Part four - A brother's love
"No!" She screamed and jerked her head up. She was drenched in sweat and her room seemed darker than ever. She tossed at her sheets angrily, kicking them off and sat up, breathing heavily.
Jenny was afraid. Her heart pounded nosily and she felt hot, too hot.
She had to get out of here.
But where was she going to go?
Home? Back to school? No, she couldn't. That would drive her out of her already insane mind. She had never realised how cruel people were. until she tried to save them.
Then where? The Shadow World? With Julian and that cosy little house and amusement park? There was no point to it anymore.
Jenny couldn't live in the Shadow World because she wasn't a creature of darkness. Yet, she couldn't live in the normal world because.
They were ignorant and stupid. She knew too much to sit in and watch Television. She knew too much to feel safe.
I am driving myself mad.
But one thing was clear, Jenny was alone. She couldn't trust anyone. She couldn't trust her friends to protect her anymore.
Yet, she couldn't trust her family either. So who was there?
For a moment, she thought Julian. Then she laughed.
If she told him anything, he'd use it against her some other time and in the end, it was him she was fighting.
Or was it? Was she just fighting herself?
In the end, Jenny was left confused, scared and angry. These weren't new feelings but old friends. They, she thought, are my only friends.
She laughed lightly. Is that what all the mental people say?
"Are you okay, Jenny?"
Jenny turned to the voice and saw Joey sitting there, watching her with intense eyes.
"How did you get in here?" Jenny switched to big-sister mode. "Does mom and dad know?"
"No, they don't and it doesn't matter. The doctors let me in. I said I wanted to talk to you."
"But it's really late." Jenny said and looked around.
"It's five in the day, Jenny. You're sleeping patterns have been a bit off lately."
"Oh," Jenny said. "But it's so dark."
"Yeah." Was all Joey said with a quick glance around the shadowed room.
"Why are you here?" Jenny asked after a pause.
"I didn't want to leave you alone." He answered quietly. Joey sounded so old, so in control. For a minute, Jenny felt safe and protected yet every minute Joey was in this room with her, he was in danger. Still, she couldn't find courage enough to be left in the dark room on her own so she didn't send him away.
"Doctors watch me every minute." She pointed out. There was something about the way Joey was sitting, something about those tense eyes that made her think he wanted something more.
"But they all think you're mad."
"And you don't, Joey? You don't think I'm nuts?"
"I think you're just a bit confused. But, you'll get better. I want you to get better."
There was an urge of hope in his voice. "So, the doctors say all you have to do is fight your demons, Jenny. So you have to fight it," He leaned in closer to her. "You have to fight him, Jenny." Joey sighed. "There was no point just leaving you thinking about him, tearing yourself to pieces. You have to face him for the last time and get better like you did. in the other games."
Jenny stared at him then said in a breathy voice. "You believe me?"
Joey didn't answer. "To face him though, he had to be back alive." There was something about the way he said that line. He took a deep breath and said, "Try not to get yourself hurt."
Jenny blinked, took at deep breath and said, "Joey, I mean, You didn't? Did you? Bring him back?" No, it couldn't be true but something in her little brothers eyes told her.
Joey said nothing. Jenny exploded. "Why? That was so stupid! It was mean and horrible and Joey!"
Joey shrugged. "I just want you to get better, Jenny."
"But-" She cut herself off and tried again. "Okay, how did you?"
"I read your diaries. You always went over and over on the details on how to bring him back. It was like my own little Bring-back-the-demon help manual." There's a tinge of grim humour in his voice.
"Joey!" She looked at him and she couldn't believe that he, her little brother, had brought Julian back. "You read my diaries." Now she was mad. How could he? Now, he knew so much. He knew all her feelings, her feelings for Tom and her feelings for Julian. He would have read all about the nightmares and all of Jenny's insane thoughts.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry I wrote what I did." She whispered and Joey smiled. "Hey," He said lightly. "You should read my diary. Then you'd be really mad. Especially all the things I wrote about you."
Joey had a forced smile on his face but something in his eyes told her he was enjoying himself. Like he liked being back talking to the real Jenny. She wasn't shutting him out or screaming or crying or.
Or being insane.
"Are you angry with me?" Joey asked.
"Am I angry? I'm furious. Do you know how dangerous this is? You read my diary, you know what he will do."
"But Jenny," Joey pleaded. "You can beat him again. You did it three times already. Just do it again and I'll be there and then," He cut off and for a minute was silent. Then he looked up at her with vibrant green eyes. "I'll never leave you alone. Whatever happens afterwards, I'll be there."
His idea was sweet and happy but Jenny was still scared. "What if he hurts you? What if he brings us to the Shadow World for another game?" Then Jenny snapped her head up. "No, No. I know exactly what he's going to do. He's going to make everyone pay for being mean to me."
"But how will he know they have been? I mean, he was dead, wasn't he?" Joey asked.
"He was either still alive and watching or, well, Julian has a way of finding out things."
"Well," Joey said and his voice was low. "They deserve it. For what they did to you. For driving you here. I hope Julian teaches them a lesson or two and I hope they regret ever teasing Jenny Thorton."
