Unverse Case 1:Ann Arbor

Files strewn all around a table. It had taken Flora several hours to comb through all of them, and separate fact fact from fiction. The neighbors had reported odd behavior from Ann Arbor's residence for months, but there had just been too few resources to investigate into it. The detective who had been looking into it had drclarrd it simply running away.when Ann had gone missing, it hadn't been clear just how bad it had gotten for Ann.

It was an old lady, Miss Amelia, who found Ann a few weeks after her disappearance. The brunette woman was found wandering, a dazed expressiin on her face. Ann's family reported that Ann was always a bit of a clean freak, but Amelia found Ann looking absolutely filthy, her hair disheveled, and her skirt stained with dirt. When the woman asked Ann who she was, Ann allegedly replied "I don't know."

Ann's family, especially her children, we're delighted to have her back. As far as Flora could tell, Ann seemed happy to be back, despite having amnesia. She couldn't explain where she'd been, or why she left. In her recorded comments, she had only alluded to "seeing a blue box, and hearing such beautiful music. The sounds of the stars." No one really knew what she meant, but odder things have happened. The detective assigned declared it a symptom of stress or some other nonsense, and the case was closed.

Until a few months later, when Ann Arbor, a woman who had never committed a crime before, started calling herself the Doctor, and then burned down her neighbor's house. Burning down houses wouldn't have made Daniel, her partnwr, call Flora in the early morning. That was a commonplace crime. But "the Doctor" was a sign of a very unique kind of mental issue.

"She's ready for you now. The arson chick," said Daniel. His eyes looked tired, probably due to the long drive. His jacket, a size too big for him, looked out of place in the spring time.

"Thanks. You ready for this?" said Flora. She packed the files away into her blue purse, hoisting it onto her shoulder.

"No. These Doctors always give me the creeps. It's their eyes," said Daniel.

Flora and Daniel walked down the hallway leading to Ann, the "arson chick"'s holding cell. It was after hours tonight, and a lot of people had gone home. Flora winced, remembering that she had promised to meet her sick mother, Evelyn. Secondhand smoke had gotten to her mom, and her sister kept telling Flora that their mother needed all the support she could get. Unfortunately, on the night that Flora had promised herself to finally visit her mother, Daniel had told her about the case. Meeting a Doctor firsthand was priceless, so Flora had to come here. She would see her mother sometime soon.

(Hopefully, her sister wouldn't be too disappointed.)

Daniel stopped at a red door. Taking a key from his pocket, he opened the door slowly. Flora raised her eyebrows at him.

"Technically, there may be some people who might disapprove of this meeting, and who I might have had to hide the fact that I brought you here from. So make it count, okay?" said Daniel.

"You're the best, Dan" said Flora.

Daniel winked. Then he opened the door.

Ann was on the far side of the room, near the window. A slow breeze pushed through, lifting her shoulder length black hair up slightly. Her red skirt looked old-fashioned, and contrasted with a bright green bow tie. Overall, her stance seemed androgynous, though Flora couldn't quite place it on one thing about her. As Flora drew closer, dragging her chair behind her, she could see Ann's green eyes, that seemed to be far away, even as they focused on Flora.

"Hello, Ann Arbor. How are you today?" said Flora.

"Fine, mostly. And please call me the Doctor," said the Doctor. She gave a nice smile, though her eyes kept the impression of not quite looking at her. Flora could feel Daniel shudder behind her.

"Your record says your name is Ann Arbor. 25 years of age, and you have a lovely husband, and 2 children. You only started calling yourself the Doctor about a quarter of a year ago," said Flora.

"My name has always been the Doctor. I merely forgot myself. But once I saw the glowing blue box, I became free again," said the Doctor. Her face brightened considerably, like she was remembering a childhood memory.

Daniel bent down to whisper in Flora's ear "We've already heard this sort of thing from the other weirdos. Get her to tell us about why she burnt down the house."

Flora shook her head. The answers to that could wait. This was the first chance in a long time to get inside a Doctor's head. That was priceless.

"I'll tell you why I burnt down his house," said the Doctor suddenly. Daniel gaped--how had she heard him?

"Good hearing," replied the Doctor. She stretched, and continued "That man was evil. Have you heard about the missing children? I started researching into it, and all the clues led to him. I couldn't let those horrors go on."

Ann's voice trembled with emotion. She honestly believed what she was saying.

"Where's your proof? Why couldn't you go to the police?" said Flora.

The Doctor smiled sheepishly, and said "Well, you detectives do great work, but you're somewhat limited when it comes to the more esoteric dangers."

"Oh, we're open-minded. Try us," said Daniel.

"Would you believe me if I said he was feeding the children to alien carnivorous insects?" asked the Doctor.

"Sure. Why not," said Flora.

The Doctor's nose wiggled, and a smile spread across her face. Flora couldn't tell whether or not Ann knew they were being sarcastic.

"Now I try to do good deeds wherever I go. After I saw the blue box, and having opened its treasures, I know who I am," said Ann.

"Do your children appreciate it?" asked Daniel.

Ann stiffened. Her smile evaporated. Suddenly, she said "Have you heard of that new science report? The one about the high number of stars exploding? I find it fascinating."

"Ann. Your children miss you. Have you thought of them recently?" asked Flora.

In between Flora's blinks, Ann had moved in front of Flora. Ann's former distant gaze now focused on Flora with a manic intensity beyond measure. Flora suddenly wished she hadn't left her weapon at home.

"You know nothing about me. I love my children, but I can't deny who I am," said Ann.

"You're Ann Arbor," said Daniel.

"There are six other people calling themselves the Doctor. What makes you special?" said Flora.

"Daniel, you more than most should understand about personal identity. And Flora," said Ann, her tone getting acerbic, "How dare you ask me about my children, when you haven't even talked to your sick mother?"

Flora felt blood rush to her cheeks. Her mind looked for reasonable ex0panations for how Ann could have known--overhearing from another cop, snooping up on Flora online, even just guessing randomly--but there were all remote. A chill ran down her spine. And there was no way Ann could know what she had implied about Daniel.

"Yeah, we'll get back to you later," said Daniel. He and Flora left the room. Flora caught Ann waving as the door closed.

Flora and Daniel said nothing as they drove off. Then, Daniel said "Told you they were weirdos."