Giving Evidence

I charge down the steep grassy bank, trying to catch up with Laura, who got a head start on me. She comes to an abrupt halt at the bottom and I crash into her, laughing.

She’s laughing too. We need this. We’ve both carried so much pent up tension around these last few days.

She brushes her coat down and checks her watch. ‘It’s time we were in court.’

I nod, and we make our way back out of the park and along the road. She changes her shoes. We have to look smart in court. We’re important witnesses.

I’m deep in thought as I walk beside her. My life has changed so much for the better since I started living with Laura. Simply being able to share affection with someone who loves me unconditionally has been so amazing. I’ll never take her for granted. Never.

Laura tells me I’m very special – that there’s never been anyone like me before. That I'm unique.

We meet our solicitor just outside the court building. He reminds us that this case is extremely important because the world’s media will be watching – that the implications of the evidence we are about to give could influence people all over the world.

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I wish my brother could have come with us, but Laura reckons it would have upset him too much.

We enter the building and the security guards nod to us. One of them pats my back as I walk past. I flinch at the contact because I’m not used to being touched by strangers, though I know he is just being friendly, and doesn't want to hurt me, or invade my space.

And so, the mighty machine of legal proceedings slowly churns into life. People keep getting up and giving evidence – quoting all kinds of statistics and talking about samples and forensics. I can’t really follow this. Science is pretty meaningless to me, I haven’t got that kind of mind. It’s a struggle to stay awake in places. Eventually, there’s a break and we got some air. Laura and the solicitor fetch coffee. I just want a drink of water.

A journalist appears and Laura gives a quick interview. I decline to speak to them, saying I want to save what I have to say for the court.

Then we’re back inside, and Laura is called up to give evidence. She does such a good job – tells them everything she saw and what those evil people did to me and my friends. She doesn’t hold back as she relates how they forced me to take drugs, and how badly they beat me.

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Then it’s my turn. They’re calling me!

As I start to get up, a man in a suit at the back of the courtroom starts shouting, ‘You can’t allow this. It’s obscene! He can’t give evidence. He’s a FREAK!’

His face is bright red and he looks so angry. I stop in my tracks, beginning to feel nervous for the first time.

The security guards are upon him. They bundle him roughly out of court and he’s still shouting ‘freak!’ over his shoulder as he’s shoved through the door. The judge has to fight to restore calm, and Laura asks whether I want her to accompany me. I tell her I need to do this on my own.

I get up and walk calmly over to the microphone. There’s over a dozen photographers at the back, all straining forwards and jostling each other to take pictures of me. I turn and look at them for a moment. Does this mean I’m now famous? Will people all over the world see my picture?

I’m enjoying the attention, and so I start to walk more like a celebrity – holding my head high. I can’t reach the microphone of course, so someone fetches a chair. I spring lightly onto it, resting my front paws on the wooden plinth.

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The man who questioned Laura is standing in front of me. I try to focus totally on him. Even a human could have heard a pin drop at that moment!

‘Beagle number 431537. Now known as Max,’ he begins, tonelessly. ‘Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?’

‘Yes!’ I shout, practically yelping. I’m not going to hold anything back about what they did in that evil place.

A hushed gasp ripples round the courtroom as I begin to speak. I guess I’m going to have to get used to that reaction, and now that I’m famous I’ll have to start being very careful about where I walk and who I allow near me.

It’s worth it, though. I’m making history. If I can make a difference today, I will. If I can help save all the others out there who can’t talk, I will.

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