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overcompensated by smothering him. Seeing him unconscious, swollen and cut with a knife broke her heart. Sara tried to protect him every day of her life, and she felt as if she had failed him.

      Richard looked into his brother`s eyes and a silent message passed between them. Although they were like chalk and cheese, they loved each other a great deal. Richard struggled to answer questions if he was embarrassed, much to the annoyance of their father, who saw his silence as contemptuous. David would wait until they were alone, and he squeezed his hand gently to let him know that he understood. `Later, bro`.

     “How long have I been asleep?”

     “You weren`t asleep, you were sparked out!” Sarah chuckled.

     “Sarah!” Mr Bernstein snapped.

     “Well it`s not asleep is it?” Sarah protested. “George Forman doesn’t put people to sleep does he? No. He sparks them out!” She shrugged and looked at her older brother. He smirked and shook his head in warning. Mr Bernstein was not in a joking mood.

     “Very funny, how long?” Richard asked again.

     “Nearly a week, young man,” his doctor arrived. “Can I see the patient please?” He approached the bed, and David stepped away.

     “A week, that`s not good,” Richard commented on his own condition. “Sub cranial haematomas no doubt?”

     “Several, young man, you are lucky to be alive,” the doctor smiled at his young patient`s knowledge.

     “Did he cut me?”

    “Who?”

     “I remember a knife,” Richard mumbled. “I don’t remember who it was, but I remember a knife.”

     “You have a number of knife wounds, Richard, some we stitched, and some we stapled,” the doctor checked his eyes again.

    “How many stitches?”

    “Hundreds,” the doctor answered, pressing his stethoscope to his chest.

     “Can I look?” Richard was eager to see his injuries in a mirror.

    “Not right now, I think we should allow some of the swelling to go down before we do that,” the doctor replied.

     “You look like the Elephant Man, except you`re purple,” Sarah joined in the conversation.

    “Sarah!” her father said angrily.

    “I know. Shut up you stupid girl,” she mimicked her father and folded her arms sulkily.

     “I don’t know what has got into you. I`ll deal with you when we get home. For now, be quiet. If you can`t be polite then be silent,” Mr Bernstein added.

     The doctor completed a series of checks, and noted his findings on the chart at the end of the bed. He agreed with the young girl, his patient did look like a purple Elephant Man, but he kept his opinions to himself. The boy had been very lucky indeed. It had been touch and go for a while as they battled to keep the swelling on the brain under control.

     “I`ll be back to see you in the morning. If you suffer any discomfort, or headaches, then tell the nurses straight away,” the doctor smiled at Mrs Bernstein before heading off on his rounds.

     “Thank you, Doctor,” she said after him. She turned to her son. “How do you feel, Richard?” 

     “Hungry,” Richard moaned. His older brother sniggered.

     “Typical Einstein, he`s on the mend,” he said laughing. “Be back on your feet in no time.”

     Two plain clothed detectives entered the ward. They spoke briefly to the doctor, and then approached the Bernstein family. Mrs Bernstein frowned as the stale odour of cigarettes and alcohol reached her. She met the detectives briefly when Richard was attacked, and she had noticed it then too. It didn’t instil confidence in their ability to catch her son`s attackers.

     “How is the patient?” Detective Wallace asked. He had a broad Liverpool accent.

     “Hungry,” Sarah spoke first, receiving a dig in the ribs from her older brother. Her father gave her a withering stare. Richard giggled, but the pain it caused in his face cut it short, becoming a gasp. Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion.

      “We need to ask him a few