Crazy Limping Lady

Jacob exhaled slowly as he made his way out of the police station. He didn’t know she could run off and disappear immediately without a trace. His mind was conflicted. He felt he did the right thing by letting that girl go, but this sort of feeling always got to him prior to a betrayal or deceit. This has been the reason why he'd become rigid and authoritative to his staff. Allow them sniff weakness or pity from you, boom, they bring out their devious cards.

He couldn’t figure why her case got to him. Was it her tears, or the fact that she was in a bad shape? He didn’t know.

He drove the car onto the road and towards the direction he came from, still in thoughts, when suddenly his eyes came in contact with someone limping down the sidewalk.

It was as if his thought morphed into reality because there on the road, was the same lady, still in her messed up clothes, dragging her left feet along.

He didn’t realize her wounds were that severe. She looked intact when she was running. Even when she left the police station, she seemed in one piece. What could have possibly happened?

Not just her legs, her face was swollen as well. The dark bruises that were on her body earlier were looking bigger now.

The only explanation he could come up with was that she must have gotten into another fight. That should be it.

He facepalmed and cursed himself for the strong urge that got hold of him.

‘Why couldn’t someone else see her and tend to her?

‘Why must I be the one to always take pity on the strays?’ He thought.

With frustrated sighs, he slowed down and parked beside her moving frame on the wet muddy sidewalk.

When she noticed the car and the occupant, she began limping faster to get away from him.

“Stop!” he yelled, rushing out of his car.

“Please! Don’t send me back there, I’m yet to see my siblings!” she said, still dragging herself forward.

“How the hell did you get these bruises?” he asked, looking her over.

“I fell a couple of times,” she responded quickly.

“Get in.”

She stared skeptically at him, gradually moving around him to continue her journey.

“No need. I’d rather walk home if you don’t mind,” she said, wishing he would just go away and leave her alone.

“Look, young lady, you would not make it home in that state. You would definitely pass out on the road…”

“I won’t,” she said, cutting him off, “I can handle it.”

“Why are you so stubborn!”

“I honestly don’t want to have anything to do with you right now, just let me be.”

She was beginning to get angry again.

He sighed heavily in exasperation, then stumped into his car, turned the ignition, and drove off.

He didn’t get quite far though, because as soon as he left, she fell to the ground, on all fours. This he saw through his side mirror.

He immediately screeched to a stop, then swerved to the side of the road and parked. He  kept looking through the side mirror, waiting for her to get back up, but she wasn't making any move to do that.

He exhaled slowly, trying to calm his growing annoyance. After a third glance through the mirror and still nothing, he grudgingly revved backward.