Poor Boy Spends Night at School, Witnesses Principal Secretly Meeting Gangsters – Story of the Day

Ryan seeks refuge in his school games room for a night and accidentally witnesses his principal secretly meeting dangerous gangsters in his office. The boy discreetly records their conversation on his phone and unravels a huge crime racket.

It was half past eight at night when 10-year-old Ryan tiptoed out of the games room. Earlier that afternoon, he lied to his best friend, Arnold, about going home early after the dismissal bell. But the boy wanted to spend the night at his school and crept into the games room, dozing off on the gymnastics mat.

The bustling corridors of the school were now grave silent and dark, and Ryan's footsteps echoed softly in the empty hallway as he marched toward the restroom in the senior's block. Suddenly, he heard muffled, aggressive voices coming from the principal's room and stopped in his tracks.

"Principal Wilson? What's he doing here now? And who is he talking to?" Ryan approached the partially open door and witnessed his principal talking aggressively to a gang of men bearing guns, menacing Bowie knives, and dragon tattoos crawling up their necks. At first sight, Ryan understood his principal was dealing with some bad guys and eavesdropped on their conversation...

"Oh my God…Mr. Wilson is involved with thugs?" Ryan was stunned, and that's when his principal's voice reached his ears like a jolt of electricity: "I already sent an innocent person to jail…what more do you want from me?"

These words sent shivers down Ryan's spine. Who were they talking about? What had the principal done? His mind raced with questions, and he decided to record everything on his cell phone.

"Nobody will believe me if I say Mr. Wilson did this," Ryan gasped as he pulled out his phone and turned the camera on. He crept closer to the door's crack, recording every bit of the shocking revelations unfolding in the principal's office.

"...and everything will be over in two days, Mr. Wilson. Just two days! This town will forever remember us and our evil doing!" one of the thugs wickedly laughed as Ryan's eyes bulged out of the sockets.

"Oh my God...So this is what they're going to do...I must stop them before it's too late," Ryan was terrified as he quietly witnessed certain dark secrets unfold. He decided to thwart the criminals' plans and bolted to the police station right away with evidence in hand.

Two days later, Principal Wilson was taken into custody. He had no idea this was coming as he sat in the interrogation room with his hands cuffed. His face and arms were covered in purplish bruises, and he kept saying the same thing again and again as Detective Rudolf unkindly stared him in the eye.

"Please, believe me, Officer…I was set up," Mr. Wilson pleaded. "I didn't want to... But they made me do it."

"I just wanted to save my son…and I had no choice. I'll tell you how everything started…I was sitting in my house, reading a newspaper that evening when my son, Nick, returned home. He was looking disturbed about something and…and he was not alone…"

"Nick, what's wrong, son? Jesus, are you hurt…is everything alright?" Mr. Wilson approached his 20-year-old son Nicholas. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw tall, muscular men with tattoos crawling up their arms and necks accompanying his son into the house. Mr. Wilson was terrified as he had no idea his son was involved with a gang.

"Cool it, Daddy. Get in...And DON'T shout...I've not come prepared to waste a bullet!" the gang leader scoffed.

"Wh—Who are you? Nick, who are these men? What's going on?" Mr. Wilson panicked. But before he could fathom what was going on, the gang leader made himself comfortable on the sofa beside Mr. Wilson.

"Sit down, Mr. Wilson," the guy said in a gruff, intimidating voice as he dug for something in his black leather jacket. Mr. Wilson's worst fears were confirmed, and a cold sweat broke on his forehead when the man pulled out a gun and placed it on the table.

"Don't even think of calling the cops, Mr. Wilson!" the gang leader chuckled wickedly. "I'm sure you won't do that…after knowing why we've come…and what we're capable of!"

With a worried expression, Nick stood beside the thugs, and Mr. Wilson's heart started racing as he looked up at his son.

"Who are you? Wha—What do you want?" Mr. Wilson stuttered.

"You're in no position to question us, Mr. Wilson," the gang leader said, his tone cold and menacing. "But you're in a position to do as we say! We have two pieces of news. First, your son lost $5,000 to us in a card game last night at the pub."

