Virtual Dimension- Chapter 3

Chapter III
Never the Same

Jack and Sara returned to their boring lives at school. Jack’s day went from somewhat cool physics, to awesome history, to people who hate him gym, to study hall, to who cares English, to stop bothering me dumb people Spanish, to lunch, to Jazz, to easy to follow Calculus.
Jack and Sara had many classes together and they talked the day after in calculus. “Hey, Jack,” Sara said after stifling a yawn before class had begun.
“Hey Sara,” Jack said. “Take a look at this.” He pulled up his shirt slightly to reveal a very large bruise along his ribs. It was nearly six inches in diameter along the entire side of his ribs.
“Woah,” she said trying to stifle a laugh. “How’d you do that?”
“I don’t know,” he said letting go of his shirt. “I found it there when I changed clothes for gym. Its definitely real, an idiot in my class… Ryan,” he ended with a fake cough. “He hit me in the ribs real good.”
“Hmm, do you think-,” she stopped as an idea came to her. “Hey Jack, did we ever take off those suits?”
“Not that I remember,” Jack said thinking. “No, we didn’t. I can’t feel it, so what happened?”
“I don’t know,” she said as the bell to begin class rang. “If we can find the other winners maybe we can find out something from them.”
“I’ve been looking all day,” he said as she walked towards her seat. “I didn’t find any one. We should talk after school online.”
“Deal,” she said taking out the weekend’s homework. Jack slapped himself in the forehead, how could he forget the homework? He pulled out the sheet and relaxed, he had finished it in class on Friday.
After a lot of talking from Mr. Regalds about how a falling apple is going to be the turning point of your final exam. You will pass or fail, depending on how much you understand about that apple. The bell rang and Jack quickly stuffed everything into his backpack and quickly left.
As he was walking to his locker, Ms. Ligal his student councilor called out to him, “Jack Rosen, can I see you in here for a minute?”
Jack never was in trouble, except for the one time with the cops… He didn’t talk about. So he wasn’t too worried, so he entered the classroom with her and she turned to face him, “Mr. Hilenderz told me you have a nasty bruise. Did it happen here?”
Of course, Jack thought, the gym teacher was worried about me being bruised. “No, Ms. Ligal,” Jack said, shaking his head. “I know it sounds dumb, but I don’t know how I got it.”
“Don’t worry Jack,” she said in a calm voice. “There are many teens here who don’t like smart kids, now I won’t tell the guilty party you told me.”
“But I already told you, I don’t know how it got there, it was there at the beginning of gym class.”
“Alright Jack, that’s all I wanted to know,” she opened the door for him and he stepped out into the thinning hallway. He had to hurry or else he would miss the bus. He decided just to leave his coat in his locker. It was May after all.
He got home at about 2:45 and went into the living room. Daniel was there, playing Lost Years of The Dragon. “Hi, bro,” Daniel said; without looking, yet still pushing the other controller perfectly into position where Jack always sat. “Want to play against me?”
“Sure,” he said picking up the controller as he sat. “I’ll tell you about Virtu-Dome while we do.”
He told Daniel everything whenever it wasn’t his turn. It was a 30-second per turn strategy game, thus requiring some concentration. Daniel won when he got a lucky critical with his Deathscythe and killed Jack’s strongest dragon.
“Good battles,” Daniel said, turning to Jack. “You fought well for not doing any fighting before, except in video games, but that requires no movement, at the Virtu-Dome I mean.”
“Yes, now I need to find the other winners and ask them about the suits they gave us.”
“You said you never gave them back?”
“Yes, and look at this,” Jack lifted up his shirt to reveal his bruise.
“Ouch, did you fall out of bed onto your saxophone?” Daniel said with a knowing chuckle.
“No, and you know it’s a trombone, not a sax. It’s a mystery how it got there.”
“Oh, crap!” Jack said looking at the time, “I told Sara that I would talk to her online.” He ran into the computer room. The computer was already on. He quickly got online, well quickly for his computer, and Sara was already there.
“You’re late, I was about to get off,” Sara said as soon as they connected.
“Sorry,” he said shifting in his chair, “I was telling Daniel what happened yesterday.”
