AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The fire had voraciously consumed not only the car but had also spread to the nearby pumps and structures. Yellow, orange, and red tongues of fire danced wildly, casting an eerie glow on the whole place, making it seem like something out of a horror movie.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!
The heat emanating from the blaze distorted the air, creating shimmering waves of intensity. The fuel pumps hissed and crackled as the flames eagerly devoured them. The acrid scent of burning fuel hung thick in the air, adding a sinister note to the already tumultuous scene.
I stared, not believing what I was seeing even though deep in my heart, I knew it was real.
Sparks and embers spiraled up into the air, carried away by the heated currents, creating a mesmerizing yet terrifying display. I watched them for what felt like forever, trying to convince myself that this was nothing more than a bad dream, but I never woke up.
It took only minutes, but soon sirens wailed in the distance.
Fuck. This is bad, really fucking bad.
Raw panic etched across Ryan’s face as he muttered something unintelligible, his voice growing desperately urgent. “I can’t get caught, Maci. One more strike and they’ll put me behind bars. Meet me at your house later, okay?” Without another word, he darted away, disappearing into the shadows of the night and leaving me to fend for myself all on my own.
What the fuck? One more strike?
Left standing amidst the chaos, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of my stomach. Before I could process what had just transpired, the distant wail of sirens grew closer. Then all of a sudden, I was surrounded. Emergency responders and police cars careened all around me, their flashing lights painting the scene with a stark intensity.
Oh my god… I needed to get out of here.
Even as I turned to flee, my heart pounding in my chest, my feet froze in place. I didn’t move. I closed my eyes. I couldn’t run. That would only make things worse.
You’re already fucked.
“Hands up!” one of the police officers bellowed as he barreled out of his car, gun drawn in the air and pointing straight at me. There were a handful of others that did the same thing and my panic slowly closed in on a breaking point. I blinked away tears.
This was bad.
This was going to ruin my life. There would be no going to college after this. My life would be even more fucked than Kendra’s, and that was saying something. What kind of jail time was I going to face? What would they even charge me with? Underage drinking? Felony destruction of property? Something worse?
A single tear rolled down my right cheek, dripping down to my chin and falling to the ground beneath my feet.
I was nineteen, plenty old enough to be tried as an adult…
I slowly raised my hands, fully surrendering as the officers closed in. Nervously chewing the inside of my cheek, I didn’t move as the sounds of approaching footsteps came closer, even though I wanted desperately to be anywhere but here.
This isn’t real. This is just a bad dream.
The officer who had shouted at me read me my rights in a firm, measured tone. “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided for you. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?”
Wake up!
I nodded, the weight of his words settling heavily on my shoulders. Someone grabbed my wrists and pinned them behind my back. The cold metal of handcuffs clicked around my wrists. My eyes watered with more tears, but I quickly blinked them away. As they escorted me to a waiting police car, the gravity of the situation became more pronounced with my every step.
This is the real fucked up kind of bad. The kind of bad that will follow me for the rest of my life…
I am so fucked.
Once inside the police car, the officer continued to explain the legal process. “You’re under arrest for destruction of property and reckless endangerment. We’ll be taking you to the station for booking, and from there, you’ll be processed according to fullest extent of the law.”
I hated that he put so much emphasis on that single word. That made things even worse for me.
Fuck.
As the police car drove away from the chaotic scene, my shoulders bowed forward and I closed my eyes, trying to grapple with how the night could have been going so well and then gone so wrong just in a matter of seconds.
The police radio crackled to life, breaking the heavy silence within the car. “Dispatch to Unit 14, we have confirmation on the apprehension of the other suspect. Both suspects are now in custody.”
