Fanfic: B&S episode 608: part 3/4
Season 6 - Episode 8 - THIS IS MY LIFE
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
Warning: I was in an cut-throat mood when I wrote this chapter. :S
***** Part 3/4 *****
Julia enters the lunch-room, feeling a bit nervous. Will she recognize him? Will he be there?
“Julia Ridge? You look just like your picture.”
“Oliver? You look like your picture too..” She laughs nervously.
Good-looking. Dark hair. Green eyes. Nice suit. No tie. Tall. Very tall.
“I’m sorry, I’m never good with the first line…” Oliver apologizes. “It’s always so nerve-wrecking to meet people this way.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“Yes. A few times. And … I can tell you. Girls can look very different from the picture they post…”
“That can be disappointing, I guess.” Julia’s nervousness starts to dissipate.
“Oh, though sometimes it’s a blessing. The excuse that you had expected something else helps to avoid having to explain that you just don’t like someone’s personality…” Oliver explains and Julia laughs.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Just got here. Didn’t even have time to order something yet… Coffee?”
“Please.” Julia accepts and she bites her lip nervously. Oh, my God. This guy is nearly perfect. Aside from the good looks, he has a warm voice and an absolutely gorgeous smile.
A young girl walks by, clutching an ice-cream in her hands. She can’t be much older than Elizabeth, who is staying with Diane, Julia’s friend. Oliver catches the look on Julia’s face.
“So cute when they are little aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“I’d love to have kids…. Someday… Okay, there I go again. Saying just the things that I shouldn’t say at a first meeting…” He gives Julia an awkward look and Julia smiles again.
“I love kids too.. It’s why I became a teacher.”
“I always wanted children.” Oliver confesses. “Plural. More than one.”
“Me too.. More than one.” Julia replies in all honesty.
“Oh, look, we already have something in common.” They both laugh and Julia is happy that at least he wants children. Maybe he won’t be mad when she tells him about Elizabeth…
*****
“Hey, Coops!” Cooper turn around and manages just in time to hide his annoyance, when he sees that it’s Roddy who called him. “Hey man, you’re crying. What is wrong?”
“My dad is leaving our home again.” The words come out of Cooper’s mouth before he knows it and, of course, he now has Roddy’s full attention.
“Man, that sucks... I’ll walk with you.”
“What are you doing here anyway? You don’t live anywhere near.” Cooper asks.
“I was looking for you, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me. Do you mind that I’m here?” Roddy wants to know and Cooper shrugs.
Roddy takes it as a ‘no, I don’t’ and continues to walk with Cooper. They turn around the corner and on the porch of one of the houses, a cat is sound asleep on one of the stairs. Roddy picks up stone and throws it, hitting the cat, who jumps up, hisses and flees, making Roddy laugh out loud. Cooper is appalled. He hates cruelty to animals.
“What did you do that for?”
“It’s just a stupid cat.”
“That is Honeycomb, the cat of Mrs McGraw. He’s 13 years old, has almost no teeth left and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“I hate cats.”
“It didn’t hurt you. It was sleeping. You didn’t have to hurt it.” Cooper replies angrily and realising he made a mistake, Roddy lifts up his hands.
“Sorry, I won’t do it again.”
“You’d better not.” Cooper mumbles, still angry.
“Are we friends again?” Roddy asks and Cooper has to think over his answer. Not awaiting the answer though, Roddy continues: “Come on, I have a better idea.” And takes Cooper’s arm and pushes him towards the backyard of someone’s house.
*****
“Michelle, please, let us go. We can talk this through, but not with a gun between us.”
“No, Scotty, I won’t be sweet-talked into anything anymore…” She runs her hand through her hair and Scotty sees the dark lines under her eyes.
“When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” Scotty asks.
Michelle shakes her head. She can’t remember.
“Michelle, you’re tired and you’re high on those pills and you’re drinking… You may think that you’re focused, but you’re not. If you were, you wouldn’t be doing this to us. You’re not the Michelle I know and love.”
“You never loved me. Not really.”
“You were one of my best friends and I missed you when you disappeared. I’ve been worried about you, but your mother said that you needed your time alone and I respected that.”
“He wanted to send me to prison!” She points at Kevin, the gun is once again in her hand and Scotty holds his breath for a second thinking that she will actually shoot. Kevin tries to back off as much he can within the confines of the chair that he’s tied to.
