HEAT OF THE MOMENT (Ch. 37)

Jimmy sits at the edge of his bed staring at the message that lit up his phone screen, (Jarrett!…), "You think I'm a fool don't you!, Everyone thinks I'm a fool!"

Heading out of his room Jimmy, picks up a box cutter from the kitchen counter, stuffing it in his pocket he steps out of the house making his way towards Jarrett's hide out, Raven stops mid stride before following from a few hundred feet behind Jimmy,

{So we're stalking now?},

(I'm just worried about him), after several minutes Raven stops in front of the complex building his worry growing,

"he's going back there isn't he"

Rushing up the flight of stairs he prays desperately against Jimmy doing something stupid, arriving at the scene he sees Jarrett's fore-head just above his eye bleeding from a cut while Jimmy lays chest down on the grown reaching desperately for the cutter, Jarret grins madly, beating his pool pole into him repeatedly, Raven runs at Jarrett missing him as the rolls away, turning his attention to Jimmy for a brief instant he rolls away instinctively before catchings Jarrett by locking both his arms behind him while pulling the boy backwards,

"Jimmy leave!",

"Stay out of this!" He shouts back in response gripping the cutter tightly,

"get your self together!" Raven growls kicking Jimmy away.

"you think your better than me?, I'm just a little pet to you!" He screams.

{Dodge you fool!}

Unable to act in time raven watches as the world around him seems to slow down, his back shatters the glass behind him and the top floor looks farther and father away as he reaches up desperately, then impact, jolting awake and now in his second body his hands tremble as his body perspirates profusely, breathing raggedly Raven stays still mute, numb.

"So they fought each other?",

"Yy...yy...es...sir", Jimmy replies

"Hmm",

"Th..y're ... friends....the...y whe...re... having....aaa....quarrel"

Turning to his co-worker the detective signals him to speak

"No camera's in sight sir, the ones gat were where inoperable", his colleague replies,

Sighing exasperatedly the detective takes a moment for recollection,

"what a fucking hassle, Come with us kid"

Watching the police men walk ofd Jimmy exhales,

(i...i..didn't lie....they where fighting....they won't die...right?....if they do..... what'll happen to me?.... I'll claim...self defense...),

"We'll have to wait for them to wake up"

(Wait what if they don't wake up?.....can i...i could really get away....with this?) Jimmy drops his head hiding his budding smile.

"Sir! His heart's not beating!"

"CLEAR!"

Jimmy listens smiling intently at the various conversations passing between the medics,

(please just die!, Don't ruin my life, please!, If you really where my friend you'll die for me!)

Raven huffs and puffs lying in a sweaty heap as blood trickles down his bloody head,

(i can't switch!),

Ignoring the hurt from his swollen cheeks the tears role out uncontrollably seeming to burn past his lids as the thought of loosing everything he'd built becomes a very possible reality.

The doctor stares at ravens unconscious body in visible shock,

"Are you sure he fell from the top floor?"

"Yes sir"

"An someone fell on him upon impact?" The head forensic officer inquires,

"Yes sir" his junior officer replies,

"Extraordinary" he states in abject amazement, "simply extraordinary. Being frank, he should be dead, but he's even better of than those that fall from the first floor",

"Can we get treatment underway sir?", The junior office inquires

"We haven't gotten authorization but the police has contacted his mother, stabilize him for now",

"Sir!", The two turn towards the incoming nurse, "this just came in"

"What's going on?" the junior officer inquires while staring at the doctor,

"It seems this boy knows some quite important people" he states while turning to the nurse "begin treatment"

A while later Raven's mother bursts through the doors, "WHERE'S MY SON!" turning to the source of the voice the doctor turna to engage her ,

"ahem, ma'am",

(This..... Raven's friend?), Coming to a halt before Raven's unconscious body she frowns waiting silently for the doctor to continue,

"Your son is quite resilient, he'll live, but I don't know how long he'll be in a coma for", watching the woman silently the doctor decides to excuse her as she takes a seat at her son's side,

"Raven Nathaniel Voss....it seems we have quite a bit to talk about" she states seemingly to no one.... but a moment later Raven's steps into the light fidgeting nervously before his mothers piercing gaze.

(I'm scared, what's going to happen to me?..... I'm just a witness!…why?, Why are they staring this way? Did they find anything?, I got rid of all the evidence!, There's no way they'll catch me, as long as they stay dead, o heavenly father, please spare your son, just this time!…I'll be good, I'll listen to my parents!, I'll stop causing trouble!, PLEASE MAKE SURE THEY DON'T WAKE UP!)

Looking up to the approaching detective Jimmy watches as the man pulls something out from a bag before slamming the table, Jimmy's eyes widen momentarily, but he very quickly hides his shock,

"You know what this is right?"

Jimmy's eyes drop slowly towards the object,

(the cutter!?, How? I got rid of it!), Unable to speak Jimmy stares on unresponsively.

"Tell the truth kid, we know what you did"

(I need to tell them, if i confess they'll be lenient right?)

