Jacob had been released on parole, all things considered, it's not that bad.
"We won, Mr. Anderson. Thank you very much for your efforts," Jacob felt much happier about his lawyer's victory than his own freedom, but no one could be blamed. He needed time to adjust to the life he was leading.
People believe they are prepared and have overcome things from the past when, in reality, it's not the case. Jacob, after leaving his original world behind, believed he was escaping his life and somehow wanted to leave it all behind. But now, he was lost once again after finding his way.
He missed that feeling of freedom, without ties, where everyone recognized his efforts to seek something in common. He still remembered those corpses burning in the flames of war, all those who died at his hands and those who sacrificed themselves for him in the war. He even missed Katniss, Jacob missed her a lot.
"Damn system!" The shouts of the father of the child whom Jacob killed continued to haunt him.
When Mr. Anderson saw this, he signaled to Jacob that it was time to return to his family, and both of them left through the right side of the courthouse.
People were still surprised by this outcome, while others who were better informed awaited it with great certainty. After all, who is defending Jacob? Lawyer Anderson, who has never taken a case he couldn't win.
Many university students meticulously analyzed Jacob's case, and after he was denied parole, they thought it was too difficult to win. However, after Mr. Anderson's last piece of evidence supported the statements of many people, he won the trial in his favor.
Jacob's handcuffs were removed. After this, he straightened his clothes and walked towards where his parents were, but this time he couldn't see his brother. Something significant must have happened for him not to be present.
"Are you alright, son? Let's fly back home." Andy said with a comforting smile after his son was cleared of charges. What comes next will be much easier, and their lives were not affected as public opinion was in their favor after the video they received was posted online.
Laurie, Jacob's mother, handed him a long black hoodie to cover his face. She could see the dark circles under her son's eyes, his more defined body, and she noticed his scarred knuckles from self-inflicted wounds.
"We must stay united as a family!" Laurie knew they had to show the public that their family remained united, to give others the impression that everyone supported Jacob.
How much longer did they have to pretend everything was fine when their family was more shattered than a fragmented glass?
Jacob left the court with his parents, Andy and Laurie, as camera flashes burst around them. Journalists and reporters crowded around to get a response from Jacob about his feelings after winning the trial.
"Can you give us a few words?"
"What does it feel like to have been in prison while acting to defend your brother?"
"Is it true that your brother gave a statement against you that harmed your trial?"
"Where is your brother right now?"
Jacob, with anger on his face as he remembered those cameras pointing at him in the Capitol, stopped for a moment and felt the temptation to lunge at the cameras. But before he could do so, Lawyer Anderson appeared by his side and gave an official statement.
"Please give my client some space. This has been an overwhelming experience for him, and now we need some privacy to process everything that has happened. On behalf of Jacob, I want to thank all those who have supported his defense and believed in his innocence. Now is the time for him and his family to start rebuilding their lives."
"What does Jacob think about the family he affected after inadvertently killing a young man?"
The journalists continued with their questions, but Lawyer Anderson stood firm and protected Jacob and his family from media intrusion. They walked together towards the car as the cameras kept rolling and reporters kept asking questions.
Jacob felt extremely angry about the attention focused on him. It all felt so identical to the attention he received in the Capitol that, at that moment, there was no difference between his two separate lives.
As they walked towards the parking lot, Jacob could see a figure sitting in the back seat. That was his brother Ethan. If it had been a year ago, with Jacob's current state of mind, he would have beaten him until his teeth were broken. But there were better ways to get revenge on that stupid brother.
"Publish those messages with his account, those messages must reach the public!"
"[Understood, master. The messages will be posted on your brother's social media accounts in a few minutes!]"
"Thank you very much, Mr. Anderson. I will contact you to discuss what comes next and have a more elaborate plan," Andy said as he bid farewell to Jacob's lawyer.
"Take it easy, Mr. Barber. We'll take care of that this afternoon," responded Anderson, observing Jacob's silent performance.
As Jacob got into the car with his parents, he promised himself that he wouldn't let his anger affect his emotions. He knew there were many more ways to destroy his brother, to make him suffer a little for what he had gone through due to a series of events that triggered his problems.
"Well, let's go home for now," Laurie mentioned after seeing Jacob's silence through the rearview mirror and Ethan, who seemed a bit nervous.
"Ethan, aren't you going to greet your brother?" Laurie asked, noticing Ethan's silence upon seeing his brother again. This time, Ethan, who was usually talkative with his parents, remained silent, refusing to speak.
"He must be very happy about our victory. We shouldn't be bothered by small things." Jacob, who was observing what was happening outside through the car mirror, mentioned in a calm tone.
"Yes, that's what we should do..." Laurie nodded and didn't say anything more after hearing Jacob's words. His son's newfound indifference made her feel uncomfortable.
"Well, son, here's your cellphone and your wallet. I added some dollars so you can buy all the books you want," Andy said after getting into the driver's seat and handing Jacob his belongings.
"[Master, inside your wallet is the card with the money you received as a reward after your successful experience in the first world you traveled to!]"
"Is that so?" Jacob thought as he checked his wallet, and indeed, there was a black card. It appeared normal, but it should contain the tax-free $100,000, or at least that's how it was supposed to be.
Andy drove back home in silence, his mind filled with conflicting thoughts and emotions. Upon arriving home, he noticed a group of reporters waiting at the entrance. As he prepared to face the questions, one of the journalists asked, "Mr. Barber, can you tell us what will happen to your family after your son's controversial messages on social media?"
Andy, surprised and also angry, responded, "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what messages you're referring to. I haven't been keeping up with social media recently."
At that moment, another reporter approached and extended their phone toward the car window. On the screen, Andy could see a recent message on Ethan's account.
"Mr. Barber, it seems that your son has posted something new on his social media. You might want to take a look."
"[I'm very nervous about living with my brother again. If you don't hear anything from me in a few days, it means my brother killed me at night as revenge for testifying against him. Living with a murderer is terrifying!]"
Andy took the phone and read the message carefully. His face showed concern and confusion as he read it.
"Did my son Ethan post this?"
Andy, feeling a whirlwind of emotions, looked at the reporters without knowing what to say. He was aware that this new development would only add more pressure and media attention to his already complicated situation.
Andy, with a tense voice, said, "I appreciate you showing me this message. It's evident that I first need to verify if that account really belongs to my son."
"Ethan, what did you do?" Laurie exploded at her son, sensing what had happened.
"I didn't do anything, Mom," Ethan responded, clearly confused.
"Didn't we tell you to stay away from social media since the press was watching our every move?" Laurie asked again.
"But I didn't do anything, Mom..." Ethan was genuinely confused.
"First, let's go inside the house. We can't talk about this here," said Andy, angry like never before.
Jacob, on the side, looked at the roses he had planned to plant in the garden of his house a month ago, a smile forming as he saw those roses. This is the only thing he would do to Ethan. If he couldn't withstand this kind of punishment imposed for his betrayal, Jacob would truly be disappointed.