Paying for College - The Novel

by Kenneth Szulczyk

  Chapter 17

  Well, brothers, I didn’t want to do another break-n-take, but I planned my finale. Come on, this was the perfect time to do my last break in. Campus security already had investigated me and searched my dorm room while Dean Tremaine hadn’t found a way to touch me, or at least he hasn’t yet. Then I could retire in style. Every criminal dreams they’ll become rich after doing their last score, and they could retire on a tropical island and enjoy their last days on earth. I was no different. Of course, I knew my last score wouldn’t include a trip to a tropical island or frolicking with dancing girls at the nightclub, but a tuition bill will still loom over my head next semester. Then I could find a job next summer.

  I knew Phaedra watches her neighbor’s home from time to time when he leaves town. I suspected he had some serious cash piled a mile high in that wall safe of his. People always think they’re clever by hiding a safe behind a painting. At nighttime, I would take a nightly stroll across the suspension bridge and through Phaedra’s neighborhood. I would survey the area and note everything I could. Of course, I had to blend in and be inconspicuous, so Phaedra didn’t think I was stalking her. Who knows, perhaps I was stalking her a little, or I was waiting to catch Steve at the right time, so I could finish the conversation this time.

  Over the course of several days, I noticed the empty driveway and several newspapers jutting from the top of an overflowing. mailbox

  Brothers, it was time to make my move. I walked to the hillside park at nighttime, where Phaedra and I shared our first kiss and sat on a park bench until midnight. I knew the hockey team played tonight, so Phaedra probably wouldn’t be at the house.

  I walked down the street during a chilly autumn night. The trees shed their canopy of bright colored leaves that covered the ground. I shivered a little as a cold wind blew while its icy fingers danced up and down my spine. Winter was a couple of weeks away.

  As usual, I wore the usual old clothes – the washed-out, torn blue jeans, a faded t-shirt, a black jacket, and a knit woven hat. All clothes I would throw away tomorrow. I walked by Phaedra’s house, where someone, probably her father, left the front porch and back patio lights on. But Phaedra’s house showed no signs of life.

  I walked to the edge of the neighbor’s driveway and looked both ways. Just a lonely dog barked in a distance. I jogged up the driveway and ducked behind the house, so no one could see me from the street.

  I walked to the garage and peered through the window and saw a blank space where the owner would park his 2005 Cadillac Deville. I mumbled, “Great. He’s gone.”

  I jogged to the back door of the house. Then a light clicked on in the living room.

  I jumped a little and muttered, “What the fuck?”

  I waited a minute to calm myself. Then I walked to the side of the house to get a better view of the living room. Peering through the window, I saw no one there. As I stood on my tiptoes, I looked down where the lamp plugged into the wall.

  I began smiling. The owner plugged the light into an electric motion detector. I wandered how many burglaries that cheap device had foiled.

  I returned to the back door and slipped on my gloves. I picked up the doormat and laid it across the door’s window near the door lock. Then I punched the mat.

  The glass broke and fell inside while the doormat muffled the crash of broken glass.

  I unlocked the door and entered the kitchen. Then I turned on my flashlight on my cell phone and tiptoed to the owner’s study. I approached the horrible painting and flipped it open to reveal the wall safe.

  I pulled out my crowbar and slammed the edge into the dry wall around the safe. Then I made another hole, then another, until I isolated the safe from the wall at least a foot. I used my hand to brush away the pieces of broken drywall. Then I shoved the crowbar behind the safe and pried it from the wall studs.

  The wall safe dropped to the floor with a thump.

  I picked up the safe and placed it upside down on the desk. Then I plunged the crowbar into the back of the safe and tore it open like a tin can of tuna.

  After I had made a gapping hole, large enough for my hand to fit in, I began pulling out papers and documents and placed them onto a pile on the desk. Then I wiggled out a stack of money and shoved it into my pocket.

  Then, brothers, I heard the squeal of car brakes while headlights danced across the walls.

  “Oh shit.”

  I ran to the back door and saw a Buick pull into the driveway while the automatic garage door started to open.

  I shoved my cell phone into my pocket. Then I ran to the front door and opened it and ran into the front porch. I jiggled the doorknob, but it wouldn’t unlock. Then I looked at the door. The owner bolted the door permanently shut and turned the porch area into a storage room.

  I flipped open a latch on a window and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t open. Then I saw that bastard had nailed all the porch windows shut.

  The garage door began closing while the owner opened the back door and screamed, “If ya still here, I’m armed.”

