Homeless & Found

It's a cold Friday evening. Thirty-six year old police officer, Jessica Carson is working the graveyard shift with her new partner John, a twenty-three year old guy called Martin. It's his first night on the job. Jessica has medium length blond hair and green eyes. She is five foot seven, a little over weight but carries it well.

Meanwhile a young eighteen-year-old woman called Selena Oak is walking down the street. She's wearing several old moldy t-shirts and a jacket with torn jeans. She's five foot five and is very slim and scrawny, very pale and malnourished, clearly, she's a homeless person and from the way she carries herself, she's been homeless for several years. She has a small backpack slung around her shoulder.

She crosses a road and peaks inside a 24/7 grocery store. She sees several people paying for items at the checkout. The Indian behind the counter is taking the money and putting the groceries into plastic bags. She steps into the store and walks up the small aisle. She sees a loaf of bread and spots several bottled drinks near the cash register.

Back in the police car, Jessica stops at a traffic light and has a sip of her coffee. She looks at Martin and sees how vigilant he is. "That will soon change you know?" Jessica says.

Martin looks at her with confusion on his face.

"What will?"

"That look. You're actively looking for crime." Jessica says.

Martin picks up his own coffee and has a sip.

"I'm doing my job, isn't it a cop's job to be vigilant?"

"Vigilant yes, looking for it, no." Jessica says to him.

A minute later, Jessica gets a report from dispatch about a robbery that been committed. Martin checks in and says they'll take it.

About fifteen minutes later, Jessica's police car arrives on the scene and parks outside the 24/7 grocery store. Jessica and Martin step out of the car and walk into the store. They meet Mr. Hashi, the storeowner and his wife. Mr. Hashi shakes Jessica's hand,

"Finally, we have just been robbed" Mr. Hashi says in a West Indian accent.

"What's been taken?" Jessica asks.

He points to three items on his cash register, a loaf of bread, a chocolate bar and a fanta bottle. Jessica looks at the items and picks them up. She looks at each item and sighs out of frustration. She turns her attention to Mr. Hashi...

"We caught the little thief." Mr. Hashi says with pride and a vindictive pleasure.

"I beg your pardon?" Jessica says to him.

"We have caught her; she's locked in the storage room." Mr. Hashi says.

Martin looks at Jessica wondering what to make of it.

"What exactly happened here sir?" Martin asks.

Mr. Hashi goes on to explain his story. He explains that fifteen minutes before Jessica and Martin arrived; Selena was quietly walking through the aisle, she quietly stuffs a chocolate bar in her coat and wonders to the back of the store where she picks up the loaf of bread.

"Little lady, you must pay for that here!" Mr.Hashi shouts at her.

Selena nods her head and looks around the store, with no people in sight; she makes a run for it. She rushes past the counter and grabs a bottle of fanta. She stumbles and drops the bread, she bends down to pick it up. Mr. Hashi runs up behind her, grabs her hair and yanks her back.

Jessica frowns her head, "Excuse me."

Jessica walks off to a corner with Martin and whispers to him, "This isn't a crime."

Martin looks around and laughs, "What are you talking about, she took the items without paying, hell she made a run for it."

"She took some bread, a chocolate bar and a drink; this was survival, not a crime!" Jessica shouts.

Mr. Hashi walks over. "It is a crime, she did not pay! If this was my country, I would cut the thief's right hand off!"

"Well sir, it's a good thing this is not your country. Now where is she?" Jessica asks, her patience waning.

"In the storage room, in the back there." Mr. Hashi says.

Jessica walks off into the back; she unlocks the storage room door and steps inside. She sees Selena huddled up in the corner petrified. Her whole body is shaking and her face is facing the floor. Jessica feels very sorry for her; she looks so weak and vulnerable.

"Hi there." Jessica says nicely.

She looks up at Jessica. Her eye is badly swollen and tears are streaming down her face. Jessica gently walks over to her, Selena hides her face.

"What happened to your face?" Jessica asks nicely.

Selena doesn't answer. Her whole body is shaking and her breathing is erratic.

"Look, I won't be arresting you, not for the sake of a loaf of bread." Jessica says. "What about the chocolate bar and the drink?" Selena asks.

"Not for any of it." Jessica assures her. "But I would like to get you out of here."

Jessica extends her hand out. After a minute, Selena takes her hand. Jessica helps her up and picks up her bag.

"NO!"

