'Make me a cop too,' I said. 'I'll say I'm gathering evidence.'
'Easy enough,' Runt said. 'You already look like a cop.'
I gave him a look but he genuinely didn't seem to understand why. 'What?' he said
I gestured towards my naked body.
Runt shrugged. 'Ain't nothin' they ain't seen already.'
'Cops don't walk around naked!' I said. 'I need a uniform. Give me a cop costume to wear.'
Runt blushed a little from his mistake; something I'd never seen him do before. 'What am I, a genie?' he said. 'I can't make things, I can only change you.'
'Oh,' I said. 'Well... can you make it so my skin looks like a cop uniform?'
'Yeah, that I can do,' he nodded. 'Although I don't see why you're unhappy as you are. You look great!'
I sighed. 'Sure, I've got no complaints. But it's just not what humans do.'
Runt shook his head. Then he stepped up to me and grabbed a fold of skin at my collar. He pulled it out into a large flap and wrapped it around my body. He rubbed it vigorously until it turned black and fabric like. Then he pulled out little details like buttons and pockets and suddenly I was wearing a black shirt and tie with a cop badge. It felt very bizarre. It was different to wearing clothes because it was still me. I could still feel the breeze against my fabric skin. And where it touched me at the collar and waist it fused to me. I could never take it off.
Runt repeated the procedure with my pants. He pulled out a flap just above my crotch and wrapped it around my legs. That was even stranger, 'cause I could feel my own junk resting against my skin. Thankfully, Runt included a working zip, but it was more like having my dick in a little pouch than wearing clothes. Runt add a belt and pockets and made the skin all dark and fabricky. The belt even had a gun holster and hand-cuffs, but they were attached to me too and impossible to use. For my shoes, he just made my feet hard and black and shiny. I had proper soles but I could still feel the metal walkway through them. Finally, he flared out my bald head into a police hat. It took me a moment to get used to the extra weight.
The transformation was complete. I was still the broad shouldered hunk I was but now I looked like a proper New York cop. Only my skin was still just as sensitive as a uniform as it was as skin. I looked clothed but I felt naked.
'This is... odd,' I said.
'I'm not surprised,' said Runt. 'Let me know when you've done and I'll liberate you.'
Before vanishing, he chuckled and shook his head.
I clambered down from the fire escape and walked around to the front of the building. I felt very exposed. I could feel every crack in the sidewalk and the cold in the air. It was hard not to huddle over in the way you instinctively do when you're naked. I went in, nodded to the doorman, and found the elevator. I took care to stand in the centre. I didn't want somebody to enter and brush against me.
I walked the familiar hallway to my apartment. The police guard looked surprised to see me.
'I thought nobody was coming 'till later,' he said.
'Change of plan,' I said, trying to sound authoritative. 'Just here to bag a few things.'
I was fearing more questions but he stepped aside. I gave him a wide berth as I ducked under the tape.
My apartment looked much as it did when I left. It was still a shithole, but I felt a sudden surge of sadness as I realised I would never come here again. It passed quickly.
I went into the bedroom and grabbed a suitcase. I found my wallet and threw that in. I grabbed a few clothes even though none of them fit me anymore, but they might again someday. I wanted to pack my passport and other legal documents but realised they'd be useless. So I got a few tools instead, a flashlight and some food. My cell phone. There were a few precious items, a few souvenirs from old vacations and a stuffed rabbit I'd had as a child, but much less than I thought. I was amazed that even though my apartment was filled with crap there was very little I actually wanted to keep. I did one final sweep to check I had everything I might possibly need.
After that, it was the open road. And I just stood in the middle of my apartment, no idea of where to go next or what as.