Regrets

April 12, 2029 – 11:30 am – Chattanooga, Tennessee

***JUDGE STRIKES THE GAVEL***

“LISA WILSON Court #134 of the month of April”, said Judge Carroll. Lisa Wilson had been charged with robbing a 7 Eleven with a group of friends but her four friends managed to escape. Lisa got caught.

“So Lisa, tell me what happened on that night, why did you do it?”, asked Judge Carroll.

“Peer pressure”, Lisa said. “We were coming from a party and wanted some snacks. We were hungry, the food at the party was nasty…so we went to 7 Eleven. We all noticed that we didn’t have any money so we decided to grab a couple of snacks and run out real quick. They have plenty right? It won’t bother them! That’s what we all thought. Plus, the guy was old like 85 years old. He can’t catch us anyway. All of this was going through my head, but in reality, I didn’t wanna do it. Like I said, it was peer pressure. This was all my friends’ idea. I never wanted to steal. And look what happened, the one person that actually didn’t wanna steal ended up being the only one in trouble. Wow. Great…just my luck. The 85 year old cashier saw five teenage girls running out of his store with too many snacks to count and pressed the red button that was behind him where all the cigarettes are. All of a sudden, we heard the sirens. All of us ran back inside the store to go out the back door. Since I was behind everyone, the cashier got a hold of me and held a gun to my head. I was scared for my life. Meanwhile, all four of my friends ran through the back door without turning around to know I had gotten caught. The police came in and asked me a series of questions. They asked if I was the only one…I told them yes.”

Why did you lie?”, asked the judge.

“I didn’t want my friends to get in trouble, I wasn’t going to throw them under the bus. Plus that would make me a snitch and they would kill me when we all finally got out.”

“Got out of what?”, asked Judge Carrol.

“Out of jail”, said Lisa.

“Ms. Wilson, whoever said you were going to jail? This is a hearing for you to show me that you don’t deserve to be in jail and that this was all a mistake. I like how you’re not begging or anything, you’re calm. You’ve shown that you have learned your lesson, you were honest with me. You told your story, you told us it was peer pressure and that you weren’t thinking; that it was all your friends idea…CASE DISMISSED, LISA WILSON NOT GUILTY.”

Lisa ran out of the court room like a bat out of hell. She was so happy. She FaceTimed her closest friend Chloe immediately and the first thing that Chloe asked was…

“Lisa!! What happened! You had us worried sick!”

“You guys left me! That’s what happened!”

“We ran through the back door and hopped over the fence and when we turned around, you were gone. We didn’t know you had gotten caught, I’m so sorry Lisa.”

“It’s fine, that old cashier got a hold of me and held a gun to my head until the cops came in. I got arrested and had to stay in jail for 2 nights awaiting my trial. The one phone call I made was to my mom. I just got out of court explaining everything to the judge. Don’t worry, I didn’t mention any names. And when I got arrested, the cops asked me if I was the only one……..I said yeah.”

“Phew, thank you so much! I thought we were all gonna get in big trouble. Thanks girl, love you” said Chloe.

“Yeah it was very scary, love you too”, replied Lisa.

Lisa hung up the phone and was on the way to her mommas house and ran into this fine young man.

He greeted her with a nice “Hello Miss, how are you?”

She replied with a “Fine sir and how are you?”

“Great” the man replied.

Lisa continued walking home to find her mom cooking chicken alfredo, her favorite!

“Hey ma! I see you cooking my favorite chicken alfredo!!”

“Yeah sweetie, it’s a welcome home celebration. I just can’t believe you would rob a store. You got lucky this time, it’s not gonna be this easy next time, remember that.”

“Yes ma’am”

Lisa lost her father, Keenan Wilson, when she was only 4 years old. He was a U.S. Marine. He had been in a serious car accident back in 2015. Lisa was in the back seat but managed to survive. Her dad died right after the collision of the two cars and she used her dads phone to call her mom. Her mom called the police. It was one of the biggest accidents in the state of Tennessee. It’s never good for a 4 year old girl to be alone when her dad just lost his life, especially when you’re in Chattanooga; one of the most dangerous cities in the state of Tennessee. That same night, a shooter named Mason Johnson shot and killed three U.S. Marines in the same city, Chattanooga. Mason was apparently shot dead while being pursued, but no one knows for sure.

