Chapter 11 – Prophet
Sorry this took so long to get up. This was a very touchy chapter to write, and I didn't really have any problems making you all wait after the last chapter's cliffhanger. If I'm going to be honest, this is not the best chapter I've ever written. It contains a lot of dialogue and a lot of information and I don't necessarily like having all that condensed into one big chapter. Feel free to tell me how I did. Also in my defense, school has started so I've been distracted, but don't worry, this story is still very much alive.
Also you may or may not be happy to know, but I had a nice dream that has given me some ideas about a horror/romance story. That's going to be a long while off though. As I come up with more details I'll let you know. (But only if you're good and you review.) Just kidding, I can't stop myself from talking. Bad habits, bad habits, bad habits. I'm actually a fairly quiet person too. Anyway, here's the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life series or any characters from the shows.
Zack looked up at the smiling teenager before him. As he screamed his name the boy's smile wavered slightly, then turned into a look of confusion.
Cody looked at the patient laying on the bed in front of him. There was something about him that was off. He could have blamed it on the fact that the boy shared the same features as him – blonde hair, blue eyes, the same face – but that wasn't it. There was something more. "I'm sorry. Do I know you from somewhere?"
Zack sprang out of his bed and wrapped his arms around the surprised teen. "Cody! I never gave up on you. I believed that you were real and now here you are. We're together again!"
Cody pushed Zack off of him, "Calm down. Who are you?"
Zack's heart slowed as he realized Cody didn't know who he was. "I'm Zack. I'm your twin brother."
Cody laughed, "That's good. But how can you be my twin brother? I'm an only child. I just live with my mom." He continued laughing, "Twin brother, yeah. That's good."
Zack screwed up his face, "What do I have to say to convince you? We look exactly the same! Is your last name Martin?"
Cody paused. Martin? That sounded familiar to him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. "No it's not. My last name is Wheeler."
"Cody. That's your name isn't it?" Zack was starting to get frantic. There were so many thoughts and emotions coursing through his mind that he didn't know how to express. After having his world turned upside down, here, in front of him, was his twin brother – who he knew to be just a dream. Everything was changing again. But yet, the reunion wasn't as sweet as Zack imagined. Somewhere in his subconscious he pictured him and Cody recognizing each other and hugging and sharing all the stories of their past days at the Tipton. Zack knew none of that was possible.
He would have liked to pretend that everything was now back to normal – whatever that was. He would have liked to call himself reunited with his brother. He would have liked to understand what was happening. The past few days he had dreamt about Cody and woken up so many times that Zack found himself waiting for the scenery to change into his bedroom. It didn't. As time wore on, he remained in the hospital.
This was reality.
"Yeah, my name is Cody. But that doesn't mean anything. Look, I don't know who you think I am, but just please take these pills." Cody shoved the pills at Zack.
Zack took them hesitantly. "What do I have to say to make you realize that what I'm saying is true?"
Cody laughed, it was clear he was having a good time with this. "When's my birthday? If we're twins we have the same birthday."
Zack responded easily, "June 31. It's my birthday too. It was a Saturday."
Cody's eyes bulged for a second, showing his surprise. "How do you know my birthday?"
"Because we're twins."
Cody was getting nervous. This person in front of him was obviously crazy. Sure, he looked like him and maybe they had the same birthday but that didn't mean anything. "I'm getting the doctors."
"Cody, no. Come back!" But Cody was gone.
Cody walked out of the room and down the halls. He took a few turns to lose any pursuer he might have had. Thoughts, worries, and concerns flooded his mind.
He's crazy. I don't have a twin. But how did he know my birthday? Must have been a lucky guess. But that's not very likely. I'm an only child. It's just Mom and me.
Cody thought of his mother. Margaret Wheeler was young to be the mother of a sixteen-year-old. She was only thirty-six, herself. As she told it, she met a man and fell in love. They hadn't expected to have a child but when she got pregnant they thought it would bring them closer together. At least that's what Cody's father said.
Then, one day Cody's father left. He never wanted a kid. He wasn't ready for commitment.
Cody's early years had been normal. He hadn't thought anything of it, but then he started getting curious as to where his dad was. When he asked her what happened she explained.
What was his name?
Cody remembered. It was Kurt. He remembered his mother telling him that she used to sit and scream his name when she was pregnant with Cody.
What kind of scumbag would just up and leave their family?
