The Attack

By Cassandra Jones

He stared hard at the table as he tried to recall his attacker. The pain in his head was unbearable. He had already taken some aspirin, it had done nothing to help the headache, or his bad mood. He just wanted the nightmare to be over.

The police officer standing across from him was  getting restless. They had been in this room for the last two hours. He just couldn't seem to recall anything about this whack job. The guy had jumped him in a dimly lit alley.

Nate looked at his hands on the table. They were covered in scratches. The knuckles on his right hand were busted open from trying to fight back. He had a knot on the back of his head from being rammed into a wall.

“Do you remember anything about the attack at all?” The officer leaned against the wall.

“Not much,” Nate confessed. “It was almost dark in that alley.”

“Why did you go through a dark alley anyway?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Because I live a couple streets from there.” Nate shook his head. “I was trying to get home quicker.”

What was with Officer Attitude? Did he think Nate deserved what had happened? How would he feel if he had been attacked?

“Why go through the alley though?” The officer started pacing back and forth. You could have walked on the street like everyone else.”

“It comes out next to my apartment building.” Nate sighed. “I was in a hurry.”

“A hurry for what? Were you involved in a drug deal or something along those lines?”

Seriously? That's where he was going with this? That was crazy. Nate didn't do drugs and he didn't allow them in his apartment. He didn't have a clue why he was attacked. He knew it wasn't for anything like that.

Nate took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He just wanted to go home and see his wife and daughter. He wanted a hot shower and some sleep. Instead, he was stuck here at the police station being treated like a common criminal.

“No.” Nate raked a hand through his hair, the action making his head hurt worse. “I was going to see my daughter. Today's her birthday and I had to work late.”

“So, you're not involved in anything shady?”

“Of course not.” Nate started to stand up. “Can I go now?”

“Yes, but I'll be in touch. Let me know if you remember anything.”

Nate walked into his apartment building fifteen minutes later. He wasn't ready to see the look on his wife's face when she saw him. She worried that they lived in a bad neighborhood.

He went down the hall to his apartment and froze? Why was the door open? He felt the fear creep up his spine. His pace quickened as he got closer.

He took a deep breath, stepping inside. The place was a mess. Furniture was overturned and pictures were on the floor. He started into the living room when he saw them.

His wife was sitting on the sofa, holding their daughter. One of his neighbors was with them.

“Lisa, what's going on?” He walked over to them.

“Nate?” She looked at him, the fear in her eyes. “Someone broke in. What happened to you?”

“I'm fine.” Nate kissed her cheek. “Are you?”

Lisa shook her head. His daughter looked at him. He was sure Hayley would remember this birthday for a long time.

“Did they take anything?” Nate picked Hayley up, sitting next to Lisa.

“No, but they left this.” She handed him a piece of paper.

Nate read it in disbelief. What on earth was going on here? What had his brother done?

“Why are they saying they want your brother?” Lisa chewed her lip. “What did he do this time?”

“I don't know.” Nate confessed.

He had no idea what his kid brother had done this time. Luke had always been in and out of trouble. Nate was always getting him out of whatever mess he was in. He hadn't talked to him in a couple weeks. That gave him time to do something really stupid.

“I'm calling him.” Nate grabbed the phone.

“Nate, you have to get him to stop this.” Lisa wiped her tears away. “That note says they'll be back.”

What it actually said was if Luke didn't cooperate his brother would be dead, along with his family. Nate had to stop that from happening, somehow.