A small sigh of relief escaped a frightened Mr. Wilson's lips. He understood where this was heading and immediately reached out for his wallet. "$5,000? I will pay you…you can take the money and just leave my house!"

The thugs burst into a wave of giddy laughter, and Mr. Wilson froze, unable to understand what was going on. He then understood it was not the $5,000 the gangsters had come for. Their motive was different…and deadly.

"Ah, Mr. Wilson! Don't hurry yet, Daddy! Patience…patience! You're too quick! I didn't finish talking. Your son has already paid off his debt. There's more...We've come for something else!"

"What is that?" Mr. Wilson grew nervous. His anxiety rose, and he wanted to just grab his cell phone and call the cops to report a break-in. But he could not do it. Not after hearing the gang leader mention a robbery that recently shook that part of town and Nick's involvement in it.

"Remember the recent robbery…two weeks ago…at the jewelry store in town?" the leader said. "Your beloved son Nick did it for us!"

This was the last thing Mr. Wilson had wanted to hear about his son. A dropout from college and a youngster battling addiction issues, Nick had always been obsessed with trying to make easy money. He spent long nights gambling in casinos, squandering his Dad's money.

Mr. Wilson strongly hoped Nick would mend his ways someday. But not in a million dreams did he think his son would fall into the trap of these deadly and menacing gangsters.

"He was part of our heist, Mr. Wilson! In fact, Nick led the whole team to pull off our biggest robbery to date!" the thug's voice boomed across the living room, jolting Mr. Wilson.

"So what do you want?" Mr. Wilson scowled, raising an eyebrow.

The gang leader pulled out his phone and played footage of Nick armed with a gun as he robbed the jewels. Mr. Wilson was beyond startled and looked up at Nick, who stood helpless, surrounded by the thugs.

"What do you want?" Mr. Wilson asked again. His heart started pounding wildly as he waited for the gang leader's response. Deep inside, he knew they had come to blackmail him for a ransom, but nothing shook him more when the guy proposed a startling offer.

"$100,000! You give us $100,000 to keep our mouths shut, or this video will 'accidentally' end up in the police station! There's only one copy of this footage...it's right before your eyes...on my phone! You should be thankful to us for hacking the store's surveillance cameras and saving your sweet son from getting busted!"

"What?? $100,000? I don't have that kind of money," Mr. Wilson rose with a start.

"Well…well, well! In that case, we always have a plan B, Mr. Wilson!" the gang leader declared with a wicked grin. "If you can't give us the money, no problem! You can make it up to us by doing something else instead. Obey us, and your son will be free from his little debt…and not go to jail!"

Each second felt heavier as Mr. Wilson watched the footage auto-rewind. If this video landed with the cops, it could brew big trouble and tarnish his reputation as one of the most esteemed school administrators in town.

"Are you blackmailing me?" Mr. Wilson scowled. "Fine, what should I do?" His brows shot up in anxiety. He knew the stakes were going to be higher this time. But there was nothing much he could do other than fulfilling the gang's demand to save his son.

Moreover, it could land his only son behind bars and sabotage his future. No. Mr. Wilson would never let that happen. So, he sighed a deep breath and forced himself to declare, "I'm ready to do anything. Please, don't leak this footage. I will do whatever you say."

"Cool!" the thug leader grinned, flashing his silver teeth. "We heard that a new batch of computers arrived yesterday for the computer lab in your school. All you have to do is…give us the keys to the school back gate and the computer lab…and the surveillance camera's password. We'll take it from there!"

"What? I…I can't. That's a lot of computers…and it's risky," Mr. Wilson exclaimed in shock. "But—"

"But what, Mr. Wilson? Are you not willing to pay such a small price for your son, Nick?" the gang leader chuckled. "Or do you want to see your beloved boy spend half his life in jail?"

Mr. Wilson started sweating even with the air conditioner on. He did not want to do this, but what choice did the gangsters leave him with? He pondered for a few seconds and reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, I'll do it!" Mr. Wilson said and left the living room. Moments later, he returned with a bunch of duplicate keys to the school gate and the computer lab. "And this is the surveillance camera's password," he said, slipping a note with the password in the thug's hand.

