It was a typical quiet Sunday in Wellsbury. In days like this, you could literally hear the ice melt in your glass. By two pm, the streets were seen to be empty, without a soul, while the sun leaned lazily over the rooftops and the only people you would find were those who had not learned to nap when they are supposed to.
The Emergency Dispatch Centre was not left out. The room was so quiet, except for the low hum of the air conditioner and the lazy tap-tap of a pencil against a seemingly difficult crossword puzzle.
Janet Malone who is in her mid-40s, a veteran 911 Operator, sat at her desk, feeling at ease like someone who has seen every kind of Sunday Emergency that this small town can offer. And by her side sat her partner, Dave, who was seen, scrolling through some fishing photos on his phone.
Then came the phone line blinking. Janet leaned forward while sliding her headset over one ear.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
Then came a little breathless whisper. It sounded so small but very urgent.
“Ma’am…. I don’t have much time. She has me trapped.
Janet had her pen stop mid-air.
“Who has got you trapped, darling?”
“Mrs. Clark”
Janet wrote down the name “Is Mrs. Clark in your house right now?”
There was a pause…
Her partner, Dave looked up from his phone.
“No, She isn’t. But she seems to be everywhere, seeing everything. I think she even knows when I’m in the bathroom.”
Janet lifted her eyes, glancing at her partner beside her. She mouthed the words: “Possible Stalker”.
Dave mouths back: “Call it in!”
“Not yet” Janet whispered to him, shaking her head.
“Where are you now?” she asked, while keeping her voice steady.
“I’m home. But that doesn’t mean I’m safe.”
Suddenly, there was a loud thud from the other end, followed by a slow scraping sound.
Janet leaned forward. “What was that?”
“Her orders.” She left them on the table, saying I can’t leave until it’s done.”
“Done? Done with what?” Janet held her pen ready to scribble the next clue.
“She has rules ma’am. Strict rules. And if I break them, there will be consequences.”
Janet scribbled on her paper: Hostage-Orders-Possible Coercion.
“How old are you?” She asked
“Six and a half ma’am. The half is very important as it has been the hardest half year of my life.”
Janet had to make sure to fight the smile on her face. “Alright, can you tell me about Mrs. Clark?”
“She’s really scary. She has this long ruler that she’s got tapping on the table. Tick..Tick..Tick… And each one of her tick sounds like a countdown to doomsday. She has these big eyes that see even behind her head. Oh, and I have tried hiding many times, ...it just never works.”
Dave scribbled on his paper: “INTIMIDATION?” in block letters.
“Where is your mom right now?” Janet continued.
“She’s in the kitchen. But..” The voice dropped to a whisper “…she’s in on it.”
Janet got alarmed, as she held the receiver more tightly this time. “In on what?”
“This whole thing. She told me that I can’t go outside unless I get the orders carried out.”
Suddenly, there was the sound of a squeal of something being dragged. Janet felt a lump in her throat.
“What’s happening, darling?”
“She is making me use the tools.”
Janet, knitting her eyebrows, asked:
“What tools?”
“The sharp one and the one that leaves marks”
Dave’s eyes widen as he mouths: Weapons?
“What… sharp one?” Janet asks
“It’s yellow, long and if you press the tip too hard, it snaps.”
Janet blinks “And the one that leaves marks?”
“It’s Pink. It rubs everything away, but it squeaks like it’s making a mockery of me.”
Dave covers his mouth, trying not to laugh
Janet who was also trying not to laugh, asked: “Darling, do you feel like you’re in danger?”
“Does Steamed Vegies count?”
“…Steamed Veggies?”
“Well, if I don’t do this, Mom says she is making steamed veggies for dinner. She says it’s for character building.
Janet took a deep breath. “Well, what happens, if you don’t do what Mrs. Clark says?”
“She will tell my mom and then mom will tell dad. You wanna know what that means?” And with a grave voice, he said “Bedtime with no dessert”
“Okay, have you tried to get away?”
“Yes. Twice. I tried crawling under the table once but it’s still here. Watching and waiting for me.
“What is watching you?”
There was a pause…
“The Assignment”
Janet blinked... “Assignment?”
“Page Fifty-two. She wants every single problem solved before Monday.”
With a puzzled face, she asks,
“Problems?”
“Yes, Math problems,” he finally admitted, with a breaking voice. “And they’re… multiplying.”
Dave held his mouth in a struggle to prevent his laughter getting exposed.
“Agent Janet,” the boy said with urgency.
“I can’t do it alone. Please can you send the SWAT team? My brain is melting. Please send someone, at least someone who can do long division.”
Janet looked up with a wide grin. “Alright, I’ll be your backup. Tell me the first one.”
“Are you sure? This territory is really dangerous”
“Don’t worry darling, I can handle it.”
And for twenty minutes, a call that was meant to be a call for emergency, became an online tutorial lesson.
They worked through multiplication, subtraction and one dramatic word problem about three cows and a fence.
Finally, the last answer was given and you could hear a gasp of relief from the young lad and of course “Agent” Janet.
“Thank you Agent Janet. You’ve really saved me from a worse fate than Steamed Veggies.”
Almost instantly, a woman’s hurried steps were heard approaching the phone. Janet could hear her laughter through the phone.
“Oh, goodness, I’m so sorry. He has really been frustrated with his homework and I guess he….took matters into his own hands.”
“No worries ma’am. He really is resourceful.” Janet chuckled.
And from the background, the little boy screamed in joy “Case closed. Hostage is free!!”
Janet, brimming with a smile, logged the call as - Hostage Situation-Resolved: Homework Assignment.
Thanks for Reading me ❤️