Witness

•CHAPTER 3•

I screamed until my throat was hoarse. That cop got it wrong. I was on his top ten wanted persons list, why didn't he arrest me? Maybe he should've...

It was a miracle. Maybe the cop spared me? Didn't recognize me? Just... Wanted to help?

Once I reached town again, I parked my truck and began to walk despite the cold. I didn't mind. Sometimes I prefer walking than driving.

As I rounded a block and came upon a motel, I heard glasses crashing and arguing inside. Ricky's bar was just a block away, I could get help. But maybe it would be too late...

I threw open the door and warmth greeted me. The lobby was packed and the hotel workers were nowhere to be found. Men packed the lobby with few women. The air smelled like smoke and stung my throat.

Cigars were thrown carelessly all over the place and almost everyone held a beer. They were all drunk.

Suddenly, everyone began to shout and I ran towards the center of them, pushing my way through. I ignored the cussing directed towards me.

I reached an opening in the center and immediately stopped. A man was holding the girl down; his hands on her arms and knees on her legs. He looked like a leader with tattoos as skin. Kind of like a scruffy biker...?

My eyes glanced down to the woman who was wearing a bra and the man pulled her pants off. The girl had tears down her face and screamed.

I forced myself to look away as the woman screamed louder. Men laughed around me as the man pulled down his pants. I closed my eyes and had no idea what to do. These men could easily beat me up; it's a 100:1 ratio! But they're even more dangerous when they're drunk...

The men began to cheer as the man laughed and the girl screamed, more tears coming out. She screamed and begged for him to stop, but he continued. I shouted for the man to stop but couldn't be heard over the cheering. I shouted again and again but nothing changed.

I felt helpless and useless. I ran out of the motel and back into the ice cold night.

My hands shook and my nerves were off the edge.

Still, I found myself back to Ricky's bar. Ricky was confused when I walked in and wasn't in a suit; he figured I'd be at the casino. He gave me my usual beer but I didn't even glance at it.

Ricky noticed and went out from the bar and sat next to me. "Kyle, you look like you just murdered someone."

"Thanks." I replied sarcastically. That was all I could think to say.

"Well? What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth to speak but couldn't. My mind was still processing everything that just happened. It happened so fast!

Ricky glanced at my shaking hands and I quickly put them in my pockets.

"I'm worried about you. I will not let you leave until you tell me!" Ricky demanded. "Did the cops catch you?"

"If the cops caught me I wouldn't be here!" I snapped. Some people looked at me but I ignored them.

"Woah, okay. Kyle, please. You know I won't say. I have no one to say it to!" Ricky pleaded.

"I can't. I can't tell you. I don't want to get you involved." I took a deep breath and stared Ricky in the eyes. "I can't clean the bar tonight."

Ricky laughed. "Kyle, I don't care about that. That can't be why you're acting like this."

"I-I saw something." The scene replayed in my mind and I stared blankly at the countertop. "I didn't know what to do. I tried to help, but it was too late."

"Did someone die?" Ricky asked, concerned.

"No, no. But they were hurt. And I just left them in their horrible hands. Tomorrow the same thing could happen again, only worse. Tonight she could go back to wherever they take her and hurt her." My voice was shaky.

"Hey, Kyle. Look at me." Ricky didn't start talking again until I did look at him. "Whatever happened happened. There's nothing you could do to help whoever 'she' is. It's already done. And whatever may happen to her in the future, you could get hurt. Don't get involved. It may cost you your life."

I knew he was right. But something inside me told me not to give up. I could still save that girl from the abuse ahead of her. I could rescue her from that man's hands and take her back home. I had to help, and it's not like I have anything else to live for besides stealing money and visiting Ricky.

"Promise me you will stay out of whatever happened. Promise me!" He commanded.

"Fine. I'll stay out of it." I lied. I hated to lie to Ricky, he was someone I knew inside and out. He would never lie to me, but I had no choice.

"Kyle, I better see your ass in here tomorrow morning as soon as I open up. Or else I'm calling your dad. And if you're not home, I'm hunting you down."

I waved his threat off. He smiled and returned behind the bar. He noticed that I would not be drinking tonight and took my beer away to give it to someone else.

After a while of thinking and thinking and thinking, I exited the bar.