"That's good, Mr. Wilson! Boys, let's leave…We have a lot of work tonight! The footage of your son is safe with me…safe only until you keep your little mouth shut, Daddy! Don't try to trick us, you hear me? Or it could cause you irreparable damage!" The gang leader laughed as he shook Mr. Wilson's hand and left.

When Mr. Wilson arrived at the school gate the next morning, he was in for a massive shock. A squad of police officers and cruisers surrounded the premises, and in the near distance, he saw Joseph, a 64-year-old security guard, being escorted by the cops across the corridor.

"Officer, what's going on over here?" Mr. Wilson approached a police officer. "Why are there so many cops in my school? Where are they taking Joseph?"

He knew it had something to do with the gangsters but pretended he did not know anything at all to avoid being suspected. But it still did not add up to Mr. Wilson why watchman Joseph was handcuffed and taken away by the police.

"Mr. Wilson, no need to worry," the officer turned toward Mr. Wilson. "The school was robbed early this morning…at five. We identified the culprit and retrieved two boxes of stolen computer accessories from his house."

"You caught the culprit?" Mr. Wilson asked with a start, thinking the cops had arrested the thugs. "Who is it? And why are the cops taking the school watchman?"

"Mr. Wilson, it's him!'' The Sheriff cut through Mr. Wilson's question and pointed toward Joseph. "Your security guard stole the computers from the lab last night. We got an anonymous tip and executed a search warrant at his house just 20 minutes ago. We found two boxes of computer accessories there. We are yet to find out what he did with the rest of the stolen items. We're taking him into custody."

Before Mr. Wilson could react, his phone suddenly rang. It was a call from an unknown number, and he hesitantly answered. "Don't you want to save your son, Mr. Wilson?" a familiar voice spoke on the other end of the line.

Mr. Wilson's eyes bulged with shock as he hurried to the corner and whispered. "What do you want? Can you please stop calling me? The cops are here…And you framed our security guard? Why did you do it? It was not a part of our plan…."

The gang leader burst into wild laughter on the phone. "We always need someone to bear our blames…and burdens…don't we, Mr. Wilson?! Now what you do is…be a good Daddy and play along. We're watching your every move, Mr. Wilson. Don't try to act smart, okay? We'll meet you soon!"

"No…wait…." Mr. Wilson was startled, but the guy had already hung up.

"Oh my God…I can't believe it…Joseph, my security guard…How could he do such a thing? I've known him for years…." Mr. Wilson marched to the Sheriff and played along. "Thank you for arresting the culprit, Sheriff. I'll cooperate fully in ensuring justice is served."

As the day wore on, Mr. Wilson grew more and more anxious. He condemned himself for supporting a lie and framing an innocent old man for theft. But a part of him justified what he did was right whenever he pictured his son Nick going to jail.

"I can't let my son go to jail…I just can't," Mr. Wilson worried and was so impatient to get home and meet Nick that evening. As he prepared to leave after an important conference call, the thugs suddenly barged into his office and surrounded him.

"What's the hurry, Daddy?" the gang leader scoffed, propping his booted leg onto the table, his laughter dripping with wickedness that sent shivers down Mr. Wilson's spine.

"What are you doing here? This is my school, and I work here…Please, go away…what do you want?" Mr. Wilson roared.

"Shhh...Easy…easy, Mr. Wilson. Lower your volume…Even the walls have ears…And you don't want them to let out our little secret, do you?!" the gangster chuckled as everyone around giggled.

"Why have you come again? Please…I did everything you wanted…Aren't you ashamed of what you did? You framed that poor security guard and sent him to jail," Mr. Wilson grumbled. "And you got what you wanted…Finally, you'll leave my son alone!"

"Ah, if you only knew…it's not that easy, Mr. Wilson!" the gang leader declared, freezing Mr. Wilson. "And who told you it's over?!"

"What do you mean?" Mr. Wilson argued, his tone laced with disappointment and panic.

"Well, well! We're sparing your son Nick. But unfortunately, you're involved in the robbery of your own school, Mr. Wilson. Do you know what will happen if everyone knows what you did? So if you want us to keep our mouths shut, you must do something else in exchange for our silence!"

