Pouring a jug of coffee into two white mugs, I placed them on top of a brown tray, together with two plates of freshly-buttered toast and two bowls of soft-boiled eggs. With both hands, I carried it towards table number two, which was placed at the right corner of the store window. "Here are your breakfast, Mayor Yearns," I served his meal on his table. "That'll be 6 dollars altogether."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqwhnnDUjq
Taking out his wallet from his side pocket, Mayor Yearns handed me a green bill and a blue bill and thanked me. I smiled as I was about to head back to the counter, only for his daughter, Lisa, to tug the sleeves of my T-shirt. "Hey Bugsy, are we still meeting up at the arcade tonight?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYXIXJF3xz
I nodded. "Of course we are, Lisa. Why do you ask?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWA2ejTFDF
Mayor Yearns cleared his throat. "Well Bugsy, I've read today's newspaper and umm...it doesn't look good at all."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFjWg1dYDS
"Oh," my eyebrows furrowed. "Did we lost many men at the battlefield?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ44EGSYzAch
He shook his head. "Nope, a serial killer had escaped from prison in La Belle."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhdG6VXudlt
I let out a loud gasp. "Really? What's his name?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSHp4iiZZQm
"His name is James Larthow, also known as the Ripper. His method of killing included mutilating his victims into bits and disposing them in the garbage bin."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnUljo3SsN
He showed me a mugshot of a young man, with fair skin, blue eyes and chestnut hair, who was grinning ear-to-ear. "I'm still allowing both of you to hang out at the arcade, but in one condition."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdM0k1JQAa
"What is it, daddy?" Lisa asked.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOYxuVYX5z
"Both of you must be home by 10 p.m, sharp," he instructed. "The same goes for the whole town."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjTrYywd9A
"I beg to differ, Mayor Yearns," I spoke. "But La Belle prison is in the other side of the country and with the war going on right now, it's unlikely for the Ripper to escaped to Slaborough."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDVQzJyK7B
"But still, Bugsy, it's better to be safe than sorry. I can't let this killer take an innocent life in this town."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyaN6fLrOv
Looking at the watch on his wrist, he gulped down his coffee and laid his handkerchief on the table as he got up from his seat. "Now if you excuse me, ladies, I have a town meeting to attend to. Good day," he tipped his hat to me as he left the coffeehouse. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvokUHZ9oAD
Lisa sighed as I lifted the empty dishes from where she was sitting and walked towards the counter. Putting on a pair of rubber gloves, I scrubbed the dishes with a squishy, yellow sponge when I heard the door chime. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrWY8K4KxcK
"Welcome to Little Owl Coffeehouse," I greeted. "What can I do for you?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFRUoPC9bh5
"Hey Bugsy," chirped a familiar voice behind me. "You look good today."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDo01Iwo4pk
My lips twisted and my left fist clenched as I turned around and faced the dark-skinned boy with black, frizzy hair. "Archie Velasco," I forced a smile at my class rival. "It's nice seeing you here."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFa06dMU0u
"You too, Bugsy," he rested his elbow on the counter, eyeing at the menu on the chalkboard. "Could I have a glass of lemonade? It's pretty hot out there."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZknoRZnJo
"One glass of lemonade coming right up," I said as I grabbed a lemon from the bowl and sliced it in half, squeezing it with a squeezer and poured it inside the glass. Adding some sugar syrup and water inside, I dumped a few cubes of ice inside and stirred it with a spoon. Not forgetting a straw, I slid the drink on the counter and gestured to Archie for payment.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZiMN7L27l
"That'll be four dollars," I spoke. He handed me four one-dollar bills and thanked me, sipping his drink. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZfdzYLkW1
"By the way, Bugsy, do you have any plans tonight?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGWkBFOLhl
I bobbed my head. "Ferdinand, Naomi, Lisa and I are going to the arcade tonight. Why did you ask?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NJIJyZdwI
Archie shrugged. "Well, I was gonna ask you to join me and my friends for a movie."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnijgXIwkgm
Lisa and I burst into laughter. "Really? Don't you have enough friends to join you?" asked Lisa, who was poking his cheeks.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWo8D0AV3Yy
"I do, Lisa. It's just that it'll be nice to have more people joining us. You know what they say, the more the merrier."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwBp0wQBcb
"Oh, are you watching The Truman Show?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsp7lqeCAzX
"Of course. My favourite actor is there. Jim Carrey, love his work."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnmLZsVKxG
"That's cool. Well, I watched it the other day with my dad and it was heart-wrenching in the end."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fB8ctKGGP
Archie sighed. "Well Lisa, thanks for reminding me to bring a box of tissue to the cinema."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9PD1OhYJuf
"Oh shoot," she covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have said that."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLgatUSqP9
He let out a small laugh and continued to chat with the girl with dreadlocks, leaving me to wipe the tables and chairs and wash the dishes in the sink, waiting for time to fly a little faster.