“Michelle, that was my fault. Not his. I hadn’t spoken to him after I talked to you…”
Scotty’s voice is soft and she has to concentrate to hear him. She lowers the gun again and Kevin relaxes again.
“When he got your call, Kevin was taken by surprise….” Scotty tries to explain and Kevin feels that he can finally add something as well.
“… I heard Daniel cry in the background… I got scared… I panicked… If Scotty would have spoken to me, I could have seen your point of view, I could have forgiven you, we could have made a deal…. We could have made some arrangement… We could have worked it out… I understand that you love Daniel…. Who wouldn’t?”
“I was so tired of looking over my shoulder all the time, I was sick of hiding all the time. My mom was sick. She needed me…. But you threatened me and I got so scared… I was so scared that I didn’t even dare to bring him back here, but gave him to Justin instead. I was so scared that you’d hurt me, if you’d get your hands on me.” Michelle tells Kevin.
“I would never hurt you… How could I? … You offered to help us. You were our friend. You gave birth to that beautiful boy in there…. How could I hurt you after all that? …. Yes, I was hurt, I was scared,… I said things I shouldn’t have said and… .I’m sorry about that, but …. I would never really hurt you…” Kevin tries to convince her.
“How stupid do you think I am? You think that I don’t know how well-known the Walkers are? You’re still tied to the McCallisters as well. You have the money, the friends and the power to make my life miserable.”
“Maybe.” Kevin realizes he can’t reason with her. ”But I wouldn’t do that.”
She doesn’t entirely believe him, but she back away from him and paces up and down, before stopping in front of Scotty.
“I have to say, Scotty, that for someone who wanted to be a father so badly, you’re doing a lousy job.”
“Excuse me?” Scotty doesn’t understand where this attack on him is suddenly coming from. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a lousy father. I’ve been following you around these last few weeks. You’re always working. You’re always gone.
And our son is only raised by Kevin and his family. You said that Daniel would be your priority, but he isn’t. All you care about is the money you earn with this place.” She lets herself fall back on the chair, tired after all the energy she used to walk around and be angry and scared…
“I’m sorry… Kevin said the same, but I didn’t listen… However… we spent last night together and I know now that he was right….”
“You left our baby with strangers.”
“They are not strangers, they are our friends.”
“Chad Barry? What does he know about children? He’s a child himself!”
“The kids love him. Even Daniel likes him.” Scotty reassures her.
“That is not the point. Daniel is your child and he should be with you.”
“I can’t be with him 24/7.”
“That is why you need me. His mother.”
“You’re not his mother.” Scotty repeats carefully. “You’re a gestational surrogate. Daniel isn’t yours. Not genetically.”
“He grew inside me. I gave birth to him! He’s mine!” Michelle screams.
*****
“Hey, Gabe, that was quite some news that your father dumped on us.” Gabe, sitting on his bed, looks up at Sarah, tears in his eyes.
“I don’t want to leave. I can’t simply quit classes, school, friends… I just got my life back in order… I still miss mom… but I can handle it now… This is unfair. So unfair.”
“I agree, which is why I think I may have an idea, that, if you agree with my plan, I will put to Joe.”
“What is your plan?” Gabe asks.
“My plan is that you stay here with me.”
“Here?”
“Yes. I had your former room converted to a guest-room, when it became clear that you weren’t going to come here anymore… I can’t see any reason, why you couldn’t reclaim the place for yourself once more?”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. We’ll take what we need from your room at Joe and Paula’s. I don’t know what he’ll do with the house, but if he plans to stay in Arizona, he’ll have to sell it.” Gabe nods that he agrees. “So, what do you think?”
“If dad would agree with this, it would be great!” Gabe replies, suddenly looking less sad. “Do you think he’ll accept this?”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out, and that is by finding him and talking to him about this.” Sarah answers cheerfully and she pulls Gabe up from the bed.
*****
“Justin, is it really this important?” Tyler warns. “Because I’m rather busy and if you’re just taking me aside for some kissing and cuddling, I won’t be very happy with that.”
“Tyler, this is serious. Can we talk in your office?” Justin does seem very nervous and Tyler starts to fear the worst.
“What happened?” She asks, the moment they enter the her office.
“I got a call from Mike this morning... He wanted to talk to me.”
