Circle

The area was really going down hill. Jo had seen a distinct change in the area since the new flats had been built. As she drove her Mini Cooper from work and turned into the street, she could see a small group of youths talking and posing on the corner. They all looked around as she drove past and parked her car next to the white van just to the side of her house. Feeling a little uneasy, Jo opened the door, swung her long legs out, walked round to the boot, and took out her work bag. She was aware of eyes looking at her as she put her key in the lock and opened the solid oak door. Without turning, she slammed the door shut and threw the bag into the corner, next to the leather sofa.

Jo felt a lot easier now, and kicking off her low healed shoes made her way to the kitchen where she put on the kettle and proceeded to make a strong cup of tea whilst switching on the radio. Jo hated silence in the house, especially, as it appeared, when Lucy, her flat mate was not in. Lucy owned the house, but Jo had been good friends since childhood, and when she got the job nearby after university, it seemed logical for Jo to move in too. Besides, Lucy needed the money, and the extra rent would do nicely, thank you!

Jo glanced out of the kitchen window as she supped at the strong brew, scowling at the new small block of flats that had gone up opposite. What a shame, their lovely view had been spoilt. Carrying her cup, Jo padded into the living room, pausing by the large mirror above the fire place, to check her hair.

At 29 years of age, Jo considered herself a little past her best. The face looking back at her was round and fair, clear blue eyes stared out under long blond hair, currently tied at the back. She always considered her mouth a little too big, especially as she found her nose a little too wide for her liking. Her skin was shiny; the result of a long stressful day at the office, but the red lipstick still covered her full lips, the result of a recent application at the traffic lights 15 minutes earlier. Jo was just short of 6 feet, and was considered slim by her few boyfriends over the years. She was very proud of her breasts, which swelled under her cream silk blouse. Without doubt, Jo considered them her best feature. Looking down, Jo saw a long brown tiered skirt hiding her long slim legs. Stocking feet peeped out at the bottom. A loose hanging belt fit comfortably over her hips.

On the fireplace, Jo saw the note with her name on it. She picked it up and unfolded it. Lucy had finally done it. She had got in some extra security for the house, something she had been promising to do for weeks now. The note explained that a security firm had been around and installed a new alarm system and close circuit TV system to check the outside of the house. The CCTV was hooked into the TV system and could be viewed at the flick of a switch. A DVD recorder could be set up to record anything going on outside. Lucy said that she would be away for the night, but not to worry about setting the alarm, as she would explain all to Jo when she saw her.

Jo put the cup on the small table at the side of the arm chair and reached to switch on the television set. The set instantly came alive, but Jo didn't exactly want to watch children's TV. After some fiddling with the remote, she got to the correct channel, and was delighted to see a lovely colour image of the outside front door. Very nice indeed, very clear and very sharp. Jo picked up the camera remote and started to play with the dials and switches. She was rewarded with a series of instant zooms, both inwards and outwards. It was obvious that the CCTV camera was high up on the house wall, looking down. Jo found that she could also move the camera around and that the view was not just limited to the door. Jo flopped back into the arm chair and started to do a bit of exploring.

The camera moved slowly around its axis, until Jo could look directly at the flats opposite. She picked her way from flat to flat, until she focused in on a window, with curtains open and lights fully switched on. The flats were considered a nuisance by Lucy and Jo, except for one. Mr Fitbit, as Jo liked to call him lived there. He was just about the only good thing blocking their view. The camera was now pointing into his room. The room was extremely minimalist, with a few pictures on the walls and a cream coloured carpet. A sofa and armchair could be seen as well as a small glass table. Jo could see a light coming from an area just out of camera shot. Obviously the TV was on, but nobody seemed to be in the room. Jo found that she could zoom right in, There was nothing she could not really see.

Jo was about to move away, when Fitbit entered the room.