A Pretender Story
part X
by Evanescent

Jarod’s Room
1200 Hours

Jarod leaned back against the wall of his room. They knocked him out. Again. Damnit, these people is getting to him, he must find a way to escape, but how? He heard the door of his room opened and quiet footsteps coming toward him, he lifts his head, it was Young Jarod.

"Uh..Hi!" Young Jarod said, he nervously smiled and sat down next him on the floor. Jarod looked at the boy, he was still amazed that this boy is actually his clone. Young Jarod cast an amused glanced at him, he quickly looked away.

"I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous, I mean, I know you don’t want to see anyone right now, especially after what Sydney did to you—"Jarod glared at him, he shrunk back. "But I want to show you something." Young Jarod said, he pulled out a PEZ out from his pocket and handed it to him. Jarod looked at it in wonder, what is this mysterious contraption? He thought and looked at Young Jarod with questions and confusion in his eyes.

"It’s a candy dispenser, you pushed the head up and a candy comes out," Young Jarod happily demonstrated with another PEZ he had in his other pocket. This is a odd feeling, he never thought he’ll be teaching his own brother how to eat candy out of a toy.

Jarod stared at the boy as he demonstrated joyfully, this is very strange he thought as he looked at him, there was no pain or sadness in this boy, it was as if he was looking at himself, only the reflection was 10 years younger. He’s becoming fond of the boy he realized, but that’s okay he thought, he’s only a boy, and Mr. Raines never said anything about how dangerous children could be. He quickly directed his attention onto the PEZ, he wanted to learn how this dispenser works so he could use it himself later on.

"Here, just take the candy out of the toy dispenser with your teeth," Young Jarod directed, Jarod gave him an odd look, but did so, he pulled the head back and took the sugar candy from the toy dispenser. "Now you eat it like this," Young Jarod popped it into his mouth. Jarod complied, and swallowed it.

"No! You’re not suppose to swallow it!" Young Jarod laughed,

Jarod looked at him in confusion, "This isn’t a nutrition supplement?" He asked

"No. This candy has absolutely no nutritional value," he replied, smiling

Jarod is very confused now. "Are you telling me that you enjoy eating foods that have absolutely no nutritional value and may put you in danger of cardiovascular disease or any other possible health risks in the future?"

"Just taste it, bit into it and suck on it. It’s very good."

Jarod hesitantly took a bit out of the candy, he looks up amazed, "This is very good." He savored the taste and pulls the head back of the toy dispenser to have more.

Young Jarod laughed, "Hold on a second, I’ll be right back." Getting up and swiping at his jeans to get the dirt off his back.

"What am I going to hold onto?" Jarod is now very confused.

"It’s a figure of speech, it means to just stay where you are until I come back." Young Jarod raced out the door.

"Do I have a choice?"

****

Kitchen
1230 Hours

Young Jarod sneaked into the kitchen, slowly opened the refrigerator door and took out a big carton of ice cream. He walked over to the pantry and took out 2 bowls and 2 spoons. He set them down quietly and opened the carton. He scooped a generous helping into each of the bowls and after quietly putting the carton back into the refrigerator, he picked up the 2 bowls and tiptoed back into Jarod’s room.

Ms. Parker, Sydney, Major Charles, and Broots walked into the kitchen a minute afterwards. "So Syd, what do you think your 2nd lab rat is up to now?" She asked with a half smile.

"By God Ms. Parker, I don’t know, but I have a feeling we’re going to find out," He replied, smiling as the 4 quietly made their way to Jarod’s bedroom and hovered by the open doorway as Young Jarod handed Jarod a bowl of ice cream, looking on with interest.

*****

Jarod’s Room
1345 Hours

Jarod took the bowl and held it at eye level, examining the mysterious substance. "This is ice cream," Young Jarod said. "Just have a taste like this," He scooped up a portion of the ice cream and brought it close to his lips, as Jarod watched with curiosity, Young Jarod opened his mouth, closed his mouth over the spoon and devour the its sweetness.

"Now you try it."

Major Charles raised an eyebrow at Broots as the man looked on with delight. Ms. Parker cast an amused glance at Sydney, no one dared utter a word as they watched the 2 figures sitting against the wall.

Hesitantly Jarod scooped a small portion of it onto his spoon, as he inched his mouth closer, he cast an uncertain look at Young Jarod, but Jarod only gave him an encouraging look. He closed his mouth over the spoon and soon a smile crossed his face. Sydney and the rest grinned, this was the first time they seen Jarod smile ever since he got here. "This is really good!" Jarod said, he looked up from the bowl, with a white mustache above his lip.

Jarod laughed so hard until he started hugging his stomach because it began to hurt. He ran out of the room, not realizing the four figures hovering by the door. He ran back with a mirror. "Here," he said between laughs, "Take a look at yourself."

Jarod looked into the mirror and laughs, he cried, "I looked like an old man!" He looked at Young Jarod and laughed even harder, he had the same thing on his lip.

Young Jarod took the mirror from Jarod and after looking into his own reflection, he started laughing too. The foursome tried to cover their mouths, they all saw the ice cream mustaches and tried not to laugh. Jarod stopped abruptly, he looked over at the door, hate glittering his eyes, "I know what you guys are doing, come out!" He demanded.

Major, Ms. Parker, Sydney, and Broots walked into the room guiltily, Ms. Parker tried to cover it up with her normal stance and tilt her chin higher. Jarod turned to his younger brother, his eyes filled with menace, "You knew about this didn’t you?" his voice filled with rage.

"No, Jarod, I wouldn’t even lie to you!" Young Jarod pleaded.

Jarod looked into the young boy’s eyes and instantly he knew that the boy isn’t lying. He lowered his eyes and look away. He knew he had to let the boy know that he had forgiven him, but not now, not when the they’re in the room.

All 5 of them looked defeated when they walked out the room, they had lost him again. And for the rest of the afternoon no matter how much they pleaded, threatened, or yelled, they couldn’t get a word out of him. He sat with his back hunched and seem to be unaware that they were even in the room.

"All right, Ms. Parker, you look after Jarod tonight." Sydney said

"What?! Why the hell do I have to baby-sit your Frankenstein?" Ms. Parker demanded.

"Please Ms. Parker," Sydney pleaded, "Just for tonight."

Rolling her eyes, she sat down on the chair and waited.

That night after Ms. Parker fell asleep, Young Jarod crept into Jarod’s room again, trying to explain to him that he didn’t know that the others were listening to their conversation but found Jarod sleeping. Disappointed, he was about to leave until he saw a piece of paper in Jarod’s hand, he silently took the paper from his hand and read the message written on it:

I believe you.

J.

Smiling, he folded the paper into his pocket and walked softly back to the living room, closing the door behind him.

****

Jarod’s room
2400 Hours

Ms. Parker was sound asleep when she suddenly heard a sob. She woke up with a jolt and looked around, confused, then she spotted Jarod, he was having a nightmare.

 She walked over and heard him murmur, "No! Please no, please, please no!" He was trembling, his arms hugging his shoulders, his head tossing back and forth, he attempted to get out of the bed. She quickly pushed her hands on his shoulders but he was too strong. She wrapped her arms around him and held him still, gently rocking him back and forth, soothing him.

 "No, please no, please no!" She heard Jarod murmur against her shoulder, she continued to rock him, running her left hand through his hair, stroking his head and the other hand stroking his back, tears running down her face, "Oh Jarod…" she whispered………….
 
 
 

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