Selena makes a grab for her bag. Jessica pulls it away, Selena tries to grab it.

"Listen, listen to me. I'll give your bag to you. I'm just picking it up for you." Jessica says.

She returns her bag. Selena calms down; she slings the bag around her shoulder. Jessica gets a clear view of her eye.

"How did that happen?" Jessica asks.

"He hit me, when he locked me in here." Selena tells her.

"Jesus, I'm going to take you to the hospital, we'll get that looked at."

Selena steps back against the wall shaking her head.

"No! No No No No NOOOOooo!" Selena cries out

Jessica raises her hand and tries to calm her down.

"Okay, calm down! It's alright." Jessica assures her. "Let's just get you out of here first."

Jessica helps Selena out of the storage room. Selena walks behind Jessica with her head bowed. Martin is taking a statement from Mr. Hashi. Jessica walks over to Martin and grabs the statement.

"Mr Hashi, are you sure you want to report this incident?"

"Of course, she is a thief!" Mr. Hashi says.

"She did it to survive, she didn't take money from you" Jessica argues.

"Never the less, she did steal." Martin interrupts.

Jessica glares at Martin, "All you want to do is write your little statement, you don't care about the circumstances!"

Mr. Hashi laughs, "Circumstances, what circumstance. She came in here and she stole."

"Mr Hashi is right; crime is crime no matter what the circumstances are." Martin says to Jessica.

Selena takes advantage of the argument and quietly moves over to the counter and closer to the items.

"It was a loaf of bread, the poor girl is starving."

Selena makes a run for it; she grabs the bread and the drink. She runs out of the store. Mr. Hashi is up in arms shouting and cursing. Martin is about to go after her,

"Leave her alone!" Jessica shouts at Martin.

Martin turns around and looks at her with disbelief all over his face.

"Now look at what has happened!" Mr. Hashi shouts.

"Don't worry sir, we'll catch her." Martin tells him.

Jessica laughs, "Oh please, I am not wasting my time chasing someone whose only crime is the will to survive. Now Mr Hashi, you are not going to waste my time or my partner's time with a statement, are you?"

"Yes, yes I will. I want to make a statement now!" Mr Hashi argues.

"Right, well when we find her, I'll urge her to report you." Jessica says.

Mr. Hashi laughs and steps back, "What, report me for what?"

"For assault, you hit the girl." Jessica says forcefully.

"Oh this is stupid, she is a criminal!" Mr. Hashi says to her.

"I'll ask again, do you still wish to make a statement?" Jessica asks with forced politeness.

"No, No I do not, just leave my store!" Mr. Hashi shouts.

Jessica pulls out a ten-dollar bill from her pocket and hands it to him.

"This should be more then enough to cover what she took from you."

"Fine, now please leave. I will press no charges, she will press no charges. Okay?"

Jessica takes the chocolate bar and slips it in her pocket. "Have a good night." She says to Mr.Hashi. "Let's go" She says to Martin.

They exit the store and climb into their car. Martin takes a deep breath.

"I suppose you're pissed off with me?" Martin asks.

"Are you a religious man Martin?" Jessica asks.

"Nope." Martin answers her.

Jessica starts the engine and drives out onto the main road heading back to the precinct.

"Neither am I, but I do believe in God. When I die and I stand in front of God and I have to explain my actions, how am I going to explain that I arrested a young girl whose only crime is stealing a little food to keep her alive? It's not a crime to survive."

"What if she robbed the cash register?" Martin asks.

"Then I'd be the first to cuff her and read her, her rights. (Sighs) The body doesn't need money to survive, it needs food and drink. She wasn't interested in the money. All she wanted was food and it cost her a black eye and you should have seen her, she was terrified. So tell me honestly, would you feel proud going home tonight knowing that you put a girl in jail for a loaf of bread?

"I get your point." Martin says.

Selena is running down the road and turns into an alleyway. She looks down the dark alleyway and slowly walks down it paying attention to its surroundings. It's dark, dank and very dirty, trash is scattered all over the place. She sits down with her back against the wall. She breads the bread and eats it while keeping an eye out for anyone.

Forty minutes later, Jessica exits the precinct. She's wearing her ordinary clothes, a pair of jeans, a sweater and a coat. She climbs into her own car and starts the engine. She drives out of the car park. She dials a number on her cell phone, calls home, and explains to her boyfriend Damon that she won't be home for a few hours.

