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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
"What do we do?" Miss Parker asked in distress at this overwhelming pressure. She turned to face the man kneeling beside her who stared at the body open-mouthed in shock. He started breathing in and out. For years, this dying man had been his life. Always there for him, and he hadn't even known it. No, now was not the time to talk in past tense. It was time to put those skills to use and save this man's life.
"We need to- to carry him to the car," he replied to Parker's cry of help.
The two picked up his fragile body and with some help from the mysterious woman, Molly, finally made it into the SUV.
"What happened?!" Broots asked anxiously.
"We need to get to a safe place, Broots. Do you have all of my things?"
"Ye-yeah, I do. They're in the back seat."
"Parker, get them for me." Placing his hand over the bullet wound, the pressure would hopefully halt the blood flow. Miss Parker immediatly obeyed and reached into the back pulling out a black bag and handing it over to him.
"Drive Broots!" she reminded him. The vehicle started and they quickly reached an intersection and Broots turned the blinker to left. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Broots?!"
"To the safe place, M-miss Parker."
"Well my understanding is that Debbie is that way," she said indicating the right side. Broots smiled and soon they were flying down the highway towards his little girl.
"That was noble of you back there, Parker. Trying to save his life the way you did."
"I just hope that Sydney makes it, Jarod."
*****
"What do you mean they got away! I sent Lyle to take care of them!" Mr Parker's voice boomed through his office full of imcompetant sweepers whom had lost his two prized possesions.
"We're extremely sorry, Sir. Mr. Lyle was found barly alive outside so they apparantly had help and were supplied with weapons."
"I don't care! I want them back. And I want them back now. I want all the best working on this," he ordered.
The sweeper nodded, "Yes, Sir."
After watching what's-his-name leave the room, Mr Parker unlocked the bottom drawer to his desk and pulled out a shining silver CD. Angelo's feet appeared on the screen as they kicked the airvent off.
A head of blonde hair looked up and smiled, "Angelo!"
"Come. Molly come."
"Where are we going, Angelo? I know I'm not supposed to leave my room," Molly replied. The tiny space could hardly be called a room; it was about the size of a large closet with nothing but a tiny bed (complete with sterile white sheets), a compter on an iron desk with no chair pushed up against the bed, and a sink hidden in the dark walls. Angelo simply gestured towards the vent and grasped two of her little fingers noticing the dirt under her finger nails. Molly wasn't happy here. Angelo knew that, but Molly didn't. The two climbed into the airvent and disappeared from the camera's limited view.
The DSA ended.
"Molly, why?" Mr Parker muttered under his breath as he returned the disc to its place and relocked the drawer, shaking his head the whole time.
*****
"Daddy, I don't understand. Where are we going?" Broots' daughter, Debbie, asked of her father.
The two were alone in one car following a forest green SUV in front of them. She had been dragged out of school with 'ASAP' written on her pink dismissal slip that her algebra teacher had given her. He had only reluctantly let her leave because apparantly, his algebra class was what her world revolved around. When she had seen her father and the woman he was apoligizing to, she knew something was wrong by the way he trembled more than usual when he waved to his little girl. At the moment, they were in an unused car that had always stayed in the garage, but she had never known why. Debbie did notice, however, that the license plate did not say 'Deleware,' however, it did say 'Virginia.'
"D-don't worry Honey. We're fine. Nothing is wrong. Well, I mean-" he sighed.
"Daddy, I'm thirteen years old, I deserve the truth. I can handle it," she protested just like any teenager her age would.
"Honey, its complicated. I don't even know all of what's going on," he tried to explain to his frustated daughter, but she wasn't the only one who was frustrated. They had decided that it would be safer on Debbie's emotions for her to not see Sydney in his condition.
"Well, at least I get to miss my algebra class," she said.
"There's the spirit, I think. Just think of this as an adventure."
"This has something to do with that place you work for doesn't it, Daddy?"
"Well, yes. Its not safe for you to stay in Blue Cove at the moment."
"Daddy, you need to quit. That place freaks me out."
"Me, too," he muttered under his breath, "but I have obligations there, Sweetheart." Obligations is a nice way of saying that if he tried to leave, he would be shot. Debbie didn't need to know that.