Wearing a graphic tee that says 'Colour Pop' with blue denim shorts, I walked inside the air-conditioned arcade and watched so many kids and teens sitting in front of the bright, flashy screen popping out from the arcade games, pressing the buttons and swinging the joysticks.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfa7TKVBoOU
I headed towards the counter and slipped two dollars in front of the token man, asking for game tokens. As the token man gave me four game tokens, I thanked him and searched for my friends all over, only to feel a huge squeeze from behind.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5b2I3MEWwh
"Hi Bugsy," Naomi squealed in my ear. I gave a huge whoop as I turned to see my friend, and held my chest for a few moments. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSX7cnGJdoJ
"Goddammit," I exclaimed, panting. "Don't ever do that to me ever again."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuuJaD9tF1
Naomi giggled and wrapped her arms around my shoulder. "Sorry about that, Bugsy," she placed her hand on her bubblegum pink beret. "I forgot that you hate surprises."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnLG22p9f8b
I sighed as I gave Naomi a friendly hug. "You know, you look pretty in pink."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvTDERF4MT
"Like the movie with the redhead girl?" she pointed out.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDsF1pI5dA
I lifted my shoulder. "No pun intended, pal but yeah, just like that movie with Molly Ringwald."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpEyxTXaze
Grabbing my hand, she dragged me towards the 'Street Fighters II' arcade, where I watched Ferdinand and Lisa competing against each other.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJOmEzQgwC
"You're going down, farm boy," Lisa gritted her teeth, pressing the game buttons in an aggressive manner. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1HxKafFwy
The blue-collared shirt boy let out a small chuckle. "We'll see about that, princess."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEA5YAS78SR
Lisa gave a smug as she shifted her focus towards the game screen and moved her fingers on the buttons numerous times. She panted and panted until her hands began to feel numb. She released her breath and slammed the button vigorously, and the arcade machine declared the winner of the game.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIKmJoljloD
She raised both arms in the air and screamed in joy as Naomi gave her a hug. Ferdinand's jaws dropped as he watched the screen fade to black. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nZN6lXHHp
"I don't believe it," he stuttered. "I almost had you, Lisa."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7yEYFZ1JE
"Well top bad, farm boy," she stuck her tongue out. Ferdinand exhaled when he saw me approaching, making his lips curved into a smile. "Oh hey Bugsy. Boy, I'm glad to see you here."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoE0N4uIUl
"Me too," I gleamed as we embraced others in a long hug. "So how's it going with your mom?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrBqKlxP3E
"We're doing fine," he replied. "Corn season will be here soon, and we'll be working in no time."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwkrm3VIS2
I nodded as I took out two of my tokens from my jean pocket and inserted them into the coin slot. The screen turned bright as I entered the game with Naomi playing against me. As the game began, both of us frantically pushed the buttons with both hands while Lisa and Ferdinand cheered for us.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7YGEH83IP
I leaned forward as I felt a rush of adrenaline released throughout my whole body, my right foot pacing up and down. In a flash, Naomi literally jumped in the air as the machine announced her as the winner. "I won!" she screamed with excitement. "I won! I won! I won!"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ryiH6BJjn
"Dammit," I cursed, as I dropped on my knees and pulled my hair. "I'm so bad at video games."
