ENEMY LINES

DEATH

I'm startled from my sleep by the loud banging of the door in my 1 and a half bedroom apartment. I cuss at whoever could be trying to break down my door at this hour. I check the time on my phone,it's 2:25 on a Monday morning. I notice I have a few missed calls from my brother,who called around midnight. It's not rare for him to call me at such an hour but he never calls more than twice. Let me see who's at the door then I'll call him back,I think to myself as I put on my night down and slippers.

"Hold your horses,I'm coming........"

I open my door to two men in blue... It's the early hours of the morning and police officers are at my door,this is the day I've dreaded all my life or since I found out my brother was involved in crime.

:;:;:;:;:;;:;4 YEARs EaRLIeR:;:;:;:;

"Don't scream at me with that judgemental tone. How do you think I paid for you to go to medical school. I did this for both of us"

"Shane are you blaming me for being involved in drug dealing and car hijacking. I didn't ask you to take me to medical school or buy me all those expensive things or that car....... if you bought it that is"

"Angie are you forgetting that you were present when I purchased that car. I might be a criminal but I'd never do anything to put your life in danger like give you stolen goods."

"What do you expect me to think when I've just found out that my brother is not who I thought he is. He's actually a big time criminal."

"Don't judge me Angie"

"Shane I'm not judging you. You're the only family I've ever had. I lost mom at a young age and I don't want to wake up one day to the news of your death"

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Today 4 years later I'm sitting in my seating area,trying to register what the police men who've now left said. Trying to figure out how I'm going to bury my brother. I knew this day would come but was hoping for it not to be this soon.