Children of the Elements: Prey to Him

Chapter Nine: Breath of Unknown

Chapter Nine: Breath of Unknown

Nathan sat uncomfortably on the bench to the side of the cell, fiddling lazily with the handcuffs holding his wrists together in front of him. He’d basically blanked out the last hour of his life, seeing it as a blur of voices, forceful police officers and being yanked in several different directions by several different people. He had also been to medical officer or whatever they had called her: he hadn’t really been listening, who’d attempted to clear up his face. Now he was sat in Brookstone’s police station waiting for someone to tell him what was going on.

The cell he was waiting in was small and grey and stank of vomit, though after a while Nathan had become used to the smell. There were three walls made of thick brick and metal, and a single wall of thick grey poles. The door was locked with a key code system not dissimilar to the ones Nathan had seen around school.

He had been waiting for nearly an hour, and after failing to watch the film Finding Nemo back over in his head to distract himself, he started to become restless. He rolled his head to look outside the cell. There were 5 other cells in the same room; two next to his and three on the opposite side. Only one of these was preoccupied by a large bald man covered in tattoos, though he hadn’t either moved or said anything for the past 30 minutes of being here. Nearest to the door were two small wooden desks, each complete with a vast variety of stationary and computers. Over the past hour, several different police officers had entered and left, tiddling about on the computers for a minute or two before responding to a phone call and leaping on out of here. Nathan could understand why; he definitely wouldn’t want to be sat in a room that smelled like vomit with potential criminals in his midst.

At the moment, there was only one police officer sat on the desk facing Nathan. He had typed about 5 letters on the computer previously, but then given up and leaned back in his chair, texting away on his phone. He didn’t seem to care what he was supposed to be doing.

Agitated, Nathan stood up and started pacing across the floor. He hadn’t got a plan. He needed a plan. How are you going to get your way out of this one then? Make up some clever line to fox them? That’ll never work. Craig’s voice in his head scratched at him like a chisel, and he forced it away. You should take the consequences as they come. You can’t just run away from something like this. If you’ve done it, man up and admit it… Maybe Ash was right. Maybe he should just admit to selling the drugs. Are you fucking insane? You don’t have time to mess around in here let alone in a prison. Just use your ice and bust your way out. Then you can just –

“Do you mind?” A deep voice interrupted him and Nathan stopped pacing, looking out into the walkway. The man in the other cell opposite was looking at him, clearly fed up.

“Not really, no. Why don’t you mind your own business?” The man stiffened. Obviously he wasn’t used to people answering back to him. He did look like that kind of intimidating thug people would listen to out of fear.

“Would you two quiet down? This isn’t a bloody free-for-all.” At the police officer’s barking comment, Nathan pulled a face at the other prisoner and turned his back, starting his pacing once more. The left side of his face was aching quite considerably from where his father had punched him. Nathan’s expression turned grim at the thought of his family situation. To be honest, prison is probably the best place for me. At least I’ll actually have somewhere to belong. Especially if Ash and Georgea don’t want me anymore. I really should talk to Ash… But what about Ellie…?

This time, it was only a minute or two before the man piped up again.

“Seriously. Sit the fuck down boy” he demanded. Before Nathan could respond, the police officer stood up and came between the two cells, banging on the man’s bars.