"Joey!" Jenny exclaimed. "Whatever has happened, nobody deserves what Julian does."
Joey's eyes narrowed. He seemed mad now. He muttered something like, "You didn't really mind." Jenny opened her mouth and closed it again. It was best just to leave things be.
"Jenny," Joey frowned and looked up at his big sister. "You will be able to fight him, won't you? I mean, I know you're not well and stuff and. you won't give into him, will you? I know, to you, the world's bad at the moment but you'll get better. It'll get better."
"I never want to go to the shadow World." She said earnestly. That was the one thing she could never do. The thought of the darkness. of those creatures, lurking in the shadows.
Jenny gasped. She could actually feel the darkness around her. Those eyes. surrounding her.
She shook her head and closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Joey asked nervously.
"I. I don't want to go to the Shadow World." She said and her voice trembled.
They were watching her. Jenny knew it. It was like a sixth sense. She could feel them, drawing the light out of her with those draining eyes. those haunting eyes.
Blue eyes. Julian.
He was there, watching her. His electric eyes were fixed on her now but she couldn't see him, she could only feel him there.
She shivered.
"Jenny?"
"I'm okay, Joey." She said. "I just want to get out of here."
"Yeah, well, I don't know how. Maybe if you just shut up for a week, they might let you out."
"No." Jenny said. "They won't. They'll want to keep me in for observation."
"You need to tell the others. Dee and Tom and them. They'll need to know." Joey said.
Jenny sighed, frustrated. "They won't listen."
"Look, Jenny." Joey said sharply. "You can't blame your friends. It's been hard for them to, you know. They are just. scared."
"Well," Jenny said. "I'm scared too." Then she sighed and shook her head. "I know it wasn't their fault. It's. just. I thought we'd stick together."
"But, they have, except you. You drove yourself mad."
"Yeah." Jenny grunted.
"Tom will want to help you. They all will. You just have to wait for them to get their heads, Jenny. It's only been a few weeks."
"Yeah." Jenny was remembering what Tom had said.
"Tom told me you had a fight. He told me to take care of you."
"Look at you." She laughed. "All grown up."
"Well, someone has to be. I'm going to go now." Joey stood up, hesitated then said, "Jenny, if he comes while I'm gone just ignore him. Do what you did to us. Put your hands over your ears and scream. It doesn't matter if the doctors hear you. They might even come in to you."
Jenny stood up and hugged her brother. "I'm okay. I love you, Joey."
He left the room and Jenny hugged herself. Would Julian come now? What did he want?
He wanted her, of course. Julian always wanted Jenny.
"No!" She screamed and jerked her head up. She was drenched in sweat and her room seemed darker than ever. She tossed at her sheets angrily, kicking them off and sat up, breathing heavily.
Jenny was afraid. Her heart pounded nosily and she felt hot, too hot.
She had to get out of here.
But where was she going to go?
Home? Back to school? No, she couldn't. That would drive her out of her already insane mind. She had never realised how cruel people were. until she tried to save them.
Then where? The Shadow World? With Julian and that cosy little house and amusement park? There was no point to it anymore.
Jenny couldn't live in the Shadow World because she wasn't a creature of darkness. Yet, she couldn't live in the normal world because.
They were ignorant and stupid. She knew too much to sit in and watch Television. She knew too much to feel safe.
I am driving myself mad.
But one thing was clear, Jenny was alone. She couldn't trust anyone. She couldn't trust her friends to protect her anymore.
Yet, she couldn't trust her family either. So who was there?
For a moment, she thought Julian. Then she laughed.
If she told him anything, he'd use it against her some other time and in the end, it was him she was fighting.
Or was it? Was she just fighting herself?
In the end, Jenny was left confused, scared and angry. These weren't new feelings but old friends. They, she thought, are my only friends.
She laughed lightly. Is that what all the mental people say?
"Are you okay, Jenny?"
Jenny turned to the voice and saw Joey sitting there, watching her with intense eyes.
"How did you get in here?" Jenny switched to big-sister mode. "Does mom and dad know?"
"No, they don't and it doesn't matter. The doctors let me in. I said I wanted to talk to you."
"But it's really late." Jenny said and looked around.
"It's five in the day, Jenny. You're sleeping patterns have been a bit off lately."
"Oh," Jenny said. "But it's so dark."
"Yeah." Was all Joey said with a quick glance around the shadowed room.
"Why are you here?" Jenny asked after a pause.
"I didn't want to leave you alone." He answered quietly. Joey sounded so old, so in control. For a minute, Jenny felt safe and protected yet every minute Joey was in this room with her, he was in danger. Still, she couldn't find courage enough to be left in the dark room on her own so she didn't send him away.
"Doctors watch me every minute." She pointed out. There was something about the way Joey was sitting, something about those tense eyes that made her think he wanted something more.
"But they all think you're mad."
"And you don't, Joey? You don't think I'm nuts?"
"I think you're just a bit confused. But, you'll get better. I want you to get better."
There was an urge of hope in his voice. "So, the doctors say all you have to do is fight your demons, Jenny. So you have to fight it," He leaned in closer to her. "You have to fight him, Jenny." Joey sighed. "There was no point just leaving you thinking about him, tearing yourself to pieces. You have to face him for the last time and get better like you did. in the other games."
