They say confession is good for the soul.
Anezza wasn't so sure. Maybe it was the struggle more then the actual confession. If so, she should be feeling really good right now. (which she certainly wasn't)
she could see the police officers talk among themselves, and it seemed like they were trying to pry out more details from her. She drew more of her comic strips, trying her best to think pictorially to explain her story to them. She got a little concerned when someone other then a police officer came into the room. She was some cross of one of the larger cats, probably a leopard.
She still could not get used to these... these.. transformed people. Even if she was the one with green hair, and antenna, floating around.
"What do think Boss?" Lt. Jameson Asked the sargant.
The huge Bear was the most imposing figure Anneza had ever seen. His body was not just for show... it looked like it could crush bones in those arms.
"I'm not sure... it would 'appear' she's trying to tell us what happened."
To try and make things clearer, Anneza arranged the panels in chronological order, Starting with her plea of guilt to what happened with Toby. She pointed to it, raising one finger, then to the second raising two fingers, and so on.
Lt. Jameson pointed to the first panel. So She got a phone call... got angry... talked to someone else... what are those bricks?"
"Don't know... maybe some kind of payment?" The Sargent thought.
"Yeah..could be. Looks like bills... hm... so She paid this man..."
It took a long while to explain that aspect of her story, and even longer to explain what happened with the school. By this time, Lt. Jameson and the Sargent were quite tired, wondering if there was anything more to extract from her. The other person, continued to watch the whole scene. It was clear she was analysing Anneza.
"This part here... she says someone talked to her? Then she put the fake bomb in the school. To cause panic?"
"No No..." The Sargent disagreed. "I think she's saying the panic was her fault. Maybe she didn't mean to cause it. That picture shows she was promised a way to change back I think."
"Sarge? Nobody can understand her language... there's no way anyone can talk to her." That part of her story made no sense.
The bear nodded thinking the same thing.
"I am forced to concur with Jameson" the leopard woman spoke for the first time. "In my clinical opinion, the subject has clearly had some kind of.. psychiatric episode. Possibly brought on by her inability to speak to others."
"You think she 'imagined' this voice?" Asked the Sargent.
The leopard nodded. "It is not outside the realm of possibility. Your own officer has reported her deranged behaviour following her transformation. She is extremely isolated with the language barrier... perhaps an imaginary friend, softened the blow. Something that told her exactly what she wanted to hear."
"That's a bit far fetched," said Lt. Jameson.
"She must be detained... for mental evaluation." the leopard woman said glancing to Anneza.
"We don't know that's what she's saying!" The lieutenant said. "She came in here voluntarily. That must mean something! How do you think you can get a mental evaluation if she can not talk to you?"
"Perhaps she wishes to be voluntarily sectioned. Perhaps she recognises the danger in herself, and is trying to take steps against it. Consider this Lieutenant. Anderson had a trial, and was found innocent. Now she is confessing to the crime. At the very least, she is guilty of lying with wilful intent. Essentially changing her plea. That she caused a panic by pulling of a hoax like this, clearly shows something is not quite right."
"Sarge?" Lt. Jameson said questioningly. This... really did not feel right.
The bear glanced between them. "It is... not in our business to judge or punish. We catch the criminals. She walked in here..."
"What do we do?" Lt. Jameson asked having a feeling he knew the answer.
The bear looked between them all, then at Anezza. The girl looked so... pitiable, just floating there, watching them. She couldn't understand a word they said. Did any procedure cover this?
"... read her her rights... and detain her. We'll call for a psychological evaluation as soon as possible."
The leopard woman nodded.
Anezza was lead to a cell... they dragged her floating body, and with the gentlest of push, she was ushered into the barred room. She wondered what would happen now? Maybe they were still deciding on what to do? She hoped she made them understand... but by that argument, there was clearly some disagreement on what her drawings showed.
She saw on the other side another cell, it looked to be another woman there. She wondered what her story was? She appeared to be some kind of... robot girl? Weird... The robot girl was saying something to get her attention, but Anezza ignored her. There wasn't much point in showing a language barrier to her.
She would just be laughed at again. ... or worse. She vaguely remembered in movies, it was best never to show any weakness here.
Eventually the robot girl gave up and made some kind of swearing gesture.
