Nick sat on the sidewalk, hands in his hair. Six hundred and fifty experience points tumbled into Grizzizzik’s experience bar, as well as many suggestions for his rogue class.

“See! This is what we should do! Going out on our own! Defeating creatures by myself! I feel incredible.” Grizzizzik started flexing for some odd reason.

The anger forced Nick to his feet. “Get back to Hraktar. Now. Before I smack you so hard, the rest of those three hit points disappear.”

Grizzizzik dropped his arms. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Just get back. We’re already risking too much with you being here.”

“You’re welcome for saving your life,” Grizzizzik said.

“My life wasn’t in danger.”

“Whatever.” Grizzizzik glanced around to get his bearings. “Just go spray paint that wolf so I can level up as a warlock. I will see you later.”

“You do not have enough hit points in you to be mouthing off to me right now,” Nick limped over to his bike. He didn’t want to have a limp, but he couldn’t help it. Some muscle got pulled, and it stung to walk on it. His injuries would be difficult to hide. He didn’t have many long sleeve shirts.

Grizzizzik grumbled, but thankfully did nothing more as he disappeared into the darkness. Nick stood his bike back up, making sure the minotaur didn’t break it. He tested the pedals, and the chain was still on. Nick shot one more glare at the darkness that swallowed Grizzizzik before climbing on his bike and pedaling away.

He hated this. He doubted there was another emotion to convey what he felt. This was hatred. One week ago, he hastily threw toilet paper in a park, this week he was doing vandalism on his school mascot outside the building. He couldn’t keep doing this. He needed to think of new ideas to get his friends to understand what was happening. Nick was the only person right now who could stop Grizzizzik.

Red and blue lights lit up the night sky right behind him. Nick’s heart dropped to his stomach as he felt the cold breeze on his uncovered face. “Shit.”

Adrenaline once again pumped his legs, the bike picking up speed. He couldn’t get caught. He needed to get home.

The lights were on, following him. He was on the sidewalk, but he needed to get off the road. He was on a bike. There was no way in hell he was faster than a car right now.

Of course, they could also shoot him. Nick’s heart hammered, the choice before him. Get caught now, or keep going and possibly not get caught later. How big of a possibility was there to not get caught? Could he risk it?

He imagined what would happen if they called Walt.

Nick glanced over his shoulder, seeing only one cop car. One for now. He kept pedaling into downtown. He kept going, faster and faster.

“Pull over! Pull over now!” The cop said with the megaphone.

He was in such deep shit. Running was never the thing to do. Stop and do your best to look innocent.

With a bag of spray paint in the middle of the night. He doubted anyone could look innocent after this.

Nick stopped his bike, hopping off it before running. He undid his helmet and shoved his mask on. This gave him a bit of protection from being detected. Despite the fact that his bike was lying on the ground.

He slid between the alleyway between the dance studio and the workout gym, appearing on the other side of the street. He needed to stop. There was the actual reality of him getting shot.

And yet Walt. If there was a possibility of him not getting caught, he had to take it. It was a primal instinct at this point.

Nick sprinted onto the new street, trying to get home as he clutched his helmet. He’d worry about his bike later. He’d think of an excuse when he was back home. There were still a few more hours until sunrise. He just needed to get home. Get home, then think of excuses. He could do this.

Another police car turned on the street, lights flashing, and Nick screeched to a halt. He was gasping for air from the sprint and his sudden panic. Nick turned around, trying to run away.

“Stop!”

Nick found himself frozen at those words. Those words, instead of the other officer, because these words were said by Officer Hendricks. How the hell did the universe line itself up so magnificently to bring this horrible miracle to him?

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Somewhere in his mind, he heard laughter. The laughter that only made sense from the personification of pure chaos.

“Son of a bitch,” Nick muttered.

“Hands in the air! On your knees!” Officer Hendricks said.

Nick followed orders, dropping his helmet. Despite his overwhelming fear of his dad, he would rather face him than get shot in the back. He raised his hands, getting to his knees, wincing as he did so. He really needed to check what was happening with his leg. If Walt didn’t kill him first.

Officer Hendricks pulled out a flashlight as his partner trained a gun on Nick. Nick tried to keep his panic down. Tried not to give into fear as advice came back to him.

“Say nothing. It’s literally the easiest thing to do. Say absolutely nothing. They even remind you of this. Let the pigs run themselves in circles and get all worked up, but we don’t have to say one damn thing.”

Despite how heavy his breathing was, Nick clamped his mouth shut as Officer Hendricks reached out and pulled Nick’s makeshift mask off. His heart pounded as the cool night air hit his sweaty face. Officer Hendricks shined the flashlight right into his face. Nick flinched from the sudden light.

“Good god, he’s just a kid,” Officer Hendricks’ partner said, immediately holstering his gun.