“About what?”
“About divorcing you.”
“What?”
“He.... Tyler, this isn’t easy for me to say, but Mike is willing to sign the divorce papers and get it all over with... for a price.”
“A price?”
“He wants me to pay him $ 100.000 to sign on the dotted line.”
“What!?”
“Tyler, it’s not like I can’t afford it....”
“You’re not going to give a cent to that bastard.” Tyler answers angrily.
“If it will get him out of our lives...” Justin points out.
“No.” Tyler shakes her head.
“... He can go on postponing this until he’s tired of his games... which may take years...”
“I said ‘no’.” Tyler repeats. “Not a cent. Nothing. Never!”
“Tyler, I want a future with you.... maybe marriage, children... Eventually?... But he’s like a bad rash that just keeps coming back to us and make us itch. I want him out of lives...”
“I want that too, but not by giving him money. He doesn’t deserve that.”
“I wouldn’t mind doing it for you.” Justin says softly. “I love you and I want us to be together.”
“And I love you, but I’m not for sale and if there’s anyone who will not make money because of me, it will be my ex.”
“I said I’d call him back... So what do I tell him?” Justin asks. Tyler walks up to him and wraps her arms around Justin.
“Just suggest another meeting.. I will go with you and I will personally give him the answer he doesn’t want to hear.” Tyler smiles.
*****
“I don’t think we should be here.” Cooper says, feeling uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry, the old man who own this house is gone. I saw him drive away and he’s not back yet.”
“That doesn’t make it right to break into his shed.” Cooper states.
“Scaredy cat.” Roddy teases.
“I’m not. I’m not scared. This is just wrong.”
“We’re not doing anything wrong, we’re just looking around a bit.” Roddy says, but Cooper isn’t so sure of that.
Roddy tells him once more that he should relax and Cooper tries to do just that. Whomever this shed belongs to, it’s a pretty place and well stocked on tools, all neatly on display, ready to be taken and Cooper vows that if ever he gets a shed this big, he’ll be just as neat to it as this place is.
“What a bunch of arrogant geeks.” Roddy remarks and Cooper looks at him.
“What do you mean?”
“See this place? Everything so nice and tidy. What a bunch of show-offs.”
“They are not showing off. You broke into their shed...” Cooper points out.
His words are followed by a loud crashing sound. A tool-box has fallen on the ground, its content spread all over the floor.
“What are you doing?” Cooper asks horrified.
“That will teach them.”
“Teach them what? Do you know these people?”
“Don’t have to. I saw them leave, worthless old people, who deserve what they are about to get.”
“What do you mean?”
Roddy grabs the jerry-can that says ‘gasoline’ and empties it on the floor. He lights a match and throws it on the floor as well. Cooper gets pushed back by the immediate heat as the fumes cause something of a small explosion and the gasoline starts to burn. Roddy shoves him away out the door.
“Let’s get out of here!” He yells and he grabs Cooper by the arm as he pushes them out of the shed, that is now starting to take fire. They run away, but not that far that Roddy can’t make them stop and watch his work. Cooper is shocked, horrified and confused. He doesn’t mind a prank or a joke, but this is too much for him.
“Are you crazy..?” He asks, out of breath. “Why did you do that? What did these people to you?”
“They exist!” Roddy answers coldly, fascinated by the flames that start to lick at the outside of the shed.
Cooper shakes his head. This is wrong, too wrong on so many levels. With a disgusted look on his face, he slowly backs away from Roddy. Roddy sees it.
“Coop? What’s wrong?”
“You destroyed someone else’s possessions for fun?”
“Come on, Coop. We’re friends. We should stand by each other.”
“Don’t call me Coop. And you’re not my friend... I never want to see you again.” Cooper says and he turns around and runs away. Behind him he can Roddy call his name, but Cooper is the faster runner and he runs straight back home.
*****
The elevator doors open and Jason steps on the 5th floor of the June-Flower. He takes a deep breath. If there is something eerie about the floor, even when there was an entire crew filming here, it certainly was spooky to walk here alone. Letting Chad’s security-card tap between his fingers, Jason walks over to Chad’s dressing-room.
The silence is heavy and the hair on Jason’s starts to stand up, as he feels watched. He reaches out to the doorknob, expecting resistance, but the door opens easily.
