Disclaimer:  In first chapter.

Chapter 7

Miss Parker came too some time later.  Slowly sitting up, Miss Parker rubbed the back of her head.  When her fingers grazed over the lump forming there, she winced, pulling her hand back down.  Grumbling under her breath, she slowly eased herself up off the floor.  Closing her eyes, she rubbed the back of her neck, trying to ease the growing pain building within her skull.  However, her relaxation technique didn’t work for someone else was in the room with her.

Hearing the sound of someone clearing their throat, her eyes instantly snapped opened as she spun around; pointing her gun in the direction the noise came from.  Being ever so quiet, she made her way over to the fireplace where a crackling fire was burning.  Flames danced along the walls, creating an eerie false sense of comfort. 

When she got closer to the figure sitting in front of the fire, she recognized him instantly.  Dropping her gun, she walked around the chair and stood impatiently in front of the man.  “So, you’re awake I see,” the man commented dryly, never meeting her eyes as he continued to watch the flames dance within the fireplace.

“I have to say, that was a brilliant little parlor trick you and your wife pulled earlier tonight,” Miss Parker sneered, staring down at the man with her fierce blue eyes.

A few moments passed before the man finally looked up and acknowledged her.  Looking slightly taken aback he said, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” she answered back, folding her arms across her chest.  “I’m tired of these childish games, old man.”

“Maurice…”

“What?” Said Miss Parker with exasperation.

“That’s my name…Maurice,” he told her, getting up from his chair.

“Well, Maurice,” she spat out caustically, “I’m just informing you that playtime is over, so tell me where my friend is and we’ll be on our way.”

Maurice stared up at her in disbelieve.  “That so called friend of yours is a very disturbed man, did you know that?  He’s created this grandeur fantasy world in which he truly believes that all these people are chasing him just because of who he is.” 

Just then, Miss Parker heard some one pounding on the other side of the door beside her.  “Miss Parker, are you in there?  It’s me, Jarod.  Open the door!” he shouted over the pounding.

Ignoring Maurice, Miss Parker ran to the door.  She tried the knob only to find it locked.  Glaring at the older man behind her she ordered him to open the door.  At first he was reluctant to do it, but when she pointed her gun at him, he followed her order. 

Standing in front of the door, he dug into his pocket bringing out a set of keys.  Before sliding the key into the lock, Maurice turned around and stared at Miss Parker with a sympathetic expression.  “Are you sure about this?  He’s a very troubled man who leads a very lonely life.  Don’t you find it strange that he leads you to a house that has been known to have a questionable past?  It’s obvious, from talking with him, that he cares very deeply for you.  He knows you’re a lonely soul, just like him.”  Sighing, the man continued, “Maybe he believes that the only way you two will truly be happy is through death.”

“I’m not falling for your little mind game, so open the damn door!” warned Miss Parker, clicking safety off of her gun.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” muttered Maurice as he turned back around and unlocked the door.

Miss Parker watched from her vantage point as the door opened up.  Maurice stepped aside, looking uncertain as Jarod came into the room.  Miss Parker breathed a small sigh of relief.  “Where’s Miss Parker?” Jarod asked Maurice.  The older man’s eyes never left Jarod’s face as he pointed across the room to where Miss Parker was standing.

“Jarod, we…”  Miss Parker wasn’t able to finish her sentence for Jarod startled her by bringing up the small pistol she gave him, and fired at her.  The bullet whizzed by her head, crashing into a vase behind her and shattering it. 

Still shocked by what Jarod did, Miss Parker brought her gun back up and pointed it at Jarod.  “Jarod, what the hell are you doing?” asked Miss Parker fearfully for she never seen Jarod look so demented as he continued to slowly make his way towards her. 

“Jarod…”  She flinched when Jarod fired another shot, barely missing her once again.  “Jarod, this isn’t you!”

Shaking his head sadly, Jarod continued to advance towards her. “There’s no getting out of here Miss Parker.  There’s no way home,” he stated with defeat, firing another shot above her head.

Miss Parker couldn’t believe what was happening.  “Jarod, please stop this,” Miss Parker pleaded as her eyes burned with unshed tears.  “Please stop and put the gun down.”

“What…what are you going to do?  Are you going to shoot me?” taunted Jarod.

Miss Parker’s heart pounded in her chest as she gripped her gun more tightly.  “Jarod, please don’t make me make that choice,” she cried out softly, her voice tinged with sadness.

Jarod seemed unfazed by Miss Parker’s words as he continued towards her.  Eyes wide and looking maniacal he said, “It’s me or you, you or me.  One of us has to do it.”

“Jarod, listen to me, we don’t have to do this…”

“Oh yes we do!” Jarod stated with such conviction that Miss Parker felt a sudden chill run down her spine. 

“Jarod, we can still get out of here…”

“Even if we could, what’s waiting for us—more loneliness, then 365 shopping days to even more loneliness,” he yelled at her.

“Jarod, this…”  Miss Parker’s voice trailed off for the look in Jarod’s eyes rendered her speechless.  There was no familiarity, just emptiness behind those brown eyes.  She understood now that her pleas were falling upon deaf ears, for this was a different Jarod standing before her.  A defeated, broken down man with no hope left to save him from the demons that troubled his lonely, empty life.

“Jarod…” But, she didn’t have time to finish what she going to say for Jarod finally aimed his gun squarely at her, and fired.  A stunned expression danced across Miss Parker’s features as she stared down at the bullet hole in her sweater.  “You…you shot me,” she stated with disbelief as she stumbled back before falling to the ground.

XXXXXX

To Be Continued…