Mark held an ice pack against his left eye, where a sizeable bruise was already forming. A police officer sat opposite him, inquiring about what had happened, offering him painkillers while simultaneously filling out paperwork.
Id just stepped into the lift when I realised the light wasnt working. Someone must have smashed the bulb because there were bits of glass on the floorI switched on my torch. Before I could even react, this big bloke barged into the lift, hit me in the facecould have been with his elbow or his fistand snatched my mobile phone
At first, the officer assumed it was a typical mugging, but something about the incident seemed calculated. It was an ordinary residential building; anyone could have walked ina child or an elderly person without much cash or a fancy phone. Yet, the attacker seemed to know exactly what to take from the victim.
Listen, could it have been a prank by one of your mates? the officer asked. A prank? Mark exclaimed. Have you seen my face? Does this look like a joke?
Mark hesitated for a moment. Until now, he believed he had no enemies. He was a quiet third-year student, never involved in trouble, but
I recently broke up with my girlfriend, he began. Do you think your girlfriend would do this? the officer asked, surprised. No, shes quite petite and twenty centimetres shorter than me, but her brother Philip is a bit of a rough character. My girlfriend gave me that phone a few weeks before we ended things. After we split up, I received a text from an unknown number demanding I return the phone to its rightful owner. My ex claimed she hadnt sent anything and said she didnt need the phone back. But what if her brother decided to take matters into his own hands? He never liked me.
It was only a hunch, but a week later Mark received a phone call from the officer investigating the assault.
You were spot on. We found your phone with Philip. He was furious with you for breaking up with his sister and wanted to teach you a lesson. He only meant to take the phone, but when you resisted, he attacked you. Come down to the station tomorrowwell sort this out.
The ordeal taught Mark that even in a quiet life, trouble can find you in unexpected ways. He realised that sometimes, those closest to us can act out of misguided loyalty or anger, reminding him of the importance of resolving conflicts peacefully and not letting resentment fester.
