NINE TIME MACHINES: Do you want to undo your entire life on planet earth?

CHAPTER 65

"You," he says in a low deep voice. "Looks like today's not your lucky day."

Suddenly, I realize the folly of having no hostel's walls to protect me; and I go from rock of Gibraltar to Mary-the-Coward, my throat slowly becoming a bottomless pit for the words I might've said. The stranger smells my weakness, sees it as permission granted even. Now he walks towards me with intent. What the hell am I to do? I'm not one of those characters from my stories. Nor am I some powerful ancient goddess with war on her mind. I'm just me; Mary Pethiel. So I do what Hazel would do; I take off without thinking. And before I know it my feet yank me from the pot into the fire. I'm running towards the snake's head after eleven at night.

True to its reputation, the snake's mouth, that is Florence Street Extension, greets me with gunfire. I fling my body onto a patch of grass that is where a sidewalk should be, and wait to die. But death's way too busy reaping souls from the white panel van to spare me the time of day. The van crashes into a stone wall across from me; and, one by one, I hear them give in. The police officers jump out and waste no time dumping their bodies into the open trunk. Then they get back in and drive off slowly. What? No yellow tape? No securing of evidence? No district medical officer to confirm what both God and I already know? Is this the same Leer Island police training they love to boast about on the internet? But just as I'm wondering, one of the men rolls off on to the cold pitch. And now we're both lying here staring at each other.

When they drive further, he lifts himself up slowly and holds his leg where he got shot. The truck stops up ahead. Now it's reversing. I try to keep still. He gets up and runs for his life. But his upper leg slows him down. Soon, they're at his side. One shoves him back to the ground with a door. Then, before I can see them finish him off, someone drags me inside their house.