Testing a Life | Teen Ink

Testing a Life

May 14, 2014
By ritastupak BRONZE, Pasco, Washington
ritastupak BRONZE, Pasco, Washington
3 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Jake White is a district attorney. He is a handsome, 26 years old married to a very beautiful woman by the name of Carrie. Everybody loved Jake and wanted him to be the lawyer who represented them. They all thought he was a nice, respectful man, and a good lawyer. During this time, he was going through a trial prosecuting a prisoner by the name of Bobby Zee. On the last trial, Bobby was found guilty of abusing Jake’s client, an old woman at a grocery store. Bobby was furious! He was screaming and yelling at everyone in the court room, especially at Jake.
“You stupid, dumb man! I will pay you back for this! You will suffer!”
All of a sudden Bobby started grinning slyly from ear to ear. “But then” he continued “you won’t suffer at all, in fact you won’t feel a thing.”
You see, Bobby had a friend, Dan, who was into some sketchy stuff. Dan was a hit man, someone who can be given an envolope with some money and photo, and he would know what to do. Bobby decided that if he was not let out of jail, he would pay Dan to kill Jake. He didn’t waste time getting started on his assignments, which is one of the reasons Bobby chose him.
A few weeks later, Jake wanted to take his wife Carrie out to dinner at a nice new place that recently opened down the road from the court house. On the way to the restaurant, Jake got a feeling that someone was following them, but then he thought, that’s silly. Who would be following us and why? Half way through their dinner, Jake noticed a man outside the restaurant who had been standing there for a while.
Jake asked his wife,
“Why does that man keep staring at us? Every time I look at him, he’s watching us!”

Suddenly, the man walked in to the restaurant pointing a gun at Jake. Everybody got scared and started screaming and running for saftey in different directions. People tripped and fell but quickly got up, like it was the end of the world. Jake stopped breathing for a second. He did not know what to think.
In couple seconds my life can end, am I going to die? Thought Jake.
He knew that he had to stay strong for Carrie, if he went into panic, imagine what she will do. The look on Dan’s face as he was making his way through the restaurant made Jake realize that the man was coming for him. He told his wife to get under the table and did the same. In couple of seconds, Jake heard a shot and his heart stopped. He quickly jumped up from under the table and saw the man and a busboy wrestling on the ground. Suddenly the stranger flipped the busboy over and ran out of the restaurant. Woah, Jake thought to himself, at least everyone was okay.
When the FBI and police arrived, they saw people running towards them all screaming and talking all at once. Some people were running down the street to get as far away from the restaurant as possible, forgetting that their cars were still in the lot. Some had the courage to stay and be a witness to all that happened. When the people told the police that the stranger was heading towards Jake and his wife, the police told Jake they needed to talk to him and his wife in private.
What do they think is going on? Jake thought to himself, knowing Carrie was thinking the same thing.
Jake and Carrie were worried sick while following the agent into the restaurant manager’s office.
“You can sit,” said the agent.
“I was just talking with my boss, and we looked into the attack. We decided it would better to send you and your wife off to an Amish town in Texas, until we figure out who tried to kill you.”
Carrie went into a panic and started tearing up.
“Honey, hold on. There must be more to this,” Jake told his wife.
Then, turning to the agent, he asked, “What do you mean send us off to Texas?”
We have been following Dan for quite some time now and know what he is capable of. If you are his next target, he will not stop coming after you until you are dead. He will kill anyone who interferes with his work and we cannot have the risk of our own men dying. Although you didn’t witness a murder, this is the safest thing to do in your case.
“We will send you there and put you in witness protection. During your time there, you will be staying with a family of four,” The agent informed them.

“The father’s name is Tom Horn and the mother is Mary. They have a son and a daughter, John and Melly. That’s all I can tell you. Your leaving tomorrow, early in the morning.”
Jake and Carrie sat shocked, processing everything.

“Whatever you say,” muttered Jake as he and his wife stood up to leave.

“Oh, and Jake,” the agent called out, “no one can know about this. It’s for your own safety.”