“Oh sure,” Sara said rolling her eyes, “you have to rub it in to him that you won and he didn’t. We don’t even know how this will work. Do we wonder aimlessly or will we have quests and a goal?””
“No, he didn’t even enter,” he said defensively. “Unless he tried something behind my back. The other question I don’t know. My guess is it will be like what happened when we were there, just on a large or numerous scale.”
“Whatever. Did you find out anything about the other winners?” She asked. “We know we can’t be the only one’s.”
“No,” he said thinking, “neither does Daniel. All he could think of to say was ’Hail Goblinbane and Spidersquasher!’”
“Love that sarcasm, eh?” Sara said with a slight laugh. “I haven’t found anyone either. I wonder if we’ll ever find them before the summer.”
“I’m thinking of walking down to the grocery store for my grandmother soon, can I pick you up? I need someone to talk me out of buying things I know she doesn’t need.” She looked nervous. Why would she be nervous asking this, Jack thought. She’s not asking me on a date, so what’s up?
“Sure, when?” He asked, surprised by the question even after he thought about it.
“I’ll be there in an hour.” She logged off.
“Alright Daniel,” Jack said reentering the living room. “Let’s see you get that lucky again.”
“Sorry,” Daniel said, “I can’t battle you, but you can help me beat some of Glashar’s minions.” He joined into the battle already in progress and crushed the computer’s minions with his favorite weapon, but it had a dorky name, Flaming Rod of Deadly Prettiness.
They continued to play for about a half-hour, when they turned it off. “Come on,” Daniel said to him questioningly, “how could you have been bruised so badly?”
“I’m still trying to figure it out myself,” Jack said rubbing his side gently. “The only thing I can come up with is I fell asleep on the way to school and some idiot punched me.”
“Not likely,” Daniel said. “Don’t call me crazy, but didn’t you get hit at the dome?”
“Yeah, by a virtual arrow and a virtual stone, they would have hurt if they had caused this.”
“Just an idea,” Daniel said. “You did say it was malfunctioning. Anyway, I need to go to the new department store that just opened, some new ACE Hardware, or something and get some more duct tape for dad.”
“Okay, Sara’s picking me up soon anyway, I’ll leave a note for the both of us.” Jack said opening the pencil drawer in the nightstand.
“Later,” Daniel said leaving. Before the door was fully closed he added. “Say ‘hi’ to your girlfriend for me.”
“She not my-,“ but he was already gone. Jack watched him walk to the end of the driveway and turn left. He grabbed a scrap piece of paper from the top of the China cabinet. He wrote:

Mom,

Daniel went to ACE to get some duct tape for dad. Sara needs me to go with her to the grocery store and get some things for her grandmother. It’s 3:30 now and Sara should be here around 3:45. I should be home by 5:00. I have my cell phone if you need me.

Jack

That would do. He left it on the table and sat at a chair at the kitchen table, waiting. The phone began to ring.
Jack got up and picked it up. “Hello,” he said, “this is Jack Rosen.”
“Hi, this is Mary from Auto Reasoning. Is Robert Rosen there?”
“No, but he’s my father. Isn’t he there?” He asked.
“No, he was supposed to be here five hours ago and we haven’t heard from him.” He heard some shuffling of papers on the other end.
“I’m sorry, but he leaves after I leave for school. I’ll check upstairs.”
“Thank you,” she said as he put the phone down. Jack walked up the stairs. “Dad, are you here?”
He looked in the bathroom. Only Tom was there, napping in his favorite corner. The shaving cream was out, but the sink didn’t have dad’s hair on it like it normally did.
He knocked on the bedroom door, no answer. He looked inside. There was no one there, except for a moth that had flown in the open window.
He went downstairs and picked up the phone again. “Sorry,” he said, “but he’s not here.”
“Well, then it seems no one knows where he is.” He heard someone shouting on the other end. It didn’t sound pleasant. “Oh, I’m sorry. He’s been found, thanks for looking.”
“Okay, bye,” he hung up the phone. Dad never was late for work. What happened? He heard a car pull into the driveway and a honk. He pushed his feet into his shoes and went outside.
It was Sara, in her own 2000 Mustang. He ran up to the car and tried to open the passenger’s door. It was stuck. Sara rolled down the window. “Sorry, its been jammed, just climb in the window or climb in back.”
