Witness

•CHAPTER 8•

Ricky filled me in on what else I missed. Apparently I was asleep for a day, so that means I lost two days of helping Ashley.

She probably thought I abandoned her. She wouldn't trust me at all. Things just keep getting harder and harder.

Ricky also said that the police and casinos are starting to solve the mystery of their 'stolen money.' They're getting onto me.

Constantly throughout my bedridden day, birds were chirping loudly outside. Finally, when I couldn't take it anymore, Ricky turned on he television.

Don't birds hibernate? Shoo! Go away! I desperately wanted to yell at birds.

I think I'm going crazy.

"Ricky, I've been bedridden for a day now. I'm fine." He slapped his hand on my forehead checking for my temperature.

"If I let you go, promise me to take it easy. It's your first day from being sick. You're vulnerable to more diseases."

"Yeah yeah. Come in! Let me stretch. Or at least get a drink at the only good bar in town."

"You're gonna have to do better than that, Kyle." Ricky said and I rolled my eyes.

"Fine. Please please please take me to your bar! It's the best bar in town and has the most handsomest bartender!"

He laughed and accepted my plea.

I shouted in excitement and Ricky yelled at me to stop but I ignored him.

"Dude, you have no idea how good this feels." I said to him. He gave me an evil stare.

"Ahhh good ol' beer."

"You are so... what's the word... weird?" Ricky asked.

He had just opened his bar which was still cold. Barely anyone was there since it just opened.

"Kyle, my dad called while you were dead." Ricky began. "He wanted to talk to you, but when you literally couldn't talk, I listened to him."

"What? Is something wrong?" I asked when Ricky went all serious.

"He said that the real reason why you can't come home is because he doesn't want you to see him."

"Why?" I asked confused. Why wouldn't my own dad want to see me? Or vise versa?

"Because he ran into something with your mom and isn't home right now."

Whaaaat? My dad is with my mom?

Did he run away with her??

"What did I do wrong?" I asked Ricky.

"Kyle, you know you did nothing wrong. Stop eating yourself up. Hell, for all we know, your dad could be home tonight."

I knew Ricky was right. I couldn't jump to conclusions.

The door to the bar opened and a man I knew too well came in.

I lowered my head and kept it down, praying he wouldn't notice me.

"Ricky, that's the gang leader." I whispered and he heard enough to understand.

The man sat down two seats from me and Ricky began to serve him.

"Come here before?" He began.

"Yeah, a few times." The man relied.

"Alright. What do you want?"

"Anything you got."

And Ricky disappeared behind the bar, leaving me alone.

I thought about using my knife for protection, but then I got another idea. If this man comes here every day, I can sneak past him into his room and save Ashley.

But this man knew I was a criminal. Damn World Wide Web!

Ricky returned and handed him a sizzling beer.

I slipped out of my seat and avoided eye contact with him.

Ricky stared at me as I joined him behind the bar and crouched down so I couldn't be seen from above.

"What are you doing!" He hissed as he crouched down below.

"I need you to save his receipt. Or bill. Or whatever. I can find out his name."

"Dude, you didn't have to come all the way here to just tell me that."

"I know. But sitting next to him is honestly very creepy."

Ricky popped up from behind the bar and served the man his bill.

He signed it and took his beer with him, even though it was still in the glass.

"Give me it!" I ripped it from his hands.

George Fullick

"Yes! Now I know who he is!"

"So? What good is that?" Ricky asked confused.

"I can search him. He's bound to have some relatives on social media or something."

"Then what?"

I thought for a moment. I figured since he knew my identity which could get me arrested, that maybe if I knew his he would be arrested. But if he's done nothing wrong with no proof, then I'm stuck.

"He has proof of my crimes. Cameras. What's proof of his crime?"

"What if you look at security cameras for his van? The grace it back to where he picked up girls." Ricky suggested.

"How do I know which van is his?" I asked.

"Look for him. And girls."

Right, I never told Ricky about Ashley. Did I? Honestly, I have no idea what happened when I was sick.

But how do I get into traffic cameras?

My dad!

Of course. The one person I need ran away with my mom. And he always said he will be here. Now I am actually stuck.

"I'm gonna go see if my room rent is expired or not." I replied.

Ricky was not fond of the idea, but I had nothing else to do. Besides, Ricky lent me his coat so I'll be warmer. And not die from sickness.

I found myself actually dreading what I was planning on doing. How did I get myself into this?

I don't even remember. It was probably my curiosity.

Sometimes it can come in handy. Sometimes it leads you straight to your nightmares.

Or death.