“Ok mom I’m gonna get going now” said Lisa.

“Ok sweetie, see you soon” replied Courtney.

Lisa started on her way to Chloe’s house. She was meeting the group of friends from the 7 Eleven incident. When she finally arrived, Elizabeth answered the door.

“You ready Lisa?”, asked Elizabeth.

“Yeah we going to that party right?”, asked Lisa.

“Yeah, lets go” replied Elizabeth.

“You think we’ll make it? Don’t the doors close at 10:00?”

“Yeah come on, we gotta hurry”, said Elizabeth.

They drove to the party in Memphis and ran to the door.

“Sorry ladies, no more people allowed in” said the security guard whose name tag said Tuck.

“I told y’all, I told you guys it would be no point! We drove all the way out here for no reason!” said Lisa.

“Come on guys, it’s ok lets just go out to eat and call it a night”, said Chloe trying to calm down Lisa.

Everyone agreed and they went to Red Robin to get burgers and fries.

The next day, Lisa got up early to take a walk and as she walked down the sidewalk, she saw that the same guy from yesterday approaching her.

“Hey again!”

“Hey! I’m sorry, I never got your name the first time we met”, said Lisa.

“Mason, but everyone calls me Mase.”

“Oh, nice to meet you Mase, mind if I call you Mason though? I always call people by their real name.”

“Nah I honestly don’t like going by that name, everyone has always called me Mase since I was younger so I prefer that.”

“Ok cool, my name is Lisa. We should hang sometime?”

“Yeah sure thing”, said Mase “here’s my number.”

“Thanks I’ll call you tonight”, replied Lisa who was holding back her smile as she walked away.

Later on that night, Lisa called Mase and they talked for hours. They spoke on the phone every night for a week. After getting to know each other a little more, they decided to go to the carnival that was in town.

Lisa and Mase pull up to the bright lights, roller coasters, and tons of people strolling into the carnival. They ride “Splash Mountain” and then get cotton candy to share. The last thing they do is go through the the corn maze.

“I’m ready to go” said Lisa.

“Ok, lets go” said Mase.

As Mase and Lisa walk towards the exit of the carnival, a strange man approaches them.

“Aye Mase! Can I have a word?”

“Yeah whats up man.”

“You remember me bro?”

“Nah, I don’t. Who are you?”

“I’m Bobby. You killed my pops 14 years ago. You remember that? So now imma take your life.”

Bobby takes a pistol out his jacket pocket and points it at Lisa and Mase.

“WOAH WOAH WOAH BOBBY!!!! LETS CALM DOWN HERE. I don’t know where you got this information from but I ain’t kill nobody! You got the wrong guy. I’m sorry about what happened to your dad bro but I didn’t kill him. I promise! I promise you it wasn’t me!”

“I know it was you. It’s not up for discussion, my sources told me it was some guy named Mase. Thats your name right? Any last words Mase?”

Bobby sees security in the distance coming their way and holds the gun behind his back.

“Everything alright over here?” asks the security guard.

“Yeah we good, just having a civilized conversation” replied Bobby as he discreetly slides his gun in his back jean pocket.

“Alright, we’re about to close soon so y’all best get going” said the security guard.

Mase and Bobby exchanged hateful glances as they left the carnival.

On the ride home, Lisa asks Mase “what was that all about?”

“I don’t know what Bobby was talking about. I remember him from middle school…I used to bully him.”

“Ok but why did he say you killed his dad 14 years ago? He didn’t mention anything about bullying.”

“Honestly, I have no idea. He made that up. I didn’t even know his father died. Maybe he just made up something so he could have a good reason for shooting me. He just wanted to get back at me for bullying him. He’s always wanted to get revenge on me. I’m not the same person anymore as I was in my past though. I’ve made lots of mistakes, and I’m trying to turn my life around. It’s all good though Lisa, nothing to worry about.”

“Ok, I’m gonna trust you.”

The next week, they went to the mall. The week after that, they went to the movies and they went roller skating. Lisa and Mase were getting closer and closer; and Lisa was starting to fall in love with her new friend.