“This’ll be fun,” he said. He sat on the ledge of the window space and threw his legs into the car. He slipped in and fastened the seat belt. “At least the seat belt works.”
“Yep, that’s the last thing to break, if you’re lucky.” She shifted into reverse and pulled out of the driveway.
It was only a twelve-minute ride to the store and they were pretty quiet. After ten minutes of silence, Sara said, “I really wanted you to come along because…”
“Because?” Jack looked at her after a brief silence.
“I’m going to take the civilian ranking test today. I’m nervous.” The civilian ranking test was a test in which anyone who was in high school could take it. The top rank won a scholarship worth $5,000.
“Really? Do you think you have a chance?” She had always been in advanced courses, but she was never at the top of the class.
“For some reason, yes. I think the Virtu-Dome has made me more confident. I’m also hoping that it will be a subject that I know.” She said turning onto the road the store was on.
“Good luck. The only thing I seem to be after the Virtu-Dome is bruised.” They both laughed.
They finished the trip in silence. Sara pulled into the store and parked near the entrance. “I’ve got $40. Don’t let me try to spend any more than that.” They got out and locked the car. Jack looked at the car and thought the insurance money would be worth more if it were stolen.
Jack walked along; basically nodding and shaking his head whenever they came across something Grandma ‘had to have.’ They checked out and got back in the car.
“That was good.” Sara said getting in the driver’s seat. “I only spent $33. I need to take you with me more often.”
“Thanks, I’d be glad to.” He said, climbing in the window again. Jack put on his seat belt. He thought $33 was a lot, but no need to say it out loud.
“I just thought of something,“ she said turning the car on. “We don’t even know if the other winners are from around here.”
“Yeah, well I’m pretty sure Jennifer Regal’s son lives in Nevada.”
“I wonder if he’d find it worth it to come here to North Carolina.” She said pulling out.
“Probably not, but one of the winners was coming by plane when it crashed. They probably came from far away.”
“I’m confused about this whole thing. What really happened? How could they not know what happened to us inside the dome?” She swerved to pass a car turning left.
“Why are we going… Oh, the civilian ranking test. Where is it?”
“It’s at town hall,” she said making a right. “Why don’t you take it too?”
“Why not?” He said with a slight laugh.
They drove for about 20 minutes and then pulled into the town hall parking lot. They climbed out.
They went in and signed up. “You’re in room 170B, the cafeteria. Enjoy the test and good luck.”
The cafeteria looked like an average cafeteria from a school. There were many open seats and they sat on opposite sides of the table.
“No cheating off of me,” Jack said as they began to distribute the test.
“It was total coincidence we both got the same question wrong and a 96 on that test.” She said lightly hitting her fist on the table.
“Oh that’s right. No not that test, but the one before it, I’m sorry. If you’re going to cheat at least get a question wrong, so it’s not exactly the same.”
“I didn’t cheat, so just shut up,” she said picking up a test.
Jack picked up his test and looked at it. He was in luck! This semester’s was on Social Studies.
He flipped open and looked at the first question. Why was the Bay of Pigs important? It was a Cuban independence movement that humiliated the US when it failed.
The next question. What is the name of the independence leader of India during Britain’s rule of the country? He wrote Mohandus Iggy.
Wait Iggy? Why did he write that? He shook his head and erased it, but his pencil had no eraser. He pulled another pencil out of his pocket and erased it; he always carried pencils with him. It wouldn’t come off! He just crossed it out and wrote Ghandi.
He looked at the next question. Who is the president of Virtu-Dome? Wait a minute he rubbed his eyes. He read it again. What wall came down in 1981 ending the Cold War? The Berlin Leah. Gosh darn it! Get it together, he thought. He crossed it out and wrote The Berlin Wall.
Why are you taking this dumb test? He put his head in his hands. His mind was playing games with him. He couldn’t help it. He tapped his head on the table to try and clear it. He looked again. Honestly, why?
He got up and went to the bathroom. He splashed water onto his face. “What’s going on?” He asked himself, staring into a mirror. There was a little green dot of soap on the mirror he tried to scratch it off, but it wasn’t on the mirror.
He looked behind him. There was nothing but urinals. He looked back at the mirror. The green dot had moved to the handle of a urinal. He looked again, nothing but white.
