LadyJadePerendhil- I'll compromise with you on the whole Jar and Mor thing. When the kids aren't talking Jarod will be called Jarod. I'm only have the kids call him Jar. The kids english will get better soon I would have fixed it but I've been so busy. But hey it will become easier to read sooner. And no worries no cliffies any time soon. In fact I don't think I have any cliffhangers planed for a looooong time. I'm staying on their childhood for a while but it will go rather fast. I think I have like fourteen more chapters before I kill off Catherine and then time will speed up a bit.

Erikstrulove- Mr. Parker is currently lurking in the shadows where all the vampires lurk. But He will come out a grace us with his presence in the next chapter.


CHAPTER 3

SIGNS OF A TIME TO COME


July 27, 1962

11:54pm

Blue Cove, Delaware

Parker Family Summer Home

The three children slept on a pallet on the floor in Mor's room. She had yet to truly speak since the whole robin incident and refused to leave Sammy and Jarod's side. Not that the boys would have left her for a moment. Someone would have had to knock them unconscious to get them away from her.

Catherine had called Allen and Elizabeth and informed them of what had happened. Once confirming that Sammy was alright, Allen and Elizabeth had no qualms with letting Sammy stay the rest of the week.

Sammy suddenly woke up to the sounds whimpering. Jarod was already awake and in the process of waking up Park who was in the throws of a nightmare. Park's eyes snapped open and she clung to Jarod.

"Jar what wrong wit Park?" Sammy asked groggily.

"She had a bad dream Sammy."

"She had one at my house." Sammy told Jarod.

"What was it about?" Jarod asked the younger boy. Sammy shrugged his shoulders.

Jarod sighed. 'Typical Mor, always hiddin' stuff.' He thought.

"Hey Sammy come wit me and Mor." Jarod said as he helped Park stand. Sammy followed Jarod and Park into the kitchen.

"Sit," Jarod softly instructed the two younger children. He helped them both in to chairs and then pulled another to the stove. Jarod then went to the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. Climbing the chair he placed the milk on the counter and then grabbed a sauce pan and a tin of co-co powder from the cabinet along with three mugs.

Jarod poured the milk into the sauce pan and began to boil the milk. Once the milk was boiled he carefully poured it into the three mugs and then stirred in the co-co powder.

"Sammy come here." Jarod whispered. Sammy did. "Take dis and give it t' Mor." Sammy took the mug and then returned for the next one and then the next one. Jarod brought the chair back to the table and sat down on the other side of Park.

"What is it?" Sammy asked.

"Hot co-co my Momma and Cat make it for bad dreams. 'S good." Jarod told Sammy. "Drink up Mor ya feel better," Jarod instructed Park as he took a sip from his mug. Park and Sammy began to drink after seeing that Jarod did not fall ill form his concoction.

"Feel better?" Jarod asked Park. She nodded her head. "Wanna tell me n' Sammy 'bout it?"

"Saw red stuff and doors like da Centre el-eleva..."

"Elevators." Jarod pronounced for her. Park nodded her head.

"There was a loud bang to and a girl cryin'."

"'S okay now Mor. Me 'n Sammy here. Nothin' bad'll happen."

"Jar's right Park. We won't let nothin bad happen t' you." Sammy told her.

"Sammy?"

"Huh?"

"You can call me Mor now." Park told her friend smiling.

"Kay, Mor." Sammy said testing out the name.

"Let's go back t' bed." Mor, said.

"Gotta clean first." Jarod told her. Jarod washed the sauce pan and mugs and then placed everything back where it came from. He led the other two children back to the room and was the last to fall asleep.


July 30, 1962

7:19pm

Blue Cove, Delaware

Parker Family Summer Home

The three children were in tears. Jarod was returning home and Mor nor Sammy were thrill that their friend was leaving. Sammy had taken an instant liking to Jarod. Having Jarod around was like having a big brother, someone who always watched out for you.

Mor didn't want for her Jarod to go. She missed having him around all of the time. When they were babies Jarod and his family lived in Blue Cove the had moved leaving shortly after the Mor's first birthday. It was rare that the two saw each other. But Margaret and Charles had promised to bring Jarod back in a month. Mor and Sammy didn't know exactly how long a month was but it sounded as though it would be an eternity before they would see their friend again.

The leaving was also hard on Jarod, he wanted to ask his parent's if he could stay with Mor and Sammy but was afraid that they would say no. He wanted to stay and keep an eye on Mor. Jarod could tell that her nightmare had shaken her, that there was something she hadn't told him. Why the adults couldn't see that something was wrong with Mor was beyond Jarod.

The only reason Jarod didn't make a big fuss about leaving was Sammy. Mor had officially let Sammy in the other night. She had opened up to him. That meant she would let Sammy look out for her. With Sammy there Jarod didn't need to worry about Mor as much. Jarod knew that Sammy would always lookout for Mor. Mor had told Jar about the time Sammy had protected her from that Dr. Raines. Jar knew that he could trust Sammy with the responsibly of looking after Mor. He was a good kid after all.

"Come on Ace it's time to go." Charles said as he carried the last suitcase to the car. Jarod stood up as did Sammy and Mor.

"Bye Sammy." Jarod said hugging the younger boy. "Look after our Mor kay?"

"Kay Jar." Sammy said releasing the boy who had become a brother to him in a matter of days.

"Bye Mor." Jarod said hugging the girl almost a year younger than him.

