All Irregularities will be Handled

Claudia stared at the glittering shards of light all around her. Beyond them she could see her colleagues, Lester, Stephen, Connor and Abby, all standing strangely still as if frozen in place. She reached out to them and her hands brushed a surface, a barrier between her and them. She pushed and felt it yield. She pushed harder trying to force her way through.

"I wouldn't. That's a weak point in time."

She spun round. A man in a grey suit and a woman in a blue dress stood before her. It must have been the man who had spoken.

"Sorry?"

"You've been over-written," said the man. "You no longer belong there."

"If you break through," added the woman kindly, "things will follow."

Claudia turned back to the barrier. Where she pressed against it she could now see swirls of darkness between the pieces of light. They radiated out from where she stood.

"Come with us please," said the woman. Claudia looked back. She was holding out her hand.

"I'm returning to my friends."

"You can't," said the man. "We won't let you."

"And if I don't come with you?"

"We take you anyway," he said harshly.

The woman pursed her lips and shot him a disapproving look but didn't contradict his words.

Claudia glanced sideways at the darkness writhing behind her. She bowed her head and sighed then held out her hand. She felt the woman take it, her hand cool and smooth. Together they walked forwards into the light of the anomaly.