The Silent Experiment

The Running Man

"Hey, Johnny, you want to help me with something?" One of the kids, Brad, from my school asked me as we walked to the bus stop.
"Sure, I guess. What is it?" I asked, I had always heard the rumors about how Brad had gotten caught with beer and on another occasion drugs but I wasn't one to quickly judge at the time and had always thought they were just rumors.
"Come here and follow me, I'll show you what it is first." I started following him into the town and we eventually stopped in front of a bar. "You see that box of beer there?" He said, pointing towards a box of beer on the counter.
"Yeah."
"I want you to run in there and steal it."
"What?"
"Run in there... and steal the beer." He said, calmly.
"I'll get caught and in trouble." I said, amazed by what he had asked me to do.
"No you won't, that bartender is fat and slow as can be and there's a door at the opposite end, it leads into an alley, I'll be waiting there alright? Great." He said before I could answer, running off. I thought that since there was nothing really bad that could happen and that I couldn't possibly get caught I waited outside until I saw Brad waiting at the door on the other side of the room. I waited a bit longer and walked into the bar, trying to act casual, and looked around, feeling the bartenders eyes boring into my head. I finally saw my chance and grabbed the case of beer, running for the door, when I felt a hand grab my shoulder. Not thinking, I elbowed the person behind me and ran when I felt the resistance give way. Brad opened the door and yelled at me to keep running, not wanting to argue, I did as he said and kept running, I heard a gunshot and I still kept running. I eventually stopped behind an apartment and sat down, catching my breath. I stayed there for a while when I heard footsteps and I stood up, flattening against the wall. The footsteps came closer and the person finally rounded the corner.
"You okay Johnny?" It was Brad.
"Yeah" I muttered, falling down to my knees. I noticed he had some blood on his shoe and I looked up at him to see blood splattered across his entire upper body. I scrambled a couple feet back and I looked at him with a closer eye, noticing the twitch of his hand and darting of his eyes, I suddenly felt nauseated and groaned.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"It was me or him man, ok?" He said, trying to take a step forward but stopping when he saw the fear in my eyes.
"I- I can't do this man, I can't, you're on your own" I got up and began to walk away when Brad grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back, turning me around.
"Come on man," he pleaded, "you can't do this to me man, you can't do this!" He yelled, his hands trembling as tears began to roll down his eyes. I looked at him a bit closer and realized what I had done. I've got to get myself out of here, I thought to myself. I looked at him, straight in the eye and said three words, "yes I can."
"But... I saved your life..." He said barely above a whisper.
"You're the reason it was in danger in the first place dude." I explained, Brad frowned and then looked at me, anger burning in his eyes. The next thing I know I see a flesh colored blur and, bam, lights out.
"Hey, kid, are you awake, kid?" I groan and shake my head, feeling like I have a stampede of elephants all stepping on the left side of my skull.
"Kid, can you hear me?" I open my eyes, despite the pain, and look up to see a police officer standing above me. I smell copper and look down to see my clothes soaked in my blood, except, I realize, they aren't my clothes, they're Brads. I lay my head down and groan.
"Kid, can you hear me?" I groan and nod yes. "Good," the police officer says, "you are, hereby, under arrest for the murder of John Appleton."