“It’s all just in your mind, Jason.” He tells himself softly. He opens the door and enters Chad’s room.
There are clothes all over the place and it takes a few moments for him to find the right jacket and Chad’s wallet. He puts it in his pocket. He’s so focused on it, that the door slamming closed behind him scares him half to death. He gets up and walks to the door. He remembers what happened the last time and the slammind doors start to make him nervous.
But he tries to open it anyway and it moves immediately. ‘
“Jason, get over yourself.” Jason scolds himself. He hears heavy footsteps in the corridor and lets out a sigh of relief. Of course, someone else came on the same floor, causing some draft that made the door close.
He steps out of the room, ready to meet whoever is there, explaining what he’s doing here, but he’s all alone in the long corridor. The air seems to be even heavier now and Jason feels as if someone is slowly cutting off his oxygen. He tries to blink away the feeling that he’s about to pass out.
His heartbeat goes up. There’s an unmistaken feeling of terror coming over him, even though he doesn’t quite understand what it is that should scare him so. He tries to get to the elevator-door, knowing deep inside that the elevator means safety, but it’s like walking through deep water.
He’s hardly moving forward even though he throws every bit of energy into it. Something seems to pull him back, it wants him further away from the elevator, deeper into the hallway. Gasping for breath, Jason falls to the ground, sweat is forming on his back, he feels exhausted, he can’t breathe, he’s choking. There is smoke entering the hall-way.
That must be it. There must be some fire somewhere. He must be breathing in some toxic gas... He hears the heavy footsteps again... Maybe it’s someone from the fire-department.... He can hardly keep his eyes open. A black figure walks up to him. Footsteps. Closing in. Closer.
He tries to lift his head, his throat is dry, he opens his mouth, he wants to scream for help, there’s no noise. Through the smoke he sees the person approach him. He can almost feel the footsteps. They however don’t stop for Jason. Jason feels an intense cold as the darkness passes through him and that is when he loses consciousness.
*****
End of part 3/4
**** COMMERCIAL BREAK****
By Marea67
About: Brothers & Sisters (general)
Rate: Can’t go higher than PG-13, as this is American Television, but I may add a few ‘deleted scenes’ here and there. ;)
Disclaimer: Just escaping from reality here, not created for financial gain
Summary: It is my very own season 6, you guys! Go with it! ;) Don’t complain! If YOU can do better, post your own story! (I dare you!)
Warning: I was in an cut-throat mood when I wrote this chapter. :S
***** Part 3/4 *****
Julia enters the lunch-room, feeling a bit nervous. Will she recognize him? Will he be there?
“Julia Ridge? You look just like your picture.”
“Oliver? You look like your picture too..” She laughs nervously.
Good-looking. Dark hair. Green eyes. Nice suit. No tie. Tall. Very tall.
“I’m sorry, I’m never good with the first line…” Oliver apologizes. “It’s always so nerve-wrecking to meet people this way.”
“You’ve done this before?”
“Yes. A few times. And … I can tell you. Girls can look very different from the picture they post…”
“That can be disappointing, I guess.” Julia’s nervousness starts to dissipate.
“Oh, though sometimes it’s a blessing. The excuse that you had expected something else helps to avoid having to explain that you just don’t like someone’s personality…” Oliver explains and Julia laughs.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Just got here. Didn’t even have time to order something yet… Coffee?”
“Please.” Julia accepts and she bites her lip nervously. Oh, my God. This guy is nearly perfect. Aside from the good looks, he has a warm voice and an absolutely gorgeous smile.
A young girl walks by, clutching an ice-cream in her hands. She can’t be much older than Elizabeth, who is staying with Diane, Julia’s friend. Oliver catches the look on Julia’s face.
“So cute when they are little aren’t they?”
“Yes.”
“I’d love to have kids…. Someday… Okay, there I go again. Saying just the things that I shouldn’t say at a first meeting…” He gives Julia an awkward look and Julia smiles again.
“I love kids too.. It’s why I became a teacher.”
“I always wanted children.” Oliver confesses. “Plural. More than one.”
“Me too.. More than one.” Julia replies in all honesty.
“Oh, look, we already have something in common.” They both laugh and Julia is happy that at least he wants children. Maybe he won’t be mad when she tells him about Elizabeth…
*****
“Hey, Coops!” Cooper turn around and manages just in time to hide his annoyance, when he sees that it’s Roddy who called him. “Hey man, you’re crying. What is wrong?”
