11/26/96
We all froze when we saw the cop car pull up on the sidewalk. "Don't run" I said under my breath, I could feel his hand trembling in mine and my stomach began to tie in knots. The officer exited the car with one of the missing posters in hand, he held it up as he approached us "I'm looking for this kid, you know him? Seen him around?" We all shook our heads way too fast and suspiciously. "You sure you don't know him?" he said as he began eyeing us. Another cop pulled up and came toward us "You got him John?" "I don't know yet" replied the first officer. The cops began asking us our information, name, address, birthdate, social security number. When they got to him he rattled off a bunch of fake information "Billy Swanson, 1/10/82, 62 Quarry street, I don't know my social though." The cop wasn't buying it, he turned to his partner, "He looks like the kid." The knots in my stomach began to move upward into my throat and panic consumed my entire body. I leaned my head next to his and under my breath I spoke "I love you. Run. Run."