"He was my very good friend. We never quarreled for once, so what cause do I have to hurt him, talk more of killing him?
"We grew up together. I can't count how many times he'd saved me from trouble and how many times I've returned the favor. It's quite appalling that I should be standing here, being tried for the murder of my best friend..."
The defendant went on and on ranting for minutes on how he was very innocent. The more he spoke, the clearer it became to the judge that he wasn't entirely telling the truth.
"...And I killed him for sleeping with my lover" the defendant concluded after a long narrative.
There was a loud gasp from the crowd.
"Umm.. I meant... Erm... I could have killed him for sleeping with my lover..."
More gasps.
"Sorry, I _couldn't have killed him for sleeping with my lover... Slip of the tongue your honor."
But the judge didn't need to be told at this point that the defendant was not innocent.
"A good liar doesn't talk much" the judge said calmly.
"If you must lie, be brief."
And with that, he went ahead to give his verdict.
RE: STACH Short Story Contest #27: 199 words, 5 winners, 15SB prize pool!