“My dad is leaving our home again.” The words come out of Cooper’s mouth before he knows it and, of course, he now has Roddy’s full attention.
“Man, that sucks... I’ll walk with you.”
“What are you doing here anyway? You don’t live anywhere near.” Cooper asks.
“I was looking for you, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me. Do you mind that I’m here?” Roddy wants to know and Cooper shrugs.
Roddy takes it as a ‘no, I don’t’ and continues to walk with Cooper. They turn around the corner and on the porch of one of the houses, a cat is sound asleep on one of the stairs. Roddy picks up stone and throws it, hitting the cat, who jumps up, hisses and flees, making Roddy laugh out loud. Cooper is appalled. He hates cruelty to animals.
“What did you do that for?”
“It’s just a stupid cat.”
“That is Honeycomb, the cat of Mrs McGraw. He’s 13 years old, has almost no teeth left and wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“I hate cats.”
“It didn’t hurt you. It was sleeping. You didn’t have to hurt it.” Cooper replies angrily and realising he made a mistake, Roddy lifts up his hands.
“Sorry, I won’t do it again.”
“You’d better not.” Cooper mumbles, still angry.
“Are we friends again?” Roddy asks and Cooper has to think over his answer. Not awaiting the answer though, Roddy continues: “Come on, I have a better idea.” And takes Cooper’s arm and pushes him towards the backyard of someone’s house.
*****
“Michelle, please, let us go. We can talk this through, but not with a gun between us.”
“No, Scotty, I won’t be sweet-talked into anything anymore…” She runs her hand through her hair and Scotty sees the dark lines under her eyes.
“When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” Scotty asks.
Michelle shakes her head. She can’t remember.
“Michelle, you’re tired and you’re high on those pills and you’re drinking… You may think that you’re focused, but you’re not. If you were, you wouldn’t be doing this to us. You’re not the Michelle I know and love.”
“You never loved me. Not really.”
“You were one of my best friends and I missed you when you disappeared. I’ve been worried about you, but your mother said that you needed your time alone and I respected that.”
“He wanted to send me to prison!” She points at Kevin, the gun is once again in her hand and Scotty holds his breath for a second thinking that she will actually shoot. Kevin tries to back off as much he can within the confines of the chair that he’s tied to.
“Michelle, that was my fault. Not his. I hadn’t spoken to him after I talked to you…”
Scotty’s voice is soft and she has to concentrate to hear him. She lowers the gun again and Kevin relaxes again.
“When he got your call, Kevin was taken by surprise….” Scotty tries to explain and Kevin feels that he can finally add something as well.
“… I heard Daniel cry in the background… I got scared… I panicked… If Scotty would have spoken to me, I could have seen your point of view, I could have forgiven you, we could have made a deal…. We could have made some arrangement… We could have worked it out… I understand that you love Daniel…. Who wouldn’t?”
“I was so tired of looking over my shoulder all the time, I was sick of hiding all the time. My mom was sick. She needed me…. But you threatened me and I got so scared… I was so scared that I didn’t even dare to bring him back here, but gave him to Justin instead. I was so scared that you’d hurt me, if you’d get your hands on me.” Michelle tells Kevin.
“I would never hurt you… How could I? … You offered to help us. You were our friend. You gave birth to that beautiful boy in there…. How could I hurt you after all that? …. Yes, I was hurt, I was scared,… I said things I shouldn’t have said and… .I’m sorry about that, but …. I would never really hurt you…” Kevin tries to convince her.
“How stupid do you think I am? You think that I don’t know how well-known the Walkers are? You’re still tied to the McCallisters as well. You have the money, the friends and the power to make my life miserable.”
“Maybe.” Kevin realizes he can’t reason with her. ”But I wouldn’t do that.”
She doesn’t entirely believe him, but she back away from him and paces up and down, before stopping in front of Scotty.
“I have to say, Scotty, that for someone who wanted to be a father so badly, you’re doing a lousy job.”
“Excuse me?” Scotty doesn’t understand where this attack on him is suddenly coming from. “What do you mean?”
“You’re a lousy father. I’ve been following you around these last few weeks. You’re always working. You’re always gone.