"Bye my Jar." She whispered. "Thanks for not lettin' me go." She said and kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll never let you go, Mor." He whispered.

"Come on Ace." Charles said picking up his son. "Bye Morgan. Bye Sammy it was nice meeting you."

"Bye." The two children said sadly, directing their goodbye more toward's Jarod then his father. The Russell family then climbed into the car and set off for home. Sammy and Mor sat on the porch watching the car drive down the road until all that was left was a tiny black dot. They continued to watch until even that was gone.

No longer able to stand the sight of the two depressed children, Catherine walked out to the front porch.

"Hey you two how about some chocolate milk?" She said. At the chance of receiving a beverage to drown their sorrows in the two children trudged inside. Catherine poured out three glasses of milk and then went to receive the co-co tin.

"That's funny I could have sworn that there was more co-co than this left." Catherine said. The two children exchanged sly grins. It had become a ritual for Jarod to make the three of them hot co-co in the middle of the night. He had used up most of the tin not that there was much in there to begin with.

"Well it looks like the three of us are off to the store." Catherine said and the three headed out to the car.

Catherine drove three miles down the road to the grocery store.

"While were here we might as well do the grocery shopping for the rest of our stay." Catherine placed the two children in the shopping cart. "So what would you two like for lunch?" She asked them.

"Grilled cheese." the two said simultaneously. Catherine inwardly sighed, Jarod had introduced the two younger children to grilled cheese during his stay. It had become the only thing that they would now eat.

"How about we try something else today, what about hotdogs?" Catherine suggested.

"No." The two children said shaking their heads. Catherine realized that their would be nothing that she could do to change the children's minds. Mor was an extremely stubborn child and Sammy always went along with her. Had it been any other day Catherine would have told the children 'tough you're eating hotdogs' but she realized that they were still depressed over Jarod leaving. So she grabbed a loaf of bread and some cheese, for the children's lunch.

"Catherine." Came a voice.

"Edna, how are you?" Catherine asked turning around. Sammy sighed he knew that this would not be good.

"Come Sammy der gonna be talking forever." Mor said and she eased herself out of the cart. Sammy followed, he didn't want to but Jarod had told him to look out for their Mor. And Mor was one person who could find trouble without even looking for it.

The two women were so engrossed in their conversation that they never noticed the children seeking off.

"Were goin' Mor?" Sammy asked.

"Gotta find da co-co." Mor told him impatiently.

"You know where it be?" Sammy asked her.

"Course I do." Mor told him dismissively. Sammy realized that she had no idea where the co-co mix was. Sammy sighed for the second time that day. 'Three more to go' he thought. The two children walked down each isle in search of the tin, Sammy following closely behind Mor. Suddenly Mor stopped and Sammy ran into the back of her.

"Sammy." Mor hissed perturbed.

"Sorry." Sammy said. "Whatch see?" Sammy asked her following her gaze.

"That." She said.

"Mor no." Sammy said as he looked up at the shelves of candy. It was okay that Mor wanted candy but Sammy knew what she wanted and it was up high.

"I want it Sammy."

"I know." Sammy whined.

"Don't be a baby. Gimmie a boost." She instructed, and Sammy had a brief flashback of a tree and a bird. 'She's gonna kill herself.' Sammy thought as he laced his fingers together. Mor placed her foot in Sammy's hand and then eased herself on to the shelf.

"Can't reach it." Mor said as she tried to stretch her self..

'Yes' Sammy thought.

"Sammy help." Mor called down

'No' Sammy thought cringing. 'Where are the adults when you need them. Why did Cat have t' come to the store when nobody was here 'cept for people she likes to talk to?'

"Sammy." Mor call holding her hand out.

"Wait." Sammy said. Grabbed an arm full of cans and brought them over. He then handed them up to Mor.

"Stand on um." Sammy told her. Mor did and it gave her just enough height to reach the candy she desired. She then pulled of as many as she could throwing them down to Sammy. As Mor was in the process of grabbing more candy she lost her balance and toppled falling right on top of Sammy.

"You kay?" Mor asked Sammy.

"Yeah." Sammy managed to say. Slowly he got up while Mor picked up the packs of Pez from off the floor. Mor had become addicted to them. Jarod and Sammy liked them just not as much as Mor. Sammy doubted that anyone like them as much as Mor.

"Let's get da co-co now?" Mor said and Sammy had to resist the urge to throttle her. Dutifully he followed her all the while wishing that Jarod was still there. After ten minutes they came across the co-co display.

"Hold des Sammy." Mor said shoving the packs of candy in the boy's hands. Mor then went to grab a tin.

"Mor no!" Sammy yelled. Mor had gone and pulled a tin of co-co that was part of a pyramid. Suddenly there was a rumbling noise. Sammy grabbed Mor just as the display began to topple. "We go now." Sammy said sternly as he dragged Mor back to the cart where Catherine and Edna were still talking. Sammy gave Mor a boost back into the cart and then handed her the candy and co-co tin. Mor carefully placed them in the cart and then helped Sammy up.

"No more 'venturers today?" Sammy huffed and Mor nodded here head. Sammy then leaned against the side of the basket and closed his eyes.

A short while latter Catherine returned. To find both children asleep Mor's head resting in Sammy's lap. She quickly finished her shopping and went to check out. As she watched the cashier ring up her items she tried to remember when she picked up the Pez and co-co.


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Up next Jarod makes his return and the kids reek havoc on their nanny.