Eyewitness News

by Aiden Vaughan

  “The effect of the drug is incredible, isn’t it,” Scott said, when he came to check on Jonathan.

  “I’m floating high in the air, and I can’t come down,” Jonathan replied in a spaced out voice.

  After about ninety minutes, the euphoria started to evaporate away. Jonathan still felt high but his mind began filling with doubts and concerns. He wanted to come down from the control of the drug and get some sleep, now that it was well after midnight, but the drug continued to keep him wide awake. One o’clock, two o’clock, three o’clock went by with no let down but no euphoria either. Jonathan huddled on the filthy mattress on the bed he was chained to. His mind was spinning like a top, but this top wouldn’t wind down. Dawn came and with it the drug gradually subsided in its influence. Jonathan was able to get some fitful sleep at last.

  While he was sleeping, Scott came over and stared at Jonathan for a while. “You made it through your first high quite well,” he thought with grim satisfaction. “Despite your protests, in a few days you will be begging me for an injection!” Scott’s cynical and evil plan to make Jonathan a drug addict under his control was well under way.

  Chapter 23

  An Important Basketball Game

  (Thursday)

  Chauncey Jackson was pacing along the edge of the Community Center basketball court planning his strategy for the upcoming intramural game. On the books it was just another game for fun and to keep kids focused on positive activities like team sports, but to Chauncey, this game meant a lot more. He knew that a couple of scouts from major universities were going to attend, and he was the main reason they were attending. Chauncey was only going into his junior year at high school in the fall, but he was someone already on their radar. The word was out that Chauncey was a major talent and now those rumors were being checked out for real.

  Chauncey’s Red team was facing the Greens, the other team in the league that was considered to be a contender for the league championship. Teams in the league were named after the color of their jerseys, actually to downplay the rivalries that might develop. Anyone in the know, however, understood that this was a very important game.

  Jason and the other A-List members of the Red team were there also, excited about the game and the opportunity to impress scouts from the colleges. Chauncey’s game plan was simple but effective. From his small forward position, Chauncey would set a quick pace for the game and along with Reggie Adams, the point guard, run a series of plays that would focus on getting in the paint and scoring directly, rather than doing a lot of passing. The idea was to get their opponents to concentrate on defending Chauncey or Reggie with double teams, leaving Jason, Mariano, or Kololo wide open from their favorite shooting spots. Once Chauncey or Reggie would see who was undefended, they would make a lightning pass to that player. This would net the team a lot of easy two and three point attempts at the basket. Once the defenders realized that they couldn’t rely on just stopping Chauncey, he would then be able to penetrate their zone or man-to-man defenses. One-on-one Chauncey was usually unstoppable.

  As the game was about to start, Chauncey and the other A-List guys gathered around in a huddle while Chauncey laid out the strategy for today’s game. After the plan was outlined, they all put their hands in the center of the huddle and yelled, “Team!” They then went out onto the court for the starting jump ball.

  Usually Chauncey’s game plans worked to perfection, but today everything seemed to go wrong. No one on the team was shooting very well. Sometimes the ball would hit the basket and then roll right back out again. There were even a few uncharacteristic air balls and none of the three point attempts went in. As a team the Reds were barely making 30% of their basket attempts.

  The Green team, however, was on fire. They started by executing very well on their opening few plays, and were soon maintaining an eight point lead. Then as they sensed that the Red team was off today, they pressed their advantage, and gradually built up their lead to almost twenty points by half time. With this big of an early lead, they couldn’t resist doing some trash talk on Chauncey and the others. Finally the buzzer for half time rang, and it couldn’t come soon enough for the Red team. Frustrated, they went over to their bench and sat down. The score was 34 to 16 in favor of the Green team.

  As this was just a community center basketball court, it didn’t have separated locker rooms for the opposing teams, so the practice at half time was for each team to go over to one of the corners and huddle together. After the Red team had toweled off and had some water or Gatorade to drink, they went into their corner for another team meeting.

  Chauncey was the first to express his frustration. “I can’t believe how poorly I have been playing. Nothing is working today! And of course this is the day when we needed to do good!”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Reggie added. “I missed a couple of easy lay-ups and made some bad passes. No wonder the Green team is laughing at us!”

  “Yeah, man,” Mariano said shaking his head. “Usually my three point attempts get us some points, but nothing is going in today!”

  “I tried to reject some of their shots,” Kololo added, “but they were too quick today and too accurate. I already have three fouls on me, and two of those resulted in three point plays, because the baskets counted also! I will have to stay careful on defense all the second half!”

  “Guys, I know you are all down from our poor performance in the first half,” Jason said, “but isn’t basketball a game of two halves? Sure we have had a lousy start, but in this game isn’t how you finish just as important as how you start?”

  Jason looked around at his teammates and could see that they were starting to realize that all wasn’t lost yet. “I think that the problem is you are concentrating on impressing the scouts in the bleachers and not focusing enough on the actual game,” he continued. “I don’t know how to exactly describe it, but to get back into that shooter’s groove that this team is capable of, you have to take that extra fraction of a second before you shoot the ball. You have to concentrate more on the basket and how you are approaching it. You can’t fear your opponents and you have to play your game, not theirs!”

