Flattery Can Be Fatal
Written by Kealeigh Goreham
"Elias, can I get you another drink?" Dayton asked. Dayton was the local bartender at the Black Rook Brewery in Downtown Hastings.
"Yeah, I'll have another Jack and Coke, but on the rocks this time please. Thanks bro." I said.
He turned away and went to go make my drink. I went to go use the restroom, and all of a sudden, there was a loud explosive noise in the background, and quite frankly, it sounded like gunshots . Just outside of the bar, there was a car on fire. Ambulances and fire trucks came immediately to put out the fire. The car on fire was (or used to be) a blue and silver 2013 Chevy Impala.The make and model of that car sounded familiar. I ran out of the bar as soon as I made the realization that I rode in that Impala to the bar with my close friend and designated driver, Danny. God, I hope he is still alive.
When I got to the car, the EMT's had already gotten him out of the car. There were bullet holes all over the right side of the car.
"Is he still alive?" I asked.
"Yes, but he is in critical condition. He's been shot twice in the arm, and three times in the neck. His chances of even making it to the hospital are pretty slim." One of the EMT's said.
I couldn't believe it. One of my childhood friends, someone with whom I shared part of my life with, was dead. I called an Uber to come pick me up, and take me home.
I opened the door to my apartment, and there was an envelope on the floor. It was red, and did not have an address, or sender. Curious as to what was inside, I carefully opened it, and there was a letter enclosed in the envelope. The letter said,
You took everything from me. Now it's my turn to do the same thing to you. Today was just a little preview of what I am truly capable of.
Meet me in the Square in 24 hours. Come alone.
Play your cards right, and nobody gets hurt.
I am watching you.
-Jackal Simon
From what I've seen in the newspaper and heard around Hastings, Jackal Simon is Westchester County's most wanted criminal. He was arrested for a identity theft and a triple-homicide last year, but somehow managed to escape from a maximum security prison.
I left the note on the table and poured myself a glass of whiskey. I needed to sleep, but I probably won't be able to for a few days.
I closed my eyes, and fell asleep. When I closed my eyes, I saw a shadowy figure standing in front of my bed. I couldn't tell if it was a guy or a girl. They were wearing a panda head and a green morphsuit. This person had a little white towel in one hand, and a gun in the other. The figure reached toward me and whispered in my ear.
"Soon enough, everything that's yours will be mine," the figure said.
They reached for my face, and stuffed the white cloth in my mouth. That is what woke me up.
I kept telling myself, It was just a dream.I counted to 100, counted sheep, tried thinking of cute puppies playing in a meadow, but no matter what I did, I couldn't go back to sleep.
After sitting up for about an hour, I got up and got dressed. I looked at the microwave to see what time it was. The digits on the microwave screen were a glowing green with a blinking colon in the middle of the numbers. It was 5:37 A.M. I had to get ready to go to work, so I might as well stay awake.
In case you were wondering, I work at the Hastings Herald, as the head of the Around Town Department.
I called one of my co-workers, Emily , and asked her for a ride to work.
