In the woods

I sat down heavily on the wooden chair, awaiting questioning and threading my fingers through my hair violently, practically yanking it out of my scalp, thinking of ways to clear my name and that of my friends. This was a mess. I hadn't done anything wrong. I slammed my head against my hand multiple times, trying to think up the worst case scenario. The worst that could happen was a lifetime jail sentence, IF we were found guilty. I just had to make sure we wouldn't be found guilty, that was what I'd been trained for anyway. Atleast there wasn't a death penalty but still, there was a bounty on mine and my friends' head. Various alibis ran through my head and they had to be in line with Jeremy's, Jared's and Kita's statements. My head pounded with all the effort and I closed my eyes, trying to focus.

It all started with the death of a police officer and two other random people. My friends and I were walking on the street late at night when should've been home, minding our own businesses. We were talking of absolute nonsense when Kita spotted a red car parked on a particularly quiet part of the road that was curtained with thick trees. Jeremy, the journalist among us suggested that we stay and observe what was happening, thinking that someone was having a good time in the car and that it'd make a good story. He'd always wanted a promotion and now he'd probably get it by bringing in a huge scoop about someone's unsolicited sex life. It took a lot of persuasion to make us agree. Against our better judgement, we cautiously approached the vehicle and crouched behind a tree that wasn't far from the car. The car's windows were heavily tainted and I noticed that it didn't have a license plate, indicating that it was probably stolen. From a rich person too, I thought as I marveled at the car's sleek body. Now, I was also curious.

Sure enough, people were having fun in the car. We could hear a distinct sound of moaning and whispering. I rolled my eyes as Kita, the group's chef giggled foolishly and Jeremy made mental notes, obviously regretting that he hadn't brought his notebook. Out of nowhere, the sound of a police siren pierced through the air. We jolted, glancing up the street as a police car tore it's way down to the red car. As far as I knew, this wasn't a restricted place and it wasn't private property, why would the police be here? Maybe it was because of the absence of the license plate?

As we watched, the police car came to a halt and two policemen jumped out. The first one, rather round and short looked like a tomato with his spiky hairdo dyed green. In the muted light of the moonlight, thanks to the trees, I saw that he was eating a glazed donut. Although I couldn't see his face well, I could tell he was enjoying it. He groaned loudly as he took a large bite and rubbed his absurdly round tummy. He beckoned to his colleague and took short, stubby steps to the car. The second officer looked less like a tomato and more like a man that any young woman would find herself drooling over. He walked with a certain swagger and had no glazed donut. I couldn't see much of him either, all I could see was that he had some difficulty walking, as if he'd recently hurt his leg trying to capture a criminal that was stealing fur coats. The first police officer stood at the driver's door of the car while the second stood directly in front of the hood of it. Someone in the car started it as if to run the second police officer over.

"Get out!" Shouted the first tomato looking officer, pointing his gun at the window. "We got a tip of a drug transaction that was supposed to occur tonight" He yelled unnecessarily. He was one of those people that his voice could be heard even if he whispered.

A loud gunshot sang through the night. I slapped my hand over my mouth as I watched the first officer clutch his chest and fall to the asphalt, bleeding tomato juice, right next to the car. The second officer had his gun extended and was pointing it at the now dead body.

In the darkness, I grabbed for Jared's hand. He was the doctor of our group. He was also the sturdiest shoulder to cry on. We watched silently (Well, Kita was hyperventilating) as the only living police officer on the street turned his gun to the hood of the car. The windows rolled down and a man with shaggy blond hair stuck out his head.

"Yes! We have drugs, don't shoot! We're getting out of the car! Shit!" He yelled. From the distance, a second gunshot rang through the night. There was a loud shriek, supposingly from the woman he had been sleeping with, as the man looked down at himself, rubbing his naked chest with amazement as if to assure himself that he were still alive. He looked down at his car's hood and apparently realized that he would still die unless he acted fast. The bullet had pierced the hood of the car. The police officer backed away from the car shakily, his gun still extended.

"Cheri, jump out of the car now!" The man said, trying to unlock his own door. It was too late, the car erupted in a burst of flames, swallowing the blond guy, Cheri and the dead officer. By the looks of the fire, before anyone got to them, their bones would've turned to ash. For a minute, everyone was still, except for the officer who was cautiously approaching our tree.

"Who's there?" He asked, pointing his gun at the tree, approaching steadily.

"Run" Jeremy whispered, looking at me and Kita. "As soon as we attack him, run!". He nodded at Jared and they slowly left the tree, before they could come out, the officer had lunged, attacking Jeremy. Jared jumped into the brawl, choking the officer from the back. I got a grip on myself sooner than I expected. Adrenaline pumping, I grabbed Kita's limp hand and pulled her after me, running and not looking back. Another police siren rang through the air. A police car was approaching us,fast. I would've been happy to see a group of law enforcers, the problem was, we weren't even far from the scene of the crime. I went into lawyer mode instantly. We wouldn't be able to explain this, they wouldn't believe it, especially when the other police officer placed all the blame on us. He might say we had come to buy drugs and things went wrong. Not to mention the fact that Jared and Jeremy were fighting him. Along with murder, they could be charged with battery against a police officer. He could easily bend things in his favor. The logical thing to do was to flee. Kita snatched her hand from me and began running shakily towards the police car.

"Kita, no!" I shouted. She turned around, facing me hysterically.

"Why the hell not?" She yelled back, tilting her head like a crazy person. "We can explain the murder, they're the police." She said pointing towards the approaching car.

I grabbed her arm and shook her. "You think they'd believe you over their colleague?"

For a moment, she seemed like she understood. "No! The truth is on my side" she said and tore towards the police car, waving her hands above her head and babbling incoherently as she went.

"Damn it!" I yelled. I didn't expect a chef to understand how high the stakes were anyway. I dashed back to the fight. Kita had stalled the police officers who were trying to calm her down instead of coming to the rapidly burning car. Jared and Jeremy had managed to pin the officer down and were aiming merciless punches at his face. "The police is coming, let's go!" I yelled.

Atleast they respected my profession and we ran, ran for our lives, without looking back even though Kita's screams of protest echoed  through the night.