“I’m going nuts,” he said turning back around. He looked at the mirror.
Iggy was sitting on his shoulders!
He gave a slight yelp and jumped. He looked at his shoulders, but Iggy wasn’t there. “Yep, nuts.” The green dot was gone from the mirror.
Another man walked in. “Are you okay? You’ve been in here for nearly a half-hour.”
“Really, woah!” It hadn’t seemed anywhere near that long. He walked back out and picked up his test. It was already filled out!
He looked at Sara who was still working on hers. He handed it in; trusting whomever it was and walked out back to the main foyer.
He sat down on one of the oaken benches in the foyer. It groaned under his weight. The groan escalated until it sounded like an angry growl. He looked at where he was sitting.
He was sitting on Leah!
He jumped up. He looked again at the bench. It was made of oak again. “Are you all right, sir?” The receptionist asked.
“I hope so, but I’m seeing things.” He sat on the bench again. It groaned again, but stayed a bench.
He waited there for a half-hour when Sara came out. “What happened to you?”
Jack shrugged, “I don’t know. My mind wasn’t clear, so I went to the bathroom. It seemed like two minutes, but it seems I was in there for a half-hour. The test was filled out when I came back and I’ve waited here since.”
“What?” She asked laughing, “no one filled out the rest of your test. It probably was nearly blank.”
“I tell you, somebody filled it out.” He looked at the bench he had just been sitting on. “Take a seat here.”
“Why? That’s dumb,” she said laughing.
“Just do it,” he said. She sat down and it groaned.
“It made a sound. I’m so amazed,” she rolled her eyes as she got up.
“No, when I sat on it looked like I was sitting on Leah!” He tapped the bench it was definitely wooden.
“Right, how about we get you home.”
He looked at the clock at the reception desk. It was 5:15. “My mom’s expecting me, like now.” They got up and went out to the car.
Jack searched the parking lot for Sara’s car. Instead he found a giant spider! “Sara, look!” He said pointing at it.
“Yes Jack, its my car. You are freaking talented.” She was starting to sound annoyed. He blinked and the spider was now Sara’s car.
“But, it was just…” he couldn’t find any words.
“Okay Jack, let’s just get you home. I think you hit your head the same time you got that bruise.” They climbed into the car and drove away.
Jack stared out the window. What’s happening to me? He thought. I’m seeing things that can’t be there. A giant spider, Iggy, and Leah are all unreal. They can’t be here, so why am I seeing them?
He opened the window slightly and breathed in the fresh air. “You’re acting really weird,” Sara said.
“I know, but I’m seeing things. Your car was a giant spider, Sara. The test was asking me bogus questions…” He let himself trail off.
“Its okay Jack. We’re almost to your house and you can rest.” Suddenly a car pulled out in front of her and she swerved to avoid it in a screech of brakes.
Another car pulled in front and they were trapped, but unhurt. “What the frick!” She said. She looked at a man getting out of the car in front of them. ”Jack get out, now!”
A gunshot went off and they both got out of the car. Sara was able to step out, but Jack had to belly flop out of the car onto the road. Another gunshot went off behind them. “Sara, duck!” They both huddled behind the car as 3 men began to open fire. They laughed as their shots didn’t hit the two teenagers, but they heard the bullets slamming into the car.
Jack tried to glance out and see the people, but a bullet whisked by his face, stinging his nose. He pulled back.
“Jack!” Sara yelled. ”Your nose!” He put his hand to the pain and found that his hand came away red.
“Lovely, what did we do?” He asked getting right next to her behind the car.
“I don’t know, someone please help!” Sara shouted, trying to be heard over the gunfire.
The men just laughed and continued to fire. There was a loud rush of air as a tire was punctured.
Suddenly the gunfire from their left stopped. “What the hell is that thing?” A man with a very gruff voice said.
“I don’t know.” Another voice yelled as the shooting on the right side stopped. Neither Sara nor Jack dared to look.
“Don’t just stand there,” a man from the right said, “shoot it!”
The gunfire resumed, but it was no longer aimed at them. A loud roar echoed and the gunfire slowed on the left side “Geez, look what it did to Bennie! What the hell is this thing?”
“I’m not waiting to find out!” The man from the right said. His door opened and shut and he peeled out.
