Again, Mr. Black? (M×M) (l***q+)

11.

"You are telling me that you saw someone stabbing a man in the garage in the old vicinity of the city? And he died?" The officer in charge asked me and I nodded my head, my body shivering as the memories of the man getting stabbed in front of my eyes flashed in front of my eyes.

"I suppose." I answered shakily and he let out a sigh, nodding his head towards another man in uniform as he started to write something on a paper.

"And by any chance do you know who the assaulter was, Mr. Russell?" The Officer asked me and my fingers curled into a fist at his question. How do I tell him that the man who committed this murder is my damn room-mate? How do I tell him that I already knew about his job? I can't. That would put me into trouble more than it would put him into trouble.

So I shook my head and the officer raised his eyebrows at me, almost making me choke on my breath. They say cops are the best lie detectors. And I was a bad liar. None of this helped me. I wiped my forehead, biting nervously on my lower lip.

"I saw his face. I don't know him though. He must be a very famous murderer if he was committing such a heinous crime with no fear of consequences." I said and the officer nodded his head, humming as he pushed the register towards me, making my eyes widen.

"I need your signature on these papers, Mr. Russell. This confirms that you were the one to file the case against the unknown murderer and that you weren't cooking this story up. And even if you were, you know about the consequences of lying to the law of our country." He said and I bit my lips.

Other than the fact that I knew who the murderer was, I didn't say a single lie. But signing the papers would mean ratting on myself. If Hades Black gets to know by any chance that it was me who filed the complaint against him, I don't know how many days I'll breathe. And the fear inside me was simmering, making me shake my head almost immediately.

"Is it obligatory to sign these papers, Officer?" I asked him and his eyes narrowed at my question. I was stupid, I know. But I valued my life very much.

"Why don't you want to sign these papers, Mr. Russell? Are you by any chance trying to lie to us? Or trying to get someone's name into this case intentionally?" He asked me and I was quick to shake my head in denial.

"No, I am not lying, officer. It's just that I am scared that the murderer will try to come after me after knowing that it was me who filed the complaint against him. I have given you every single piece of information I had against him and the gang. Is this not enough?"

"I understand your fear, Mr. Russell. But this is a legal formality. But don't worry, Mr. Russell, we'll make sure to keep your name hidden from the gaze of those people. Now please sign so that we can continue with our investigation." The officer said in a hurry and, with a defeated sigh, I signed the papers and left for the party where my friends were waiting for me.

Nobody except God knew what was waiting for me in the future. Because I had not just signed my testimony but also signed my death card with the name of Hades Black on it.

....

"You look so pale, Russell. What did you see? A ghost? Roaming naked in the park?" David asked me with a chuckle that barely sounded sober. He was drunk. So drunk. And I guess he had only been for like three hours into the party? If not less.

"No, David. I didn't see any naked ghosts wandering in the park. But I definitely saw a murder being committed in front of my eyes." I said with a chuckle before plopping myself on the couch as the music was blasting at full volume. And he laughed again. He was definitely drunk.

"You're drunk already, Ruse? Not bad. I didn't know you were dramatic when drunk." He said, patting my shoulder as he stumbled forward, grabbing the bottle before pressing the rim of it to his lips, gulping the entire content of it down. I shook my head, holding the bridge of my nose as I felt the bile rising up my throat. I didn't even correct him for calling me Bruce.

I wish I was drunk and everything I saw was nothing but my hallucination. But the truth was far more brutal than what I wanted it to be. I was not drunk and everything I saw was far away from fallacies.

"Come here, Lana. Meet my best friend— Bruce! He is an adorable guy, isn't he?" David said, pulling a girl, I assume was Lana, closer to me. I opened my eyes when I saw a young woman dressed in a red dress walking awkwardly towards me. I never saw her in college before. I assume neither did she.

"I am Lazarus Russell. He is a little too drunk to pronounce my name right. But thank you so much for having me here, Lana. It's really nice to have the environment change for a few moments." I said, pushing my palm out for her to take. She chuckled softly, shaking her head as she pulled her wrist out of David's grip.

"I have heard of you, Lazarus Russell. A lot, actually. I hope you are enjoying the party. And don't stand sober at my party, Mister. I'll send a beer for you. Enjoy and remember the name, Lazarus Russell. Lana." She said, her voice sounding a little tipsy, but she sounded very much in control to me. Unlike my friend, David, who was so drunk that he mispronounced my name twice.

Some friends I have.

"I..... I don't need a bear." I said weakly, but she was out of sight before she could hear me completely.

She returned a few minutes after she got me the beer and a plastic glass as she dumped it in my hands before stumbling to where her friends were. Lana was a weird host. She had guests at her party, she didn't invite them and she didn't even question their existence. And instead of asking them what they wanted, she just dumped a drink in their hand before retiring with her friends. But at least, she didn't throw me out. Something I was grateful for.

With shaky hands, I poured the beer into the glass before pressing it closer to my lips. I had never tasted beer before. I was not someone who often partied out. And I was definitely not someone who drank alcohol. Firstly, Dad never allowed me. And when I started living by myself, I knew drinking would mean nothing but a lot of chaos and money. Something I was not yet ready for.

But that night gave me a lot of reasons for drinking. The murder I saw. Seeing that the murderer was none other than my room-mate, Hades Black. And then he threatened to kill me because I always found a way to get myself into a mess that makes it easier for people to choose to kill me.

But beer was not something that made me forget my fears. Because to forget them I had to drink it. And it tasted bitter on my tongue, making me clench my eyes shut as the bitterness spread on my tongue, making me purse my lips in displeasure.

Beer tasted s**t. And that's when my phone started to ring, making me fish my phone out of my pocket. It was from the police station. I was quick to rush out of the party, to answer the call. With my heart beating loudly. Please tell me he is under arrest and doesn't know about the person who filed the case against him.

"Hello?"

"Hello, am I talking to Mr. Lazarus Russell? I'm Officer Woods."

"Yes, Officer? I am Lazarus Russell."

"I need you to report to the police station. We forgot to have your signature on the main documents." He said, and my stomach dropped. But I nodded my head, forgetting we were on call.

"Oh, don't worry, Officer. I'm on my way." To my doom.