Norris (part 2 of 3)

Norris

"Can you stay on the line without risking your safety?"

Chickerston Police Station Operator

“I don’t know who you are but the police are on their way,” Norris said over the P.A. system.  She took another breath and could hear her own exhale from the speakers above.  “Don’t think there is a realistic way to escape. I, uh, please surrender,” she abruptly ended.  Stupid, stupid why did I do that? Maybe you should have called the police before you told the bad guy, Norris thought, chastising herself for making the announcement.  The insurance company she had instinctively called may not have taken the initiative to call the police. So Norris picked up the phone and pressed for the third line again and dialed 9-1-1.

The call was answered immediately by a whiny male voice, “Chickerston Police.”

“Yes, my name is Norris Winterclock and I work at the Cohort at 1925 Curly Street,” Norris began.  If I was the police what would I want to know? Norris quizzed herself. “I have been working here for many years and I’ve never had the doors unlocked because I’m always the first one here in the morning. And, I don’t know if this is important, but there were hand marks on the door, you know, like sweat, and the cleaning crew always cleans that up.” She took a large breath and added, “I mean that’s their job.”  She laughed short and uncomfortably. 

“Ma’am do you know if anyone is there right now?” He asked.

The idea no longer excited her and she asked, “Can you just send someone? One car should be good.”

“Yes, they’re on their way.  Can you stay on the line without risking your safety?” He asked.

“No,” she thought bitterly thinking of her announcement earlier. “I’d better try to move from where I am,” she added lowering her voice. She hung up without waiting for instructions.  Chickerton was a small town yet she heard no sirens.  She did hear shuffling behind her that came from the far set of cubicles. She peeked around the secretary’s desk and saw a tall man in a loose flannel shirt walking slowly.  He bobbed his head as he turned towards her. She gasped and reverted to hiding behind the desk.  When she closed her eyes she could picture him again. What was he carrying? He had two towers from possibly any two computers in the department.  One computer was tucked under each arm.  She pictured him again only to realize he would see her if he kept walking in her direction.  She crawled, belly down, around where the secretary would sit. She closed her eyes again, forcing herself to remember him, he had a flannel shirt on and was sucking on a sucker.  He bobbed slowly in front of the desk and the small middle-aged woman froze.

Suddenly she realized the sucker was from her office, it was her candy she left out for visitors.  Are those my computers, all of my data? She feared the worst but did not move.  He moved to the double doors where she had entered and pushed his back against them.  When he began pushing with his back he looked back at the cubicles where he had come from and then at her.