Mr. Wilson's heart started racing as he knew there was no way out of their trap, and he listened intently.

"What more do you want me to do? I already sent an innocent person to jail…what more do you want from me?" Mr. Wilson pleaded.

"Let's get down to some business, Mr. Wilson!" the thug replied, lighting a cigarette. "My boys hit the jackpot in town tonight…at the antique store. The cops are on high alert all over the town…so we need someone to help us escape this place undetected."

"You robbed an antique store? Jesus…That's ridiculous! I can't help you," Mr. Wilson dismissed, his face sweating.

"Think again, Mr. Wilson! If we go behind bars, we take you and your sweet son along! I'm sure you ain't willing to take that risk. Think again!"

"Fine…what do you want me to do?" Mr. Wilson leaned forward from his table. "And let this be the last favor. I don't want us to meet again. Okay?"

"You're one helluva businessman, Mr. Wilson! Okay, so here's the plan…" the gang leader explained.

"There's no way we can get out of this town on our own. The cops are searching all the vehicles leaving and entering the district. So we need someone who can drive us out of the town limits without getting caught. And only you can help us since you are a reputed school principal. The cops won't suspect you, and we will make our grand escape!"

Mr. Wilson nodded hesitantly. He understood this was his only chance to get rid of the thugs. "...And once we're out of this town, we don't know you, and you don't know us! It's a gentleman's word!"

"Gentleman?!" Mr. Wilson smirked. "Fine, I will do it. But this is the last and final favor. We won't meet again. And no more blackmailing. Once I successfully help you guys escape, you delete the footage of my son…And you won't call me anymore, okay?"

The gangster cackled with laughter. "Deal! And one more thing, Mr. Wilson…don't try to act smart. Your son will ride with us, so don't think about double-crossing us. We'll release him as soon as you get us out of the town."

"…but if the cops catch us or if you try to do something foolish, then your son won't make it out ALIVE."

Mr. Wilson was torn between saving his son and the gang's final demand. He hoped never to see them again and reluctantly agreed.

"That's great, Mr. Wilson! We'll meet outside the children's park..sharp at seven tomorrow evening. Be ready with your car and be there 15 minutes early. We boys hate waiting! Till then, your son Nick will be in our custody."

The thugs stormed out of the principal's office, laughing and plotting their next move in the city they were going to camp after fleeing from the town. Meanwhile, Mr. Wilson burst into silent sobs as he looked at his son's photo in his wallet.

After his wife's death, Nick was all he had. Mr. Wilson was ready to go to any lengths and take any risk to save his son from the evil grasp of those gangsters. When the fateful Friday of the grand escape arrived, Mr. Wilson pulled over his minivan outside the children's park and waited for the gangsters and his son.

"Quick, Mr. Wilson!" The gang leader and his three gangsters boarded the minivan out of nowhere, along with Nick. Mr. Wilson was startled. In split seconds, his empty minivan was filled with intimidating strangers. There were boxes of precious antiques they had robbed stashed in his trunk. And his son Nick was in the backseat, wedged between two muscular men.

"What are you waiting for, Mr. Wilson? Cover us up with these blankets. Make it look like you're driving alone and deceive the cops. Hurry!" the man ordered.

Mr. Wilson threw the blankets on the men and his son, who lay on the backseat. He stashed empty cardboard boxes on them to make it appear like he was driving with some household items in the backseat.

Mr. Wilson was nervous and started sweating as he sat behind the wheel and drove across the town. He took a diversion to the rundown road passing through the woods. It was not a part of his plan initially. But he knew it was his only way to drive the thugs out of the town limits without falling in the cops' eyes at the main checkposts.

Mr. Wilson calmly drove when suddenly, his heart started racing. He noticed cops checking vehicles passing through the checkpost bordering the woods. He was alarmed as he had never expected to find a checkpost there as it was a secluded part of the town.

Mr. Wilson wanted to turn around and take a different route, but it was too late. He saw a huge truck pull over right behind his minivan on the narrow road and realized he had no choice but to keep driving forward.

