Chapter Thirty-seven

Another Wild Confession

Missing out the fun, Travis Becker first went at Toby’s Coffee Shop to buy something for Brent.

When he got inside the shop, he saw Willie Hample sitting at a corner table. Willie seemed to be queasy. He was quivering.

Travis caught Willie watching him and he immediately looked downcast. Travis ignored him for a while.

Then, the clerk asked his orders. He bought two cappuccinos. He glimpsed at Willie and now he was really looking straight at him. His looks were somewhat begging as if he was connecting with Travis’s eyes. Travis was perplexed by Willie’s actions, so after paying the coffee, he headed at Willie’s table.

            “What’s up, Wil?” He started.

            Willie did not respond.

“What was wrong, Willie?” Travis showed his concern.

Willie did not utter a word but just shook his head referring that there was nothing.

“Why aren’t you at the party,” Travis switched the topic.

Willie gazed at him. Finally he said something. “I’m obviously uninvited.”

“No you’re not,” Travis said, “everyone is welcome.”

“Says who?” Willie asked.

“Says Jude,” Travis answered. “Says me.”

Willie looked a bit flattered because he hasn’t been invited at a party before; except his celebrations and family bonding, but from his classmates especially the most popular boy in school, none.

“Come on,” Travis insisted. “You should come.”

Travis thought of a plan in interrogating Willie with his friends at the party. He was trying to be kind at Willie – well, he does felt a little bit pity to him too – but he was so sure that he was part of all those mayhem.

“I can’t,” Willie said, “I needed to go as well.”

Damn it!

Snapped on Travis’s head. “Are you sure you’re not coming? I mean... I’ll drive you at the party.”

“No thanks,” Willie refused but he somehow blushed.

It did not go well for Travis. He thought that he couldn’t really force someone to go if they don’t want to. He glimpsed at his wristwatch and he was so late for Brent and for the party. “We’ll I gotta get going.” Travis said.

“Me too,” Willie said.

They both exited the coffee shop. Before reaching the door, Travis saw Willie’s backpack opened. “Your bag is open.”

He offered to zip Willie’s bag. When Travis was about to zip, he saw a gun inside. Travis eyes widened as if he saw a mutilated head inside Willie’s bag. As they stepped out the coffee shop, Travis moved away a little from him. “Why is there a gun in your bag?”

Willie gasped and hugged his bag. “I---I need this for protection!” His heart started to palpitate.

“Protection from whom?”

Willie curled up a little and peeked around. “I need this to protect me from someone!” He whispered.

 “Who is this ‘someone’ that you’re referring to?” Travis grimaced.

Suddenly, tears started to drip from Willie’s eyes. “Can we talk privately? He might be around. Please.”

He? Travis suspected that Willie might do something nasty to him so he thought of an idea. “Surrender your bag first and we’ll talk in my car.”

Willie did not hesitate in surrendering his backpack and then they hopped inside Travis’s car. Willie started to speak. “I’m doomed.”

“Why?”

“If I don’t do what this person wanted,” Willie answered.

“What was this person asking you to do?” Travis asked suspecting that it might be E.

Willie swallowed a huge gob of saliva and fear. Teardrops were flowing from his eyes. “He asked me to kill these people.”

Travis stopped and did not utter a word.

“This morning,” Willie started to tell his story, “I started receiving threatening messages from an anonymous sender...stalker... and that was when I was asked to do something and added that if I fail to kill those people, my family will be in danger and I will be killed!”

Travis analyzed Willie’s argument. “Do those messages have labels in the end?” Travis started sighing.  

“Yes,” Willie sobbed, “there are “E” labels in every end of the text.”

Travis eyes widened. He was thinking that they were not the only ones who have received E’s text but Willie as well. And he inferred that Willie was not a part of the killing because he told that he had just received a message that morning. But could he be trusted?

Willie noticed Travis’ reaction. “Hold on. How would you know there are labels?”

Travis hesitated to answer.

“Have you been receiving those texts too?”

He couldn’t tell that he was receiving those so he quickly shook his head. “Who are these people that you needed to kill?”

Willie hesitated to respond.

“Tell me!” Travis insisted him. “I need to know!”

“Okay!” Willie bit his lips. He felt so uneasy. “There are plenty. But you, Richard, Ismail and Louis are included!”

 After hearing those names, Travis expression was unexplainable as if earth and water suddenly dropped to his head.

Travis tightly hugged the bag. “You don’t have to do this, Willie.”

“I know,” Willie continued whimpering, “but I’m doomed! If I don’t---”

“We can get through this!” Travis cried. “I promise! I promise that I... we, will help you.”

Willie began to be restless. “How are you gonna exactly do that?”

“We will work together to stop and kill that bitch!” Travis bravely said. “Hold on a sec. You refer this person as a ‘he’?”

Willie squinted. “He sounded like a ‘he’ to me.”

Travis analyzed. “But you did not killed anyone of those who died?”

“I’m not the killer and I’m not a killer” Willie started saying crazy stuffs. “I still want to fulfil my dreams. I need to have a girlfriend! I don’t wanna die or end up in prison! Oh Lord!”

Travis stared at Willie as if he was so pathetic. “We’ll pull this together, man!” Travis held on both Willie’s shoulders. “But before that, I need to keep the gun and I need to go first to Brent’s... I mean, Mr. Brent Jones’ apartment.