Time passed, as she Anezza floated from corner to corner of the cell... was she to spend the night here? She wondered if she would have to wear prison clothes... maybe if they saw how much they weighted her down, they would let her have her space-dress. Or maybe... they would do it to secure her?
She imagined the night before, when she tried to wear her old clothes, her form gasping for breath...
There was one advantage to this. Being here, she didn't have to worry about her job, or her house... she didn't have to worry about taking care of herself. How strange, that in her attempt to be an adult about things, she is to be treated like a toddler. Unlike other prisoners, she would never know how much time she had... unless she worked out the language well enough.
She then wondered who would visit her in prison... Her parents? ... not likely. Maybe Jay and Toby would visit her. To gloat, of course. Actually... that wouldn't be so bad. They could gloat all they want, and she wouldn't be able to understand them... and take advantage of the company.
The space woman hummed her song of the stars, as she stared at the ceiling.
The Bear Sargent looked busy making a few calls...
"Are you up to something sir?" Lt. Jameson asked hopefully.
"I'm always up to something... carry on."
Steve was bored...
She missed being able to go with her friends. When she first changed, she hid it all so well that she was able to do most things. Although she did have to say no to basketball last week. But now her change was just... impossible to hide.
It wasn't fair... it just wasn't fair.
Her mother, was up now, having had her rest. It looked like she was trying to get some food ready, and it left the flower girl very little to do.
"Mom? Are my.. sweat pants and top out of the wash yet?"
"No dear. They are still drying. Another couple of hours at least."
The flower girl sighed. So much for thinking to just take a little walk. This was just so boring. She hoped she wouldn't grow roots out of bordom. That would be really scary. The fact that she had to be 'afraid' of her own body was unsettling. It was like the worst betrayal possible... She was a reasonably fit person. Not exactly anything great, but reasonable. Now she had to worry of her body doing things... like it was an illness.
This was an illness, in her mind. How could her mother act so.. nonchalant about the whole thing?
Her mother glanced at her daughter moping around... "Why not do some work in the garden dear?"
Steve looked shocked. "You can't be serious!"
"It's just a thought. You can either do that, or go out somewhere... its a lovely day outside. Go out and enjoy it"
Steve shook her head. "I- I- I can't!"
her mother sighed. "Would it help... if I went outside with you?"
The flower girl gasped. "N-No..." What was she saying? She would change herself just to... what would that accomplish! What was her mother thinking saying that? "Please... don't mom. I don't want you turning into a... something."
"All right sweetie... though to be honest... I think your form is lovely. I'm actually a bit jealous." she smiled. "But you can't just be hanging around here all day. So please make yourself useful and do something."
Hawkins was hot on the trail...
"Are you sure?" He spoke quickly on the phone.
"An event was detected, not too far by the Gamma satallite. I am placing the coordinates into your GPS, handsome." The pink orb on his mobile phone sounded quite pleased.
Only ten miles away? That was almost next door! He could get a picture of the magic girl.
"Patch in to all the camera's in the vicinity. Record everything... this could be it."
The shadowy being got his camera ready...if he could just take a few photographs... this trip would not have been in vain. "Can you get any low level readings?"
"No... there is some electromagnetic interference, but not enough to pin point a location. It's possible that the satellite can only detect a powering up state. Perhaps if they employ more of their abilities, I will be able to get a better location."
Hawkins nodded. This... was invaluable. If he could get this group of mages to work for him... for their department... It would increase the governments understanding of the new phenomenon of magic a hundred fold! It would be like a re-understanding of physics, of the nuclear bomb...
He had to make sure he had the proof.
The Thompson's took a taxi back to their house.
Andy clutched the pills the doctor had given. She.. was still feeling low about the whole thing. She nuzzled close to her mate, feeling his warmth, smelling his scent, her heart beating that much fast- she quickly glanced outside the window. These feelings were... so... intense! How could she control it? Maybe the tranquillisers will help some.
The armadillo taxi driver glanced now and then at his passengers, wondering who they were. He tried to give them as pleasant a ride as possible.
He recognised the road they were pulling up... should he warn the two passengers? They paid him in cash, and he gave them the receipt. "Careful you two... there's a weird one on this street. He doesn't like the changed very much."
Susan looked to the cab driver. "He's... no longer like that." he said carefully.
"Okay... well have a good day." The Armadillo wondered what could have happened to him.
