An Alternate Life AU
Chapter 13 Three Years Later
Real
"We don't have to finish the simulation today," Daryl started after class.
"It's okay, we can finish," Jeff answered, "I need something to keep me busy anyway."
So they made their way back to the simulation chamber and Jeff set the dials for 3 years in the future. He would be the same age that he was right now.
Alternate
The boy on the screen was dirty and unkempt. He swaggered up and down a line of boys who appeared equally disheveled.
"What went wrong?" Jeff shouted at the group.
The other boys shifted feet and stared at the ground.
"Isn't there anyone here who can make a decision besides me?" he asked in a harsh voice. "That was an easy target, just because things didn't go exactly as we planned, all of you decide to give up?"
"He had a knife," one of the boys explained.
"So did you," Jeff answered in a low menacing voice.
The boy shrugged.
Jeff stared him down. "I'll do it," he finally said and put his hand out.
The boy handed him the knife and he slipped it into the belt behind his back so it was covered by his faded denim jacket. Then he turned and walked out of the alley. Moving quickly, he entered a grocery on the corner.
Real
"What's going on?" Jeff whispered. "Where is this happening?"
Daryl scanned the dials, "New York City, the readout says you're a runaway, 1986."
"A runaway? But why? How much does the readout say?"
"Let's print out a summary of the past 3 years, we can go through it outside so we won't tie up the machine."
So they turned off the simulator and found a room close by.
"Let me see that," Jeff said and together they began scanning the pages.
After some time Jeff leaned back, staring at the wall.
"Who's Elizabeth?"
"My aunt."
"You ran away when you were 13. She got you out of juvenile detention the first time, but it looks like she gave up on you after you ran away the second time."
"Yeah."
"Why would you run away from her?"
Jeff stared at the printout for a moment more, and then folded it in half. "Doesn't matter," he whispered. He knew exactly why he would have run away. His aunt had never wanted him in the first place. It would have been torture to grow up with her. He could easily picture himself becoming angry enough to run away. And he could picture his aunt being relieved that he wasn't around.
"So Dan must've taken you back to 1982."
"I guess."
"Jeffrey Jones?" the strange voice startled Jeff as a message was placed into his hand.
"They found him," Jeff said as he read the note. He started moving quickly, and Daryl hurried to keep up.