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Chapter or Story
Sydney stood at the front of the sofa, still watching, worrying. Broots sat in the recliner, doing much of the same, but seemingly cowering in a cloud of confusion as well. A boy, who looked approximately twelve years old, with sandy-brown hair and brilliant blue eyes laid a cloth over her eyes and whispered, "It's okay now, Mama."
"My son, my son..." the words were slurred as she pulled him to her level. "Save your sister, save the girl. Promised..."
Recognition settled on his face, his eyes bright, "Is Father coming?" His voice was hopeful, his eyes afraid. Miss Parker was almost stunned at how her son had grown, when only 6 years ago she'd been bargaining for his life. Long before Jarod escaped, he'd had a son and a daughter. Long before he escaped, she'd saved the one and lost the other. Long before Jarod escaped, she'd lost her memories of her true family.
But now, she decided, he had to come back. Now.
"Go, go now!" She was very vocal, angry even. "Broots," it sounded as if she were saying 'boots' because of the slight slurring, "help boy. Now go. Save the girl, do what you must. I can't protect her much longer. Too hard, go... go!"
Broots and Sydney looked bewildered, but followed her orders, and Broots followed the boy. Nikolas.
Only when Jarod arrived an hour or so later did Miss Parker focus her eyes and try to explain. Again slurring, she began, "'m sorry, so... sorry. Made me choose..." Her voice was weak, pain folding over her body.
He glanced, confusion in his eyes, at Sydney, then dropped to his knees beside her, his hand grasping hers and trailing his fingertips over her face with the other.
"Daddy made me... get money from Tanaka, years 'go. Six, I think. Exchange for children, Nikolas and Katya, twins... freedom from... the Centre. Had to buy them 'way, bring home. Said, "Not good 'nough, Angel..." Told me to choose, 'gain. I didn't want.... He ripped check up and I screamed, he told me to get... boy. Girl would have to... stay," the pain again ripped at her insides, clawed at her flesh. Parker cried out, wondering how much more her little girl could take, how much more she herself could take. The girl felt no pain because her mother protected her from it, but the pain would kill her mother nearly as quickly as it would have killed her. Raines was not a man known for mercy. "It was okay, could protect 'er from outside. Could take her pain 'way," Tired, she was barely speaking. "Could save her from pain, so it wouldn't hurt 'er. Made me choose... 'tween our children," Jarod's back straightened, and his hand held hers a little tighter, his eyes began glowing, but he dared not interrupt. "Then I hid him, Nikolas, but... then accident... they made me forget 'em. I forgot... our children, Jar. So sorry, tell them I'm so sorry..." she whimpered. "But, 'membered while ago... had to save... brought boy home..." her back spasmed and she groaned. Her body was not accustomed to the pain, but at least, she thought, through the haze that clouded her brain, at least her daughter would not hurt as she did. She would not feel it. "Won't break her. Told her not to let them break her!" She began slipping from consciousness again, "Don't lose hope, don't... never lose heart. Will come back Katy, will not let them hurt my... lit'l girl." And as the muscles in her body relaxed and the pain gradually lessened in intensity, Miss Parker informed Jarod, "Safe... 'ey're safe now. Stay with... me. Stay, 'gain. Children are... safe."
And again the world was dark.
"My son, my son..." the words were slurred as she pulled him to her level. "Save your sister, save the girl. Promised..."
Recognition settled on his face, his eyes bright, "Is Father coming?" His voice was hopeful, his eyes afraid. Miss Parker was almost stunned at how her son had grown, when only 6 years ago she'd been bargaining for his life. Long before Jarod escaped, he'd had a son and a daughter. Long before he escaped, she'd saved the one and lost the other. Long before Jarod escaped, she'd lost her memories of her true family.
But now, she decided, he had to come back. Now.
"Go, go now!" She was very vocal, angry even. "Broots," it sounded as if she were saying 'boots' because of the slight slurring, "help boy. Now go. Save the girl, do what you must. I can't protect her much longer. Too hard, go... go!"
Broots and Sydney looked bewildered, but followed her orders, and Broots followed the boy. Nikolas.
Only when Jarod arrived an hour or so later did Miss Parker focus her eyes and try to explain. Again slurring, she began, "'m sorry, so... sorry. Made me choose..." Her voice was weak, pain folding over her body.
He glanced, confusion in his eyes, at Sydney, then dropped to his knees beside her, his hand grasping hers and trailing his fingertips over her face with the other.
"Daddy made me... get money from Tanaka, years 'go. Six, I think. Exchange for children, Nikolas and Katya, twins... freedom from... the Centre. Had to buy them 'way, bring home. Said, "Not good 'nough, Angel..." Told me to choose, 'gain. I didn't want.... He ripped check up and I screamed, he told me to get... boy. Girl would have to... stay," the pain again ripped at her insides, clawed at her flesh. Parker cried out, wondering how much more her little girl could take, how much more she herself could take. The girl felt no pain because her mother protected her from it, but the pain would kill her mother nearly as quickly as it would have killed her. Raines was not a man known for mercy. "It was okay, could protect 'er from outside. Could take her pain 'way," Tired, she was barely speaking. "Could save her from pain, so it wouldn't hurt 'er. Made me choose... 'tween our children," Jarod's back straightened, and his hand held hers a little tighter, his eyes began glowing, but he dared not interrupt. "Then I hid him, Nikolas, but... then accident... they made me forget 'em. I forgot... our children, Jar. So sorry, tell them I'm so sorry..." she whimpered. "But, 'membered while ago... had to save... brought boy home..." her back spasmed and she groaned. Her body was not accustomed to the pain, but at least, she thought, through the haze that clouded her brain, at least her daughter would not hurt as she did. She would not feel it. "Won't break her. Told her not to let them break her!" She began slipping from consciousness again, "Don't lose hope, don't... never lose heart. Will come back Katy, will not let them hurt my... lit'l girl." And as the muscles in her body relaxed and the pain gradually lessened in intensity, Miss Parker informed Jarod, "Safe... 'ey're safe now. Stay with... me. Stay, 'gain. Children are... safe."
And again the world was dark.
