the whole procedure at any time. We're also prepared to receive and act upon any stays from the Courts, should they come. Any other questions?" There were none.

"Okay, we'll escort you to the witness room now. Police officers with weapons will be required to clear them and have plastic ties placed on them." This was done to my weapon as well as Cindy's, Nash's and several other officers in the room. Some of these officers were from Westphalia, here to witness the execution of the man the State and a Jury had said had murdered one of their brothers-in-blue.

We were then led down a long, darkened hallway. There was an occasional window to the outside, and I could see the group of death penalty protestors along the outside fence, the candles shining brightly in the darkness of the night.

The witness room was like a small theater room, with rows of chairs with armrests. The family was at the front left, and the reporters dominated the front rows of seats. I and my fellow officers sat near the back. The Reverends Williams and Westboro were near the door, to my right. Watch Captain Lockhart was also in the room, standing by the door as if guarding it.

There was a TV in the witness room. It had been turned to the news, which was of course about the impending execution. Another TV beside it was closed-circuit, available to neither the Press nor the Public. It showed the hallway the prisoner was walking down, the Warden leading, the Chaplain beside him reading Scripture out loud.

Only the Warden and Communications Officer came into the death chamber with the condemned man. The Prisoner, Lance Priemus, seemed calm, but there was a sheen of sweat glowing on his brow. He did not resist as he was strapped onto the table.

The Communications Officer was holding a telephone to his ear. The television screen of the media broadcast was showing in every detail possible that Governor Jared was on the phone, was denying clemency, and ordering the Warden to proceed.

The Warden read from a script the Court order to put Priemus to death, then asked if the prisoner had any last words. Lance Priemus looked up at the window, and I prayed that he would shout the name of his traitor, the Shadow Man. But he only shouted "Deuteronomy 32:35!" then let his head fall back to the table. The Warden left the room.

The closed-circuit TV showed the three guards ordered to press a button. It actually just dripped a saline solution, to make sure the lines were clear. Then the guards were ordered to press the first of the three buttons.

The prisoner was looking straight up at the ceiling. I watched, expecting him to close his eyes, but I saw his face getting red, then redder.

"AAAUUUUGGHHHHH!! AAAUUUGHHHH!!"

Priemus screamed, his arms and legs fighting the straps as he tried to move. He was obviously in tremendous agony. None of us had noticed the guards had been ordered to press button two, which they'd done. After seconds more of screaming, the prisoner fell unconscious. Then the guards were ordered to press the last button, which they did with an unlimited capacity for obedience.

I'd felt Cindy's hands grasp my shoulder and squeeze it as she watched the horrific scene in front of us, followed by her burying her face in my arm; she could not bear to watch. I glanced around the chamber, seeing Nash's mortified face, the shock on the faces of the reporters... and in one person, the merest hint of a gleam of the eye.

"Something's gone wrong!" I heard someone shout. "Something's not right here!"

For Priemus, it was finally peace. It was anything but peaceful as reporters tore at the door, almost knocking down the two ministers as they rushed to leave and get the story out. I noted behind the glass that prison officials, including the Warden, were scurrying about, and that the room was becoming like a disturbed ant bed.

I saw that the doctor was checking on the prisoner, making the certification that meant that whatever secrets he'd held were now gone. Lance Priemus was dead.

It is amazing how slowly politicians act... until their jobs are threatened. I saw the Warden and his young assistant come into the witness room, their bulging eyes staring at me. Other police officers and guards had been looking around in confusion, but followed the the Wardens' look, and I soon and suddenly felt many pairs of eyes looking right at me.

*BRING!* *BRING!* *BRING!*

The cellphone ringing... was mine. Seeing who it was, I answered it.

"Yes, Governor?..."

To be continued.