“Wait, Henry. You can’t leave me with Bennie’s killer!” The firing started again, but now it was aimed at the leaving car. There was a loud hiss of air and the car went smashing into a telephone pole.
Another loud roar echoed through the strangely empty streets. “Help!” The final man screamed, “I’m being att-“ his voice was cut off.
Jack peeked around the corner of the car. “Sara look quick!”
She slowly got up and looked through her now broken windows. A lioness stared back at her with a golden stare. “Leah?” She said in a weak voice.
The lioness gave a nod. Jack looked at her, she was different somehow. “Sara,” he said, “I’m no expert on lionesses, but doesn’t she look a lot fatter to you?”
“Yes, she does. Leah you’re not pregnant are you?” The lioness rolled her eyes, a very odd look for a lioness. She gave a great leap over their assailants’ car. She never landed she simply vanished in mid-air.
“What was that?” Jack asked. He looked at his shoulders. There was no sign of Iggy.
“I think a hologram just saved our lives.” She said. “Maybe you’re not nuts after all.” They heard sirens in the distance. “Guess we won’t be going anywhere for a while.”
“Yeah, how do we explain those missing 2 guys?” Jack moved to pretend he was in a questioning chair. “Yes officer. I was behind a car when 2 men who were shooting at me simply disappeared and in their place there was a hologram there.” Jack chuckled to himself. “They need a laugh once in a while I guess.”
“You go ahead and tell them that,” Sara said. “I’ll just laugh as they stare dumbly at you and try to put you in a loony bin.”
“Thank you for your steadfast support,” he said. He put his hand to his nose; it had already stopped bleeding. The sirens came closer and the flashing lights came into view.
“Okay, I think we play the “I Don’t know,” game and say all we know is that they shot at that guy in the car and he slammed into a telephone pole. Nothing about holograms or other weird sightings. We don’t know where the other two went, got it?” Jack said looking at Sara seriously for the first time since they had stopped the car.
“I guess, but it still won’t feel right,” she got up and dusted the gravel off of her jeans. “I know they’ll think we’re crazy, but can we really lie to the cops?”
“We must Sara, we must,” Jack said. “It’s either lie or the loony bin, which do you prefer?"
She sighed as a police car came up to park behind the left assailants’ car. A policeman got out and slowly walked towards them. “Are you two okay?”
“Yes, officer. The only injury was a slight cut on my nose, besides the car.” Jack said.
“You’re lucky, most people don’t survive shootings like this. What do you know about your attackers?”
“Well,” Sara said, “they were all men, at least their voices sounded masculine, and there were three of them.” Another set of sirens came from the left. Probably an ambulance Jack thought.
“They were probably members of the Shelpha, a gang that’s know for its defilement of other’s property. Do you know where they went.”
“Sorry officer,” Jack said quickly to make sure Sara didn’t let anything slip, ”one is in that car against the telephone pole. The other two got away while we were still behind the car, ducking.” He was amazed at how easy the lie came to him. Maybe because it was partial truth.
“You don’t say. Well, you’d better call your families. For record’s sake I’ll need to see your identification, but first I need a look at your assailant.” He drew his gun out of his holster and walked towards the crushed car.
“Yeah,” Sara said looking at her car, “my parents will be thrilled I’m okay, but they won’t be happy about the car.” She gave a slight chuckle as she stepped a short distance away, already dialing on her cell phone.
Jack fished his phone out of his pocket. It rang before he even dialed, making him jump. He opened the phone and looked at the number, 222-2228. He didn’t recognize it, but he answered anyway, “Hello?” He asked.
“Good afternoon Jack. This is Thomas Morin, president of Virtu-Dome. I’m calling you to let you know that the day we will be starting your summer session will be July 6. We’ll try your friend Sara next, but does that day work?”
“It should,” he said, relieved that it was someone he knew. “How long will it last?”
“That’s a problem. Depending on how fast and well you 5 work together it could take a week or closer to 3 weeks.”
“Oh, okay. Will you cover expenses, like meals, lodging and the like.” Jack said, suddenly feeling slightly girly to be asking about this, but he had to.
“Yes, yes, all you need to bring is your virtual money and a quick mind and body.” Thomas said slowly to make sure he caught what he was saying. “Are there sirens in the background?”