"Hey, Debbie! I have a great idea. Let's play a car game! The license plate game!" Broots said excitedly changing the subject. He couldn't fool his daughter and they both knew that, but she rolled her eyes and conceded to her strange father. She loved him anyway.
"Okay then, Maryland," she said, pointing to a cherry red chevy truck passing by under the dark cloudy sky.
*****
"How's he doing?" Parker asked from the driver's seat of the SUV.
"Well, he's stable at the moment. I really need to operate though," Jarod explained, "How long until we get to the 'safe place' as they called it."
"Well looking at this map, it looks like a good two hours until we even reach Virginia."
"Wonderful," he sighed and then began a minute later, "Well, do you talk, Molly?"
"Yeah, we don't bite," Parker added in.
"Though, Parker definitly barks."
"Shut up, Jarod. She didn't ask you anything. You're lucky I'm driving this thing, Wonder Boy," she threatened, though Jarod could tell that she was playing and wasn't really mad.
"Yes, I talk. I just don't really know what to say," Molly began.
"Well let's start with who you are," Jarod replied in a soothing voice.
"She's not five, Jarod. I'm sure she doesn't need for you to explain things in words under three syllables," Miss Parker told him. Jarod just rolled his eyes and smiled at the blonde in front of him.
"Well, um, I only really remember being at The Centre all of my life. I havn't ever had anyone to talk to before like this, except Angelo. Its probobaly hard for you two to understand."
"I understand a lot better than you would think. I grew up in The Centre as well, but I did have some other children to talk to. I had Angelo, Kyle, and Miss Parker here."
"You two were close." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.
"Yeah, how did you know that?" Miss Parker asked Molly.
"You weren't just friends. You were best friends. I wish I had someone so close who understood me like you two do."
She seemed to have blocked out what Miss Parker had said, but then she was back to normal, if that really was normal.
"How did you know all of that?" Miss Parker repeated while eyeing Jarod who looked just as mystified as she felt.
"That's why The Centre has held me for all these years. I have something that they call an Inner Sense. I've been trained for years ever since I can remember learning how to develop my gift. They've asked me to see where a person in a picture is, to see who they are, but I'm not really sure what they do with my results."
"I do. They manipulate them and turn them into twisted ways of killing innocent people. They did the same thing to me, except I'm a Pretender."
"So I ... I've been killing innocent people this whole time,"
"Not neccesarily. Jarod has a pretty unnegotiable view of The Centre and what they do," Miss Parker answered.
"Don't tell me that you still believe in them and their lies, Parker. After all that that place has done to you, and what your father hasn't done," Jarod argued.
"I don't; not anymore, but you can't deny that you always maintain a prejudiced feeling for the place," Miss Parker argued while looking back at him in the rear view mirror.
"I won't deny it, but they deserve it, Molly. They are incorrigible and deserve none of what we can give them."
" I think I understand that, now. I just hope that my inner sense makes me too different from the rest of the world. Everything looks so new and perfect. Is the world ready for me?" Molly asked, her voice full of trepidation.
"Miss Parker has an Inner Sense as well, Molly."
"Mine's not trained like yours," Miss Parker told her.
"Well you could be. As a matter of fact," she paused, "you could have almost as strong a sense as me."
Coughing and choking alerted them that Sydney was waking.
"J-J-Jarod?"
"Sydney, I'm here. D-don't speak. You've been shot and are losing a lot of blood. You need to rest. Everyone else is fine," he informed him.
"Jarod-"
"No, Sydney. Please, you need to rest. We'll be at the safe place in just a little bit. Why don't you just go back to sleep now," Jarod coaxed.
Sydney's tired eyes reflected his loss of hope. The creases of skin on his face reminded the two just how much older Sydney had become over the years. His chapped lips struggled to part. His hoarse voice finally creaked out, "Jarod," he began in his naturally soothing voice, "I know I'm not going to make it."
"No. Sydney don't talk like that. You're going to get through this. I won't- I can't lose you!" Jarod protested. By this time, Miss Parker had pulled over to the side of the road and Molly had taken up residence in the driver's seat so that she could be with him.
"Jarod, I told you- once before that," Sydney paused and took some deep breaths, "you can't save- us all."