  I used my elbow to smash the window. Once I pushed all the shards of glass out, I jumped through the window head first and landed in the bushes.

  The owner appeared at the window, “Stop, or I’ll shoot.”

  Brothers, I do not know if it was my imagination or if the cold air and adrenaline amplify sound, but I heard the distinct click of a gun as someone pulls the hammer back to place a bullet in the chamber. I jumped up and bolted through the owner’s bushes.

  A screaming bullet flew through the air above my head while an explosion from the gun woke up the entire neighborhood.

  As I ran along Phaedra’s street, all her neighbors began turning on the house and porch lights. So many lights were turning on, it was almost as bright at noon time.

  I ran and ran until I reached the hillside park. I stopped to catch my breath. Looking behind me, I saw approaching headlights, “Shit!”

  I ran down the stairs.

  Above me, a voice screamed, “Hey you.”

  Another bullet whizzed by and ricocheted off the stone wall as another explosion filled the neighborhood.

  In the distance, I heard police sirens coming from multiple directions.

  I made it to the street and looked at the suspension bridge in front of me. No way could I cross it in time. Even Jesse Owens couldn’t run fast enough across the bridge to escape from a raving lunatic shooting a gun.

  I took a left and ran along the sidewalk as another police siren came from the suspension bridge.

  I ran a block and then ran across the street until I reached the edge of trees.

  When I turned around to look, the driver of the red Buick slammed on the brakes. Then two police cars stopped on both sides of the Buick. The driver and police jumped out of their cars.

  The Buick driver yelled, “He’s over there,” as he pointed in my direction.

  I ran through the trees until I reached the river, “Oh fuck. What do I do now?”

  Through a bullhorn, the police screamed, “We have you surrounded. Come out with your hands up.”

  Oh, brothers, I stared at the freezing, sparkling ripples of the river. Then I glanced at the tree line from where I came. It’s now or never. I ran into the river while dragging a large branch. Fuksheet, the river’s freezing! Once I made it in waist high, I crawled onto the branch and started paddling. My body shook and shivered from the cold waters. Damn, I’m going to freeze to death.

  “This is your last warning. Come out with your hands up.”

  Brothers, I forgot how cold it was and started swimming faster to the other side.

  The river’s current swept me and carried me for a ride.

  A spotlight began sweeping across the waters.

  I turned and saw several shadows standing where I had jumped into the water. Then the waters around me lit up as the spotlight had found me.

  I swam and swam while the suspension bridge was approaching fast from above.<
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  Approaching the bridge, I heard voices above me as another spotlight danced across the water.

  “There he is.”

  The river’s current carried me under the bridge.

  I saw a small log caught on the side of the tower foundation. I grabbed the log.

  Brothers, I was shivering so badly, I thought icicles crystalized in my blood and would clog my heart.

  I wiggled the log back and forth and managed to free it. Then I hid underneath it where the log branched into two limbs.

  As I cleared the bridge, a spotlight lit up the log and followed its course. I ducked my head under water. I do not know why I looked down but when I did I could swear I saw my father below me. He looked happy as he waved at me to come closer.

  Brothers, I wanted to swim down and join him. Then a pain shot through my body and I lurched above the water surface, gasping for air. I looked into the waters below me but only saw blackness.

  On the other side of the bank, two more spotlights searched the waters.

  I remained under the log until I had passed the city limits. Then I swam to shore on the other side.

  Once I left the waters, the autumn breeze blew and I shivered like I had never shivered before. It felt like the temperature had dropped to absolute zero.

  I ran into the woods as my shoes sloshed while my jeans squeaked. Once I made it to the trees, the trees provided some protection me from the freezing breeze.

  I stopped to catch my breath. Then I took off all my clothes, even my underwear. I wrung as much water as I could as I twisted and squeezed each article of clothing. Then I put on each piece of clothing one by one.

  I pulled my dead cell phone from my pocket and looked at it. Brothers, I bet my warranty doesn’t cover slight water damage. Then I chucked it as far as I could into the woods.

  I pulled out the stack of money and examined it. It was all fifties and hundreds. I shoved it into my pocket and continued walking through the woods.

  After an hour, I reached the highway that led out of town. Then I walked along the tree line and followed the road back into town.

  A car approached, so I ran into the woods and hid behind a tree.

  A police car slowly drove along the road as the cop sitting on the passenger side moved a spotlight along the rows of dark trees.

  Once the road became quiet again, I continued walking to town.

  Approaching the town’s outskirts, I ran across the road. Brothers, I walked and walked and followed the outer perimeter of the town towards the university. Then I heard a pack of barking dogs in the distance. I kept walking.

