Aurora Magazine 2018

But I aint, a murderer. KYLE You are Marshall Jones? (MARSHALL nods.) KYLE (CONT.)

Convicted of murdering his girlfriend in 1999? Sure, they didn’t have much evidence, no DNA, but you were here boy- friend and the last person with her. They’ve held you here since, but you only confessed to the murder two months ago… no one knows why. I remember watching you on the news when I was just a kid. You were the boogeyman of our tiny town. MARSHALL You’re just like the rest of ‘em. Once you hear a story so many times, it’s like it becomes the truth. Maybe one day you’ll be able to see past what they want you to see. Just to make every- one else feel safe… Even if they got the wrong guy. After all, they couldn’t be wrong…could they? KYLE If you didn’t kill her, then why confess? MARSHALL You got anyone praying for you, boy? KYLE We’re going to go back to this? This is how you want to spend your last minutes? MARSHALL Indulge a dying man, wouldya? I only have five more minutes on this earth. And if I can’t have my steak, I might as well talk to you. MARSHALL (CONT.) I don’t have anyone praying for me. You don’t believe in God, boy? You say you heard of Heaven, but you didn’t seem sure of it. Either you’re sure of Heaven, or you’re not. C O O P E R

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