Port Mag_Ad 19.indd 1 3/24/17 10:48 PM Fiction 94 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine missive as she took in Jeff’s tattoos. “I need to be handcuffed!” Jeff shouted. “I need to be cuffed and restrained now!” He was pacing back and forth by the truck, wrists out in front of him. “Just calm down,” the woman said. “Take it easy, man,” the driver said. “Calm down.” Calming down wasn’t an option. Blue lights bounced off the brick walls as the next vehicle arrived. Jeff kept moving, stalking up the lot toward the cruiser and the emerging officers. The firemen followed him. Jeff was pleading now. “Please, officers, cuff me. Handcuff me before I lose it.” The young cop on the left put his hands on his hips, on his belt. “Sir, tell us what’s going on with you.” Suddenly Jeff was looking around wildly. “Where’s Sharon?” he bellowed. “I can’t see Sharon! Where is she?” I started running, calling to him. “I’m here, Jeff. Hold on. I’m right here!” “Tell them!” he screamed as he caught sight of me. “I’m his caregiver. He’s an Iraq war com- bat veteran with severe PTSD. He’s got a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, and he lost men in Baghdad. He’s unarmed, and he’s asking for your help! Please handcuff him now before this goes bad.” eff stood still, wrists out, arms shaking. The older cop nodded at me, stepped forward, and clicked the cuffs. Jeff let out a long breath then drew in more air and roared up at the night sky, straining against the the cuffs with all his might. His body seemed to swell in size like Bruce Banner transforming into the Hulk. He didn’t move from his spot. Every muscle in his body contracted, forcing the fury against the cage of his skin. A stretcher appeared. A paramed- ic with a syringe. The needle went in, but still he roared, straining against the hand- cuffs. Another syringe. He collapsed on the stretcher, and all six uniforms rushed for- ward to strap him down. Fully restrained, he stopped his howling, replaced by a small voice of tears as the gurney was rolled to the back of the ambulance. “I didn’t kill that child. I didn’t kill that child.”