“Yeah, a bunch of thugs jumped us, Sara and me, we’re unhurt.”
“Damn it!” Thomas said. “That’s the third time since this contest began some of my winners have been threatened, one was even killed!” Jack heard him slam his fist on his desk.
“It’s okay, it’s not your fault…” Jack looked around. No one was around to hear. “Listen Thomas, I know I’m going to sound crazy, but I’m seeing some of the holograms I saw while in the Virtu-Dome here, in real life!”
“You’re right,” he said. “You do sound crazy.”
“No, no, hear me out. While Sara and I were under attack the men said they saw a strange ‘thing.’ When the firing stopped I looked and there was Leah! You know Sara’s lioness. She was really fat too!” Jack waited for it to sink in.
He was met by silence. “Hello? Hello?” No answer, ”even he doesn’t believe me.” He hung up and dialed his home phone.
It rang once, twice, and Daniel picked up during the third ring, “Hello?” He said.
“Hi bro, it’s me Jack.” He said trying to mask his excitement that it was his brother and not his parents.
“Yo, what’s up? You were supposed to be home 45 minutes ago.” Daniel said trying to imitate mom’s ‘you’re in trouble’ voice.
“It’s okay, I’m okay, but I was being shot at today.
“Woah!” Daniel said, but caught himself and continued in a forced normal tone. “You okay?”
“I already told you, yes. And so’s my ’girlfriend.’”
“Ha, I knew it. You really do like her!”
“Shut up, I said it that way for a reason. You can really be a pain sometimes.” Jack said. He looked up and saw the police officer coming back this way.
“Do you need to be picked up?” Daniel asked.
“No, no, I’m good, but I gotta go. I’ll see you in probably a little over a half hour.”
“Okay, bye,” Daniel said.
“See ya,” he hung up. The police officer was talking to Sara and she seemed awfully red in the face. Jack walked over.
“It’s okay if you don’t know miss.” The officer was saying, “don’t take it personally.”
“Don’t take it personally!” She shouted, obviously upset. “My car is destroyed, my parents won’t answer, and the attackers got away! I’m not taking anything personally, but I’m not happy right now, damn it!”
“Calm down Sara.” Jack said placing his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure your parents are fine. How would we not know our attackers? He was in the car right?”
The officer shook his head. “There were clothes in the car, but no person.” He said holding up a pair of jeans that were torn in many places. “I’ve seen cuts like these once before and these were definitely caused by a force other than the crash. The windshield is cracked, but intact, so it wasn’t glass.”
“Where did you see them before?” Jack asked. It seemed like an innocent enough question.
“It was when I was on duty in Australia.” He said with a smile. “I was attacked by a kamodo dragon. There are none of them around here, so it’s just a coincidence. Are you okay?” He asked seeing Jack turn white.
“It’s nothing…Nothing.” He said. Iggy’s a hologram, he thought. He can’t be here, he just can’t.
The ambulance came into view and pulled up to the car that was smashed into the telephone pole. They piled out of the vehicle and surrounded the car. They must have found nobody because they soon came rushing towards the group. “Any injuries, sir?” A man in a blue apron asked the officer.
“No, unless this young man needs his nose looked at.” He pointed to Jack who shook his head. “You sure you’re alright?” Jack nodded again. “All right then, no injuries.”
“Alright officer, if you two do not want medical attention then please sign here.” They both signed a piece of paper that was presented to them. “Then have a good day!” The doctors left and the ambulance went back the way it came.
“Alright, now I need to see some identification, then I can take you home.” He held out his hand. Jack took out his wallet and handed him his license, so did Sara. “Give me a moment to process these, then we can leave.” He stepped into his car and shut the door.
“You were really upset Sara. Are you okay?”
“No, but I hope I will be. God, why me? All of the other people in the world, why me?” She said looking at the ground.
“Hey, Sara,” Jack lowered his voice. “Your phone’s ringing.” It was ringing, but Sara hadn’t even noticed. She picked it up. “Hello?…Yes….It should…Oh, he did?...No not really…Okay, bye!” She hung up. “You already talked to Mr. Morin, didn’t you?”
“Yes, he told you what I said didn’t he?”
