TITLE: A New World, A New Beginning...
AUTHOR: EdenAdvance
DISCLAIMER: Don't own'em except Sarah. I completely made no profit, since my bank account has even less money on it than the last time.
SUMMARY: Sequel to 'A Chance for Freedom'. The story continues onward. Center's latest Pretender has escaped, but will she survive in the outside world? Will she be able to escape the Centers bloodhounds?
NOTES: I know it's probably too short for you guys (*sigh*) but it's the way I wrote these stories. They'll get longer each time, I promise.
Also, sorry that this took a while, but I was busy with school, then vacation, and work too. Of course, those cookies took a lot of time too.
FEEDBACK: I'd like to know whether or not you guys liked it, so please R/R?
A New World, a New Beginning...
Darkness descended over the city soon after I made my escape from my keepers. I still think of the Center and their sweepers as my keepers and I doubt it will ever change. I'm fully aware that they will remain a threat to my life forever, especially since I tricked them and escaped. It's just something I will have to learn to live with.
Occasionally looking over my shoulder, I make my way through the debris and trash on the streets, now nearly abandoned. The only people that are out on the streets at this hour are the homeless and the poor, having no other place to go. Like me. As I reach a crossroad, I stop for a moment, considering my options. There are so many places to go to in this unknown city and I have no clue where I can be safe. I know no one here; I have no money, no identity and no place to stay. I shiver, feeling the cold air on my arms. When I was running, I didn't notice the drop in the temperature, but now that I've slowed down, I wish I had some warmer clothes. The throbbing in my arm reminds me of my injuries and my fear. Fear of being re-captured, fear of going back to that place.
Making a decision, I turn left, hoping to slowly make my way back to the construction yard I fled earlier. I'm positive that Jarod is staying near there and if I can find him, I'll have more chance surviving out here than when I'd be alone. While I was running for my freedom earlier, I didn't notice my surroundings, so everything here is strange to me, even if I might've passed a street before. Passing a clock, I notice that I've been on the run for almost three hours. Three long hours of running, hiding in dark places and being afraid. Afraid for what will happen when they find me.
'If... If they find me.' I silently correct myself.
I'm right, all I have to do is blend in with the rest of the world and it would be almost impossible to find me. Because I'm a pretender, I'm what they trained me to be, combined with my genes. My thoughts are interrupted when I hear the growling of my stomach. Although I've only been free for three hours, the last time I ate was this morning, and even that wasn't much. Of course, added with the sickness from the flight to this city and my entire stomach is emptied.
Turning around another corner, I find myself in a still busy street, filled with vendors. Ignoring the feeling in my stomach, I move forward, mingling with the crowd. It's already late and the stalls are being broken up, the owners wanting to be home soon with their families. Another thing I missed in my life, a family. I wonder if maybe somewhere out there, I have family... brothers and sisters maybe. There is so much about myself I don't know, about where I come from, when I was born. I quickly block the nagging questions that have been haunting me for years now. They remind me too much about the Center, of days filled with Sims and punishment.
As I make my way back to the construction yard, I escaped from earlier and where I saw Jarod last, I suddenly see a familiar face.
'Better make that three familiar faces.' I think to myself, when I see Miss Parker and another sweeper rounding the corner. My fear is real; they've found me...
My heart skips a beat when their eyes come to rest upon me, and suddenly time stands still. At least, that's what it feels like. It's as if my legs are frozen to the ground, or paralyzed, unable to move. Suddenly, everything around me starts to move in slow motion: the innocent people walking around me, unaware of the things taking place amidst them, Miss Parker shouting orders to the two sweepers, the sweepers advancing upon me, keeping their weapons concealed, in order not to arouse suspicion. Then, suddenly, someone grabs me from behind, dragging me away from the sweepers. It takes me a few minutes, before I notice that someone is holding me in a dead grip and I start struggling to get released, not knowing where the energy comes from or why the wound in my arm suddenly doesn't hurt as much anymore.
When a hand is clamped over my mouth, I let out a muffled scream and increase my efforts to get loose.
"Shhh... relax." I hear my captor whisper in my ear, but it does nothing to calm me down. Instead, I kick behind me, hoping to hit a vulnerable spot. I know I have succeeded when I hear a strangled curse coming from behind me and the strong arms are suddenly gone, leaving me free to run.
As I reach the end of the alley, something holds me back from getting back into the crowd. Slowly, I turn around, only to lay eyes upon a person I haven't seen in a very long while.
"Jarod..." I softly whisper and moved back to the spot I was in, a few seconds ago. "What happened?" I ask.
He looks back at me, while walking towards me. When he's close enough, he pulls me in his embrace, and suddenly I feel safe again, the fear of being captured subsiding. When I look up, he pulls back and smiles.
"You have a great way of thanking someone who has just saved you from the clutch of the Center." He said and I felt myself blushing. When I try to apologize, he silences me by laying two fingers on my lips. "I'll be fine. Let's go," he says, pulling me along with him, through the alley. I want to ask where we are going, but I remain silent, afraid to find out that this isn't really happening, that this is all a dream or some sim they ordered me to do.