The next morning, Jake and his wife were waiting for the taxi on the front steps of their beautiful yellow home, it had a white fence and beautiful flowers grew along the sides of the house. When the taxi arrived, they silently got into the car and drove straight to the privet airport.
They were both deep in thought. Jake kept rewinding last night over and over in his head. Carrie thought to herself, Why is this all going on? Why did it have to be to them?
At the airport, the FBI agent was already waiting for them. He gave them their directions and their new identites one last time and they were off. The flight to Texas was not that long, but for Jake and Carrie the hours seemed to pass like days. When they finally arrived at the airport in Texas, Tom was waiting for them on his horse.

“You must be Amy and Sam?” he inquired.

“Yes, and you must be Tom right?”

“Yes I am, nice to meet you.” answered Tom.
On their way to Tom’s town, Jake, now known as Sam talked with Tom about the whole situation and what they will say to the town’s folks. When they came closer to the houses, Jake and Carrie already knew which one was Tom’s house. Outside that house stood a tall woman, wearing a long purple dress. Standing beside her, Jake noticed a girl around 13 years old and a boy around 10 years old.
Later that day when they had dinner and all had the chance to get to know each other, Tom and Mary gave Jake and Carrie a paper. It was a daily schedule for Jake and Carrie, Carrie was to wake up early every morning to make breakfast for the husbands and the boy with the help of Mary and Melly. While this happened, Jake fed all the animals with Tom and John. After breakfast, Carrie had to help Mary clear up the table and wash the dishes. Then she would go outside with the girls and plant flowers and weed the garden. Carrie came from a city, the city so she has no idea how to do any of that. After the outside work was finished the girls would go inside to prepare for supper.
Carrie didn’t know that Tom and Mary didn’t eat lunch; they only eat breakfast and supper. Jake on the other hand, would go to their fields with the men from the town and plant potatoes until it was time for supper. After supper they had devotions which they called Shadi. This was their daily schedule. Tom was very specific and strict about the use of technology, so he took everything that had to do with technology away from Jake and Carrie. That was a hard adjustment for Jake and Carrie since they are were used to using technology every day of their lives.
Throughout this time in the new town Carrie missed the city life a lot, but on the other hand, she liked the quiet peaceful little town, where there was no hassle or noise. Jake was the opposite. He couldn’t stand the new life style. He liked the city, the traffic and chaos around him as people rushed to their destinations.
He kept on thinking What if they never find out who tried to murder him? Would they have to stay here forever?
All different kinds of questions rushed through Jake’s mind throughout the slow days. One day Jake couldn’t take it any longer. He went to town where they first landed with the plane, and found a phone. He didn’t even hesitate to make a phone call to his lawyer. He needed to find out what they found on his case. The lawyer didn’t have much to tell him.
“We got the screenshot of the suspect from the restaurant cameras, but it’s not the best quality so we are still searching and believe we are very close,” said the lawyer.
Jake was very angry. Couldn’t anybody do anything without him? He thought to himself.
Little did Jake know, the convicted felons friend Dan planted a bug in the lawyer’s phone. Dan was a powerful man with many resources, so he had no trouble tapping a few wires. While Jake was busy on the farm and with the family he was staying with, Dan tracked down where Jake was staying. He wanted to finish the job he started.
On a beautiful day the town was having a dance, everybody was waiting excitedly for it. Even Jake and Carrie looked forward to it. At the dance, the Amish peple gathered their mafia (that’s what they called their security) to make sure everything goes as planned. Two years ago, a drunk man set off three tons of firewerks off of th ehcurch roof, nearly burning it down. Since then, major precautions were taken at any gatherings.
When Dan came to that town he knew he would seem suspicious, and it was obvious that he didn’t belong there, with his ripped jeans and tight leather jacket. He went to the nearest store and bought a fancy Amish outfit, loose fitting slacks and a white shirt that had frills, so he could fit in with everybody else at the dance. Later that evening at the dance, Dan tried to fit in, but was soon noticed by cautious women wondering who the stranger was that sat alone at the table watching everyone. He was constantly scanning the crowd, as if he was looking for someone. Hypnotized by the live music and movement around him, Dan didn’t notice that two big men came up behind him. He jumped up, startled as a rough hand landed on his shoulder.
