The 24th Letter

NINETY-FIVE

Two department of corrections officers led Charlie Williams out of his deathwatch cell. There was an awkward silence. One, an older staff member said, “Son, I hope you’ve made your peace with the Lord.”

“And I hope ya’ll know you’re killin’ an innocent man.”

They escorted him into the death chamber. The room was bright white and the gurney was in the direct center. Two more guards stood there, hands clasped in front of them, somber expressions on pinched faces. The warden stood in a corner next to a black phone on the wall. A white curtain on the left side of the room was closed.

“We need to get you ready, son,” said the older guard. “Just go on and make it easier on yourself, you need to lie down on the table.”

Charlie looked through the curtain, his lower lip quivering, his jaw line popping. “I don’t want people to watch me die. It’s not right.”

“State law,” said the warden. “The department has nothing to with it. There has to be witnesses in case somebody tried to say we did something wrong.”

“You’re doing something worse; you’re killin’ the wrong man!”

The warden motioned with his head, three guards surrounded Charlie Williams and led him to the gurney.”

Charlie said, “I can’t just hop up there like I’m crawlin’ in bed to be killed.”

The warden said, “Put him up and strap him down.”

“Noooooo!” Charlie screamed as urine trickled from his full bladder, a wet spot growing on his pants in the shape of a leaf. “Don’t let them see me pissin’ in my pants! Please! God, don’t let them! Don’t open that curtain! I didn’t kill Alex!”

“Hold on, son,” said the older guard in a soft voice.

When they finished the last leg strap, they readied the first chemicals, the needles, and then opened the curtain. Charlie Williams turned his head and looked at the glass. He thought he saw the head movements of people sitting, like seeing a school of fish beneath the water in his grandfather’s pond. He saw his reflection in the glass. He didn’t recognize his own frightened face. And he couldn’t hold back the tears.