The Serial Pest | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: The Serial Pest | Previous Challenge Entry
By Robyn Harbour
05/19/16
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Judge Robert Brown adjusted his black robe and checked his greying hair in the mirror before leaving his office for another day in the courtroom. The case he was trying was particularly difficult and he could see many long days ahead listening to the evidence.

The stress of his marriage breakup combined with this particular case had put a lot of pressure on his mental health and he had reverted to the secret vice he had in his university days. Then it had been just a student prank but now it was more of a challenge and a way to relieve his stress.

When the pressure got too much he would sneak out of a night into a neighboring suburb dressed in disguise to bamboozle any home security cameras that might be operating. He would creep from yard to yard picking up pot plants and garden ornaments and place them in lines like soldiers on the side of the road.

Last night he had lined up 30 pot plants. At the last house he visited he came across two plastic outdoor chairs, these he put at the front and back of the row. He went back for two garden gnomes that were at the first house and he sat one on each chair. ‘Just like a freight train’ he said quietly to himself.

At 3am the streets were always deserted and he was able carry out his twisted humor un-noticed. For some unknown reason, sneaking around in the dark, moving objects without being caught gave him a thrill and relived the pressure of the stress that had built up. Mischief over, he had silently gone back to his car and drove home for a couple of hours sleep before facing the next challenging day.

On his way into the courtroom he walked through the court reception area. He noticed the headline on the daily newspaper. SERIAL PEST STRIKES AGAIN and the accompanying photo was of his work a few nights earlier. He smiled to himself and thought, ‘I am doing no harm to anyone and am clever enough to get away with it.’

The day dragged as both the prosecution and defense argued their case, witnesses gave their evidence and the jury retired for the night. After little sleep last night he was looking forward to an early bedtime.

As he walked down the steps of the court house towards his car he was accosted by news reporters and cameras.

‘Judge Brown, what is your opinion of the Suburb Sneaker, would you consider him a serial pest?’

‘I think he has mental problems. I agree with the papers that say he is a pest, but he doesn’t harm anyone.’

‘Your Honor, what sort of sentence would you give him if he was before your court?’

‘I’d throw the book at him,’ Robert replied.

Two policeman then stepped out from the shadows. ‘Judge Brown, you are under arrest, you are charged with removing objects from family homes and placing them on the road.’ They proceeded to handcuff Robert.

‘How did you know it was me?’ he asked. The policeman showed him a wallet that had been accidently dropped at one of the houses he had visited during the night.

As Robert got into the police car he couldn’t decide what he would miss more, hearing cases at the court or getting up to mischief by sneaking out of a night.

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