“Excuse me feller, can we help you?” one of the men asked.
“Uh no, I’m just trying to have a good time here.” Dan quickly replied. The men didn’t seem to believe him.
“A good time eh?” the first man continued, “You seem to be doing a lot of sitting and watching to have much of a good time.”
“Look I don’t want any trouble now,” Dan got up, clenching his fists softly.
“Well if that’s the case,” the second man stepped up, “then I’m sure you wouldn’t mind coming with us for a little while, just to straighten things out.” By now the song ended and everyone cast their attention to the stranger who seemed ready to square off with Bill and Adam, two of the security members.
A circle quickly formed as tension rose, everyone was pressing in, trying to get a good look.
“What’s going on here?” Marty, the town’s law officer demanded.
“Marty,” Adam began, gesturing to Dan, “this fellow here is making quite a suspicious case for himself.” Suddenly, Dan caught a glimpse of Jake as he made his way to his horse, holding Carrie’s hand.
“I’ve got to follow them!” Dan thought to himself.
Adam kept talking to the law officer, but Dan was not listening anymore. All he could think of was getting to Jake and finishing his job.
“Now why would you hold a man captive with no concrete evidence of any wrong doing?” Marty began.
“But sir…” Adam started.
“Adam!” Marty’s rough voice quickly cut him off, “do you not live by scriptures anymore? John 8:7; he that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone. I am disappointed in you Adam, where is your mercy and faith that not each stranger is a criminal? Now what do you think, should we crucify this man for a crime he did not commit, or let him go?”
Adam hung his head low, “Let him go,” he muttered.
“Good choice son,” Marty told him.
Turning to Dan he started apologizing, “Forgive us for the cold welcome young man, you must understand, this is a small town and everyone is very close and looks out for one another.”
“Yeah yeah, no problem” Dan shrugged him off, I need to find Jake he thought.
Quickly leaving the dance, he made his way down the path he saw Jake take last. Walking past the houses, Dan wondered how he would know which one was Jake’s.
Suddenly he heard a familiar voice passing by a house, “Sam, come on in and help me set the table, Tom and Mary will be home soon!” Carrie called out.
Dan stopped quickly, stepping behind a tree, and thought So they got new names. Clever, but not clever enough, and chuckled. What good luck it was that he got to their house in time with no other complications.
“In a minute darling,” Jake replied, “I’m almost done chopping wood.”
Home alone, Dan smiled, here’s my chance, and without further hesitation he walked right up to Jake and pulled out his slick, black gun.
“Hello Jake,” he spit out. Jake’s body went cold and he started trembling.
“No, please, I didn’t do anything” he cried out, dropping to his knees.
“Oh but you did, now get your sorry ass in the house!”
Dan jammed the .50 Desert Eagle into Jake’s rib and forced him inside, Dan following at his heels. Carrie saw the sight and screamed, Dan shot the wall and the good china came shattering down.
“The next one will go through your head if you don’t shut your trap!” Dan informed her.
At that exact moment, Tom and Mary were riding into the lot with Bill, Adam and Marty. Hearing the shot, the men jumped off their horses.
“Tom, get Mary out of here! Marty instructed.
“But what about Carrie, Oh please don’t let her die.” Mary cried out.
“Don’t worry, they will be fine,” Marty assured her. Reaching the door, Bill and Marty heard Dan’s threat’s sounding more fierce as he cocked his gun. “Adam you secure Tom and Mary, myself and Bill will go take the guy down.” Marty whispered.
“1, 2, 3!”
Bill kicked in the door and caught Dan by such surprise that Dan dropped his gun.
“You even flinch and I will have you in a bodysack faster than a blink.” Marty warned Dan, his fists clenched
Dan shot a look of disgust Jake as Bill lunged at him throwing him to the floor, securing his arms with a tight rope and escorting him outside.
“Oh thank you!” Carrie sobbed, as she ran to hug Bill and Marty.
“Let’s go son, you have a long ride back to the office where you can tell us all about yourself.” Marty said snapping hand cuffs on Dan, making them real tight.

“But what if he doesn’t talk?” Jake asked, “He tried to murder us!”

“Oh, he’ll talk!” Marty reassured him.
Later that day Jake was informed that Dan was hired by Bobby to murder Jake for revenge. Dan pled guilty and the FBI were on a plane, ready to pick up Jake and Carrie.
They were going home.



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