Officer Hendricks, however, smirked. “I thought I’d be seeing you again, Nick Larsen.”

Nick said nothing, blinking at the light still shining in his face. He said nothing. Not even a request for him to lower his light. As far as the rest of the night would go, Nick would not say another word.

“Do we take him home?” Officer Hendricks’ partner asked.

“No.” Officer Hendricks pointed at Nick’s sleeve, seeing the residue of spray paint there. It was from spraying a minotaur in the face, but Nick wouldn’t say anything. “There was spray paint in the bike basket. Nick must have done a criminal offense and tried to run from it. We’ll take him to the station and wait for Walt to pick him up there. That’ll give us some time to find out what vandalism Nick did. Report it in.”

In Nick’s eye, he saw Grizzizzik’s character sheet pop up, and his level one warlock flipped to level two as Officer Hendricks pulled Nick up to his feet, leading him to the back of the car. “Let’s call your dad, shall we?”

Nick’s heart wanted to escape out of his chest, but he didn’t say one word.

***

Evelyn was asleep. Almost dead asleep. Nothing would have woken her up except for hearing Walt scream, “WHAT!”

Evelyn sat up, almost in a panic. Several dangerous scenarios rushed through her mind, driving sleep from her eyes. She heard thumping as Walt entered Nick’s room, and Evelyn was afraid that Walt would start screaming at Nick. Evelyn scrambled out of bed, grabbing her bathrobe and wrapping it around her.

“What did he do!” Walt shouted.

Evelyn opened the door, scrambling out of the hall, ready to tell Walt to leave Nick alone, when she noticed he was talking on the phone. The light in Nick’s room was blinding. Walt was glaring at Nick’s bed, listening to something on the phone.

“So you need me to pick him up?” The anger started to disappear from Walt’s voice.

Evelyn crept forward, peeking into Nick’s room. It was empty. On his bed were strategically placed clothes to imitate someone sleeping there. At first, Evelyn was confused.

“I am going to take a shower, then I will come get him.” The anger from before changed to a far more cooled, controlled tone. Evelyn shivered, almost afraid to look at her dad.

“Thank you, officer. I will see you shortly.”

Evelyn still stared at Nick’s empty room, trying to understand what had happened.

“Walt?” Lydia asked.

“He’s at the police station.” Walt returned to the room, shutting the door, but Evelyn could still hear. “Tried to run when the police told him to stop.” Evelyn winced as she heard the dull thud of Walt punching their closet door. “What the hell is that useless kid thinking?”

Tears pricked Evelyn’s eyes. Her mind couldn’t settle. This made no sense. None of it. This wasn’t Nick now, this was Nick before. Nick now would never do something like this. Something must have happened. Something was at play. Her brother didn’t do things like this anymore.

Lydia whispered something.

“No. You stay here with Evelyn. I’m giving them a bit more time to find whatever the hell that boy did to this town, then I’m going to bring him home,” Walt said.

Evelyn’s heart thumped in her chest, staring at Nick’s bed. Trying to force answers out of it. None of this made any sense, but it hurt like an old wound had torn open again. All thoughts of sleep disappeared from her mind. A deeply unsettled feeling bloomed in her chest as the shower turned on. She had no answers right now. She had to ask Nick. But Nick was…

Evelyn closed her eyes, unable to even think about it. Unable to put her brother back in that place he was once in. Nothing made sense. There was no way…

Did he toilet paper the park?

Evelyn’s throat closed at the thought. He couldn’t. Not Nick. That was before. Like… like ending up at the police station.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she turned off the lights and headed back to bed. She pulled up the covers, but sleep was gone. It was four in the morning. She needed someone. She needed Nick to explain himself, but she’d have to wait. Wait at least an hour. She couldn’t possibly wait an entire hour. It would drive her insane.

She grabbed her phone, scared. She didn’t want to tell anyone, and yet everyone. But everyone in CCNC, they should know. They needed to know. If Walt grounded Nick from ever playing CCNC again, they needed to be aware.

It was early. No one would be up, but they would eventually. She tapped on the group message with everyone but Nick in it.

Hey everyone. It’s early, but I wanted to update you. My dad is leaving soon to the police station to pick up Nick. He might have done something. I don’t know what. I don’t actually know much more than that. But I’ll keep you all posted on any new developments throughout the day.

She sent it, tears in her eyes. The shower had been on for about five minutes. She placed her phone next to her on her bed, curling in her blankets. It had taken a while to create that draft. Many writing and rewriting to make sure the text sounded distant, devoid of emotions. It was what she wanted. She didn’t want to sound freaked out. A cool, level head. She didn’t have answers right now, but she would soon. Nick would be back. She’d ask questions, and this would all be one big misunderstanding. There had to be a logical reason for this.