Disclaimer: See chapter 2
Chapter 3: Illusions
"Illusions of the world are spinning
Out of time and frame and synchronicity"
Another day at the Centre. Another day at Hell. At least, that was the way it seemed to Miss Parker. Walking down the Centre's halls, she was thankful she didn't have to stay there much longer. Once Jarod recovered, she was free go. That was the deal she had made. Capture Jarod, be free. Don't capture Jarod, spend the rest of your life at the Centre. Not surprisingly, Miss Parker had chosen the former.
Jarod was still in a coma. It had been five days since his capture and still he lay there, not responding to anything anyone did. The doctors had tried all the latest cures and treatments. One doctor had even resorted to some medieval cure. Sydney had sat with Jarod, talking to him and reading a book out loud to him. None of these things had worked.
Miss Parker sighed as she thought of Jarod's condition. He shouldn't be in a coma. There was no reason for him to be. He should be well, sitting in his cell on one of the sub-levels, doing the simulations. But, he wasn't. It made no sense. She sighed again as she walked around the corner, coming to face to face with Jarod.
He stood there, staring at her. All life seemed to have gone out of him. His skin color was milky white, like that of a dead person. He was thin, his skeleton almost showing through his skin. His eyes, which once were a brilliant brown, were dull. His glance was accusing, as if he was blaming Miss Parker for his condition.
Miss Parker screamed, trying to get away from this illusion. That's what it had to be. The real Jarod was in a coma in the infirmary. Wasn't he? The illusion followed her. Miss Parker kept backing up until she hit a wall. She was trapped. Her eyes grew wide with fear.
"Leave me alone." She screamed. The illusion either didn't hear her or didn't care. It moved toward her, reaching out for her. Miss Parker screamed again. She must not let it touch her.
Sam, who was down the hall in the Sweeper's lounge, heard his boss's scream. Jumping up from where he had been sitting, Sam raced down the hall, two other Sweepers right behind him. Rounding a corner, he came to a dead stop when he saw Miss Parker up against the wall, face deadly white in fear of some unknown thing.
"Miss Parker, are you okay?" Sam asked, kneeling down beside her. She tried to focus her eyes on him, but all she saw was Jarod.
"Make him go away." She pleaded. "Make him leave. Don't let him hurt me." Sam looked at her confused.
"Make who go away? There's no one here." Her answer to his question was a terrified scream. Miss Parker jumped as the illusion's hand touched her. It was all too horrible. Her mind began spinning. Time seemed to disappear. Had one minute or one hour gone by? She couldn't tell.
"Miss Parker! Miss Parker!" Sam yelled, trying to bring her back. It didn't work. Her body slowly went limp. The last thing she heard was Sam yelling for a doctor. Then it all went black.
Chapter 3: Illusions
"Illusions of the world are spinning
Out of time and frame and synchronicity"
Another day at the Centre. Another day at Hell. At least, that was the way it seemed to Miss Parker. Walking down the Centre's halls, she was thankful she didn't have to stay there much longer. Once Jarod recovered, she was free go. That was the deal she had made. Capture Jarod, be free. Don't capture Jarod, spend the rest of your life at the Centre. Not surprisingly, Miss Parker had chosen the former.
Jarod was still in a coma. It had been five days since his capture and still he lay there, not responding to anything anyone did. The doctors had tried all the latest cures and treatments. One doctor had even resorted to some medieval cure. Sydney had sat with Jarod, talking to him and reading a book out loud to him. None of these things had worked.
Miss Parker sighed as she thought of Jarod's condition. He shouldn't be in a coma. There was no reason for him to be. He should be well, sitting in his cell on one of the sub-levels, doing the simulations. But, he wasn't. It made no sense. She sighed again as she walked around the corner, coming to face to face with Jarod.
He stood there, staring at her. All life seemed to have gone out of him. His skin color was milky white, like that of a dead person. He was thin, his skeleton almost showing through his skin. His eyes, which once were a brilliant brown, were dull. His glance was accusing, as if he was blaming Miss Parker for his condition.
Miss Parker screamed, trying to get away from this illusion. That's what it had to be. The real Jarod was in a coma in the infirmary. Wasn't he? The illusion followed her. Miss Parker kept backing up until she hit a wall. She was trapped. Her eyes grew wide with fear.
"Leave me alone." She screamed. The illusion either didn't hear her or didn't care. It moved toward her, reaching out for her. Miss Parker screamed again. She must not let it touch her.
Sam, who was down the hall in the Sweeper's lounge, heard his boss's scream. Jumping up from where he had been sitting, Sam raced down the hall, two other Sweepers right behind him. Rounding a corner, he came to a dead stop when he saw Miss Parker up against the wall, face deadly white in fear of some unknown thing.
"Miss Parker, are you okay?" Sam asked, kneeling down beside her. She tried to focus her eyes on him, but all she saw was Jarod.
"Make him go away." She pleaded. "Make him leave. Don't let him hurt me." Sam looked at her confused.
"Make who go away? There's no one here." Her answer to his question was a terrified scream. Miss Parker jumped as the illusion's hand touched her. It was all too horrible. Her mind began spinning. Time seemed to disappear. Had one minute or one hour gone by? She couldn't tell.
"Miss Parker! Miss Parker!" Sam yelled, trying to bring her back. It didn't work. Her body slowly went limp. The last thing she heard was Sam yelling for a doctor. Then it all went black.