***Telephone Ring*** “Wilson residence”, said Courtney.

“Hey mom!”, said Lisa.

“Hey Lisa, what you been up to?”

“GUESS WHAT! I have a new friend I want you to meet.”

“Ohh what’s her name!?”

“Actually mom, it’s a guy.”

“Ohh ahh shucks now Lisa got a boyfriend or what?”

“Maybeeeeeee…but I want you to meet him. You’re gonna love him.”

“Ok sweetie, come on over tonight for dinner.”

“Ok, see you later momma!”

Mason met Lisa at her house and Lisa drove them both to Courtney’s house. As they pulled into the driveway, Lisa looked at Mason nervously.

“Ok Mason, be polite, she has to like you”, said Lisa.

“She will”, replied Mase. “Don’t worry, she’s going to love me.”

***Doorbell Rings***

“Mom it’s me!”, yelled Lisa.

***Door Opens***

“Hey is this the guy?”, asked Courtney.

“Yup, Mason, meet my mom Courtney. Mom, meet my boyfriend Mason”, said Lisa.

“I really just like to be called Mase, thanks.”

“Wait, you look familiar”, said Courtney. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“No, not that I know of”, replied Mase.

“Oh, well what y’all waiting for, come on in and eat!”

“Hey I know this smell!! My favorite chicken alfredo! Thanks mom!!”, said Lisa in astonishment.

Mase, Lisa, and Courtney all sit down at the dinner table and start eating.

“So Mason, how did you meet my daughter?” asked Courtney

I was walking down Anne Avenue and saw this gorgeous young lady. I couldn’t help but to speak to her. I saw her again the very next day and that’s when we exchanged numbers. We have talked everyday ever since then.

“Wow, thats so great! I’m happy for you guys…Hey Mason, ***clears throat*** excuse me I mean Mase, quick question.”

“Yes ma’am, ask me anything.”

“Your last name wouldn’t by chance be Johnson, would it?”, asked Courtney.

“Yes my full name is Mason Johnson Ms. Courtney.”

Courtney got up from her chair, ran to the top shelf in the kitchen and pulled out a pistol.

“YOU!!! YOU!!! I knew you looked familiar!! You filthy bastard! YOU KILLED MY HUSBAND! How dare you come into my house!? You were the one who killed the three U.S. marines that night!! Lisa!! This is the guy that killed your dad 14 years ago!”

“Mom, mom, wait what!? Are you kidding!? This is the one who crashed into dad? Wasn’t it on accident though??”, asked Lisa.

“Heck no! It was all a plan! He killed three other U.S. Marines the same night he killed your father!! He’s a terrorist! It was all over the news, I knew those Chattanooga shootings were linked to your fathers car accident! I thought you died!!”

“Everyone did”, said Mason smirking.

“Well you gon die this time for sure, imma make sure boy!!! You deserve to go to hell for what you did!” yelled Courtney.

“No mom! If we kill him, we’ll go to jail!”, said Lisa holding back tears.

“No, we’re moving. Imma shoot this coward for killing my Keenan, and then we gon run away to Japan or sum place far away. But I’m killing this guy, Lisa. He ruined our lives and several other lives. Families suffered from the deaths of those marines, including us. We suffered so much once your dad passed away. This killer will not roam the streets anymore. He’s gonna be gone for good this time. He will not create any more trouble in this world.”

“Ok mom, go ahead. I just can’t believe it was Mase. Our relationship just started. Why did you kill my father!!?? Why did you ruin our lives!! I was 4 years old when that car accident happened in 2015. Now I’m 18. It was so long ago! How have you been on the run and in hiding for 14 years! I’m glad someone finally caught you. YOU DESERVE TO DIE! As soon as I think I have met the man of my dreams, he turns out to be my worst enemy!! Shoot him mom! Shoot him!”

“Any last words Mason Johnson?”, said Courtney.

All you hear through the city is ‘BOP BOP BOP’. Police got news the next morning that there was a head on a stick in the middle of the road on Anne Avenue. Police examine the head and come to the conclusion that it is a terrorist who goes by the name of Mason Johnson, AKA Mase. Sirens wail in the city as Courtney and Lisa escape to Tokyo, Japan with a population of 14 million, where they start their new lives.