Free Over Her Dead Body by Bradley Bigato

interesting. I guess the girl’s number on the bridge will have to stay public for a while longer . He thought. He was just about to holler at the guy when he noticed that the guy had actually dug down quite a ways into the dirt. He had clawed nearly a circle about two feet out and about a foot deep. He was trying to go deeper but a root or something kept catching on his hand and flapping around. Every time he would reach out and attempt to claw at the dirt, his right hand would come back clawing at the root and dirt would only go flying on his left side. The sheriff moved in closer and lit up the hole with his flashlight. The root that was stopping him from going any deeper was thick and bounced around every time the man tried to claw at it. The s heriff leaned down low for a better look and suddenly fell over backwards in shock. He quickly picked himself up and drew his gun at the same time. He blinked his eyes in disbelief and traced the root back one more time with his eyes to make sure. His eyes confirmed what he thought he saw. Right next to the guy ' s legs, attached to the root which was not a root but was a human arm attached to a small hand. “Oh my God! Oh my God! What the fuck!” The sheriff said to himself. He stood back, the gun still drawn on the man digging. A breeze brushed up against him and he heard the man say “Maria” again. He swore he could hear it in the wind. The sheriff pointed the gun at the man and said “Mr. Bander.” No response. “Mr. Bander, I need you to stand up and put your hands on top of your head.” Still no response. The sheriff fired the gun in the air and then pointed it back at Michael. The man stopped digging like he had the previous night and sat still for a moment. He began to look around trying to gather his bearings when he looked toward the sheriff and was blinded by the light. He put his right hand up in front of his face to try and keep from being blinded.
    “Sheriff?” He said
    “Mr. Bander, I need you to put your hands on your head and stand up real slow.” The sheriff said in his stern voice, trying hard not to let the panic going on in his body to come through into his voice and show any sign of weakness.
    “Oh man…” Michael looked around. “Not again! You’re not going to put me in handcuffs again are you S heriff?” Michael put his hands up and tried standing up. In the process, he stepped on the arm and he fell backward into the dirt. “What the…what the heck was that?” He held up his hand in front of his face trying to keep the light out of his eyes. He tried standing up again.
    “Sir, I need you to stand up and keep your hands where I can see them.” The sheriff repeated. He kept the light in the man’s face to keep him blinded. It’s much more difficult to attack when you can’t see what you are attacking.
    Michael stood up and put his hands on his head. “I’m sorry O fficer. I must have come out in my sleep again. I…I don’t understand what’s going on. My wife has scheduled an appointment at the doctor’s office for a sleep study next week. You’re not going to put me in cuffs again are you?” Michael asked.
    “Turn around and face that tree.” The sheriff said and jerked the flashlight toward a tree and back.
    “Seriously. I’ll go with you, this really isn’t necessary.” Michael pleaded but turned toward the tree anyway.
    The sheriff needed his handcuffs but both hands were full. His left held the flashlight and his right held his gun. He tucked the flashlight under his arm. The sheriff quickly pulled the handcuffs off his belt and grabbed the flashlight again. The sheriff stood there for a moment. He wasn’t going to be able to cuff him; the guy was too big and could turn around and get the advantage. Instead he tossed the cuffs next to Michael’s feet. “Pick up the cuffs and put them on behind your back.” The sheriff said.
    Michael looked down at the cuffs and then over his shoulder at the light.