Hell School

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

   later in summer stone...

  My nerves died completely on our way back home. Each time I try to close my eyes, I end up glueing them open. The image of a family man falling after taking three pistol bullets, while dispersing his duties, kept playing in my head. 

  The only thing I could hear was the shout of the man and the bullets that came afterwards. 

 We sped up the road, trying to get as far away from the park. Some people heard the gunshot and called the cops immediately. The police had already barricaded every route from the park leading to the highway, our speed was a waste.

Ronald breathed heavily as he drove, then one of his unknown friends, sitting next to him at the front yelled at him.

 "Why the hell did you fire the gun?" He asked his eyes wide opened on Ronald. 

 Ronald was breathing loudly and kept his eyes on the road, without saying a word. It made the guy mad he removed a gun from his trouser and pointed it at Ronald. The car came to an halt sharply.

 "I am f*****g talking to you man," he said, pinning the gun to Ronald's skull, "why did you fire the gun? He had no weapon, he was defenseless," he went on, c****d his pistol and pinned harder to Ronald's skull, "why the hell did you kill him?" He bellowed.

 Ronald clasped his hand round the gun and pinned it to his skull harder, I could only watch the Ronnie I knew turn into a demon possessed man. His breath could be heard miles away, gripping the steering wheel with his left hand.

 "You wanna shoot me? Shoot," Ronald yelled, my heart lost rhythm.

 The guy c****d his gun once again, his finger tilting the trigger slowly, "tell me why you shot him?" he said slowly.

 Ronald exhaled sharply, glaring at the guy with rage, "He saw my face alright!" Ronald went on, "Tee set me up, there was no diamond necklace, he took everything behind our backs and w-we all got busted and had to find our ways out." His voice was filled with fear, shaky and topped with tears.

 I nearly peed my pants where I was seated, next to the right door. I saw nothing different from fear of plastered on his scrawny face through the inner mirror. His eyes was red like a smoker, sweating all over his head down to his chest. His head muscles enlarging and contracting. He is definitely not the friend I used to know.

 The two other guys sitting next to me muttered in disbelief of what Ronald claimed. He peeked at them through the mirror and his eyes locked with mime in rage.

 "Tee would never do such a thing like that, you probably snitched on them," the guy said. 

 At first I wondered who Tee was, but then it dawned on me that Tee was the guy who welcomed me and probably their leader. 

 "Look Simon," Ronald said softly, they all looked at me anxiously as Ronald called Simon. They must have kept their names a secret. "Ask Big boy, ask Loki, ask anyone you see, Tee tricked us all, and possibly one of them might have been arrested by now," Ronald said, clenching his teeth, "so we better get moving now before the cops catch up on our trails." 

 Simon returned his pistol back into his trouser, tucking it tight between his belt. And Ronald started the engines. We vroomed straight to the highway.

 We were stopped at the highway intersection, by a police officer flashing his torchlight at our car. Ronald pulled over and cooperated.

 As the police officer walked towards us, I prayed it was not Johnson, no miracle will save us this time around. 

 The police officer, walked round our car slowly, flashing his light at us repeatedly, then he stood by the driver's window, knocking on it. Ronald rolled down the window and he continued flashing at us again. He maintained his flash at Simon who was the most weirdly dressed amongst us. 

 "What are you boys doing here at this time?" He asked, torching at us one after the other.

  We all kept mute, as the police officer kept checking inside our car. I looked down each time his flashlight came my way. His presence alone sent nervous jitters all over my body. I just couldn't bear going back to the police station and a day after suspension at that. I saw Simon sliding his hand, into his trouser, reaching for his pistol. I didn't want to see another family man die or thus turn into a bloodbath.

 "You boys saying nothing?" 

 The thrills traveled up and down my body, then I blurted out "we are coming from--'

 "A friend's place," Ronald chimed in, sweating all over his head.

 He made matters worse as the police officer asked us to call up our friend to verify. 

 Simon took his hand off the pistol and tucked into his pocket to bring out his phone. He dialed a number and said "hey babe," then continued his conversation.

 The officer asked to speak with whoever Simon is speaking with and he complied. 

 "Your friend is a girl? Nice," he returned the phone to Simon and we all grinned at him.

 He took one last scan of our faces, flashing at us with scrutiny. He then told us to leave, without caring to search us.

 Once again we -- Ronald and I -- were safe, lucky, somehow. 

 Ronald dropped Simon and the other two guys off at a bus station, then Simon whispered some words to Ronald, peeking at me awkwardly.

 I didn't care. I just want to go home.

 I checked my phone, its past eight already and mother's call came in five times without me noticing. She must have been worried sick.

 Ronald started the car and we drove on. I didn't say a word about the things I saw or heard and he didn't mention it either. I remained at the back seat though he offered me to seat at the front. I just don't understand him anymore.

 Hw parked in front of my house and turned his eyes at me, "don't say a word about tonight," he said. His voice sounded authoritative.

 What lies ahead of me is after the door.