  “Well, I know I can do a lot better,” Chauncey stated. “And you were right, Chuck. I had pipe dreams in my head just enough to lose my focus out there.”

  “What shall we do for a new game plan then?” Reggie asked. “We need to shake things up out there, or it will continue to be a rout!”

  “I think we should stick with the original game plan,” Jason replied. “This time make it work! Chauncey’s plan was good; we just didn’t execute very well.”

  “Chuck here is right!” Kololo added. “We have the skills and we have the plan. We just need to go out there and make it work!”

  “Eye of the tiger, man!” Mariano exclaimed. “We need the eye of the tiger out there! Don’t be distracted by those Greens. Let’s play our game!”

  Everyone looked at Chauncey for the final word. They could see a new resolve in his face and demeanor. “That’s the spirit. I know I sucked in the first half. But now I am ready to go out there and kick some serious Green butt!”

  The others on the team cheered at that statement. They all spontaneously put their hands in the center for their team yell.

  When the buzzer sounded to begin the second half, Red was given the ball since Green had won the opening toss up. After receiving the ball from Chauncey, Reggie dribbled it up past half court and passed it back to Chauncey. But this was a different Chauncey than the Green team had seen in the first half. With lightning speed and agility, he threaded his way past three defenders and made an impressive solo lay-up. He so surprised the Green team that they didn’t even get a hand on him.

  That first play was a real momentum changer in the game. The Green team took the ball back down court with thoughts of doing the same thing, but Kololo was ready in the paint, and soundly rejected the shot attempt. Then the Red team made another quick basket, this time Reggie took it in after a las
t second quick pass from Chauncey. With their game plan starting to work, the Red team went into full offensive mode, and on a 20 to 6 run. Everything was starting to work. Mariano got wide open and sunk a couple of three point shots, as did Jason, who scored six points on his medium jumpers. The score was now 40 to 38 in favor of the Green team who called a time out.

  At the time out, the Green team was able to regroup, and they came back a much more determined opponent. This was a time of very well played basketball by both teams, but Green was still able to maintain a lead which was now 50 to 46.

  There were just three minutes left to go in the game. Chauncey called a time out for the Red team. In their huddle, Chauncey told his teammates, “I know I let you down in the first half but I am on a roll now. I can just feel it. However and whenever you can do it, in these last three minutes, get me the ball. I am going to win it for the Red, I promise!”

  “If anyone can win a game, you can!” Jason said with a smile.

  “Go out there and get us a trophy!” Reggie added.

  In the last three minutes of the game, Chauncey was unstoppable. Through several fast and incredible plays, he was able to tie the score. The Green strategy was exactly the opposite. Each time they got the ball they made sure to use the entire shot clock before making their basket attempt.

  The score was now tied at 56 each, with just 40 seconds to go. Red had the ball. By now Chauncey was being double and even triple-teamed. Mariano was completely undefended over at his favorite three-point shot attempt location, and Chauncey seeing a chance to put the game away, passed him the ball. Mariano made his attempt, but it bounced out. Now Green had possession of the ball with thirty seconds to go. Carefully they used the time on the shot clock, until just six seconds were left, and then their best player drove in for a lay-up and most likely a Green team victory. Kololo, seeing that their man was about to score, then went in to block the ball, and was called for a foul. On the free throw line, the Green forward was unflappable and easily sank both attempts. Now the score was Green 58 to 56 over the Red with six seconds left.

  Everyone in the stands was on their feet waiting to see how the game would end. Would the Green hold on to win, or could the Red team somehow tie or win the game? Pretty much everyone knew who would get the ball, and all eyes were on Chauncey.

  Chauncey called a quick time out so that the Red team would get the ball at half court. In the huddle he said, “Just get it to me. I will make the shot!”

  Chauncey knew that he only had one chance and it would be in the face of a defender, but he didn’t care. He knew exactly what he wanted to do.

  With defenders trying to distract him and steal the ball, Reggie was still able to rifle out a pass to Chauncey who took two dribbles to his favorite spot and then literally leaped up over the defender, who was on him like a glove. It didn’t matter who was there. The play was perfectly defended, but there was no defense against the type of shot that Chauncey made. It was totally unstoppable and dead on as it swished into the basket for a three point score and the game victory, 59 Red to 58 Green.

  The stands went into pandemonium for the Red team fans while the Green team and their supporters looked on in shock. The victory that they thought would be theirs was taken away at the last second. The Green team members were still shaking their heads as they filed by for hand shakes.

  After the handshake ceremony, the Red team was all smiles, high fives, and thumps as they congratulated Chauncey on his terrific second half performance.

  As few minutes later, two of the scouts who were in the stands came up to Chauncey. “That was a remarkable performance, Chauncey,” the scout from Pacific University said.

  “I second that!” the scout from the University of California added.