Cody had no idea what kind of scumbag his father really was. But then again, he couldn't have known that his mother fell in love with a man already in a relationship. He couldn't have known that his mother was a mistress to an engaged man.
Why would that guy think we were twins?
Cody decided he needed answers, closure. He turned around and paced right back into the room. He was surprised to see his reflection crying into the pillow, murmuring his name. "Uh… hey."
Zack's head shot up, "Cody."
"Why do you think we're twins?" The question came out a little rougher than expected.
"Because we are. We lived at the Tipton with our mom, Carey. Then we went to a school called Seven Seas High. It was on a cruise ship. You were the best brother." Zack smiled as if to lighten the mood, "Then I woke up. I had been dreaming in a coma." Zack paused for effect, "But the dreams didn't stop there. I kept dreaming about you. The most recent one you told me that my dreams were actually a prediction. I didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but now I do. It was a prediction of me meeting you. We're brothers Cody, I can feel it. Can't you?"
Cody swallowed hard. Zack's words struck him hard. There was no ignoring that small presence in the back of his head that was constantly feeling emotions different to his own. None of this made sense. In an attempt to toss aside the possibility of truthfulness, "Where was I born?"
"Seattle."
Pulse rising, "What time?"
"Uh, I think 6:40 AM. I was born at 6:30."
Zack noticed the way Cody shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious all of Zack's answers had been correct. But still, it didn't make Cody any more relaxed; in fact it did just the opposite. Cody was more on-edge now than he had been in his entire life.
Cody nearly fell over; instead, he took a seat. His head was hurting, thoughts racing through his head so quickly he couldn't process them.
Could it be? This doesn't make any sense. Is Mom not actually my mom? My whole life was a lie. No. This is just too weird to be true. It's not even possible.
Cody stood, finally adamant, "Look, I don't know who the hell you are, but stay away from me and my family." He headed for the door with fire in his step and in his heart.
Zack needed to get him to come back. He needed it. "Cody. I don't know what you've been told but we're brothers. I know it and you do too! Whoever your parents are, they're lying to you! Carey and Kurt Martin are you parents!"
Cody stopped dead in his tracks, "What did you say?"
"Carey and Kurt Martin. They're our parents."
Kurt Martin. That was the name. That's the name of my father. That's the name Mom said.
"How do you know my father's name?"
Zack recoiled in joyous confusion. "He's not just your father. He's my dad too."
Cody closed his eyes and shook his head. He just wanted this whole mass of confusion to go away. "No. Kurt Martin. My mom told me about him. He got her pregnant and then he just left us. He's my dad."
Zack didn't understand. If that were true that'd mean that and Cody weren't twins. They'd be half-brothers. But none of it made sense. "How is that possible? Kurt's been married to my mom for… forever." Zack realized he couldn't remember.
Cody nearly spat, "Kurt's a scumbag. He just left my family. It doesn't surprise me that he's running around on your mom as well."
Zack eyes widened in surprise and in hurt. Cody's words stung. Maybe more than they should have. Zack should have known Kurt wasn't all what he seemed. In his dream he had hardly been a father to them. It would only make sense.
"Look, I have things I need to do." Cody left without further words.
Zack stayed there until his parents came to visit him after work. It was the moment he'd been waiting for and preparing for all day. He had so many things to say to them, so many questions. He had seen Cody, Cody was real. He knew that much. But how was it possible? He thought, foolishly, that maybe he and Cody were twins. Maybe it was some secret that Carey and Kurt were keeping from him, but that hardly seemed realistic. They'd never be able to lie convincingly for so long. Zack couldn't imagine the guilt of lying to your child for sixteen years. That only left one other option. Kurt cheated on Carey and had a son with another woman.
They entered cautiously, not wanting to believe that their son was recovering from a suicidal amount of blood loss. Neither had expected to find him fully awake and conscious.
"Hey Zack. How are you doing?" Kurt was bedside immediately. Much to his surprise, Zack ignored him. Kurt knew, from his knowledge of the human mind, that Zack was probably still angry that Kurt had saved his life. His theory was shot down when Zack suddenly began speaking.
"Mom? Can Dad and I speak in private for a few minutes?" Zack knew calling her mom would evaporate any kind of resistance to the request.
It worked. She smiled and nodded and exited the room. She wanted to know what Zack needed to talk about with her husband, but she was still excited at being called "Mom" again.