Selena finishes eating the bread and looks around the alleyway. She closes her eyes and falls asleep. Meanwhile, Jessica is driving around all over town to different shelters and asking whether anyone knew the girl. So far, she's tried four places and none of them knew her. She pulls up outside the fifth one and gets out of her car. She runs up the steps and knocks on the door. After a minute, an elderly woman called Anna opens the door. She's in her mid-fifties.

"Good evening, can I help you?" Anna asks politely.

"Evening, I'm Officer Carson; I was wondering, can I come in?"

Jessica shows her police badge.

"Of course." Anna welcomes her in.

Jessica walks inside and Anna closes the door behind her. Jessica sees twenty odd homeless people lying down on cots and sleeping bags. Some are still awake and talking amongst themselves, others are fast asleep.

"I'm looking for a young girl, she's anywhere between eighteen and twenty-two years of age, she has long brown hair, brown eyes, very slim, about five foot five."

"I know quite a few girls that fit that description officer." Anna says.

"Please, it's Jessica. I'm off duty. She has a small blue backpack with red straps slung around her shoulder"

Anna thinks for a second, "Was she possessive with her bag and very scared about hospitals?"

Jessica nods her head, "Yes, yes she was."

Anna smiles and seems delighted, "I'm sure you're talking about Selena. I only met her the once."

"You must have a good memory if you remember her, especially with the amount of people you get here."

"There are very few people you meet in life who will leave an amazing impression on you that will stay with you for the rest of your life, Selena is one of those people. Come with me." Anna says.

Anna takes Jessica into her office. There are four completed puzzles sitting next to each other on a large table. Anna sits down and pours herself a coffee and one for Jessica.

"I met Selena just over a year ago, it was the coldest night of the year and she was very poorly." Anna says.

"Poorly in what way?" Jessica asks intrigued.

"The poor girl had just been beaten up, anyhow, I took her in and gave her a bed and some food. She was incredibly thankful and well mannered. I treated her like anyone else that comes here. I give them puzzles and board games to keep themselves busy." Anna says.

Anna puts her coffee down and puts her hand on a large puzzle of an exotic flower.

"Look at that puzzle there and tell me what you see." Anna urges her. Jessica takes a sip of her coffee and looks at the puzzle.

"A flower, I couldn't tell you which one it is." Jessica says.

"The puzzle is made out of only three colors, green, blue and yellow. This is a very complicated puzzle. How long would it take you to finish it?" Anna asks.

"(Sighs) If I spent six hours a day...I don't know, a few days, maybe a week?."

Anna smiles, "An hour and a half."

"That's impossible." Jessica says.

"Ordinarily I'd agree. Look at the complexity, three colors and two thousand pieces and she finished it within an hour and a half, maybe two hours tops. I didn't time her. She also did these ones."

Anna shows her three more puzzles. One of them is a puzzle of The Big Ben in England, another is two Dalmatian dogs and the third is one of a scenic view of a field of corn with mountains in the background.

"The first two are two thousand pieces each, the third is three thousand. All completed in the one evening she stayed here. She had maybe, an hour's sleep." Anna says.

Anna bends down and pulls out a box from under her desk.

"And this one she wouldn't do." Anna says.

Jessica lifts the box and sees a lovely picture of the moon over a lake.

"Why wouldn't she do this?" Jessica asks.

"Because six pieces are missing" Anna tells her.

Jessica is confused. "So she counted the pieces?" Jessica asks.

"I gave her the box, she emptied the box over the floor and just as I was leaving her to it, she called me back and said, six pieces were missing." Anna explains.

Jessica bends down and opens the box, she tips the puzzle pieces over the floor and looks at it.

"That is five thousand pieces and in less than a minute, she told me six pieces were missing, When she left, I spent a week counting it. I double checked and she was right, six pieces were missing."

"Is she autistic?" Jessica asks.

"I don't know. I don't know much about autism, but she certainly seemed to be coherent, she could communicate, she wasn't much of a talker, but when she talked, she knew what she was saying."

Jessica finishes her coffee and puts the cup down. "I really have to get out there. I want to find her."

Jessica gives Anna a card with her number on it. "Please, if on the off chance she does come in, please give me a call and ask your kids if anyone's seen her."

Anna nods. Jessica is just about to leave her office, "Jessica, why are you so interested in her?"

Jessica turns and looks at her, "I saw her eyes and she was in a position to take a lot more than what she did, but she didn't."

"Jessica, if you find her, please bring her here. I'd love to see her and help her if I can."

