A Simple Confession

Luis sweats under the humming lights for days, refusing to sign the confession. Innocent men do not sign confessions - but the detectives believe he is guilty and hate him.

They wear down his will like skin pumiced until it bleeds. No breaks, no food, no water, no lawyer – just endless questions and angry faces, yelling, accusing.

And then, when Luis can take no more, when he screams for release, one kinder detective not like the rest slips a pen into his quivering hand and whispers gently over his shoulder, “Just sign it and you can go home.”

Luis signs.