Molly heard these words and was now doubling the speed limit in hopes of getting to the safe place in time. Jarod's voice attempted coming through but the tears were stronger and he clenched his eyes together in resignation.
"No Sydney! You can't leave us damn it! We need you!" Miss Parker argued with the man straining to live.
"Miss Parker, you don't need- me anymore. You will be fine," Sydney reassured the desperate woman with a calm smile.
"Don't leave me alone. Please don't leave me like everyone else!"
Jarod, breathing heavy, watched the exchange through blurry vision awaiting what Sydney would say to this desperate plea from the woman of stone. Sydney's eyes were cluttered with a cloud of guilt at this accusation.
"You won't be- alone, Miss Parker," he breathed in and out, "You have Jarod."
Miss Parker shook her head and looked at Jarod with pleading eyes as if telling him that he had better save him. Jarod did nothing in reply, just grasped Sydney's hand and shook his head as if in denial.
"Sydney-" Jarod began.
"Jarod, you must- take care of Miss Parker- for me," Sydney told his prodigy.
"I need your help, Sydney! And you are not leaving us, not as long as I have any say in it."
"Promise me, Jarod. Promise me."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker whose eyes betrayed her fear for this man whom she obviously loved. His gaze returned to his "father."
"I promise," he choked, "but don't-"
"Thank you. Catherine would be grateful."
It was then that Miss Parker finally let all of the tears flow. A river gushed as the dam that had been up for so many years was finally broken. The weeping was silent but pure.
"Take care of eachother, that's how you will always survive. I want you both- to know that I care deeply for you," Sydney smiled, "Don't worry, Miss Parker. Don't be scared because I'm not."
Sydney's head leaned back and his wrinkled eyelids closed gently.
"No," Miss Parker whispered. She placed a hand to her face covering her mouth and her nose and the others in the car could hear her gasp in as she tried to recover from the loss she was feeling. She leaned into the embrace that Jarod offered her who was still in shock. Molly stared intensely at the road letting the two receive the comfort that they both seeked. Miss Parker's crys were muffled and she trembled with her face in Jarod's shirt.
"Sydney," Jarod begged, "Sydney."
The looming clouds overhead suddenly began to drop soft tears of rain, only intensifying the despair of two lost souls.
"We need to- to carry him to the car," he replied to Parker's cry of help.
The two picked up his fragile body and with some help from the mysterious woman, Molly, finally made it into the SUV.
"What happened?!" Broots asked anxiously.
"We need to get to a safe place, Broots. Do you have all of my things?"
"Ye-yeah, I do. They're in the back seat."
"Parker, get them for me." Placing his hand over the bullet wound, the pressure would hopefully halt the blood flow. Miss Parker immediatly obeyed and reached into the back pulling out a black bag and handing it over to him.
"Drive Broots!" she reminded him. The vehicle started and they quickly reached an intersection and Broots turned the blinker to left. "Where the hell do you think you're going, Broots?!"
"To the safe place, M-miss Parker."
"Well my understanding is that Debbie is that way," she said indicating the right side. Broots smiled and soon they were flying down the highway towards his little girl.
"That was noble of you back there, Parker. Trying to save his life the way you did."
"I just hope that Sydney makes it, Jarod."
*****
"What do you mean they got away! I sent Lyle to take care of them!" Mr Parker's voice boomed through his office full of imcompetant sweepers whom had lost his two prized possesions.
"We're extremely sorry, Sir. Mr. Lyle was found barly alive outside so they apparantly had help and were supplied with weapons."
"I don't care! I want them back. And I want them back now. I want all the best working on this," he ordered.
The sweeper nodded, "Yes, Sir."
After watching what's-his-name leave the room, Mr Parker unlocked the bottom drawer to his desk and pulled out a shining silver CD. Angelo's feet appeared on the screen as they kicked the airvent off.
A head of blonde hair looked up and smiled, "Angelo!"
"Come. Molly come."
"Where are we going, Angelo? I know I'm not supposed to leave my room," Molly replied. The tiny space could hardly be called a room; it was about the size of a large closet with nothing but a tiny bed (complete with sterile white sheets), a compter on an iron desk with no chair pushed up against the bed, and a sink hidden in the dark walls. Angelo simply gestured towards the vent and grasped two of her little fingers noticing the dirt under her finger nails. Molly wasn't happy here. Angelo knew that, but Molly didn't. The two climbed into the airvent and disappeared from the camera's limited view.
