Fated

by T. L. McDonald

  Back then I didn’t know whether to trust or not trust Officer Jensen. On one hand, he appeared to know what was happening to me and he was my only lead to figuring it out. And on the other hand, he wasn’t making any effort to clue me in at all. Granted, Detective Henderson was with him the first time and Adam was there the second, but couldn’t he have found some way to pull me off to the side and say, ‘Hey about that symbol on your wrist, I know what it means’, instead of letting me think I was losing my mind?

  Will says I can trust him, but Will also said I could trust Zoe, and we all know how that turned out.

  I try not to, but I can’t keep myself from looking at her now, sleeping soundlessly stretched out along the pew beside Eric. She looks innocent in sleep, nothing at all like the monster I’ve seen her be. Guess it’s true—looks can be deceiving.

  Unwanted memories of the things she’s done spring forward and I find myself studying Will’s neck for any lingering signs of where she made me strangle him. Bruising, fingerprints, anything at all, but of course there’s nothing there because of the whole rapid healing thing. Still, I picture them there anyway and it only makes me hate her more.

  Looking at Will, her twin, her complete opposite, I wonder how it is they can even be related. Where he is loyal and protective of the one’s he cares for and loves; Zoe is not. He values human life; she could care less. He would die for his friends; she sets them up to get killed. Hell, last night she physically assaulted him, her own brother, and then tried to make me kill him. Adam would never do anything like that.

  Eric watches me as I sit down beside Will across from him and Zoe. I try my best to ignore her lying there. It’s pretty much impossible considering she’s basically right in my face. Forcing myself to tear my gaze away I clench my hands at my sides to keep myself from strangling her in her sleep. I hate her and I hope Will never wakes her up.

  “I told Eric about Jared,” Will says breaking the silence between us. “He thinks that since Blondie thinks Jared’s dead he should be relatively safe so long as we keep him hidden.”

  I glance over at Jared; he’s graduated to opening the box though he hasn’t taken anything out. Hopefully, it’s not all water logged and ruined from my unplanned swim in the lake. I turn back to Will. “Keep him hidden how?”

  “I think we should move him to The Compound,” Eric says in a way that suggests the decisions already been made.

  “What’s 'The Compound'?” I don’t like the idea of Jared being moved anywhere let alone to someplace called The Compound. It just sounds creepy.

  “That’s just what we call our training grounds. Though it's really more like a campus. We have a boarding school, training centers, dorms, you know that sort of thing. All recruits go there before becoming official members of The Order. It’s heavily protected so Jared will be safe there, I promise,” Will assures me.

  “So long as Blondie continues to think he’s dead that is, which means, everyone else will have to think he’s dead too.” Eric watches me as his words sink in.

  “You want Jared to fake his death? For how long?" I shake my head. "How would that even work? You know what, never mind, because I know he won’t do it.”

  “Won’t do what?” Jared asks from behind my back nearly startling me to death. He moves from behind the pew to come around and sit beside me. Looking back and forth between Will, Eric, and me, he waits for an answer.

  “They want you to fake your death,” I blurt out. “And then hide out at ‘The Compound’.”

  “Why?” Jared asks with a voice that’s dead calm. It’s like all his emotions have been sucked out and he’s just some robot version of himself. If someone suggested I fake my own death I’d be like, Hell no. Not to mention completely freaked out at the implications of what it would do to my family and friends.

  “To keep you safe," Eric answers. "Blondie has to believe you are truly dead and the only way to do that is if everyone else believes it too.” Jared nods like he completely understands and I am so completely stunned that for several moments I forget to breathe.

  Jared can’t possibly be considering this. I mean, yeah, to have Blondie off our back for a while would be great, but not like this. His mom, (probably not Brad the evil step dad), his friends, everyone that knows him will be completely heartbroken. There’s no way he would do that to them. I study his face finding nothing except a blank emotionless mask. Would he?

  “I’ll do it,” Jared says. Eric looks relieved. Will looks everywhere except at me. And I—I don’t even know what I am—in shock maybe. How could Jared even consider this as an option?

  “What about your mom?” I ask hoping to make him see how insane this is. “Thinking that you’re dead will destroy her.”

  Jared looks me straight in the eye. “She’s not my mom.”

  She’s not my mom. How could he say that? She’s the one who raised him. The one who takes care of him when he’s sick, who packs him lunches for school. She’s the one who was there when he took his first steps, when he said his first words, when he finally passed his driver’s test after failing twice. She’s the one who read him bedtime stories as a kid and checked for monsters under his bed. How could he ever say she’s not his mom? Of course she’s his mom. And he is her son. Why can’t he see that? Why is he letting some stupid prophecy distort everything he knows to be true about himself?

  “I need to talk to you.” Probably a little more forcibly than necessary, I grab ahold of his arm hauling him to his feet. I don’t let go until we’re standing in the overgrown grass behind the church. I’m so angry with him for being so stupid I have to shove my hands in my pockets to keep myself from smacking him. Then again maybe I should smack him. Maybe it’ll knock some sense back into him.