  “I’m sorry that you didn’t see me at my best today,” Chauncey said. “That first half was miserable.”

  “But that’s the whole point!” the Pacific scout replied. “Not every game is going to be a perfect game for the offense. But every team would love to have a player who can lead a comeback and make game winning shots at the end!”

  “That last shot was incredible!” the UC scout exclaimed. “There are not very many players I know in college or in the pros who could make that three-pointer!”

  Chauncey smiled his big smile and said, “My A-List players here give me the confidence to do things like that. I couldn’t ask for better teammates!”

  The two scouts walked off with Chauncey for a few minutes and talked their talk. It was clear that Chauncey had made a good impression today, despite the problems of the first half.

  Jason, Mariano, Kololo, and Reggie walked off the gym floor with big smiles on their faces and feeling good. What Chauncey had said to the scouts about them was high praise.

  “There’s nothing better than winning a game like that!” Kololo exclaimed.

  Chapter 24

  The Unwanted High

  (Thursday)

  Up at Scott’s mountain hideaway and methamphetamine lab, things were not going well for Jonathan. He felt very depressed and low after coming down from the methamphetamine high. His head felt like it was filled with cotton, and he couldn’t relax. His body was craving food and water, yet he didn’t have much of an appetite. Not only that, but he was still chained to the bed. Clearly he was Scott’s prisoner and he didn’t have a plan or means to escape. Yet he didn’t want to give in to Scott no matter what the cost. There was no way he was going to willingly become a drug addict. In his mind he had faint hope that maybe Scott would get bored having him here and return him back to his home. He wondered what his mother was doing about this. Did she even realize that he was missing?

  Later Thursday morning Scott went off somewhere on an errand in his truck, leaving Jonathan by himself. Jonathan searched around for some kind of tools to work on the chain but he couldn’t find anything within the range of the chain other than a few cheap pieces of silverware that were no match for the links of the chain. Eventually he ended up dozing off on the filthy mattress.

  Around the middle of the afternoon, Scott returned. He brought along some take out food which he offered to Jonathan. By that time, Jonathan was hungry, but his appetite still seemed off and he ended up picking at his food.

  Scott spent the rest of the afternoon messing around in the next room, which was beyond the reach of the chain. Jonathan just sat around bored with nothing to do. For a while he went outside in the fresh air and sunlight, but by late afternoon it was very hot on the little porch in the front, so he came back inside.

  Around six, Scott came back into the main room and tried to make some conversation with Jonathan. “Now that you have had the experience, what did you think of that high you were on? Wasn’t that first rush incredible?”

  It was, but Jonathan wasn’t about to give Scott any positive feedback on his experience. He had nothing but contempt and hatred for Scott, especially after the way he had been treated. So instead of saying “far out” or some cliché like that, Jonathan said, “It was one of the worst experiences of my life! I really didn’t like being controlled by that drug and since there is nothing fun or interesting to do here, it was just long and boring. Can’t you just let me go and take me home? I hate it here!”

  That was probably the worst thing he could have said in reply to Scott, who became very angry and slapped Jonathan in the face. “Shut up you little punk. That was top grade meth and it gets you real high and does it real fast! A lot of people would give their right hand for meth that good.”

  “Then why don’t you give it to those people who want it! I don’t want it! Why are you forcing me to take it!”

  “If I take you back to the city you will just report me to the authorities. I can’t take that chance! After a few more doses of this quality meth, you will be addicted just like your mother. Then maybe you will have a more reasonable attitude about meth and about me!”

  “You really are a mean bastard, Scott! I can’t figure out what my mom sees in you
other than a source for drugs. Stay away from me!”

  With that last statement, Scott went ballistic. “You little piece of crap. I think I have heard enough of your whiny mouth. Let me tell you the way it is! You are my property now and I will do whatever I want with you. I think you need to learn some manners and respect when you talk to me!” Scott then picked up some of the pieces of rope that he had used to tie Jonathan up with the night before. He grabbed Jonathan’s wrists and tied them behind his back. He shoved Jonathan into one of the kitchen chairs. With some of the other pieces of rope, he bound Jonathan’s feet and chest to the chair. “Until you learn who’s boss around here you can stay tied to that chair.”

  “Why do you hate me so much? What did I ever do to you to deserve this?”

  “Shut up, boy! I think I have heard enough of your sass!” Scott then retrieved the bandanas and rag he had used to silence Jonathan yesterday and reapplied the gag. “You can sit there tied and gagged like the little turkey you are until you learn to be respectful and polite to me! Now it’s time for your medicine!”

  Jonathan’s eyes became wide with fear as he realized that Scott was probably going to inject him with more liquid meth. Tears of frustration began to blind his eyes as he realized that again he was helpless to prevent it from happening. Sure enough, Scott went into the other room and got the tray with the syringe, rubber tube, cotton, and rubbing alcohol. Although Jonathan continued to protest through his gag, Scott tied off his arm and injected him with another dose. He then left the room again, leaving Jonathan alone and still bound and gagged in the chair.