  Finally, the sunlight began pushing back the shadows of the woods as rays of komorebi filtered through the tree limbs and leaves. Oh, brothers, I dropped to the ground and kissed it. Then I continued walking until I made it to the edge of the campus. Low and behold, I stood staring at the massive building that housed the student athletic center.

  Brothers, I had nothing to do except wait until the athletic center opened at seven.

  I walked deeper into the woods and saw a large log lit by the morning sun. I went and sat on the log. I pulled out the bundle of money and counted it. I whistled - three thousand and five hundred dollars.

  I folded the money and tucked it under a large rock near the log. Then I covered the rock with a blanket of leaves, “That way, no one will steal my money.” Then I waited until the student center opened.

  I spotted some students walking to the center and entered its doors.

  I walked down and entered the building with them.

  I approached a young female student sitting behind the counter. All the students in my group flashed their student IDs and walked past with saying a word.

  When it was my turn, I said in my chirpiest voice, “Good morning.”

  “Good morning. May I see your student id?”

  I made the motion to search all my pockets. Then I plastered a fake surprise on my face, “Oops, it looks like I left my ID at the dorm.”

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you in.”

  “Please don’t make me walk back to my dorm room to get it.”

  “I’m sorry, but I must follow university policy – no ID, no admittance.”

  I pulled out my dorm room key, “See, I stay in Halverson Hall.”

  She looked at the key, “Ok. I’ll just let you in just this time.” Then she looked at my damp clothes.

  I made the motion as if I was jogging in place, “Just a little morning run before class.”

  The girl turned up the volume of a small radio that she placed on the counter. The radio jockey announced, “We’re speaking to the chief of police. Sir, have you found the suspect yet?”

  “We are still searching the river and its banks for the suspect. We believe the suspect may have drowned when he tried to swim across the river last night.”

  “Do you believe the suspect acted alone or is working with a gang?”

  “We’re investigating all the possibilities. We’ll know more once we find the body. The police dive team is combing the waters.”

  I asked, “What’s going on?”

  “The police think a burglar drowned in the river last night.”

  “Really? I didn’t think this town had any crime.”

  “Yeah, I know. It’s the first time something like this happened in this town.”

  “Well, I hope the police catch the bastard or bastards.”

  I headed to the men’s locker room and went to my locker. I removed all my clothes and piled them on the bench. I pulled out my towel, shampoo, and soap from my locker and sprinted for the showers.

  Brothers, once the hot sprays of the shower hit my body, I felt the steam lift me up high in the sky and bask and caress me in the rainbows of heaven. I easily stood in that shower for three hours.

  When I returned to my locker, I felt renewed. I even smiled when I put on my damp, dirty clothes.

  I walked to the cafeteria and grabbed a little breakfast. Brothers, even the breakfast tasted better – the soggy toast, the rubbery eggs, and cardboard pucks they call sausage. I just couldn’t get enough as I shoveled the food into my mouth by the truckloads.

  Drew spotted me and sat across from me, “Dude, what happened to you last night?”

  “Oh man, you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

  “Try me.”

  “Wow. Last night, I went to the Doghouse. Woo-wee, you wouldn’t believe the skanks that were there last night.”

  “I’ve been there. I know.”

  “I met one last night. I think her name was Debbie or was it Dawn or something.”

  Drew started laughing, “Dude, you can’t even remember her name.”

  “After some serious drinking –“

  “Yeah, yeah, go on.”

  “We went back to her place.”

  “And.

  “I fell asleep.”

  “What? You fell asleep?”

  “What can I say?”

  “Loser.”

  “Unfortunately, it’s the story of my life.”

  “At least you have gotten over Phaedra?”

  “Phaedra who?”

  “You know, your… Oh, gotcha. Well, at least you’ve moved on.”

  “Of course. I still have another three, four, or ten years of college to meet someone else.”

  Drew studied my clothes, “So, what happened to your clothes?”

  I looked down at myself, “I guess the girl’s place was not that clean.”

  Drew started laughing. Once he settled down, he asked, “By the way, did you hear the news this morning?”

  “You mean the burglar who drowned in the river?”

  “Yeah, you heard then.”

  “Of course I heard. Everyone’s talking about it.”

  “I know it’s crazy.”

  “Nah, it’s probably some drug addicts needing a fix.”

  Drew squinted his right eye and raised his left eyebrow, “Yeah, you’re proba
bly right, or a poor college student needing a little financial aid money.”