Writers debate: Fiction

Chapter 4: Reality Check Freedom… What a concept… No more running. No more hiding. I couldn’t believe it. Just last night the T.V. said the police were still hot on my tail. And now, after injuring two police officers, branding a firearm in a court house and, running from law enforcement, I was somehow going to be able to escape from all of this Scott free? This almost seemed too good to be true to have happened in the course of a day. But I had no reason to suspect that a police officer would lie to me. I decided it was kind of weird that he had randomly started to talk to me about the Jason Stiles case. I continued to run, while I considered my options. My girlfriend probably thinks I am a monster after my actions. Will she ever take me back? How will I be able to just continue on living the way I used to as if my parents weren’t dead and I weren’t responsible for one of them? How was I supposed to go anywhere, do anything without catching the attention of the public eye, people hating me, thinking I am a monster. I could not go back, free or not free. I decided that I was going to start a new life. Maybe go to church with the Talbot's, and find god. Maybe I will go my own way, and explore the world. I needed to find myself, and I needed to find peace, and going back to how things were before wasn’t the way. I stopped for a minute, realizing that I had been running for over 6 miles. The road ended, with barricades saying “End of Road”. Behind that, there was a tree line, leading into a Forrest. As I let my cardio adjust, I sat down to rest my legs. I felt emotions, as I considered my situation. Starting over. I could find love, I can find happiness. Happiness… Was that even possible now? I had to believe it was. I had to believe I could over come this. I put my face in my palm, sighing. As I pulled my palm away, I noticed a little red dot on the back of my hand. What the… Shoot. It was a trap. “JASON STILES, This is the FBI. Put your hands behind your head and lie flat down on the ground.” Three Police officers emerged from the woodline, all aiming M4’s at me. I knew the police officer that talked to me was baiting me, waiting for back-up. This was it. It was either death, or escape. I chose escape. I took my chance and bursted left behind one of the barriers. Whiz, Ping, Ping! Three shots were fired at me, one whizzing right by my head. Two more FBI agents flanked me from my right side. I did a barrel role as a couple more shots were fired. I realized they weren’t shooting live ammo at me, but concussion shots based on the slow movement of the projectiles. I was exposed in the middle of all the FBI agents, as 4 more flanked me from my left side. No more escape routes were present options any more. I let out a cry, and dashed at the nearest officer, but didn’t make it more than three steps before I was barraged with concussion shots, 2 to the head, three to the body. Everything went black. I woke up feeling pain all over my body, and a massive head ache. I opened my eyes, and felt blinded by a bright light in my face. I could see nothing, but bright, annoying, harsh light, so I closed my eyes. I tried moving my arms. They were numb, but heavy. I was hand cuffed, and my legs were cuffed together too. Sh1t. I was going to die for a crime that I didn’t commit. Maybe I deserved it. Maybe this was how it was supposed to end. At least I wouldn't’t have to think anymore. Maybe death would be easier than having to live a life in hiding, regret, and bad memories. Reverend Talbot lived a life of pain. That must have been torturous to endure for years on end. I didn’t know if I was strong enough for that. Maybe the death penalty was the way to go. Maybe getting caught was a good thing. “Jason, glad see your awake.” A low male voice said from what sounded like a few feet away from me. I tried to open my eyes, but was instantly blinded yet again by the light, making my head hurt even worse. There was a chuckle. “Here, let me help you with that. Then there was a buzzing sound, and I felt my body moving upward. Noticing the brightness dim from behind my closed eyelids, I finally opened them. I saw that I was on a raising chair, in a small rectangular room, that I instantly noticed was moving. I had to be in the back of a vehicle. Across from me sitting on a stool was a handsome FBI officer. “I have questions for you Jason.” He said seriously, as he withdrew a notepad and pen from his shirt pocket.” I looked around groggily, head pounding. “Where am I?” “You don’t seem to be in a position to be asking questions, but I think it should be obvious that you are in route to a holding facility, where you will be given lethal injection in one weeks time. But let’s not get ahead of our selves. Where have you been hiding, Jason?” He asked calmly, prepping his pen by removing the lid. I just said nothing. “Don’t test my patience Jason. Tell me what I need to know or-“ “Or what?” I said. “You cannot do anything to me. I will not talk. If I am dying in a week for a crime I didn’t commit, then I have no obligation to tell you anything.” I spat at the floor near him to emphasize my firmness. He just laughed, and stood up. “You’re wrong.” “ I did not kill my mother!” I shouted angrily. “I am not talking about that part. I am talking about the ‘you cannot do anything’ part. Take a look around you Jason. Do you see any cameras?” he said with a smirk. I looked, and indeed, there was no cameras. He approached me, and put both thumbs on my eyeballs, forcing me to close my eyes. I struggled, and squirmed, but to no avail. The chair I was cuffed to impaired any chance for escape. Then he added pressure to his thumbs. I screamed in agony, as pain flooded into my eye sockets. I saw flashes, and colors, and blood…. “AGGGGGHHHHHHHH!” Then the pressure stopped. And he pulled away. I was panting, and blood was coming from my mouth as I had bitten my tongue. I wearily opened my eyes, everything a blur with tears and blood. “Are you going to comply with me now Jason?” He asked, remaining calm. “Fvck you!” I said, almost regretting saying it instantly, knowing pain would follow. I swallowed hard as I watched him remove a tiny remote. “Then you leave me no choice.” He said, and pressed the button. Electricity ran through my bones ravaging me. I couldn’t even scream with pain, and my body writhes, jolted and bounced in the chair. The pain seemed to go on four hours. Finally it stopped. I was drooling, and crying. “Please… Please… Just kill me, please!” “All in good time. But first, you need to tell me what I need-“ Everything seemed to go into slow motion as the world seemed to turn upside down. The FBI agent, was thrashed horribly against the wall breaking his neck, as the trucked rolled over, getting holes torn into the sides. The truck stopped it’s roll, lying on its side. Someone had ran into the truck, either on accident, or… to rescue me. Then light flooded the truck, as the back door was open, revealing a figure. “Let’s get out of here Jason, quick!” Whoever it was then moved to help release me from my chair which I was now sitting sideways in, as it was bolted to the ground.