Lisa and Naomi high-five each other as Ferdinand kneel and placed his hands on my shoulder. "You did your best, Bugsy. You can do better next time."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LRVNoYjg5
He helped me up as I dusted my jeans with my hands, before glancing at him. "So, how's your day?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gSkc3M5NE
I shrugged. "It was fine, I guess. Mayor Yearns told me about this serial killer."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxFhQ3II9eN
"Oh, the Ripper," he raised his fingers. "Yeah, I heard about it from my mom. She attended the town meeting this morning."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEaxkLqSMy
"What did Mayor Yearns say?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kLEwlCg0h
"My mom told me that I should stay over at a friend's house if it's past curfew."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj421V9tKTL
"That's exactly what my parents told me," Naomi joined in. "My mom almost fainted when she heard the news."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSoXqMApAqh
"Same goes for me, although I'm skeptical about Mayor Yearn's actions."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pGQ2Fg8jr
Lisa raised her eyebrows. "What are you saying?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9zugglyf5
"Geographically, La Belle's prison is 1,849 kilometres. And if he were to run all the way here, that'll take him about 446 hours," I explained. "And with the war going on right now, it's impossible for him to go anywhere right now."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt40PI4cKwQ
Naomi, Ferdinand and Lisa glimpsed at each other before Lisa let out a loud sigh. "I get where you're coming from, Bugsy," she crossed her arms. "But you know dad. He always told me that I can never be too safe and well, he seem to have a point."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9RRCnucXpy
Naomi looked at the round clock on the wall and placed her hand over her mouth. "Oh my gosh," she exclaimed. "It's quarter to ten."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwAFTYQMsa
Lisa smacks her hand on her forehead. "We have fifteen minutes to reach home."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNr7oHrpvjT
All four of us rushed out of the arcade and said a quick goodbye to each other, before parting ways. Ferdinand and I held hands as we ran on the pavement, as I glanced at Naomi and Lisa over my shoulder, who were bolting through the crowd.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4zcidOiMn
"Come on, Bugsy," Ferdinand pulled my hands. "We have to hurry back to the coffeehouse."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVcn6ESMs3
"Sorry," I uttered, catching my breath as I ran. Feeling like a thousand needles stabbing through my left legs, I gulped for air as we almost reached the Little Owl Coffeehouse. Hearing me hiss in pain, Ferdinand burst the front door opened and pushed me inside, before walking in and closing the door behind me.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfwqIL5VMe
Aunt Inara ran towards me and gave me a hand, as she sat me down. "Are you guys alright?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. 619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHX2fNTnY3
Ferdinand held his chest and sat beside me. "We're fine, auntie," I finally caught my breath. "We're just trying to beat the curfew."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCDsw2pNl7C
She let out a small laugh. "Well, you guys arrived just on time. Why don't you kids watch something on TV, while I'll close the store with Chaeyeong?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAAcJelOyFi
"Yes, ma'am," said Ferdinand, as he was about to head upstairs with me. "Oh Aunt Inara," he stopped mid-track. "Could I call my mom and tell her that I'm here in your place?"619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj3dLVRLrt
"Sure," Aunt Inara accepted his permission. "Phone call's free after ten."619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtOJh8eviPf
Ferdinand thanked my aunt and went upstairs to the living room, picking up the handset and dialled the numbers on the keypad. "I'll get us some refreshments," I pointed the kitchen with my thumb. He gave me a thumbs up and started talking to his mother on the phone as soon as I walked into the kitchen, grabbing a jug full of water.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDimhfhT8ye
As I poured a jug of water into two glasses, I looked out of the window and stared at the now-empty streets, filled with flickering streetlights and the distant howling from the prairies. The waning moon was illuminating its light at the alleyway. I watched the night skies decorated with the ethereal Milky Way and held my head with both hands as I counted the stars and galaxies above me.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEa6senOuMB
My arms were relaxed and my mind wandered in the clouds when I noticed a tall, dark shadow from the window below me.619Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJvFF6ShpH0
