Chapter 6
Strange day
As the first rays of sunlight peeked through the small window of her cell, Jodie was awakened by a different officer. He informed her that she was free to go and that she had to sign the release papers and collect her belongings. She couldn't believe what had just happened to her. She was in shock and could barely process the events of the previous night. Jodie couldn't help but notice the officer staring up her dress as she tried to get her composure and quickly closed her legs. In her mind, she screamed, 'Fuck you, you men are all the same, fucking vile perverts. I want to kill every last fucking one of you.'
Jodie signed the release papers and collected her belongings, still in a daze. That's when Chris entered the room with a smug look on his face. He pretended to wave an invisible bag of drugs at her in a mimed manner and said, 'You be a good girl now Jodie. It would be a shame to see you back here anytime soon. You stay out of trouble, we have your home address now.' Jodie's blood boiled even more at his cockiness and the fact that he did this in front of other officers made her rage.
Jodie's heart was racing as she stumbled out of the police station, her mind reeling from the traumatic events of the previous night. She had never felt so violated and alone in her entire life.
Her fingers trembled as she reached for her phone, her only lifeline to her boyfriend John who was currently lying in a hospital bed. But as she pressed the power button, nothing happened. Her phone was dead.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized the sense of hopelessness and despair that she was facing. She was miles away from home and the only person she wanted to turn to was unreachable.
Jodie started to panic as she looked around, desperately searching for any sign of a taxi. But the streets were deserted and there wasn't a single cab in sight. She was running out of options.
In a moment of courage and desperation, Jodie started to run. She didn't care how far away the hospital was. She didn't care about her own safety. All she could think about was getting to John.
The streets seemed endless as Jodie ran. Her legs were aching and her lungs were on fire, but she couldn't stop. She had to get to John.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Jodie spotted a bus stop a few blocks away. She pushed herself harder, the burning in her legs intensifying with each step.
As she reached the bus stop, Jodie's legs gave out and she collapsed onto the bench, panting and sweating.
Breathless and exhausted, Jodie waited for the bus to arrive, she couldn't help but replay the events of the previous night in her mind. The police cell, Chris, the rape. She shuddered at the memory and felt a wave of anger and helplessness wash over her.
Jodie was pacing back and forth at the bus stop, her heart racing with anxiety. She had never been the most patient person, and today was not helping her in any way.
But as she sat there, waiting for the bus, she couldn't help but feel like every minute was an eternity. The woman sitting next to her noticed her restlessness and asked, 'Are you okay? You look traumatized, like you've had a rough night.' Jodie forced a smile and replied, 'You wouldn't believe me even if I told you, but yes, thank you, I'm fine. I'm just trying to get to the hospital as quickly as I can and see my boyfriend.'
The woman's expression softened and she patted Jodie's hand. 'I understand, dear. I hope everything turns out alright.' Then, she leaned in closer and whispered, 'But just so you know, the buses are running about 45 minutes behind schedule. It might be quicker to find another mode of transportation.'
Jodie's heart sank at this news. How could this be happening? She needed to get to the hospital right away, her boyfriend's life could be at stake. Without another word, she stood up and started to frantically search for a taxi. But none were in sight.
As she paced back and forth, trying to figure out what to do, a strange feeling began to wash over her. It was almost as if someone or something was watching her. She shook it off as nerves and turned back to the bus stop.
But when she looked back, the elderly woman was gone. Jodie couldn't understand how she could have disappeared so quickly. Without a second thought, she ran towards the hospital, hoping to get there before anything else went wrong.
Unbeknownst to Jodie, the elderly woman was her future self blipping back into the past multiple times, attempting to alter her own future. You see, Jodie's future was not a pleasant one. She had become a target for the 'sperminator,' who was determined to eliminate her original timeline at any cost.
But thanks to the elderly woman's constant interventions, Jodie had managed to evade the sperminator's attacks three times already. Each time, her future self would jump back in time, hours before the planned attack, and sabotage the mission. Jodie had no idea of her own bravery and the sacrifices her future self had made to protect her.
Despite all of this, Jodie was completely oblivious to her own role in restoring the original timeline back to its original state. But her future self knew that she couldn't keep jumping back in time forever, and time was running out to change their fate.
Jodie decided to take a short cut through the rough part of town. She had never been this way before, but she knew it would save her some time. As she made her way through the desolate streets, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. The buildings were run down and there were hardly any people around. But she pushed forward, her determination to see John giving her the courage to continue.
As she passed an old wedding dress shop, a happy thought suddenly flooded her mind. She imagined herself in a beautiful white dress, walking down the aisle towards John. Even in her worried state, this brought a small smile to her face.
But then she realized something strange. The wedding dress shop was the only business that seemed to be open in this abandoned area. As she turned a corner, she heard screams coming from the wedding shop. Her curiosity piqued, Jodie couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. But she brushed it aside, convincing herself that it was just her imagination.