"Please step out of your van," a police officer approached Mr. Wilson's van with a suspicious look etched on his face. "Sir, please step out of your vehicle," he knocked on the window. "We need to check it. Please step out."

Mr. Wilson tried to diffuse the situation. He plastered a friendly smile and addressed the cop, pretending to know him well. "Oh, Sergeant Davidson! How are you doing? It's me…Mr. Wilson…the district school's principal, remember? I taught your son. You know me! Let's calm down and relax a bit, shall we? It's just household items… cardboard and blankets for my dog's kennel…."

However, the officer remained hostile and insisted that Mr. Wilson get out of his minivan. "Mr. Wilson, please step down. We need to check," the cop demanded again, his tone leaving no room for any negotiation or friendly talks.

At that moment, Mr. Wilson's heart sank like a stone. He looked around, his eyes bloodshot with anxiety and cheeks red. There was nothing but a dead end as far as his eyes could see, and he realized there was no escape now.

Surrendering would mean facing the consequences of whatever charges awaited him and his son. It also meant something terrible would happen to Nick as he was held hostage by the gangsters. Panic surged within Mr. Wilson, forcing him to make a split-second decision.

With a feigned gesture, he pretended to open the van door to get out. And just as the officer stepped back, Mr. Wilson slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, launching the minivan forward at full throttle.

The minivan plunged into the muddy path, breaking the barrier at the checkpost, its tires screeching against the gravel as it tore away from the scene. The startled cops ran after the minivan while some alerted the control room and checkposts in all directions.

Mr. Wilson did not understand from where he mustered that kind of courage. He did not know where he was heading and kept accelerating faster and faster on the gravel path in the woods.

The van had hardly crossed a few yards when Mr. Wilson lost control of the wheel and rammed into a tree with a deafening crash. The impact sent shards of glass flying and metal crunching as the minivan rolled on the ground, flipping and tumbling.

The last thing Mr. Wilson saw before passing out was a fresh trail of crimson oozing on the deployed airbag due to the deadly collision. And the last thing he heard was deadly cries emanating from the backseat. Among those cries was a voice he quickly recognized. It was Nick's…and he had hit his head hard on the window.

"...And that's how it happened, Sheriff," Mr. Wilson finished narrating the incident as tears endlessly flowed down his cheeks. "I was nervous about getting caught. I just wanted to save my son."

"But you were finally caught, weren't you, Mr. Wilson?" the Sheriff said, breaking Mr. Wilson's silence. "The truth goes nowhere, does it?"

Mr. Wilson sobbed as he looked out the window in the corridor and froze in his chair. "Oh, Joseph, I'm sorry for doing this to you," he gasped at seeing the older security guard being escorted by the cops across the corridor.

He watched the police remove Joseph's handcuffs and felt very guilty for doing this to the poor security guard who had always been loyal. Before Mr. Wilson could think of anything else, he noticed a little boy run up to Joseph and hug him. Mr. Wilson realized it was Ryan, the third-grade pupil in his school.

"Oh, that boy! He's Ryan—the same boy who handed us the video evidence of you talking to the criminals two days ago! He's security guard Joseph's orphaned grandson," the police officer informed Mr. Wilson.

"And I'm sorry, Mr. Wilson. We have bad news. We just got a call from the hospital…your son Nick…he died."

What can we learn from this story?

• Lies may create an illusion, but the truth always finds a way out. To save his son from the deadly grip of the gangsters and their blackmails, Mr. Wilson teamed up with them to fulfill their demands. The last straw was when he attempted to drive them out of the town without getting caught. But his lie took him too far, and he was arrested after a fateful crash on the way.
• The repercussions of wrong choices are like a maze that can forever alter one's path and never offer a way out. Mr. Wilson helped the gangsters rob his school and remained tight-lipped when his poor security guard was framed for it. He thought he would get rid of the gangsters, but they kept coming back with more demands and started blackmailing him.

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A man seeks the help of a local gang to keep his mother-in-law from pestering him about her home renovations. "The job is done!" he gets a call two days later and discovers something surprising. Click here to read the full story.

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