I sat shivering on one of the park benches. It had to be… what? Six o’clock? I didn’t have a watch. To be honest, I didn’t really care. I had more pressing matters on my mind. I stared at the mobile in my hands. They were shaking hysterically, and I gripped tight to the phone. To call or not to call. I’d been debating this for the last ten minutes and still couldn’t come to the right decision. If I turned myself in, I would be admitting to something I’d never done. But if I stayed out here, they would come after me, anyway. The longer I stayed out here, the more I was putting my little brother in danger. But I wasn’t ready. I couldn’t find the courage to make that call. The only thing I could do right now was sit there, staring dumbfounded at the pavement. People would awake soon. Morning joggers. They’d see me if I didn’t hide. I shouldn’t need to hide, I have nothing to hide from, except him. And he’s now the reason I’m hiding from everyone else.
I nearly had a heart attack when my phone rang. I jumped up from my spot, covered it with my hand trying to muffle the sound, as my mind raced into new decisions: to answer or not to answer. I ran for the cover of the trees. I knew I had to answer it. But I didn’t want to. I couldn’t. It wouldn’t shut up. Either I had to start it or end it. Just one button. That was all…
My fingers fumbled with the keypad…
And I answered.
“Hello?”
My voice was horrible. Cracked, whispered. Scared. Very scared. I kept walking through the trees.
“Nicholas Briggs?”
“Yes?”
“Hi there, kid. I’m Senior Sergeant Samuel Peterson, I’m with the police. Do you know why I’m calling you?”
I couldn’t help the tears welling in my eyes. This was it. It was over. Deeper and deeper into the forest.
“You want to lock me up,” I whispered, “You want to charge me.”
There was a slight pause on the other end, “Have you done anything wrong, Nick?”
I whimpered like a little boy. Why didn’t he just say it already? You’re going to jail, tell me where you are.
“I…” I stammered. If I was going to jail, I had to toughen up. But I crumbled anyway. “I don’t know.”
“Nick, I think you’re a scared little man, and we’re all worried about you.”
“Whose we?” I choked.
“The authorities. Your step-father.”
I let out a wail. Step-father? Worried? Damn! He had nothing to worry about! He was a King of Power, someone I couldn’t overthrow. Someone I didn’t want to overthrow. Who knew what it would mean for my little brother. Little Damien…
“Nick, you still there?”
“Shut up! Shut up! If I hear about that bastard one more time—”
“Okay, okay. Calm down. Nick, I think you’ve just gone for a nice long walk to try and clear your head. Can you tell me where you are?”
“I…” I stopped. Looking around me. Tree. Tree. Another tree. “No—“
I stopped again. Taking a few more steps forward and peered ahead where the trees cleared. Yes. Yes, I knew that street on the other side. It was a half hour walk from home.
“Yes.”
“Nick. I want you to know I don’t think you killed your mother.”
“Well,” I rushed, “Wha—“
Wait. Did he just say he didn’t think I’d killed her? Was he serious?
“And you’re feeling very lost,” Sam continued, “but you don’t need to run anymore.”
I didn’t say anything. Running still seemed so much easier… even if this guy might believe his innocence.
“I need your word that you didn’t kill her, Nick. You give me that, you can come home and we can talk about it. If you can’t give me that promise, I’m going to have to trace this call and everyone will be after you in a matter of minutes. I don’t want to have to do that.”
“Why?” I whispered, tears streaming down my cheeks, “Why are you doing this?”
“Let’s just say this is off the radar. My partner and I are heading to your step-father’s house now, I’d appreciate it if you met us there.”
“No. No. I’m not doing anything off the radar.”
“I’m not asking you to. That would be my doing. You’re facing great charges, Nick. If I can consult your step-father before you get here, we can consult the evidence and try and find your little brother.”
I leapt at his words, “What do you mean ‘find’?”
“Your step-father seemed to neglect mentioning you had another sibling.”
I could’ve screamed. “I’m coming! I’ll be there in half hour.”
“Your word, Nick.”
“You have it! My word! I watched that bastard kill her! Watched him torture Damien! Experienced it first hand myself.”
I fell to the ground, weeping.
“Half hour, Nick. I’ll see you there, okay? We’re going to end this.”
I hung up the phone, sniffling like a toddler and giving myself a few minutes to calm down. At least someone believed him, right? Maybe it’d be okay after all. I picked myself up, unaware where my feet were really taking me. I had no strength left. But a little bit of that hope had returned. I don’t know how I navigated my way home when I was on such a breakdown, but I did. I didn’t know what to expect. I jumped the back fence, pausing as I landed. I had to pull myself together. This was it. It’d be all okay.
I looked up at the sound of the sliding door opening. Two officers started walking towards me. I edged backwards as they yelled at me.
“Nicholas Henderson?”
I whimpered, hand moving back to the gate. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Heck, why did I answer that call? Which one was Sam? Sam wouldn’t yell at him.
One of them forced me forwards away from the gate, grabbing my arms and pulling out the handcuffs.
“You’re under arrest.”
“For what?” I cried, wrists locked behind me.
“You know what for.”
They led me towards the sliding door. I could see other officers standing around. Many. Too many. Through the sliding door. My eyes searched the room. Our living area, which led into the dining and kitchen. My eyes instantly fell to the body that lie motionless just inside the door to the left. Almost exactly where I’d watched my mother fall, gunned down…
An officer with the name badge, “Senior Sergeant S. Peterson”.
I screamed out a cry of frustration, my legs buckling to the ground, my hair hiding my tear-strewn face. They had to physically force me to my feet again, before leading me out the door. They wanted to lock me up. I was seventeen. My sentence? Thirty.
[1155 words]
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