A/N: Due to the fact that this week is Thanksgiving week, I won't be
posting chapter eight until next Wednesday or Thursday. Sorry. I hope you
can forgive me and enjoy chapter seven.
Disclaimer: See chapter 6
Chapter 7: Another Morning
"Another morning it comes running
Up your bedpost with the wind"
Mr. Parker quickly walked down the hall, glaring at all those who walked by him. He was happy that his daughter had signed the paper. Finally, he could get rid of Jarod; a goal of his ever since the Pretender had escaped. But, something was troubling him. And he couldn't figure out what it was. Everything was going perfectly. So, what was wrong? These sorts of things always put him in a bad mood. Sighing, he stopped in front of a door and knocked.
"Enter." A voice, muffled by the door, said. Mr. Parker opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind him. The room was dark. Two windows were behind a desk, but the blinds were closed. A lamp on the desk provided the only source of light for the room. A man, cloaked in the shadows, sat behind the desk.
"So, did she sign the paper?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair in expectation.
"Yes, she did. Though, not willingly. I had to coax her a bit." Mr. Parker replied. The man behind the desk nodded his head and leaned back.
"I figured she would need some convincing. But, that doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we have the okay to kill Jarod." He paused. "Did she read over the paper?"
"No. And even if she did, she couldn't have understood anything it said. I made sure of that."
"Good. Good. When do you want to pull the plug, so to speak? I was thinking about tonight." Mr. Parker shook his head.
"No, not tonight. Tonight is too soon. We still need to disable all the security cameras in the infirmary." Mr. Parker thought about it for a minute. "Tomorrow night would be good. It'll give us enough time to get everything ready." The man behind the desk nodded.
"Good. Tomorrow night it is." He smiled. "It'll bring me such satisfaction to kill Jarod. He has been a thorn in my side for far too long." He laughed. "Oh, what fun it will be."
* * *
A stream of light came through the open window, landing on Miss Parker's face. She moaned and rolled over. It was too early to get up. She wanted to sleep in. But, the stream of light would not leave her alone. It followed her wherever she moved in the bed. Groaning, Miss Parker gave up and opened her eyes.
The room was full of light. A slight breeze from the open window made the curtains dance. Birds sang in the trees outside. It was a beautiful morning. Miss Parker sat up, enjoying the early morning beauty and her first day of freedom. No longer did she have to get up and go to the Centre every day. She was free. She wanted to jump out of her bed and sing like the birds. But, she didn't. Leaning back against the headboard, she sighed in contentment.
A strong breeze blew through the open window, hitting Miss Parker. And she remembered. Remembered what she had done to get her freedom. A vision of her signing a paper came into her mind. Had she really done that?
Another gust of wind blew in, chilling her to the bones. Why had she done this? How could she condemn Jarod to death? She brought her knees to her chest as tears fell down her face.
The birds quieted and the clouds rolled in to cover the sun. Miss Parker felt miserable. How could she? What could have possessed her? Was freedom so grand that she would kill another to obtain it? She cried, feeling the pain sweep over her. How it hurt.
A realization hit her at that moment. It was something she had never thought possible. It had been growing in the back of her mind for a long time, disguising itself so that she wouldn't discover it and banish it. As impossible as it seemed to her, it was true. Looking up with tear filled eyes, she whispered to herself what she never thought she could.
"I love him."
Disclaimer: See chapter 6
Chapter 7: Another Morning
"Another morning it comes running
Up your bedpost with the wind"
Mr. Parker quickly walked down the hall, glaring at all those who walked by him. He was happy that his daughter had signed the paper. Finally, he could get rid of Jarod; a goal of his ever since the Pretender had escaped. But, something was troubling him. And he couldn't figure out what it was. Everything was going perfectly. So, what was wrong? These sorts of things always put him in a bad mood. Sighing, he stopped in front of a door and knocked.
"Enter." A voice, muffled by the door, said. Mr. Parker opened the door and walked in, closing the door behind him. The room was dark. Two windows were behind a desk, but the blinds were closed. A lamp on the desk provided the only source of light for the room. A man, cloaked in the shadows, sat behind the desk.
"So, did she sign the paper?" He asked, leaning forward in his chair in expectation.
"Yes, she did. Though, not willingly. I had to coax her a bit." Mr. Parker replied. The man behind the desk nodded his head and leaned back.
"I figured she would need some convincing. But, that doesn't matter now. All that matters is that we have the okay to kill Jarod." He paused. "Did she read over the paper?"
"No. And even if she did, she couldn't have understood anything it said. I made sure of that."
"Good. Good. When do you want to pull the plug, so to speak? I was thinking about tonight." Mr. Parker shook his head.
"No, not tonight. Tonight is too soon. We still need to disable all the security cameras in the infirmary." Mr. Parker thought about it for a minute. "Tomorrow night would be good. It'll give us enough time to get everything ready." The man behind the desk nodded.
"Good. Tomorrow night it is." He smiled. "It'll bring me such satisfaction to kill Jarod. He has been a thorn in my side for far too long." He laughed. "Oh, what fun it will be."
* * *
A stream of light came through the open window, landing on Miss Parker's face. She moaned and rolled over. It was too early to get up. She wanted to sleep in. But, the stream of light would not leave her alone. It followed her wherever she moved in the bed. Groaning, Miss Parker gave up and opened her eyes.
The room was full of light. A slight breeze from the open window made the curtains dance. Birds sang in the trees outside. It was a beautiful morning. Miss Parker sat up, enjoying the early morning beauty and her first day of freedom. No longer did she have to get up and go to the Centre every day. She was free. She wanted to jump out of her bed and sing like the birds. But, she didn't. Leaning back against the headboard, she sighed in contentment.
A strong breeze blew through the open window, hitting Miss Parker. And she remembered. Remembered what she had done to get her freedom. A vision of her signing a paper came into her mind. Had she really done that?
Another gust of wind blew in, chilling her to the bones. Why had she done this? How could she condemn Jarod to death? She brought her knees to her chest as tears fell down her face.
The birds quieted and the clouds rolled in to cover the sun. Miss Parker felt miserable. How could she? What could have possessed her? Was freedom so grand that she would kill another to obtain it? She cried, feeling the pain sweep over her. How it hurt.
A realization hit her at that moment. It was something she had never thought possible. It had been growing in the back of her mind for a long time, disguising itself so that she wouldn't discover it and banish it. As impossible as it seemed to her, it was true. Looking up with tear filled eyes, she whispered to herself what she never thought she could.
"I love him."