Entering In: Day 8

Word Count: 48,046

Summary of Events:

Levi met with his grandfather about his getting into the fight and their exchange got so heated his grandfather called a family meeting that went little better. Hadia got into a bit of an argument with her mom, and then also one with Matthew over the move to Victoria before being told to pray about it and see what came of that. Traeton was taken to a room to meet with the court-appointed defence lawyer who would be representing him . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

""Now I think the first order of business should be how you plead," Mr. Erickson said.

"Guilty," Traeton replied. "The DNA matches."

"Now, considerin' that you're admittin' your guilt, you've gotta give the jury a reason to go easy on you," Mr. Erickson said. "A reason to feel badly for you, and to think that maybe you're just a victim of your circumstances, but that you ain't really the sort'a person who likes bein' a criminal."

Traeton shifted his jaw.

"I don't think it would be a good idea to show a hard face like that, though," Mr. Erickson said. "It would give conflictin' reports, and actions often speak louder'n words, which would mean people would be inclined to be harder on you if you're goin' to look like that."

"So what do you want?" Traeton asked.

"Well," Mr. Erickson said. "What sort'a situation are you in? Why did you take the woman's purse?"

"Because I don't have any money," Traeton replied.

"And why don't you have any money?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"Because I don't stick around in one place long enough to work a job," Traeton replied.

"And why don't you stick around?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"Because I usually get run out of town before I can try," Traeton replied.

"And what gets you run outta town?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"Usually somebody finding me trespassing on their property to find a place to sleep," Traeton replied. "Or they find me dumpster diving for food or something."

"Do you check out homeless shelters?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"That's where I get my clothes from," Traeton replied. "But I'm just another face to most of them. They don't have the resources to adequately care for everyone."

"Don't you have family?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"No," Traeton replied. "My mom's dead and I've never known my dad, and my grandparents never wanted to see me again after my mom moved out."

"How long's your ma been gone?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"Five years," Traeton replied.

"And she obviously didn't leave you with much," Mr. Erickson said.

"I ran away from my stepfather when she died," Traeton replied. "He was abusive and we hated each other."

"Why didn't you ever know your pa?" Mr. Erickson asked.

"Because he'd just been vacationing where my mom lived and they made love and all that and then he left and that was the end of that," Traeton replied.

"So you're the child of a one-night stand, and your grandparents didn't want you around, and you didn't get along with your stepfather, so when your ma died you ran off and you've been livin' off the streets wanderin' from place to place tryin' to find a place you can stick around and maybe become a respectable citizen, but people keep drivin' you off for tryin' to find a place to sleep or food to eat, and you were desperate for money, so you took the old woman's purse," Mr. Erickson said.

"I was more desperate for food," Traeton corrected. "But money buys food, so I went for money because it was a little bit easier, and it doesn't spoil.""