"I will, I promise." Jessica says. Jessica leaves her office and the shelter. She gets in her car and starts the engine. Meanwhile, Selena having had an hour's sleep, she gets up and leaves the alleyway with her bag slung around her shoulder.

Jessica is driving around the area, checking alleyways close to the store where she first met her. After driving around for three hours, she checks her watch and discovers it's almost six in the morning. She feels tired and decides to turn in for the evening. She turns around and drives down the road leading to the freeway that will take her home. While driving, she sees a woman walking down the street with a bag slung around her shoulder. As she gets closer, she realizes it's Selena. She pulls over and climbs out of the car.

"Selena?" Jessica calls out to her.

Selena looks back and sees her. She breaks off into a run. Jessica abandons her car and chases after her. Filled with a sudden burst of adrenaline, she runs after her for almost a mile. She sees Selena run into an alleyway where the road is blocked off. She runs in after her. Selena is huddled up in the corner, breathing loud, her body shaking.

"Selena, I'm not here to hurt you." Jessica says while trying to catch her breath.

"The-then le-leave me alone" Selena says in a scared tone.

Jessica reaches into her pocket and pulls out the chocolate bar. "I want to give you this, the chocolate bar you left at the store."

Selena stands up and eyes the chocolate bar with an expression of disbelief on her face. She snatches the bar and tares the wrapper. She starts eating the chocolate bar.

"My name's Jessica."

"I'm Selena"

"I know your name, a woman called Anna told me a little about you." Jessica tells her.

"The shelter." Selena says.

"That's right, you remember her?" Jessica asks.

Selena nods her head. "I remember everyone, even those I don't like."

"Okay, well this place isn't very safe, can I get you some breakfast?"

Selena looks at her, she has stopped shaking and her breathing has returned to normal. Jessica feels like she's being analyzed by her.

"Why are you being so nice?" Selena asks.

"Nice people help nice people out." Jessica tells her.

"If I run, will you chase?" Selena asks. Jessica thinks about her answer, she looks into her eyes and can't quite make up her mind. She feels deep down that she would run after her and realizes that honesty is probably the best way to get to know her.

"Yes, if you run I will chase." Jessica says to her.

Selena nods and for the first time, smiles. Jessica feels that it was a test and could tell she appreciated the honesty.

"You have a car, a blue car with a scratch on the side." Selena tells her.

"Yes. I do." Jessica says.

Selena walks past Jessica and leads the way back to Jessica's car. Selena climbs into the passenger seat and closes the door. She fastens the seat belt. Jessica surprised at the sudden change but welcomes it, climbs into the car and starts the engine.

"You should fasten your seatbelt." Selena says.

Jessica laughs and nods her head. "You're right" She fastens her seat belt. "Where would you like to go?"

"Wherever there is food." Selena answers her in a serene kind of way.

Jessica pulls out and drives off heading home. Jessica pulls into a street with several houses on both sides of the road.

"How long have you lived on the streets?" Jessica asks.

"4256 days" Selena answers her question while gazing out the window.

"Hold on a second, you've been on the streets for almost 12 years?" Jessica is astounded. Selena looks at Jessica and shrugs her shoulders, "Don't know. Where's the food?"

"We're almost there. Did you know there are 365 days in a year?"

"I've lived on the streets 11 years and 241 days." Selena says.

"So what happened to your parents, your mom and dad?"

"Can't remember, where's the food?" Selena asks.

Jessica smiles and nods her head, "Wait five more minutes." Jessica says to her.

Five minutes later, Jessica arrives outside her house. She lives in a lovely apartment on the third floor. She parks the car and steps out. Selena steps out and looks at the apartment building.

"You live here?" Selena asks.

"Yep, I'm on the third floor." Jessica answers her question.

"Is there food on the second and first floor?"

"I'm sure there is, but they're my neighbors." Jessica answers her question again.

"What do they have for food?"

Jessica giggles and opens the front door. They walk up the steps and down the hallway. Jessica opens her front door and welcomes her in. Selena's eyes open up, she feels a sudden warmness going through her body. Jessica closes the door and locks it.

"The kitchen is this way. Selena?"

Jessica watches Selena walk into the living room and sit down on the sofa. She lies down, feeling comfortable for the first time in years. Jessica goes into the cupboard and gets a sheet. She returns to the living room a few minutes later and sees Selena fast asleep on the couch. She puts the sheet over her and leaves her be.