"I'm....."

"Stop covering for your friend" the detective bellowed, "this was Raven's right?",

"Eh?"

"Loyalty isn't important in situations like this, be honest!"

Jimmy stares down-ward tucking his chin in as his shoulders tremble,

"There's no need to cry kid" the detective states putting a hand on Jimmy's slummed shoulders, continuing to chuckle uncontrollably he covers his face while speaking lightly

"I should have stopped him" he states with a very tender tone "i shouldn't have just watched, i was just so scared",

"I understand kid, even if you couldn't prevent what happened, you did good" the inspector replies,

Jimmy jolts as his hands are forced away from his face and met with cuffs,

"Detecti...."

" Excuse my language but your a monster....a demon even.....man kid's these days, you actually try to kill your friend then frame him?, We've known it was you for a while kid, i just wanted to give you a chance to come clean", (what do i even fight for if even the children are like this),

"No wait!, The cutter belongs to Raven!, I reached out because i tried to catch them!, The blood on the clothes i disposed..... it's just because i was...i was scared!",

"Really, that's a plausible if not convenient story...." He states following up with a light pause, "well except for the fact you never mentioned all this before now, your a minor so i can't do more than this so your free to contact your parents",

After just over half an hour of waiting Jimmy's parents storm into the police station finding they're way towards Jimmy's location

"My son!" His mother shouts running up to him, "he didn't do anything wrong!…I'm sure his only crime was getting involved with those people!"

"Quiet woman!" Turning towards the detective Jimmy's father introduces himself "I'm not sure if you remember me, I'm a close friend of the department head, I've been here quite a few times"

The detective goes silent before turning his back to the family,

"You know, it's almost nostalgic..... ironic even" he states while returning to his seat as he before slumping into his chair, "to think we've become so useless that suspects can boast" he states bitterly, "there was a kid just like you, same age even....just a few years ago"

"What are you saying, We're tired and my son is stressed!, let us go home!" Jimmy's mother hissed, carrying on unimpeded her scowl deepens.

"The kid had us convinced he was innocent, we later found he was guilty, he'd hidden the evidence, planned the crime, even gave false testimonies on record and in court his sentence eventually got extended from three to ten, charged on tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit murder, perjury and an ardent lack of remorse, he's still in jail now, do you want to guess how old he is?",

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN US!"

"You even handcuffed him without evidence!" His mother adds,

"I'll be speaking to your superior about this misconduct!",

The two parents go back and forth and slowly Jimmy begins to see the light, a way out,

(i really have the best parent's in the world!).

"Evidence?....you did a good job cleaning the scene kid" the detective states sarcastically, "for an amateur that is, you might have gotten away with it, if we hadn't been in the twenty-first century, i already have forensic Cross examining the finger prints we found" he states as Jimmy's soul abandons him, "if that's still insufficient, I also have forensic cross-examining the blood on your boys clothes, say they come back with information stating the blood on his clothes matches that on the blade as well as Jarrett dongs would that suffice?"

The couple go silent as they're left momentarily at a loss, Jimmy's father pulls his mother aside as he whispers harshly to her, after the duo return he exits the room promptly making his way towards the department's head office.

"Officer Choi" the detective calls towards the uniformed police man that had walked in, "put him in a holding cell",

"No! You can't do that, he's no criminal!… How will he survive!",

"It's just a holding cell ma'am" officer Choi replies promptly,

"I'll tell you something interesting kid" the detective speaks up, "I'm sure your wondering why i bothered using such a convoluted way to when i speak to you, you see our Constitution is quite special, as the law enforcement personnel on this case i have quite a bit of sway, not on the case directly but on the outlook of the jury" he say while pausing momentarily, "and depending on how the DA uses my report then.... i'm sure you understand....i gave you a chance kid, and you proved what you are at heart, take him away"

Jimmy's mother threatens to resist before walking up towards the detective while shouting endless profanities, on officer Choi's return he instructs him to escort her out.

Jimmy stares at the bars keeping him from the outside in disbelief,

"MOM!…MOM!" he screams shouting in pain as something smashes into his skull forcing his head to collide against the bars,

"Can't you just shut up!?, grown-ups are eating here" turning sharply, as the liquid from the food thrown at him drips down, wetting the ground around him, he sees a pair of adults and a trio of youths, probably just years away from being adults and another younger teen his age crawling towards him while licking the dripping liquid off the floor around him while the group chuckle as they watch,

"You like your new home kid?"

Turning he sees the ever stern face of officer Choi,

"your real trash aren't you, i heard you pushed your friends off the top floor of a freaking plaza and even had the gall to lie about it, here's food for thought, it might be attempted murder now.....but if one of the dies...." He states staring the trembling boy down before turning to take a seat, Jimmy sinks to is knees as the reality of his situation hits him hard.

(If they don't wake up...not even dad can save me!.....please god....pleaseee let them wake up), he begs as his tears threaten to choke him.