  Jared plucks a long strand of grass from the ground at his feet. Ignoring me he twists it around and around his finger until he can’t any longer. Unraveling it, he starts all over. Over and over he does this without ever saying a word or looking at me.

  The urge to smack him grows stronger.

  “Jared, please tell me you’re not serious about faking your death and that what you said in there was just a temporary lapse of sanity. After finding out what you found out, I get you’re confused, scared, and maybe even angry, I don’t know. But what I do know is that you’re not thinking clearly. The Jared I know would never say Karen isn’t his mom. Yes, granted, if you’re getting technical she didn’t give birth to you, but so what, it doesn’t change the fact that she’s your mom in all the ways that matter. She loves you Jared and I know you love her.” I yank the blade of grass from his hand, forcing him to pay attention. “You can’t do this to her.”

  “I’m not her son anymore Hanna. I can’t be.” His words are hollow, holding no emotion of any kind. It’s like there’s nothing left inside of him and he’s nothing more than an empty shell of who he used to be. He plucks another blade of grass, goes back to twisting it around his finger.

  I smack him hard across the face hoping for a reaction, any kind of reaction, because this zombie Jared is really starting to scare the bejeezus out of me. A red handprint flares to life on his cheek. His hand automatically covers the welt, but his eyes remain vacant and lost. I smack him again and again anywhere I can. He makes no move to defend himself.

  Tears roll down my face, dripping off my chin. I don’t know what to do. He’s locked himself so far down, so deep inside, I’m not sure how to reach him. Smacking the hell out of him didn’t work; maybe rationalization can—if he listens.

  I turn his face towards me searching his eyes for any sign he’s still there somewhere. “Jared. Please don’t check out on me. I know this is hard and you’re lost, but you don’t have to be. I’m here with you and I’m telling you, you can fight this. This prophecy can’t change or define you unless you let it. So don’t.” Something shifts in his green eyes. “Remember who you are Jared. Remember for you, remember for your family, and remember for me, because I need you.”

  Taking
a chance I kiss him. His lips are soft and motionless. I pull back just a little whispering his name, pleading for him to fight. Minutes tick by in slow agony until finally his eyes lock onto mine and in them, I finally see him. I kiss him again. He kisses me back. My heart beats faster as his arms go around my waist pulling me closer.

  Moments later we pull apart breathless. Keeping me close he rests his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry. It’s just—all of this—it's a lot to process and I..."

  “I know.” I wipe a tear from his cheek. “Just promise me you won’t turn into Zombie Jared again because Zombie Jared was so not cool.”

  The corner of his mouth draws up just a little. “I don’t deserve you.”

  “I know,” I say with a teasing smile. He almost laughs. “But you’re stuck with me anyway and together we’ll get through this. You just have to have faith. Now let’s go back in there and tell Eric you’re not going to fake your death.” Pulling away I grab his hand to take him with me.

  “I’m still going to go through with it.”

  Turning back to face him I drop his hand. “What do you mean you’re still going to go through with it? Haven’t you been listening to what I’ve been saying?”

  “I heard every word Hanna, but this is still the right decision. I might be me for right now, but how long is that going to last? According to Emily’s journal all of my unknown powers will manifest when I turn eighteen. Who will I be then? Will I still be me? Will I be better? Will I be worse? Will it be determined right then and there what side I’ll be on? I don’t know the answers to any of these questions and neither do you. It’s safer for my mom, for everyone, if I’m not around when whatever happens, happens.”

  “So you do still consider yourself Karen’s son then?” If I can just make him hold onto this, make him realize how much faking his death is going to hurt her, maybe he’ll change his mind. Maybe he won’t go through with it.

  Jared sighs loudly. “Yes, Karen is my mom in all the ways that are important, I heard what you said, but what you need to understand is that I can’t be her son anymore because it’s what’s best for her. I know you want to believe I can fight fate and stay who I am now and I really want to believe that too, but we have to face the facts. Who my birth parents are, this prophecy, it’s going to change everything about me in way’s we can’t even begin to know.”

  “Maybe it will, maybe it won’t. We don’t know. Which is why I think faking your death is a bit extreme. Doesn’t it bother you at all how this is going to affect everyone else? Me, your family, your friends, no one will go untouched by this. So just think about it and I mean really think about it before you decide because if you do this Jared, there will be no undoing it. Do you understand that? You won’t be able to take it back.” Taking both his hands in mine I stand before him hoping he’ll see where I’m coming from. “There has to be something else we can do, anything else, just not this, not death. Please Jared, there has to be a better way.”

  “I wish there were.” He gives my hands a small squeeze; to comfort him or comfort me I don’t know. “I know it’s going to be hard on everyone, especially my mom, though I doubt Brad the Evil Step Dad will care much.” Seeing I’m not amused by the Brad comment he continues. “It really is breaking my heart to do this Hanna, but it’s better than the alternative. If I stay, Blondie will know I’m alive and who knows what he’ll do to get to me. Eric’s right. If everyone thinks I’m dead, then everyone stays safe.”

