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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMckqp3an5w
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?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62DBgg6Fua
I nodded. "Of course we are, Lisa. Why do you ask?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNB55mcHj9
Mayor Yearns cleared his throat. "Well Bugsy, I've read today's newspaper and umm...it doesn't look good at all."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1EjD5Pw9a
"Oh," my eyebrows furrowed. "Did we lost many men at the battlefield?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcpde95DIt
He shook his head. "Nope, a serial killer had escaped from prison in La Belle."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryMu5e7ksT
I let out a loud gasp. "Really? What's his name?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0moorawtg
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0AqllgoAN
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGaxkV0YkM
"What is it, daddy?" Lisa asked.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLN0ww2M1N
"Both of you must be home by 10 p.m, sharp," he instructed. "The same goes for the whole town."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRnAdW6XQC
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6M2fnBbPfl
"But still, Bugsy, it's better to be safe than sorry. I can't let this killer take an innocent life in this town."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0ZD93Nyxd
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. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxvaCeX6P9r
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. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3okR33vjSB
"Welcome to Little Owl Coffeehouse," I greeted. "What can I do for you?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ50p4W3Td1e
"Hey Bugsy," chirped a familiar voice behind me. "You look good today."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN140D65vG6
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPb2cfK8UO
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2QQU1ilUyu
"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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8wVQlacIL
"That'll be four dollars," I spoke. He handed me four one-dollar bills and thanked me, sipping his drink. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hUqdP3RTv
"By the way, Bugsy, do you have any plans tonight?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62ST2OKaD4
I bobbed my head. "Ferdinand, Naomi, Lisa and I are going to the arcade tonight. Why did you ask?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEEQRYe72a
Archie shrugged. "Well, I was gonna ask you to join me and my friends for a movie."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzi2Sb6jIin
Lisa and I burst into laughter. "Really? Don't you have enough friends to join you?" asked Lisa, who was poking his cheeks.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUhe1erK7O
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqhTynQyFQ
"Oh, are you watching The Truman Show?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4fLEtgvIaZ
"Of course. My favourite actor is there. Jim Carrey, love his work."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3YE2C8Mts
"That's cool. Well, I watched it the other day with my dad and it was heart-wrenching in the end."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyElGZgg2mL
Archie sighed. "Well Lisa, thanks for reminding me to bring a box of tissue to the cinema."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpng6WhkkE
"Oh shoot," she covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have said that."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqy1TIxmhE
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUH2mnoHZN
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b6vMHAkJP
"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. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqvk6rhEr3
"Goddammit," I exclaimed, panting. "Don't ever do that to me ever again."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCaxgCsyXW
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESdOA3Yow6
I sighed as I gave Naomi a friendly hug. "You know, you look pretty in pink."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ne3bunkOz
"Like the movie with the redhead girl?" she pointed out.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMiQJycX8Hc
I lifted my shoulder. "No pun intended, pal but yeah, just like that movie with Molly Ringwald."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhkriqCA1x
Grabbing my hand, she dragged me towards the 'Street Fighters II' arcade, where I watched Ferdinand and Lisa competing against each other.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutXStGO8Ow
"You're going down, farm boy," Lisa gritted her teeth, pressing the game buttons in an aggressive manner. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg08UqRQ6DC
The blue-collared shirt boy let out a small chuckle. "We'll see about that, princess."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVsHPzA00y
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSaEzc9db5N
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. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDlMOwnHYM
"I don't believe it," he stuttered. "I almost had you, Lisa."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd1pbQvOKVi
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡot9Ccvhzsc
"Me too," I gleamed as we embraced others in a long hug. "So how's it going with your mom?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW1S0jE783h
"We're doing fine," he replied. "Corn season will be here soon, and we'll be working in no time."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ165hSi5MWY
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7y7syPXes
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!"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsijPolK08
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4auo9lDiaV
He helped me up as I dusted my jeans with my hands, before glancing at him. "So, how's your day?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgNFz363uD
I shrugged. "It was fine, I guess. Mayor Yearns told me about this serial killer."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRSAeo46rP
"Oh, the Ripper," he raised his fingers. "Yeah, I heard about it from my mom. She attended the town meeting this morning."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmOynpwHecU
"What did Mayor Yearns say?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbWJUn4o7AK
"My mom told me that I should stay over at a friend's house if it's past curfew."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8VPGj3Tdk
"That's exactly what my parents told me," Naomi joined in. "My mom almost fainted when she heard the news."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMuN5OScDZ0
"Same goes for me, although I'm skeptical about Mayor Yearn's actions."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoB84cA5mjq
Lisa raised her eyebrows. "What are you saying?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrEdA2Am3YU
"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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPARIFxufQ
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ69yScgbUyT
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSR4nfFDXAM
Lisa smacks her hand on her forehead. "We have fifteen minutes to reach home."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEPbutmy9J
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrePT3OP08n
"Come on, Bugsy," Ferdinand pulled my hands. "We have to hurry back to the coffeehouse."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDw2YYD73Yo
"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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOtlCXADro
Aunt Inara ran towards me and gave me a hand, as she sat me down. "Are you guys alright?" she asked, her eyebrows raised. 641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFP267Efije
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."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgVPzmAypg
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?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXMfn5SSet
"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?"641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzRqRKvz2f
"Sure," Aunt Inara accepted his permission. "Phone call's free after ten."641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaOVYUooir
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMw0RbSVpnV
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.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqumStSUxVG
My arms were relaxed and my mind wandered in the clouds when I noticed a tall, dark shadow from the window below me.641Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVV6wm7jU2
