Borrowing Fear

3. keeping pace

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[I've created...I've created a monster.]

{This isn't your fault...you didn't mean for it to end up like this...}

[But it did! It DID END UP LIKE THIS! I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do to make this right again.]

"Yes, there is something you could do, dumbass. Bribe the man with money to get him under your shoe again. Stop playing the victim, Big Nose. Knock some sense into your partner! Pathetic!"

The boy munches on his popcorn, kicking his feet up onto a dinged up ottoman in his room while he shakes his head in disappointment. Two overdramatic, worried faces flicker on the TV screen, commanding his attention even if he doesn't want them to. As the scene transitions, the boy tosses a large handful of buttery popcorn at his lips, missing half of the pieces. With a free hand, he turns up the volume by smashing down on the remote at his hip, ignoring the snacks spilled across his lap. 

{You have to tell him. You have to. They're counting on you to fess up about this. You can't just run away from your problems.}

[Yes I can-]

"Yes he can-"

[There's something called anonymity you know. I can set up a false account or...or I can tell them that he ran away and I can't find him. Or...]

{No. Own up to your mistake. You coerced him into screwing over all those people! Don't be like this.}

[Be like what? Wouldn't YOU want to protect YOURSELF in this situation?]

"Exactly!" The boy huffs into his popcorn. He absentmindedly scratches the side of his stubbly face, leaving an oily smear in his finger's wake. "There are a thousand ways to get away with this. Why would you give up now?"

{You're going against the law, you know.}

"Laws are meant to be broken." The boy hurls a piece of popcorn at the character's face.

[You know what? I don't care anymore. I'd rather take my chances. It's not like people don't do this kind of stuff every day anyway!]

A knowing grin splits across the boy's face. 

He cranes his neck to glance at the open laptop on the kitchen table that's connected with lengthy wires to four other blinking devices simultaneously. On the TV screen, the characters have a mute stare down between lawlessness and justice. The boy's foot jitters expectantly. He knows from the spoilers that this character thwarts the police in the end by using an alias to cover up his past actions. That's why he decided to watch this show in the first place.

{I can't believe you! Why am I even your friend?}

[Promise you'll keep it a secret. Promise me. If you care about me at all! Promise!]

{Don't do this to me. You know I'll get in trouble if they find out I knew something and didn't say anything...}

[Please. You're a great actor. You know how to keep secrets. Please. If it comes to that, I'll tell them I pressured you into keeping silent. You know I'd protect you over myself in a heartbeat. Please.]

"Pfft. Yeah right. Friends never pull through for each other if money is involved." The boy tugs out his phone, already bored with the whiny dialogue. "Secrets aren't meant to be kept by two people."