The Unwitting Witness

The noise rattled me awake as I ran to my panel. I could just turn on the camera and press record.  The men in the fine suits had dragged my neighbor out of his home, bound. I could just watch as they beat him as he struggled.  His bloody face was smashed against the cold street in the early hours. His groans could be heard as the men in suits and masks said nothing.  They stood around him as he struggled in his restraints. Then a black van came down the road, and he was thrown in the back. It sped off as fast as it came, with blacked-out plates.  I could only watch as nothing stopped the whole incident.  My doorbell camera was the only witness to the event, but what if the same men came after me? I turned off the camera just as the man's wife came screaming out of her house.  Her face was beaten too, and her hands had been tied. She fell onto the pavement as the other neighbors went to check out the scene.  Mr. Ben Oxley's blood was on the street, and so was his wife's. The whole place was starting to be surrounded by police lights.  An ambulance was dispatched to send Mrs. Ruth Oxley to the hospital.  The entire place was alive as every neighbor left their houses in disbelief.

I gently just reentered my place and downloaded the video from the doorbell camera. It was a little grainy, but it showed what had happened. I held the thumb drive and thought of my own safety. If they can do this to Ben Oxley, they can do this to me.  I shoved the thumb drive in my pocket and went to see the police process the scene.

 One of the uniformed officers came up to me, "Did you see anything during the attack?"

 I could only say, "I heard a vehicle speed away and Ruth coming out of her house."

The day had begun, and I was heading out to work.  The street was still limited, but the information was in my pocket.  The street was still crowded with tape and onlookers. All the lights were still down the street.  The morning was crazy enough, and now I have the video, but only if I need to give it to them.  The ride was on caution as many cars seemed to be following.  The day did not go well as the memory and the flash drive were tucked away, and maybe they knew.  The whole day seemed normal, but what was his abduction, a government job or that of kidnappers?  I could only try to stay awake, and maybe they knew nothing.  It was a long ride home as the same cars seemed to be on the road.  I pulled into my driveway, and the cops were gone.  It was as if nothing had happened.  I went straight inside as I rechecked the camera feed, and someone was walking around, looking for cameras, and stared at mine.  I then checked for my original video. It was missing from my system, and no backup either.  I realized that the only copy was on my flash drive.

I then hid it in the last place anyone would look.  The crime was being erased after such a horrible thing.  The place seemed untouched, but I relaxed since there was no evidence on the camera itself. This was probably over, and I could rest with them, thinking that they had erased all the information. The next day, I was better, and the lack of noise during the night helped. The sun was shining despite the bitter cold of the morning.  Several workers were around the houses checking lines, but I was going to ignore them and let the paranoia die.  I headed to my car as one man approached me.  He walked in a familiar style and stared as I just waved as I drove off.   In my head, I could only think they might think I saw something and were trying to intimidate me.  The workday was no better, as I could only think they knew I had a copy of the actual video, and it was not totally gone.  I was missing my mind as I quickly headed home and searched the spot in my closet; the thumb drive was there.   The same cars could be seen, but maybe that was my imagination.  I was off, so it was nice to relax and get some chores done.  As the doorbell rang, a man was at my door with a clipboard.  His nice shirt was just as cheesy as his smile. 

"I was sent to do a door-to-door to ask about the incident the other day," the interviewer stated.

"I did not see anything and only came out after the fact," I replied.

"I guess that is all I need to know," the interviewer replied.

He left as he went to the next house.  While even the other houses were visited.   I saw the local news crew as it reported on the crime and asked for any information on the kidnappers.  I could just sit in my house, trying to act normally and not let anyone know of my evidence.  It was a day of hope that the crime would go away.  The search for Mr. Oxley was underway as it became a national story, and I declined to be interviewed, wanting some peace.  It continued into the months of the odd sightings.  The men in suits were not seen as I held onto the evidence and acted like I saw absolutely nothing. 

One morning, a man approached me again, and this time with an envelope.  He stared into my eyes and handed me the envelope. I slowly opened it, and it was the picture of me on the morning of the kidnapping. I could only stare back with nothingness.

He whispered, "Do not say a word about what happened. The video is erased if you value your life."

I stared back, a confused look on my face, as my neighbors waved me on. 

"I do not know what you mean after all, and what video," I answered.

"Just take it as a nice warning," the man replied and walked off to his car.

I ran into the house and wanted to cry, as even if I said nothing, I could still be killed.  I was even thinking of calling the FBI, as they knew I had seen something. I saw one of the reporters at the scene, and it was another complicated conversation. I even copied the video again and secretly called the FBI. It was also time for a vacation, so I quickly left for another part of the country. The news was glaring as my video played, and it was clear that one of the men had been arrested.  The next few days, Mr. Oxley was found in a terrorist group compound.  The whole news made me feel better about returning home.   The video was the final evidence needed to arrest the group.  The time seemed lighter, and the truth was out. 

As the neighborhood was quiet again, I just drank my tea with happy thoughts, hoping they would not come after me.  I guess the best witness is the camera, and I wish Mr. Oxley some peace.   I did get a better alarm system that keeps a secret place where the videos were kept.  The one night that changed my life, and now I look over my shoulder just in case of another bizarre kidnapping. This time, it will not be mine, as the terrorist group is furious at me.  Even crime in a small town could happen with such reach.  I then realized that there is nowhere safe when someone wants to hurt you.  I must keep on living as best I can, and appreciate the days I do have.