The Late Unpleasantness
Seven / Crooked Judges
How will Danielle rescue Susan from the treachery of the crooked judges?
Seven / Crooked Judges
There was a man from Canada named Joe. He married a woman from the CSA named Susan. She had parents who had trained her up since she was a girl to love The One and to do His will. Joe had a wonderful garden adjoining his home. All the people from the CSA wanted to come visit because they wanted to honor Joe.
Unfortunately, Joe had also attracted the attention of two crooked judges. They also came to visit Joe's house mixed in with the crowd of people from the CSA that visited.
At noon when the crowds left, Susan had made it a practice to go to walk in the garden after lunch. But the two crooked judges stayed behind when the crowds left and they admired and lusted after Susan. The two crooked judges spent so much time at Joe's house that they were never in their courtrooms and people who had lawsuits began to go to Joe's house to get their lawsuits tried. Both were so taken with Susan but neither would admit their crush on Susan to the other. They had it so bad that it did not matter that she was married and both wanted her.
Finally instead of going to spy on Susan they both said that they were going home because they wanted Susan all for themselves. Both circled back and they met again at the garden. They finally admitted to each other that they had a crush on Susan. They together plotted to find a time that Susan was alone They got that chance on a warm day that Susan wanted to take a bath in the garden. Susan sent her personal maids back into the house because she wanted to bathe alone not knowing that the two crooked judges had hidden in the garden to spy on Susan.
The two crooked judges sprung their trap on Susan when they came out of hiding. They told her about her choices.
"Susan you have to have sex with us now because if you don't we will both testify to Joe that you have been coming out to the garden to have sex with a young man and you will be disgraced as a wife."
Susan told them," I will not have sex with either of you. I'd rather face the consequences of your lying against me. I have faith in The One that I will be delivered from your hand."
So Susan screamed out to alert all those around that she was in distress. All those around came running up to give aid to Susan. So while Susan was in a compromising position, the crooked judges agreed to tell the story that Susan had been caught by them having an affair with a young man who had gotten away.
Unlike normal, the two crooked Judges were in their court. They sent their bailiffs out to arrest Susan to try her for the crime of adultery which carried the death sentence in the martial law that was in place in the captured United States. So Susan came to court with her maids and all of her family members. She was dressed to the nines and was even veiled because she was so modest. Susan and all of her family from the CSA were weeping since they knew that the the crooked judges would lie in their testimony against her.
The court proceedings started with one of the crooked judges testifying.
"While we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids. Then a young man, who was hiding there, came to her and lay with her. We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them. Although we saw them embracing, we could not hold the man, because he was stronger than we are, and he opened the doors and got away. We did, however, seize this woman and asked who the young man was, but she would not tell us. These things we testify"
The second crooked judge testified saying, " I confirm the other judge's testimony. It happened just as he testified."
The jury deliberated and brought forth a verdict of Guilty and the presiding Judge sentenced Susan to death which was legal since they were under martial law. Susan was allowed to give a statement prior to the sentence being carried out.
"‘The One, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be. You know that these men have given false evidence against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!"
The One led Danielle to enter the courtroom and The One moved her to say:
"I want no part in putting this woman to death unjustly!" Danielle shouted so that all the people in the courtroom could hear her.
The people questioned Danielle whom they respected as a leader from the CSA, "What is this that you are saying?"
"‘Are you such fools, people taken from the CSA, as to condemn a daughter of the CSA without examination and without learning the facts? Let's all return to court, for these crooked judges have given false evidence against her."
The people accorded Danielle the standing of presiding judge due to her reputation as a woman filled with the wisdom of The One.
Danielle decreed that the two crooked judges were to have their testimony examined so one was led to the witness chair while the other was led out of the courtroom to a sound proof room. While Danielle knew that both crooked judges were impeachable, she decided to let their own words do that.
Danielle asked, " Under which tree did you see them being intimate with each other?"
The crooked judge answered, "Under a maple tree." Then Danielle declared him a liar and that The One would deal with him.
Danielle had the two crooked judges swap places. She prepared to question the other crooked judge asking him the same question. The other crooked judge answered, "Under an evergreen pine tree."
Danielle said" You too have lied and The One will carry out judgement against you! " Danielle having proved that they both were crooked revealed what The One had told her about both of them.
"You are citizens of the United States not of the CSA. Her beauty has overcome you and lust has perverted your heart. This is how you have been treating the daughters of the CSA, and they were intimate with you through fear; but a transwoman would not tolerate your wickedness."
The jury deliberated and returned a verdict of 'Not Guilty' towards Susan and returned a verdict of 'Guilty' against the two crooked judges. Danielle as the presiding judge pronounced the sentence of death against the two crooked judges as decreed under Martial Law. So the executioner who the crooked judge desired to kill Susan was the one who put to death the two crooked judges.
Susan's parents, Henry and his wife praised The One for their daughter Susan, and so did her husband Joe and all her relatives, because she was found innocent of a shameful deed.
Comments
cool !
love it!
A Little Extra
Hi Dot,
Thank you for commenting on this chapter. I realize now after needing to pull verse references from the NRSV that my Catholic women's bible doesn't have the Apocrypha in a separate section in between the Old and New Testaments but integrated into the Old Testament. That's when I discovered also that it also has two extra chapters to it which I have included in this story of Danielle and her friends. The next chapter is the last in this novelette titled Lion's Den. I'm glad you are on this journey with me.
Exploring the impossibilities,
Jo Dora Webster on YouTube