The DSA ended.
"Molly, why?" Mr Parker muttered under his breath as he returned the disc to its place and relocked the drawer, shaking his head the whole time.
*****
"Daddy, I don't understand. Where are we going?" Broots' daughter, Debbie, asked of her father.
The two were alone in one car following a forest green SUV in front of them. She had been dragged out of school with 'ASAP' written on her pink dismissal slip that her algebra teacher had given her. He had only reluctantly let her leave because apparantly, his algebra class was what her world revolved around. When she had seen her father and the woman he was apoligizing to, she knew something was wrong by the way he trembled more than usual when he waved to his little girl. At the moment, they were in an unused car that had always stayed in the garage, but she had never known why. Debbie did notice, however, that the license plate did not say 'Deleware,' however, it did say 'Virginia.'
"D-don't worry Honey. We're fine. Nothing is wrong. Well, I mean-" he sighed.
"Daddy, I'm thirteen years old, I deserve the truth. I can handle it," she protested just like any teenager her age would.
"Honey, its complicated. I don't even know all of what's going on," he tried to explain to his frustated daughter, but she wasn't the only one who was frustrated. They had decided that it would be safer on Debbie's emotions for her to not see Sydney in his condition.
"Well, at least I get to miss my algebra class," she said.
"There's the spirit, I think. Just think of this as an adventure."
"This has something to do with that place you work for doesn't it, Daddy?"
"Well, yes. Its not safe for you to stay in Blue Cove at the moment."
"Daddy, you need to quit. That place freaks me out."
"Me, too," he muttered under his breath, "but I have obligations there, Sweetheart." Obligations is a nice way of saying that if he tried to leave, he would be shot. Debbie didn't need to know that.
"Hey, Debbie! I have a great idea. Let's play a car game! The license plate game!" Broots said excitedly changing the subject. He couldn't fool his daughter and they both knew that, but she rolled her eyes and conceded to her strange father. She loved him anyway.
"Okay then, Maryland," she said, pointing to a cherry red chevy truck passing by under the dark cloudy sky.
*****
"How's he doing?" Parker asked from the driver's seat of the SUV.
"Well, he's stable at the moment. I really need to operate though," Jarod explained, "How long until we get to the 'safe place' as they called it."
"Well looking at this map, it looks like a good two hours until we even reach Virginia."
"Wonderful," he sighed and then began a minute later, "Well, do you talk, Molly?"
"Yeah, we don't bite," Parker added in.
"Though, Parker definitly barks."
"Shut up, Jarod. She didn't ask you anything. You're lucky I'm driving this thing, Wonder Boy," she threatened, though Jarod could tell that she was playing and wasn't really mad.
"Yes, I talk. I just don't really know what to say," Molly began.
"Well let's start with who you are," Jarod replied in a soothing voice.
"She's not five, Jarod. I'm sure she doesn't need for you to explain things in words under three syllables," Miss Parker told him. Jarod just rolled his eyes and smiled at the blonde in front of him.
"Well, um, I only really remember being at The Centre all of my life. I havn't ever had anyone to talk to before like this, except Angelo. Its probobaly hard for you two to understand."
"I understand a lot better than you would think. I grew up in The Centre as well, but I did have some other children to talk to. I had Angelo, Kyle, and Miss Parker here."
"You two were close." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.
"Yeah, how did you know that?" Miss Parker asked Molly.
"You weren't just friends. You were best friends. I wish I had someone so close who understood me like you two do."
She seemed to have blocked out what Miss Parker had said, but then she was back to normal, if that really was normal.
"How did you know all of that?" Miss Parker repeated while eyeing Jarod who looked just as mystified as she felt.
"That's why The Centre has held me for all these years. I have something that they call an Inner Sense. I've been trained for years ever since I can remember learning how to develop my gift. They've asked me to see where a person in a picture is, to see who they are, but I'm not really sure what they do with my results."
"I do. They manipulate them and turn them into twisted ways of killing innocent people. They did the same thing to me, except I'm a Pretender."
