Twelve Selves

I

    A loud noise from the room above woke me up. I found myself laying on the cold hardwood floor, in the dark, under a bed, in an expensive apartment in London. My arm was still asleep, I had slept on it, not really the best time for me to be unable to move it... I had been waiting for somebody, I didn't expect them to be so long, judging by my arm I had been sleeping for at least an hour and was awake prior to that for another hour under the bed. I always favoured under the bed for a hiding spot, it seemed so obvious, but of course no one was looking for me so they wouldn't find me. The man who was in the house had no idea I was there. It was a good thing I didn't snore.

   I crawled out from under the bed arm still limp, but I had to move, the man could be heading out the door quickly. I peered into the lobby and saw the doorway to the place swung open. I looked cautiously into the sitting room. Every small expensive item had been taken. Footsteps resounded from the master bedroom upstairs, he had most likely found what he was looking for and was coming down. I waited in the blind spot of the stairs and as the man came down I put my gun to his back. He came to a halt.

   I spoke, "Put down what you're holding and put your hands behind your back."

   He spun around and thrust what he was holding into my stomach and dropped it, obviously hoping I'd try to catch it with my hands, but unable to move my other arm the chest dropped onto my foot with a smash, I kept my gun pointed at his chest. The man yelled taking a swing at me with his right, fearless. I shot and my bullet pierced his shoulder. He yelled again but this time in pain. His arm lost all momentum but he changed his attack and tried to knee me in the side, I planned for this. Taking advantage of his injured shoulder I stepped around him and kicked him as hard as I could with my left foot in the back of his right knee. He toppled over. Now all that he could do was struggle to get up. I brought out the handcuffs. As I tugged his arm behind him he yelped, I put one cuff on his injured arm and the other on the sturdy stair railing. 

   "If you had listened right away the handcuffs wouldn't hurt so much," I sighed, "Honestly, guys like you have got to stop underestimating women, it's like every time I try to make an arrest I have to shoot someone. I guess that makes it less of a pain, for me, to keep an eye on you until the coppers arrive.

   I picked up the telephone and put it to my ear, I heard a voice, "Welcome to Wayfarer," that's right, I was about to go into the game. That's one world I'd be looking forward to going back to. This was a bleeding effect, I'd hear or see things from the other worlds, every now and again. I deduced that nothing could be done and it was a side effect that had nearly no use or negative effects.

   I rang for the station. Looped it around fully to 9 once and 2 quick spins to 1. Barrington picked up, "Hello, this is 911, what's your emergency?"

   "Come to182 King's Road. I've caught a burglar for you, just for a bit of fun, he's not too bloodied up," I laughed, "I think something might've broke, but the chest he stole is in here."

   "Oh! It's you! We're on our way Miss I, wait there!" Barrington exclaimed.

   "Right," Barrington hung up and I smiled, no matter how many times I had left the scene already he still asked me to wait for them.

   The man didn't struggle too much, he moaned though, if he moved too much it was painful for his shoulder. I sat on the stairs to talk to him. He had a well kept beard, it was probably itchy but he couldn't use his left arm, it was stuck beside the stairs. He couldn't push up or his arm would kill. He was fit, large, but he didn't look too big on the floor unable to move. He remained silent and looked away, I had hurt his ego for sure.

   "It was rude of you to keep me waiting. I expected you earlier. Sometime around midnight, but you really made sure no one would be awake, which I wasn't awake until you woke me up."

   "You're wondering how I knew you would be here. Well your pattern is ridiculously simple, stealing expensive jewelry from women when they are away from their house. Quick and easy way to make money. I hate it when the police see the same robbery twice within a year and don't connect them, so I caught you myself. You know, Mrs Dewett probably has enough to worry about having to stay in favour of her in-laws without you robbing her."

   The man banged his head on the ground, "This is humiliating..." he grumbled, "Please, shut up..."

   "You really are rude," I huffed, "Goodnight," I left the scene out the front door.

   The street was empty, the expensive houses were lined up on either side, it was a nice neighbourhood. All the people who had woke from the gunshot would be crowded around the police at the scene of the crime being real nosy and real noisy. I was glad I'd miss that, one of the worst things about being a cop. All those people could've gone in to help and have found out "What happened?" that way. No one was brave, no one but you.

   As I walked away I heard the sirens behind me and a satisfied grin came upon my face. My job was done, it was time to go home.