Are you alright?” Clara asked him as he stood next to his car, looking at the house in front of them. It was a nice little house on a quiet street in Sevenoaks, just an hour outside of London and John had grown increasingly nervous on their way here.
“I'm not sure,” he replied.
“Well,” she said, “If you want to know the truth about what happened 26 years ago, the answer is probably behind that very door.”
“Yes, you're probably right.”
He held out his hand and Clara took it and together they stepped towards the door. It opened before they even had the chance to ring the bell.
“You must be John Smith,” a man in his mid 30s greeted them with a friendly smile.
“And I suppose you're Mr Farley. I hope you didn't mind that I brought some emotional support along,” John said, pointing at Clara.
“Hi, I'm Clara Oswald,” she greeted the man and shook his hand before he invited them both inside.
John sat down at the dinner table, not letting go off Clara's hand.
“You said you wanted to talk about what I saw the night this guy got killed on my street?” Mr Farley asked.
“Yes,” John said, clearing his throat, “I want to be absolutely honest with you. I was the other man involved in the fight during which my friend died. I suffered a trauma to the head and I remember nothing of that night. I want to know what happened. I've been to prison for 25 years not remembering what it was that I had done. I need answers.”
Mr Farley frowned and for a very long moment he said nothing at all.
“You were at the window,” John said, “I remember seeing a boy. But that's all.”
“Yes, I was. I,” he paused, “I liked watching the gang, imagining that one day I could be one of them or that they'd take care of my bullies.”
“What gang?”
He shrugged. “I don't know, just a gang. I was a boy, I didn't know what it was about. Just that around the time of the incident there was a gang hanging out behind the bar. You said you were there with a friend? And he was killed?”
John nodded and swallowed hard.
“They killed your friend, probably. I, erm, I remember two men coming out of the bar, arguing and they surprised the gang. It all went down very quickly. I don't remember much. But they attacked you. It was over in a heartbeat.”
He wasn't quite sure if he was hearing the young man correctly and it was Clara's voice, calling his name, that brought him back to reality.
“John,” she squeezed his hand, “That means maybe you didn't do it after all.”
“Tell me more. Tell me everything you remember,” John ordered the man.
He shrugged again. “I don't remember much more. They left you there. They never came back after that. I know I should have said something back then, I should have called an ambulance, but I was a scared little boy. It was years before I realized I should have told someone. I lied to my mother as well. She always got mad when I was out of bed at that hour.”
John wasn't entirely sure what a shock felt like, but this would have to be quite close. The things the man said wouldn't make sense. He had always thought there must have been a reason for him to have attacked and killed his friend, but this was not what he had been expecting.
“Would you give that statement to a lawyer?” Clara suddenly asked, “If what you say is true then John spent half of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit at all. It needs to be investigated.”
“Clara, I don't think anyone cares after 26 years,” John found himself saying.
“I care,” she replied strictly, “They should at least look into it whether they find something or not.”
“Of course I'd give the statement,” Mr Farley replied, “Give me the phone number of your lawyer and I'll talk to him. I'm sorry. I should have done this 26 years ago. I'll do anything I can to make that up to you.”
“Thank you,” Clara replied kindly, “We'll text you the phone number once we get home. Thank you for telling us.”
John still didn't feel quite real after they had said goodbye and left the house and Clara offered driving back home, which was probably
你是好的吗?"克莱拉问他当他站在旁边他的车,看着房子在他们面前。它是可爱的小房子,在安静的街道,在欧克斯,只是一小时车程外伦敦和约翰变得日益紧张来这儿的路上。"我不确定,"他回答。"嗯,"她说,"如果你想知道的真相 26 年前发生了什么事,答案可能是在那一扇门后面。""是的你也许是对的。他伸出他的手和克拉拉把它在一起他们跨步走向门口。之前他们甚至有机会可以按铃,打开它。"你一定是约翰 · 史密斯,"一个人在他 30 岁时向他们打招呼以友好的微笑。"我想你是法尔利先生。我希望你不介意我带沿一些情感上的支持,"约翰说,指着克拉拉。"嗨,我是克拉拉奥斯瓦德,"她招呼的人,握了握他的手之前他邀请他们内外。约翰坐在餐桌旁,不会轻易放手掉克拉拉的手。"你说你想要谈谈我看见我的街道上的夜这家伙死了吗?"法尔利先生问。"是的"约翰说,清了清嗓子,"我想要与你绝对诚实。我是其他人卷入这场打架,在这期间我的朋友死了。创伤的头和我的那天晚上什么都不记得。我想要知道发生了什么事。我一直不入狱 25 年记住,我做了什么。我需要的答案。法尔利先生皱起了眉头,为很长一段时间他说不出了。"你在窗前,"约翰说,"我记得见过一个男孩。但这是所有"。"是的我是。我,"他停顿了一下,"我喜欢看岗,想象,一天可能是其中之一或者,他们会照顾我欺负"。"什么岗吗?"他耸了耸肩。"我不知道,只是一伙。我是一个男孩,我不知道是什么。只是在事件发生时周围酒吧后面挂一伙的了。你说你有朋友在一起吗?他死了吗?约翰点点头,使劲咽了口。"他们杀了你的朋友,可能。我,呃,我记得两名男子走出酒吧,他辩称,他们惊讶岗。这一切很快走。我不太记得。但他们攻击你。这是在一次心跳。他并不十分清楚,如果他听到那个年轻人正确,那是克拉拉的声音,喊他的名字,把他带回现实。"约翰,"她捏他的手,"那意味着也许你毕竟没有做过。"告诉我更多。告诉我你记住的一切,"约翰吩咐把那人。他又耸耸肩。"我不记得更多。他们把你留在那里。在那之后他们永远不会回来了。我知道我应该说的东西然后回来,应该打电话给救护车,但我是一个害怕的小男孩。这是几年前我意识到我应该告诉别人。我骗了我的母亲。她总是生气时我已经起床了,在那个时刻。"John wasn't entirely sure what a shock felt like, but this would have to be quite close. The things the man said wouldn't make sense. He had always thought there must have been a reason for him to have attacked and killed his friend, but this was not what he had been expecting.“Would you give that statement to a lawyer?” Clara suddenly asked, “If what you say is true then John spent half of his life in prison for a crime he didn't commit at all. It needs to be investigated.”“Clara, I don't think anyone cares after 26 years,” John found himself saying.“I care,” she replied strictly, “They should at least look into it whether they find something or not.”“Of course I'd give the statement,” Mr Farley replied, “Give me the phone number of your lawyer and I'll talk to him. I'm sorry. I should have done this 26 years ago. I'll do anything I can to make that up to you.”“Thank you,” Clara replied kindly, “We'll text you the phone number once we get home. Thank you for telling us.”John still didn't feel quite real after they had said goodbye and left the house and Clara offered driving back home, which was probably
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