The First Lock - 6. Chapter 6

- VI -

It was three months later and Katrena was fuming. Not only did she feel like crap due to the rapidly developing monkey inside her, but she was also beyond frustrated because of all the paperwork she had to deal with lately. She couldn’t believe the useless and endless ordeals one had to go through to be able to get that blasted ‘Social Security.’ She lost count to how many times Mandy and she had to go to the police station, to different offices, which names Katrena didn’t even bother to remember, to some ridiculous interviews where she was drilled about something she had no idea about, some other waste-of-time-useless-crap ordeals... She couldn’t figure out why the hell the inhabitants of this world were so paranoid when it came to letting someone new to live in one place or the other. Why would it even matter, she thought every time someone would ask yet another pointless question.

Thanks to Mandy, however, things went a lot smoother than they could have (Katrena was shocked when Mandy said that; ‘It could’ve been worse?!’ she remembered thinking), since Nate was working for some government office, therefore, he was able to pull quite a few strings. Earlier today after waiting for yet another interview, Katrena almost cried with relief and screamed with frustration at the same time. “I think it’ll be another month or so until you receive your card in the mail,” the woman who interviewed her said with a polite smile. “You don’t have to worry about any more interviews.”

No more interviews was good. Hell, it was better than good -- it was great! Waiting another month for the blasted card, however, was beyond frustrating. She couldn’t find a job for at least another month, since the laws of this world prohibited work without that damn card. Katrena gave up on trying to understand it; she gave up on trying to see any sense behind all that paperwork. Trying to understand would be futile. Therefore, she was fuming in a helpless and dark way.

“Let’s go for a walk,” Mandy said around nine in the evening. “Rusty needs it... And so do you,” she added after Katrena started swearing softly when she managed to spill her water on her shirt.

Katrena grudgingly agreed with her, and soon enough, they were slowly walking in the dark, Rusty the Dog bouncing in front of them happily.

“Mandy,” Katrena said after ten minutes of silence. “I just want to thank you again... For doing all this for me... I mean, you didn’t even know me, and you...”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mandy interrupted her. “It worked out nicely for me as well...” she threw a sly glance at Katrena. “I don’t remember the last time anyone but me did anything around the house.”

“Right,” Katrena muttered with a half-smile.

They walked into the small park that was not too far from Mandy’s house. Katrena longed for a cigarette, but thanks to the infamous monkey, that was out of the question right now. She was about to say something about stocking up on lollipops next time they went to the store, when suddenly, someone grabbed her by the arm, and then Katrena felt a cold blade pressing against her throat.

“Okay,” the man said in a raspy, harsh whisper. “Be quiet and do what I say, and everybody will be happy...”

Mandy let out a small, startled shriek of surprise and fear, and the man immediately glared at her.

“If you don’t want your girlfriend here to end up with an extra smile, shut up, you dyke!” he hissed. “Now, give me your wallet...”

“Oh, God...” Mandy whispered, her fingers clutching onto the dog leash. “Please...”

“Your wallet!” he said louder. “Now...!”

Frustration, anger, the feeling of being trapped in this damn world, and that bloody nausea made Katrena more than cranky lately. This idiot behind her back was the last straw. One swift elbow-punch in the gut and one very unkind wrist-twist later, the man was lying whimpering on the ground with Katrena sitting on his back, twisting his arm at an impossible angle. The idiot’s knife was now pressing on his own neck, and it was far from gentle.

“P-please...” the idiot breathed.

“Shut up, dipshit!” Katrena said in a dark, satisfied voice. “God, I missed this... Nothing like some good, old-fashioned throat cutting...” She let out low laughter, and the idiot tried to shake her off his back. “Really,” she sighed and pressed the knife harder against his skin. “You were saying something about an extra smile... I would be happy to do it to you. I will do it to you if you don’t lie still...”

The idiot immediately stopped thrashing.

“Now,” Katrena said thoughtfully. “Should I kill you right away or should I let some steam out first...? Choices, choices...”

“P-please...” the idiot whimpered again. “I am sorry... Oh, Jesus, lady... I am sorry... Please...”

“I’d say, let the steam out first,” Katrena continued as if not even noticing the idiot’s pleas. “Hell, this will boost up my mood for at least a day! It’s been a while since the last time I’ve done something this entertaining... I say, let’s start with your fingers, since I’ve got your grabby little hand right here...”

The idiot let out a banshee-like scream when she bent one of his fingers so far back, it almost snapped.

“K-Katrena...” Mandy stuttered. “Don’t...! Oh, God... Don’t!”

Katrena glanced at her and reluctantly released the grip on the idiot’s dirty finger. Then she leaned closer to the idiot’s ear.

“You are lucky,” she murmured. “If I were here alone, we would definitely have more time together... Get up, you piece of crap!” She stood up and lightly kicked the idiot in the ribs. “Get up,” she repeated when the man just lay there. “You don’t really believe that I am going to let you run off, do you? Get up or I will make you do so... Believe me, you won’t enjoy that.”

The idiot stood up very slowly, and his eyes darted around. Katrena laughed softly.

“Don’t even think about it,” she said. “Pregnant or not, I can still run faster than you... I won’t even have to run,” she added in a second. “I’ll just throw your knife at you. Should I even mention that my aim is rather good?”