And our son is only raised by Kevin and his family. You said that Daniel would be your priority, but he isn’t. All you care about is the money you earn with this place.” She lets herself fall back on the chair, tired after all the energy she used to walk around and be angry and scared…
“I’m sorry… Kevin said the same, but I didn’t listen… However… we spent last night together and I know now that he was right….”
“You left our baby with strangers.”
“They are not strangers, they are our friends.”
“Chad Barry? What does he know about children? He’s a child himself!”
“The kids love him. Even Daniel likes him.” Scotty reassures her.
“That is not the point. Daniel is your child and he should be with you.”
“I can’t be with him 24/7.”
“That is why you need me. His mother.”
“You’re not his mother.” Scotty repeats carefully. “You’re a gestational surrogate. Daniel isn’t yours. Not genetically.”
“He grew inside me. I gave birth to him! He’s mine!” Michelle screams.
*****
“Hey, Gabe, that was quite some news that your father dumped on us.” Gabe, sitting on his bed, looks up at Sarah, tears in his eyes.
“I don’t want to leave. I can’t simply quit classes, school, friends… I just got my life back in order… I still miss mom… but I can handle it now… This is unfair. So unfair.”
“I agree, which is why I think I may have an idea, that, if you agree with my plan, I will put to Joe.”
“What is your plan?” Gabe asks.
“My plan is that you stay here with me.”
“Here?”
“Yes. I had your former room converted to a guest-room, when it became clear that you weren’t going to come here anymore… I can’t see any reason, why you couldn’t reclaim the place for yourself once more?”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. We’ll take what we need from your room at Joe and Paula’s. I don’t know what he’ll do with the house, but if he plans to stay in Arizona, he’ll have to sell it.” Gabe nods that he agrees. “So, what do you think?”
“If dad would agree with this, it would be great!” Gabe replies, suddenly looking less sad. “Do you think he’ll accept this?”
“Well, there’s only one way to find out, and that is by finding him and talking to him about this.” Sarah answers cheerfully and she pulls Gabe up from the bed.
*****
“Justin, is it really this important?” Tyler warns. “Because I’m rather busy and if you’re just taking me aside for some kissing and cuddling, I won’t be very happy with that.”
“Tyler, this is serious. Can we talk in your office?” Justin does seem very nervous and Tyler starts to fear the worst.
“What happened?” She asks, the moment they enter the her office.
“I got a call from Mike this morning... He wanted to talk to me.”
“About what?”
“About divorcing you.”
“What?”
“He.... Tyler, this isn’t easy for me to say, but Mike is willing to sign the divorce papers and get it all over with... for a price.”
“A price?”
“He wants me to pay him $ 100.000 to sign on the dotted line.”
“What!?”
“Tyler, it’s not like I can’t afford it....”
“You’re not going to give a cent to that bastard.” Tyler answers angrily.
“If it will get him out of our lives...” Justin points out.
“No.” Tyler shakes her head.
“... He can go on postponing this until he’s tired of his games... which may take years...”
“I said ‘no’.” Tyler repeats. “Not a cent. Nothing. Never!”
“Tyler, I want a future with you.... maybe marriage, children... Eventually?... But he’s like a bad rash that just keeps coming back to us and make us itch. I want him out of lives...”
“I want that too, but not by giving him money. He doesn’t deserve that.”
“I wouldn’t mind doing it for you.” Justin says softly. “I love you and I want us to be together.”
“And I love you, but I’m not for sale and if there’s anyone who will not make money because of me, it will be my ex.”
“I said I’d call him back... So what do I tell him?” Justin asks. Tyler walks up to him and wraps her arms around Justin.
“Just suggest another meeting.. I will go with you and I will personally give him the answer he doesn’t want to hear.” Tyler smiles.
*****
“I don’t think we should be here.” Cooper says, feeling uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry, the old man who own this house is gone. I saw him drive away and he’s not back yet.”
“That doesn’t make it right to break into his shed.” Cooper states.
“Scaredy cat.” Roddy teases.
“I’m not. I’m not scared. This is just wrong.”
“We’re not doing anything wrong, we’re just looking around a bit.” Roddy says, but Cooper isn’t so sure of that.
Roddy tells him once more that he should relax and Cooper tries to do just that. Whomever this shed belongs to, it’s a pretty place and well stocked on tools, all neatly on display, ready to be taken and Cooper vows that if ever he gets a shed this big, he’ll be just as neat to it as this place is.