“Yeah, what happened to the ‘I Don’t Know’ game? He probably doesn’t want to tax your mind anymore. That’s why he asked me if I thought you shouldn’t come.”
“What! Just because I’m seeing things does not mean I’m crazy!” He said, offended.
“That’s what I said, but he didn’t seem convinced. Oh, here he comes!” The police officer got out handed them both back their licenses.
“I’ve already called to have your car towed, but I doubt there’s anything that can be done for it. I’ll take you both home.” They both climbed into the back of the police car and he drove them both home.
Jack got home around 6:10. His mother came rushing out and gave him a big hug. “You’re okay, you’re okay,” she kept muttering holding him tight.
“Yeah mom, I’m okay.” He patted her hair and she let go.
“I was so relieved when Daniel said you had called, but I was worried sick by the news. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes mother, did you make anything for dinner?” He hadn’t eaten since 12:20 at the school.
“Oh, yes. There’s some lasagna in the refrigerator for you. I was in the mood to do some cooking today.” Jack walked in and right into the kitchen. Daniel was sitting at the table on his cell phone. Jack was too hungry to care what he said to whomever. He opened the fridge and found the lasagna.
He ate a little of it cold, but that didn’t last long. He placed it in the microwave as Daniel hung up. “Who was that?” Jack asked sitting down next to Daniel.
“It was Auto Reasoning. Did you know dad didn’t show up until around quarter to 4?” Daniel said putting his phone back into his jeans’ pocket.
“Yeah, they called as soon as you left to go get the duct tape. That’s when I looked and then he showed up.” Jack stared hungrily at the lasagna slowly spinning in the microwave.
“It’s weird, but he’s already asleep, so we can’t ask him.” Daniel leaned back in his chair and it groaned.
That sound reminded Jack of the bench at the town hall. He looked into the living room and saw that mom was reading a magazine. "I’m seeing things,” Jack said. “When Sara and I were under attack, I swear Leah saved us!”
Daniel suddenly started choking on nothing. Jack realized he was trying not to laugh. “Look bro, it’s a game, not real life. There’s a difference. Besides how can a hologram save you against real people with guns?”
“I know it sounds crazy- Hold on.” The lasagna was done, so he got up and got it out of the microwave. He placed it on the countertop and got out a fork from the drawer in the counter. He began to eat, but it was too hot.
“Crazy may not be the right term, try dumb.” Daniel offered with a laugh. “Your mind made up things when it was under pressure.”
“Hmmm,” Jack said around a mouthful of the hot lasagna. “If Leah is real, then why did I see her as a bench before?”
“What!?” Daniel said, “you saw a lioness as a bench?”
“No, it wasn’t like that, let’s go upstairs after I’m done and I’ll tell you what happened today.” He finished his dinner in silence while Daniel tapped a dirty fork on the table.
Jack finished and put the plate in the dishwasher. “Come on,” they both walked upstairs. When they got into their room Jack explained everything that had happened that day.
“I don’t blame people for thinking you’re crazy!” Daniel said, “I’m having trouble believing you myself.”
“Just think if that’s true, that those two are real, that would explain how I got this bruise.”
“True, oh well, come on. Let’s go play some more Chronicles of Pain.” They walked downstairs and played until 8:30.
Jack put his controller down with a yawn. “I’m tired. You can get us to a save point, right?”
“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “A level 5 mouse might defeat our level 50 party.”
“Okay, then this’ll be a challenge for you.” He dropped out of the game. “I always can talk to you and I appreciate that.”
“No problem,” Daniel said pausing the game and looking up at him. “It isn’t nice on my ears, but you’re welcome. Good night.” Jack walked upstairs.
He shut the door behind him and took off his shirt. He threw it onto his bed. He picked up a teen magazine from under his bed and began to read.
He saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He looked up. Nothing was different.
His shirt shifted! He leaned over and picked it up. Iggy lie under where the shirt had been! He gasped and bumped his head hard into Daniel’s bunk above him.
Iggy lie there, staring up at him. Jack reached out and patted Iggy’s head. He sure felt real. Iggy looked up at him. Jack felt a warm feeling rush through him. It felt so warm and comfortable.
He lie down on his bed. He felt so tired. Iggy jumped onto his back as he fell asleep.