Chapter Three
Disclaimer: unless you're some sort of strange person who always skips straight to the third chapter of a story then you've already read the disclaimer. If not . . . well, it goes something along the lines of 'don't sue me!'
The first thing that Jarod knew when he woke up was that the light behind his eyelids was far too bright. His head was pounding and his tongue felt like it had been coated with the contents of an ashtray.
He lay still for a while trying to remember where he was. *Oh yeah* he thought as an ache in his right leg reminded him. He opened his eyes to find Parker watching him from where she was sitting against a wall. "Morning" he said groggily. Even so, he smiled. She was still here. Just maybe . . .
"How are you feeling?" She asked cautiously. He grimaced and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. "Like I've been run over with a steam roller, but I think the leg will heal. Thank you."
He pulled his shoes on then grabbed his makeshift crutch from where it was leaning against the wall. Carefully standing up he gently tested his injured leg. It was still too sore to stand on but he could move easily enough using the crutch.
He picked up his jacket from the bench where he had sat last night, noting how much blood was now staining the wood. Straightening, he looked over to where Parker was still sitting with her back against the wall. She slowly shook her head in mild disbelief. "Last night I cut a bullet out of your leg and this morning you just get up and walk away."
"And yesterday you were responsible for the person that put it there, but people change" He paused and smiled. "Come with me."
The suggestion shocked the hell out of Parker but at the same time it didn't surprise her at all. Despite all her efforts in the years that she had chased him, she never seemed to be able to convince that she was a truly bad person. He was always trying to save her soul from the hell that they both knew as the Centre. Deep down she didn't want him to give up on her. He had always been there for her, and last night she had been there for him. No one at the Centre except for Sydney knew her as well as he did.
Parker knew that it was impossible that they would ever be happy. The Centre would never stop chasing them. Then she looked into the deep liquid pools of his eyes and saw the little boy that she had fallen in love with. 'What the hell,' she thought, 'It'll only get me killed.' She nodded slowly feeling like she was jumping of a cliff on the spur of the moment.
Jarod's face lit up with joy and immediately made her choice worth it. Then, in an instant he became all seriousness and planning. He wanted to know why she hadn't flown back to Delaware last night and if Lyle and Sam would be searching for her. When he was sure that they were safe for the time being, he pointed out where a dusty but still functional bathroom could be found then limped to the shops to buy some supplies.
By the time he had come hopping back from the shops with a new pair of crutches that he had acquired, Parker had showered and mentally prepared herself to leave the Centre for good. She combed her wet hair with her fingers as he explained the plan for staying free to her.
To be continued
Disclaimer: unless you're some sort of strange person who always skips straight to the third chapter of a story then you've already read the disclaimer. If not . . . well, it goes something along the lines of 'don't sue me!'
The first thing that Jarod knew when he woke up was that the light behind his eyelids was far too bright. His head was pounding and his tongue felt like it had been coated with the contents of an ashtray.
He lay still for a while trying to remember where he was. *Oh yeah* he thought as an ache in his right leg reminded him. He opened his eyes to find Parker watching him from where she was sitting against a wall. "Morning" he said groggily. Even so, he smiled. She was still here. Just maybe . . .
"How are you feeling?" She asked cautiously. He grimaced and rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands. "Like I've been run over with a steam roller, but I think the leg will heal. Thank you."
He pulled his shoes on then grabbed his makeshift crutch from where it was leaning against the wall. Carefully standing up he gently tested his injured leg. It was still too sore to stand on but he could move easily enough using the crutch.
He picked up his jacket from the bench where he had sat last night, noting how much blood was now staining the wood. Straightening, he looked over to where Parker was still sitting with her back against the wall. She slowly shook her head in mild disbelief. "Last night I cut a bullet out of your leg and this morning you just get up and walk away."
"And yesterday you were responsible for the person that put it there, but people change" He paused and smiled. "Come with me."
The suggestion shocked the hell out of Parker but at the same time it didn't surprise her at all. Despite all her efforts in the years that she had chased him, she never seemed to be able to convince that she was a truly bad person. He was always trying to save her soul from the hell that they both knew as the Centre. Deep down she didn't want him to give up on her. He had always been there for her, and last night she had been there for him. No one at the Centre except for Sydney knew her as well as he did.
Parker knew that it was impossible that they would ever be happy. The Centre would never stop chasing them. Then she looked into the deep liquid pools of his eyes and saw the little boy that she had fallen in love with. 'What the hell,' she thought, 'It'll only get me killed.' She nodded slowly feeling like she was jumping of a cliff on the spur of the moment.
Jarod's face lit up with joy and immediately made her choice worth it. Then, in an instant he became all seriousness and planning. He wanted to know why she hadn't flown back to Delaware last night and if Lyle and Sam would be searching for her. When he was sure that they were safe for the time being, he pointed out where a dusty but still functional bathroom could be found then limped to the shops to buy some supplies.
By the time he had come hopping back from the shops with a new pair of crutches that he had acquired, Parker had showered and mentally prepared herself to leave the Centre for good. She combed her wet hair with her fingers as he explained the plan for staying free to her.
To be continued