“What...” the idiot muttered. “What do you want with me?”

“Walk, dumbass,” she snorted.

“Wh... Where...?”

“To the mil... police station,” she corrected herself just in time. She almost said ‘militia house.’ “I am sure they will be ecstatic to get you.”

“Please...!”

“Shut up and walk,” she commanded without a smile this time.

The idiot glanced around once again, this time with complete and utter despair, and slowly started walking. Katrena followed him closely.

“Jesus,” Mandy muttered a few minutes later when they could see the police station in the distance, which was located conveniently close to that park. “Jesus, Katrena... How did you do that?”

“With ease and pleasure,” Katrena muttered, that damn nausea rolling around her throat again. “Son of a bitch, if I puke right now... Ugh! Hey, dipshit!” she called, and the said dipshit’s shoulders immediately tensed up. “Walk faster! I know you can! Move it, dammit!”

The dipshit pulled his head into his shoulders and obediently walked faster. They made it to the police station in ten minutes, give or take, and Katrena all but shoved that idiot through the front door. The sergeant on duty raised his head and blinked several times when he saw their little group, Rusty the Dog included. He looked at the idiot and his mouth stretched in a very slow, wide smile.

“Well, what do you know...” he said. “Kenny! I haven’t seen you in a while... I mean, it’s been a whole week since your ass got out of here! What’s up?”

Katrena marched up to the desk and slammed the idiot’s knife in front of the sergeant.

“He tried to mug us,” she said in a strained voice. “Bathroom... Now...! Where...? Dammit!”

She pressed her hand against her mouth, her eyes huge and desperate. The sergeant quickly pointed towards the bathroom, his expression beyond puzzled, and she stumbled towards that door, almost knocking over several chairs that she failed to see right now. The sergeant watched her disappear in the bathroom, and then slowly shifted his gaze towards Mandy.

“What happened?” he got up and mechanically slid handcuffs onto Kenny’s wrists. He looked like he was performing some very familiar and boring task, which was probably the case.

Mandy took a deep breath and told him the mugging-gone-bad story. The sergeant blinked very rapidly when Mandy got to the part with Katrena kicking Kenny-dipshit’s ass.

“Seriously?” he asked incredulously. “Her?” he glanced towards the bathroom.

“Yup,” Mandy sighed.

“How...?” the sergeant picked up the phone and said something into the receiver. “Seriously...” he said after replacing the receiver in the cradle. “How?!”

“With ease and pleasure,” Mandy sighed again and gave him a small shrug.

“Kenny!” Another officer appeared in the lobby, his smile as wide as the sergeant’s was a few minutes ago. “I was about to start worrying about you... I mean, I was thinking if you were all right... It’s been a whole week!”

Mandy couldn’t help but snort at that.

“Come on, my man,” the officer said meanwhile, shoving Kenny in the back with more than just your usual friendly pat. “Come on... Welcome back...”

The sergeant thoughtfully looked at Rusty the Dog who was busy sniffing his boots right now.

“She looks like she is what...” he said finally. “Twenty?”

“Twenty-one,” Mandy said. They decided to stick with that age, since Katrena had no idea how old she was (or so she claimed), and she didn’t look older than twenty-one to Mandy.

“And she is skinny as hell... What’s up with her, by the way? Stomach flu or something?”

“She is pregnant,” Mandy said, and the sergeant’s eyes widened.

“Oh, man,” he finally laughed softly. “Kenny got his ass-whopping from a twenty-one-year-old pregnant girl? This is priceless! He’ll be famous...! I’ll make sure of that,” he added, and Mandy laughed almost hysterically. The whole situation was catching up to her right now; it was scary as hell but it was also funny.

Ten minutes later, Katrena finally came out of the bathroom, her face white, eyes tired.

“You okay?” Mandy asked.

“Ugh...” was Katrena’s response.

“Hey,” the sergeant said suddenly. “My shift is almost over... I could give you a ride home if you want... If you wait for five minutes, that is...”

Katrena eyed him thoughtfully. He tried to look as indifferent as they get but Katrena wasn’t born yesterday. Nor was she born twenty-one years ago.

“Sure,” she said finally. “That would be nice, thank you.” What the hell, she thought. He was good-looking enough. Plus, she wouldn’t do anything with him right now anyway; not when that monkey was a part of her. She never believed in threesomes. A ride home would be definitely nice right now, and having a friend on the force never hurt anyone.

“I’m going to walk,” Mandy said lightly. “Rusty still didn’t finish his business...”

Katrena looked at her without a smile.

“Be careful out there,” she said solemnly. “Watch out for psychos and muggers...”

“The whole lightning-the-same-tree thing should keep me safe,” Mandy nodded. “See you at home.”

Katrena watched her and Rusty the Dog walk outside, and then she shifted her gaze towards the sergeant.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

He seemed to be very interested in the paperwork he discovered on his desk.

“I am Paul,” he glanced up at her. “You?”

“Katrena,” she said. “With an ‘e’,” she nodded when he was about to say something.

He grinned at that and looked at the clock.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“Shouldn’t you wait for the next guy?” she frowned, and he just shrugged.

“He’ll be here... Plus, it’s a police station, not a liquor store... Not like it’ll get robbed, you know...”

She hemmed and followed him outside.