Jenny stared at him then said in a breathy voice. "You believe me?"
Joey didn't answer. "To face him though, he had to be back alive." There was something about the way he said that line. He took a deep breath and said, "Try not to get yourself hurt."
Jenny blinked, took at deep breath and said, "Joey, I mean, You didn't? Did you? Bring him back?" No, it couldn't be true but something in her little brothers eyes told her.
Joey said nothing. Jenny exploded. "Why? That was so stupid! It was mean and horrible and Joey!"
Joey shrugged. "I just want you to get better, Jenny."
"But-" She cut herself off and tried again. "Okay, how did you?"
"I read your diaries. You always went over and over on the details on how to bring him back. It was like my own little Bring-back-the-demon help manual." There's a tinge of grim humour in his voice.
"Joey!" She looked at him and she couldn't believe that he, her little brother, had brought Julian back. "You read my diaries." Now she was mad. How could he? Now, he knew so much. He knew all her feelings, her feelings for Tom and her feelings for Julian. He would have read all about the nightmares and all of Jenny's insane thoughts.
She shook her head. "I'm sorry I wrote what I did." She whispered and Joey smiled. "Hey," He said lightly. "You should read my diary. Then you'd be really mad. Especially all the things I wrote about you."
Joey had a forced smile on his face but something in his eyes told her he was enjoying himself. Like he liked being back talking to the real Jenny. She wasn't shutting him out or screaming or crying or.
Or being insane.
"Are you angry with me?" Joey asked.
"Am I angry? I'm furious. Do you know how dangerous this is? You read my diary, you know what he will do."
"But Jenny," Joey pleaded. "You can beat him again. You did it three times already. Just do it again and I'll be there and then," He cut off and for a minute was silent. Then he looked up at her with vibrant green eyes. "I'll never leave you alone. Whatever happens afterwards, I'll be there."
His idea was sweet and happy but Jenny was still scared. "What if he hurts you? What if he brings us to the Shadow World for another game?" Then Jenny snapped her head up. "No, No. I know exactly what he's going to do. He's going to make everyone pay for being mean to me."
"But how will he know they have been? I mean, he was dead, wasn't he?" Joey asked.
"He was either still alive and watching or, well, Julian has a way of finding out things."
"Well," Joey said and his voice was low. "They deserve it. For what they did to you. For driving you here. I hope Julian teaches them a lesson or two and I hope they regret ever teasing Jenny Thorton."
"Joey!" Jenny exclaimed. "Whatever has happened, nobody deserves what Julian does."
Joey's eyes narrowed. He seemed mad now. He muttered something like, "You didn't really mind." Jenny opened her mouth and closed it again. It was best just to leave things be.
"Jenny," Joey frowned and looked up at his big sister. "You will be able to fight him, won't you? I mean, I know you're not well and stuff and. you won't give into him, will you? I know, to you, the world's bad at the moment but you'll get better. It'll get better."
"I never want to go to the shadow World." She said earnestly. That was the one thing she could never do. The thought of the darkness. of those creatures, lurking in the shadows.
Jenny gasped. She could actually feel the darkness around her. Those eyes. surrounding her.
She shook her head and closed her eyes.
"Are you okay?" Joey asked nervously.
"I. I don't want to go to the Shadow World." She said and her voice trembled.
They were watching her. Jenny knew it. It was like a sixth sense. She could feel them, drawing the light out of her with those draining eyes. those haunting eyes.
Blue eyes. Julian.
He was there, watching her. His electric eyes were fixed on her now but she couldn't see him, she could only feel him there.
She shivered.
"Jenny?"
"I'm okay, Joey." She said. "I just want to get out of here."
"Yeah, well, I don't know how. Maybe if you just shut up for a week, they might let you out."
"No." Jenny said. "They won't. They'll want to keep me in for observation."
"You need to tell the others. Dee and Tom and them. They'll need to know." Joey said.
Jenny sighed, frustrated. "They won't listen."
"Look, Jenny." Joey said sharply. "You can't blame your friends. It's been hard for them to, you know. They are just. scared."
"Well," Jenny said. "I'm scared too." Then she sighed and shook her head. "I know it wasn't their fault. It's. just. I thought we'd stick together."
"But, they have, except you. You drove yourself mad."
"Yeah." Jenny grunted.
"Tom will want to help you. They all will. You just have to wait for them to get their heads, Jenny. It's only been a few weeks."
"Yeah." Jenny was remembering what Tom had said.
"Tom told me you had a fight. He told me to take care of you."
"Look at you." She laughed. "All grown up."
"Well, someone has to be. I'm going to go now." Joey stood up, hesitated then said, "Jenny, if he comes while I'm gone just ignore him. Do what you did to us. Put your hands over your ears and scream. It doesn't matter if the doctors hear you. They might even come in to you."
Jenny stood up and hugged her brother. "I'm okay. I love you, Joey."
He left the room and Jenny hugged herself. Would Julian come now? What did he want?
He wanted her, of course. Julian always wanted Jenny.