  There’s logic in what he’s saying and I hate it because I don’t want to accept it. In fact, every fiber of my being wants to reject it, even if it’s the right thing to do because I can’t stand the thought of it. I can’t stand the thought of seeing his mom mourn him, of seeing his friends mourn him, of me having to pretend to mourn him. I don’t want to do this. I don’t want him to do this. “Please Jared don’t do this. If Blondie finds out about you we’ll find a way to stop him. I’ll stop him. He’s going to find out eventually anyway so just…just don’t okay? Please, just don’t.”

  “Hanna, I have to and you’re going to have to let me. This is the right move to make and on some level you know it’s true. It’s the best way to keep everyone I care about safe. We have no idea what Blondie’s plans are for me, but I can guarantee, whatever they are, they aren’t good. And yes, eventually Blondie’s probably going to figure out I’m not dead, but for now, with this plan, we’ve got the upper hand and we have to take advantage of that.” His eyes search my face looking for any sign I’ll relent and agree. I don’t want to. What I want to do is scream at the top of my lungs that this isn’t the way, but what would be the point? He’s clearly made up his mind and nothing I can say or do is going to change it.

  “Fine. But I don’t like it. In fact, I absolutely hate it. And if you’re going to do this, then you have to promise me some things. You have to promise that no matter what you’re not going to give up. Promise me you’re going to fight. Promise me we’re in this together and when it’s all over you’re going to miraculously come back from the dead. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  “So how exactly is this going to work again?” I ask.

  Eric sighs loudly, clearly irritated with me because I’ve already had him repeat the plan twice now. Too bad, he’s just going to have to get over it and repeat it as many times as I want because if I’m going to do this, then I want to be absolutely sure of what my part in this stupid plan is.

  Will glances at his watch for about the millionth time while Jared does nothing but stare at the silver box. Lost in his own world, Jared spins the box around and around in his hands, catching and reflecting a rainbow of colors from the sunlight shining through the stained glass windows.

  Eric runs his hands down over his face before leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He looks tired. We all do. “For the third time.” He gives me a pointed look and I get the feeling he’d like to say something else to me other than a repeat of the plan from hell. “The woods already show signs of a struggle so there’s not much else we need to do to stage the scene other than add some of Jared’s blood,” Eric begins. Apparently, when I healed Jared last night, I totally healed him by returning all the blood that had been lost as though it never happened, which is a big deal because not even Will can do that, nor any other healer in The Order.

  “We won’t need a lot, just enough to cause concern if he’s not treated,” Eric continues. “We’ll leave Jared’s Jeep abandoned where it is for the officials to find. When Will is questioned, he’ll say he was with you and Jared until eight pm at which time all of you left your house. When you’re questioned Hanna, you will say after Will left, you and Jared decided to go for a hike where you stumble upon a drug deal. The dealers threaten the both of you, so you run without getting a good look at their faces. While running, you and Jared are separated. You get lost. You lose your phone. By morning you find your way out where I discover you walking along the side of the road. I pick you up and take you to the station where you fill out a report. Afterwards we’ll have no contact for a few days to let things settle.”

  Leaning back, Eric rakes a hand over his short black hair then glances at his watch. “My shift starts in a few hours so if everyone,” He gazes at me with annoyed blue eyes, “understands the plan, then we need to get a move on.” I nod. He stands, pulling out a set of keys from his pocket.

  “What about her?” I ask pointing at Zoe. Please say we’re not bringing her with us. I don’t think I can stand to be in the same vehicle as her. Comatose or not.

  “There’s a cot in one of the rooms in the back of the church,” Will says. “I can move her back there for now.” Scooping her up in his arms with ease, he stares at her face with so many emotions playing against his own. After what she did I hate her, but my heart aches for Will because he can’t. No matter the evil things she’s done, she’s still his sister, his twin, and he loves her. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must be like, ho
w much it must hurt, to love someone who betrayed you so deeply.

  ***

  Once Zoe’s safely tucked away we split up, Jared and I with Eric in his SUV and Will on his own, following close behind on his motorcycle. Most of the ride passes by in silence with Jared spending the majority of the time staring at the silver box in his hand and me attempting to keep myself from freaking out without much success.

  Actually, I’m failing miserably and it’s only getting worse as we pass by Jared’s yellow Jeep and turn off onto some road that’s so overgrown with vegetation it’s hard to tell that it’s even there. In fact, all the panic I’ve been trying so hard to suppress is pretty close to making good on its threat to claw its way back up, and I’m seriously about to explode into a total meltdown of epic proportions if we continue driving any further into the woods towards this stupid plan of Jared faking his death. I don’t want Jared to do this.

  I don’t want to do this.

  We come to a stop at a metal gate blocking the road and Eric gets out of the vehicle. Maybe it’s a sign that this is a bad idea, that this plan is no good and we need to come up with something else. Anything else. Unlocking the chain wrapped around the gate Eric removes it then pushes the gate wide open. I sit back in the seat, my shoulders slumping. Getting back behind the wheel Eric drives us through. Out the back window I watch as Will relocks the gate.

  We drive a few minutes longer until I can’t take the jittering of my nerves any longer. “Where are we going?” I ask.