We arrive at an old apartment building, and Jarod reaches out to unlock the door. When he steps inside, he beckons me to follow him up the stairs, until we reach another door. He goes through the same motions as a few minutes ago and I set my first steps in his temporary home.
"You must be hungry," he says, stepping into what appears to be a kitchen. While his back is toward me, I shrug out of my coat, dropping it on a nearby chair. Hearing nothing coming from the kitchen, I turn to watch Jarod.
"You're injured," he says, stepping towards me to inspect the gun wound. "Did this happen when you escaped?" he asks, moving towards a closet and rummaging through the contents. Soon he's back at my side, guiding me to a couch, where I drop down, literally. I didn't know that I was this tired, at the point where my legs don't take orders from my brains anymore. As my eyes are getting heavier, I feel Jarod taking care of my injury, can hear him talking about something, before everything turns black and I drift into a deep sleep...
When I open my eyes again, the sun is beginning to rise. Feeling a dull throbbing in my arm, I glance at the wound, which has now been bandaged. As the fog in my head starts to clear up, I remember more and more from yesterday.
Standing up, I inspect the small apartment. My eyes come to rest on one of the windows, and I step closer. As I look outside, I witness the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen. It's also the first sunrise I've ever seen.
"It's magnificent, isn't it?" I hear from behind, and I turn around quickly. I hadn't even heard Jarod coming to stand behind me.
"I remember the day I saw my first sunrise; I thought it was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen." He continues, looking out the window. After a moment, he turns back to me. "Came, you must be hungry."
After a quick nod, he leaves for the kitchen, followed closely by me. I watch him as he prepares breakfast. When we finally sit down at the table, I take in the amount of food he put on my plate.
"Go on, eat it. You can use some extra weight, 'cause you're looking too thin." He says while he eats his own breakfast. "Besides, I'd hardly believe that the Center fed you properly."
Taking another look at my full plate, I pick up a fork and slowly start my breakfast. I look up when Jarod suddenly stands up.
"Don't worry, I just need to make some calls. You'll need an ID, so I'll be gone for a short while after I finish my calls. Feel free to take a shower if you want." He says, before leaving the kitchen.
After I finished my breakfast, leaving almost a quarter of the food on my plate, I wait quietly for Jarod to return. I thought about taking a shower, but I don't have a lot of good memories of showering. It's not like I'm afraid of water, but when I shower, I feel too vulnerable for my liking. I know I'm safe; after this is Jarod's place, but it's still a strange place to me. I guess I'll take a shower after I get settled somewhere. I know we'll have to leave Seattle; the Center will be all over town, searching for me and probably Jarod too. They spotted him yesterday, so they'll be on the lookout for both of us now. I look up when I hear footsteps approach, ready to bolt in case of danger. I sigh deeply when I notice that it's only Jarod, returning with my new ID.
He sits down on the only couch in the room. "I called an old friend of mine. She's willing to hide you from the Center," he says and when he sees my uncertainty, he quickly adds, "until it's safe and the Center isn't searching for you anymore." He stands up again and approaches me. "It's the best for both of us. With the Center looking for both of us..."
"It's safer if we split up." I finish before him.
He nods, smiling a little. "It'll take a while before you get used to the outside world, for you to feel safe again. You can trust my friend, I helped her once and she knows about Pretenders."
I smile in return, picking up the ID Jarod tossed on the table before he sat down. I look at it; it reads 'Sarah Quinn'. I like it, I guess. I have no idea what my real surname is, if I have one even.
I look back at Jarod. "Won't people get suspicious if I suddenly show up there?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "No, Lauren is someone who wanted to adopt a child for long time, and she takes in strays a lot of times. They usually leave after a while, so people won't be suspicious if she picks up another stray." He answers.
I nod. "When are we leaving?"
"Today. I finished what I came to do here, and with the Center in town, I want to leave as soon as possible. Besides it's a long drive to your new home." He says, picking up a bag and a suitcase, which I recognize as a DSA reader. He motions to another bag left standing in a corner, and picking it up, I follow him downstairs, to his car.
Two days are nearly passed when we finally reach a remote ranch. We traveled most of the trip with the train, renting a new car when we reached our destination. Now, when I step out of the car and look at my new home, I'm starting to feel a little bit free again. The terrain is open, I can make out some woods in the distance and they have a dog here. More than one dog actually.
"You think you'll like it here?" Jarod asks, standing beside me.
I nod and look at him. "We'll stay in contact, right?" I ask hopefully.
He nods in return. "We'll call three times a week, I promise." He replies.
"Where will you be going after this?"
"I think I'll be moving on to Texas, finish some unfinished business there. I'll call you when I get somewhere." He replies again.
Lauren is already waiting for me. She looks friendly, a smile on her face. I think I'll feel home here. I turn to Jarod. "I guess this means goodbye?" I ask, my voice almost sad.
He nods and we embrace eachother, like we did when we met, back in Seattle. Somewhere in my mind, I wonder when I'll be seeing him again. The thought lingers in my head, even when I watch him drive away, waving one last time, before he speeds off into the distance. Once more, I wonder when we'll reunite...