6 Chapter 6

“No! You can’t do this! You can’t…” The kids looked back at him, scared and confused. “These are my kids!”

“Dad’s got a paper that says otherwise. Magdalena signed it, giving him the right to take them.”

“That’s not—she had no right!” Oh, Jesus, this couldn’t be happening.

“Y’know something? I’m tired of hearing your yammering.” Maggie’s oldest brother grabbed his wrist and twisted it high behind his back.

“Dad!” Luke was struggling, but he was no match for the man who caught him around the waist and threw him into the van.

“Don’t you hurt my kids!” Ben tried to jerk free, tried to get to his children, but his arm was wrenched higher and there was a sickening pop. The brothers surrounded him and began pounding and kicking him.

Wave after wave of burning pain inundated him, and he crumpled to the ground.

* * * *

Joe

Joe Small was working on a jobsite when he received the call, and wasn’t that an experience he could live without repeating?