“What a bunch of arrogant geeks.” Roddy remarks and Cooper looks at him.
“What do you mean?”
“See this place? Everything so nice and tidy. What a bunch of show-offs.”
“They are not showing off. You broke into their shed...” Cooper points out.
His words are followed by a loud crashing sound. A tool-box has fallen on the ground, its content spread all over the floor.
“What are you doing?” Cooper asks horrified.
“That will teach them.”
“Teach them what? Do you know these people?”
“Don’t have to. I saw them leave, worthless old people, who deserve what they are about to get.”
“What do you mean?”
Roddy grabs the jerry-can that says ‘gasoline’ and empties it on the floor. He lights a match and throws it on the floor as well. Cooper gets pushed back by the immediate heat as the fumes cause something of a small explosion and the gasoline starts to burn. Roddy shoves him away out the door.
“Let’s get out of here!” He yells and he grabs Cooper by the arm as he pushes them out of the shed, that is now starting to take fire. They run away, but not that far that Roddy can’t make them stop and watch his work. Cooper is shocked, horrified and confused. He doesn’t mind a prank or a joke, but this is too much for him.
“Are you crazy..?” He asks, out of breath. “Why did you do that? What did these people to you?”
“They exist!” Roddy answers coldly, fascinated by the flames that start to lick at the outside of the shed.
Cooper shakes his head. This is wrong, too wrong on so many levels. With a disgusted look on his face, he slowly backs away from Roddy. Roddy sees it.
“Coop? What’s wrong?”
“You destroyed someone else’s possessions for fun?”
“Come on, Coop. We’re friends. We should stand by each other.”
“Don’t call me Coop. And you’re not my friend... I never want to see you again.” Cooper says and he turns around and runs away. Behind him he can Roddy call his name, but Cooper is the faster runner and he runs straight back home.
*****
The elevator doors open and Jason steps on the 5th floor of the June-Flower. He takes a deep breath. If there is something eerie about the floor, even when there was an entire crew filming here, it certainly was spooky to walk here alone. Letting Chad’s security-card tap between his fingers, Jason walks over to Chad’s dressing-room.
The silence is heavy and the hair on Jason’s starts to stand up, as he feels watched. He reaches out to the doorknob, expecting resistance, but the door opens easily.
“It’s all just in your mind, Jason.” He tells himself softly. He opens the door and enters Chad’s room.
There are clothes all over the place and it takes a few moments for him to find the right jacket and Chad’s wallet. He puts it in his pocket. He’s so focused on it, that the door slamming closed behind him scares him half to death. He gets up and walks to the door. He remembers what happened the last time and the slammind doors start to make him nervous.
But he tries to open it anyway and it moves immediately. ‘
“Jason, get over yourself.” Jason scolds himself. He hears heavy footsteps in the corridor and lets out a sigh of relief. Of course, someone else came on the same floor, causing some draft that made the door close.
He steps out of the room, ready to meet whoever is there, explaining what he’s doing here, but he’s all alone in the long corridor. The air seems to be even heavier now and Jason feels as if someone is slowly cutting off his oxygen. He tries to blink away the feeling that he’s about to pass out.
His heartbeat goes up. There’s an unmistaken feeling of terror coming over him, even though he doesn’t quite understand what it is that should scare him so. He tries to get to the elevator-door, knowing deep inside that the elevator means safety, but it’s like walking through deep water.
He’s hardly moving forward even though he throws every bit of energy into it. Something seems to pull him back, it wants him further away from the elevator, deeper into the hallway. Gasping for breath, Jason falls to the ground, sweat is forming on his back, he feels exhausted, he can’t breathe, he’s choking. There is smoke entering the hall-way.
That must be it. There must be some fire somewhere. He must be breathing in some toxic gas... He hears the heavy footsteps again... Maybe it’s someone from the fire-department.... He can hardly keep his eyes open. A black figure walks up to him. Footsteps. Closing in. Closer.
He tries to lift his head, his throat is dry, he opens his mouth, he wants to scream for help, there’s no noise. Through the smoke he sees the person approach him. He can almost feel the footsteps. They however don’t stop for Jason. Jason feels an intense cold as the darkness passes through him and that is when he loses consciousness.
*****
End of part 3/4
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