Jason snapped awake. He thought he heard choking noises and it took him a moment to realize what was going on. He sat up and found someone at the other bed in the room. He scrambled out of bed and nearly fell, dizzy and weak. He reached for the man and tried to pull him back, but the man just pushed him away. He staggered and saw the phone sitting on the counter. He picked up the receiver, put all his muscle into it and hit the man in the head.
The man froze, then crumbled to the floor. Jason dropped the phone receiver and saw his brother looking almost blue. A piece of rope was tight around his neck and he wasn’t moving. He undid the rope, just as something tightened around his throat.
Jason tried to pull it away, but he couldn’t get his fingers between what felt like coated wire and his neck. The person choking him shoved him down to his knees then he felt a foot in his back. There was no way he could kick out. He felt his vision going dark and his arms felt heavy. He fell face forward and it took him a second to realize he could breathe again. It registered that he thought he saw the wheel of a wheelchair and then everything started fading.
“Jason…”
He opened his eyes to see his mother looking at him. He tried to say something, but she shook her head and touched a finger to his lips. “Don’t talk, your father’s going to get the doctor and the police.”
Jason tried to look up at his brother’s bed. Casi touched his cheek and he saw tears in her eyes. He pulled free, nearly hit his head and managed to get to his feet. He saw someone lying unconscious on the floor and he turned to his brother. The rope was still around Chris’ neck and he panicked.
“He’s breathing, you got it loose enough. The police will want it, connect it to him.”
Jason looked down and gave her a questioning look. “His name is Corbin Fiske, he was helping J.P. Bridgewater. J.P. wanted Bree Quinlan for himself.”
Jason frowned. He rubbed his throat and suddenly realized what the man had used, the cord that connected the phone receiver to the base. He’d left it dangling. He cleared his throat. “All that…because…”
“Shh, yes. Unrequited love can be deadly.” She led him back to his bed. “Now get in.”
Jason didn’t move, he looked at his brother. Casi touched his cheek again. “Shh, he’s going to be fine.”
The police came, took Fiske and the rope, then doctor checked them both out. He gave Jason a shot and Jason frowned. “It’s a mild sedative. Now rest.”
Jason wanted to keep an eye on his brother, but his eyes drifted shut no matter how he fought it. But his sleep wasn’t restful.
He kept having dreams of all the rides coming alive. And his brother was trapped on a ride that had gone haywire, speeding around the track and Chris flopping in his seat like a broken doll. When the ride finally stopped, his brother was dead.
Jason snapped awake again and glanced at his brother. He hadn’t moved, and Jason panicked again. He ignored the sunshine coming through the window and got out of his bed. He walked over to Chris. “Chris?”
“Close those stupid curtains. It’s not a school day.”
Jason tried to remember what day it was. “Actually it is.”
“Do you have to be so literal?” Suddenly, Chris sat up. “What happened to you?” Before Jason could answer, Chris tried to get out of bed. “I’ll kill him.”
Jason didn’t move. “Calm down, I’m okay.”
“Where’s Bree?”
A tap sounded on their door and it swung inward. “Oh…you’re awake. I’m so glad you’re okay.”
