Silent Witness

Chapter 47

Ryder

The next few hours of school actually went well it was the first time no one bothered me with Aaliyah by our side. Although that was another story as I had to take the bus home today, my dad was working, mom was with Henry and Lacey was sick at home. I knew this was not going to be good because both my friends were picked up by their parents. I thought about walking home but it would take to long and I would rather it be teens then adults attacking me. I climbed onto the bus and it started faster than I expected. "Well if it isn't jailbait, riding the bus" one guy said, I just ignored him and sat down. "Ryder we are talking to you" he said, "leave me alone" I said, "or what? you going to put us in jail too?" he said getting his friends to laugh. "I might if you don't stop" I said. "Haha try it jailbait I am not scared of you" he said and I so badly now wish I had chosen to walk. I wasn't close to my bus stop but I decided to get off anyways I was not going to take this anymore. I mean I sort of half expected them to follow me, "Jailbait where are you going?" the biggest one asked me and I started running. I was hoping I was faster and I could out run them. I mean luck could for once be on my side right? wrong! I was smaller and they of course were able to catch up. "Jailbait! you are not getting away this time" the bigger one said, as his friends held me down. I mean I was most definitely outnumbered, and they were stronger than me I closed my eyes waiting for them to beat me up. 

I wasn't sure what was going on but all of a sudden they let me go and I was alone in an alleyway. Perfect something must of scared them off and then I saw it there was a man laying on the ground. Were they afraid of this man? Was he even alive? "Sir are you alright?" I said giving him a little shove. I knew he was dead as he didn't even move at all and he didn't appear to be breathing. I still had no idea why my bullies ran off though, and I was slightly grateful to this dead man. I walked out of the alley I needed to find someone to call the police but before I could do that they arrived. I thought that was a little weird and I didn't recognize these cops they were not the ones who worked with my dad. I didn't even have a chance to explain before I was handcuffed and put into the back of a police car. Wait was I being arrested? What did I even do I was so confused. I was taken to a police station and it was definitely not the one that my dad worked at, and it was old and run down. I was put into a jail cell, I mean, my god I was only 9 did they really think this was okay. I never did anything and now I am in jail, for what?" "Officer what did I do?" I asked, "shut it kid! you are a murder" he said, "you have got to be joking" I said, "don't make it worse for yourself kid" the officer said, then I saw the big kid that was bullying me earlier. "Thanks dad, how does it feel jailbait" he said, "fuck you I never did anything" I said, "kid stop using that language" the officer said. It felt like I was in a dream, like this had to be fake, and I was being set up here for some reality show. 

I didn't even know that man and I knew now that the bullies dad was the cop who was stupid enough to arrest me. I closed my eyes hoping I would wake up and all of this would be a dream, then another cop walked in. "What is going on here?" he said, "he was found near a dead body sir" the officer said. "Are you delusional this is a child!" he said, "so?" the officer said, "fuck I work with idiots, boy what is your name?" the officer asked me, "Ryder Shaw sir and I didn't murder anyone" I said. "Shaw as in captain Shaw?" he said, "yes he is my dad" I said, "fucking hell Paul you are such a fool!" he said as he opened the cell and let me out. "I am sorry Ryder you are free to go" he said. "Okay but um where am I?" I said, "you are in Washington park, where is it you live?" he asked me. "I live in Wicker park but um I was told to stay away from Washington park" I told him. "Beat it kid before I change my mind" he said and I had no choice but to run out the door. I was a long ways from Wicker park and I wasn't sure how this was going to go. I knew I needed to get home as Stephanie was going to worry but I had no way to let her know where I was, and the adults in this area did not look friendly, and I was a bit scared to be honest. I also had no idea which direction was home so I was a bit out of my element here, than a women walked up to me. "You lost honey?" she asked me, "oh um no I am fine" I said not sure if she was friendly or not. "Not sure it is safe for you to be in this neighborhood are you sure you aint lost?" she said. "I am good thanks" I said as I tried to run away, but then a man came, "what did you find Georgina?" he asked, "A kid you think he could get us a lot of money? His clothes look fancy" Georgina said. "Hmm maybe but let's get him inside first then we can figure it out" the man said. No way was I going to let them get me inside some house, but then I realized they lived in a tent like what the hell.