Inside, Kurt took a seat, "What's up, Zack?"
Zack studied his face for a long minute before speaking, "Does the name Margaret Wheeler mean anything to you?"
Kurt visibly panicked, if only for a second. He thought about denying it altogether. He thought about coming clean. He thought about how Zack even knew about it.
Clearly he knows, so I can't just pretend it's not true.
"How do you know who she is?"
Zack narrowed his eyes. "Well, Kurt. It would seem you were right. My dreams were actually a vision. Want to know why? Cody was here. He gave me some pills. Asked why I looked like him. He volunteers here."
Kurt saw his opportunity to get out with all his limbs, "Now, Zack. I know you're still in denial about your brother being fake but-"
"Shut the hell up. I know what you're trying to do this time. He was here, I saw him. I asked every nurse that walked by if Cody Martin was a volunteer here. Each of them said 'No, but Cody Wheeler is. Is that who you meant?' Each time I'd say that was who I meant."
Kurt sighed. So much for my plan. "She was a mistake. I was young and stupid and your mom-"
"She doesn't know does she?" Zack laughed, "You're screwed. I guess my dreams were right. You do get divorced."
Kurt finally processed all of what Zack said. "Wait. Cody Wheeler? She had a son?"
Zack nodded, "Before I woke up here I had a dream. Cody told me that everything that I had dreamt was a prediction. An outcome. But he made me promise that I'd realize that not everything will be exactly the same."
"I don't… I don't know what to say. I have another son?" Kurt's mind was racing, his heart following in stride. His world as he knew it was over. He had another son. His secret of cheating on his wife was out. How could he ever be the same person again?
Zack nodded, Turns out we're not twins. We're half brothers. But we were born on the exact same day, at the same time, even in the same place.
As if on cue, Carey entered the room, "Are you boys done?"
Kurt nodded slowly, "Yeah. Yeah, we're done."
Carey went and rubbed his back. She could sense he was stressing about something, he never was good at hiding his emotions from her. To her surprise, when she went to rub his back, he moved away. She decided to let it go, there wasn't any need for any more discomfort. Instead, she went to Zack, "How are you feeling?"
Zack beamed for more than one reason. He was happy that Cody was real, but he also wanted to give his father what was coming to him. "Cody's real."
Carey exchanged an obviously cautious glance with Kurt. She was surprised when he nodded, "I don't understand. How can you have a twin? I only gave birth to one child."
Zack nodded, "My dream wasn't exactly right. It turns out that Cody's actually-"
The doctor entered the room. His nose was buried in a stack of papers and he didn't notice he was interrupting a conversation, "Zack Martin?"
Zack looked at him and raised an eyebrow.
"You took the pills Cody brought in?"
Zack nodded.
"Good, good. That's good. I just need to take a few blood samples and that'll be all."
Both Zack and Carey nodded and tried not to watch as the doctor harvested Zack's blood.
"Doctor, did you say Cody? Cody Martin?"
The doctor laughed, "No. Cody Wheeler. For some reason we get asked that a lot."
Zack narrowed his eyes, "By who?"
The doctor sighed, "Well. A man was in a car accident. Driving drunk. He killed somebody. He's serving time right now, but I had to treat him for some injuries. I think his name was something like Marion. Marion Moseby? I think that's right. And I do physicals for this new, upcoming company Tipton Industries. The president of the company, Wilfred Tipton, he asked about him one day."
Zack gasped, Moseby and Mr. Tipton? They're all real! Everyone is real! Bailey, and Woody, and London. Everybody is real! They have to be!
Alright, if anybody has legitimate questions, feel free to message me and ask. Nothing, huge (I'm not going to tell you what's left of the plot), but you get the picture. Hope you're all enjoying the long weekend, I know I am. Oh, and check out Disturbed's new album. It's pretty good.
Also, if you noticed that Moseby was in jail... that is actually directly taken from Phill Lewis's (the actor that plays Moseby) past. In 1991 Phill Lewis was sentenced to five years for DUI and vehicular manslaughter. The time was reduced to one year with two years probation and 350 hours of community service. I think people get so used to the character that they forget that it's a completely different person acting them. I sometimes find myself referring to Dylan or Cole as Zack or Cody (that's how you know you writing a story about their characters). Anyway, Phill Lewis did have a very good attitude towards the incident and apologized publicly for it.