"So I ... I've been killing innocent people this whole time,"
"Not neccesarily. Jarod has a pretty unnegotiable view of The Centre and what they do," Miss Parker answered.
"Don't tell me that you still believe in them and their lies, Parker. After all that that place has done to you, and what your father hasn't done," Jarod argued.
"I don't; not anymore, but you can't deny that you always maintain a prejudiced feeling for the place," Miss Parker argued while looking back at him in the rear view mirror.
"I won't deny it, but they deserve it, Molly. They are incorrigible and deserve none of what we can give them."
" I think I understand that, now. I just hope that my inner sense makes me too different from the rest of the world. Everything looks so new and perfect. Is the world ready for me?" Molly asked, her voice full of trepidation.
"Miss Parker has an Inner Sense as well, Molly."
"Mine's not trained like yours," Miss Parker told her.
"Well you could be. As a matter of fact," she paused, "you could have almost as strong a sense as me."
Coughing and choking alerted them that Sydney was waking.
"J-J-Jarod?"
"Sydney, I'm here. D-don't speak. You've been shot and are losing a lot of blood. You need to rest. Everyone else is fine," he informed him.
"Jarod-"
"No, Sydney. Please, you need to rest. We'll be at the safe place in just a little bit. Why don't you just go back to sleep now," Jarod coaxed.
Sydney's tired eyes reflected his loss of hope. The creases of skin on his face reminded the two just how much older Sydney had become over the years. His chapped lips struggled to part. His hoarse voice finally creaked out, "Jarod," he began in his naturally soothing voice, "I know I'm not going to make it."
"No. Sydney don't talk like that. You're going to get through this. I won't- I can't lose you!" Jarod protested. By this time, Miss Parker had pulled over to the side of the road and Molly had taken up residence in the driver's seat so that she could be with him.
"Jarod, I told you- once before that," Sydney paused and took some deep breaths, "you can't save- us all."
Molly heard these words and was now doubling the speed limit in hopes of getting to the safe place in time. Jarod's voice attempted coming through but the tears were stronger and he clenched his eyes together in resignation.
"No Sydney! You can't leave us damn it! We need you!" Miss Parker argued with the man straining to live.
"Miss Parker, you don't need- me anymore. You will be fine," Sydney reassured the desperate woman with a calm smile.
"Don't leave me alone. Please don't leave me like everyone else!"
Jarod, breathing heavy, watched the exchange through blurry vision awaiting what Sydney would say to this desperate plea from the woman of stone. Sydney's eyes were cluttered with a cloud of guilt at this accusation.
"You won't be- alone, Miss Parker," he breathed in and out, "You have Jarod."
Miss Parker shook her head and looked at Jarod with pleading eyes as if telling him that he had better save him. Jarod did nothing in reply, just grasped Sydney's hand and shook his head as if in denial.
"Sydney-" Jarod began.
"Jarod, you must- take care of Miss Parker- for me," Sydney told his prodigy.
"I need your help, Sydney! And you are not leaving us, not as long as I have any say in it."
"Promise me, Jarod. Promise me."
Jarod looked at Miss Parker whose eyes betrayed her fear for this man whom she obviously loved. His gaze returned to his "father."
"I promise," he choked, "but don't-"
"Thank you. Catherine would be grateful."
It was then that Miss Parker finally let all of the tears flow. A river gushed as the dam that had been up for so many years was finally broken. The weeping was silent but pure.
"Take care of eachother, that's how you will always survive. I want you both- to know that I care deeply for you," Sydney smiled, "Don't worry, Miss Parker. Don't be scared because I'm not."
Sydney's head leaned back and his wrinkled eyelids closed gently.
"No," Miss Parker whispered. She placed a hand to her face covering her mouth and her nose and the others in the car could hear her gasp in as she tried to recover from the loss she was feeling. She leaned into the embrace that Jarod offered her who was still in shock. Molly stared intensely at the road letting the two receive the comfort that they both seeked. Miss Parker's crys were muffled and she trembled with her face in Jarod's shirt.
"Sydney," Jarod begged, "Sydney."
The looming clouds overhead suddenly began to drop soft tears of rain, only intensifying the despair of two lost souls.
