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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
by RRP
Jarod crept towards the cabin, looking around nervously for any sign of Sweepers or the Centre, but he could find none. Miss Parker’s Boxster sat in the driveway, and he could see her looking out at the lake from the porch. He sneaked closer to the cabin, jumping at every small sound.
When he was confident she was alone, he straightened and walked straight up to her. She eyed him cautiously and carefully, and he eyed her back. Nothing was said as he stepped up onto the porch, and stood next to her, looking over the lake.
“This is real.” Miss Parker announced suddenly, turning to him.
“What?” Jarod’s face was a mixture of confusion and nameless emotion as he looked down at her.
“You asked who you were. You have to start by determining what around you is real, first. Sydney told me that once. And this, Jarod. Standing on a porch, looking at a lake, this is real. Just like paying bills and cleaning the house, making dinner and going to work, this is real. You can’t forget that peace is supposed to be a part of life, and if life’s not giving it to you, then you’ve got to fight to get some. It’s who you are everyday, how you think and react to things, that make you who you are.”
“Very good advice.” Jarod nodded thoughtfully, looking back to the lake. “This is real...” He repeated the words in a low whisper, and Miss Parker sat down on a deck chair. He sat on the chair next to hers, and looked over at her. “So, what is real for us? You chasing me, or us being friends?”
“It’s not that simple, Jarod.” Miss Parker replied quietly. “Sometimes the lines blur. And that’s real. Real life isn’t fine cut black and white shapes. Chasing you is my job, and being your friend is my personal choice. The question is, are you running from me? Am I me when I chase you? The answer is no. When I’m chasing you, I represent the Centre. When you run, you represent a very valuable Centre-asset. When we’re friends, we’re people. Both are real, because both are life.”
“What if we don’t like life?” Jarod protested, slightly angered at her cool discussion of his constant need to be on the move, his never-ending terror of returning to the Centre.
“Then we live with it anyway. Some things in life, Jarod, you can’t change. That’s what makes it life. And how you live with it makes you who you are.”
“Not fair.”
“No one said it was, Wonderboy.” Miss Parker answered with a small smile. He acted like a child sometimes, still throwing silent tantrums when things didn’t go his way. She knew she wasn’t much different, which made it all the funnier.
“So, who am I?” Jarod asked with frown, glaring at the lake. “Who am I?”
“You’re Jarod. The extremely complex genius who is very human despite popular belief at the Centre. You care about family, and you care about people. You like to help others, and aren’t afraid to go out of your way to do so. You, Jarod, are a very real, very important, very much alive person.”
Jarod said nothing in reply to her firm response, and they sat in silence for a bit longer. The sun was starting to dip rather low in the sky before he spoke again. “If that’s me, then who are you?”
“I, Jarod, am a rather tired woman who had a hard day at work and then had to drive out to the middle of nowhere to assure a man who’s I.Q. was much larger than her’s that he did indeed have a life, and that he wasn’t a nobody. I’m also glad I came, but dreading the long drive home.”
“Why do you have to go home? Doesn’t Sydney have two beds inside?” Jarod asked with a puzzled frown, looking at her with his head tilted sideways.
“Yes, but the door is unfortunately locked and the patience I’ve been saving all day for our talk a few minutes ago, is now wearing quite thin.” Miss Parker pinched the bridge of her nose to ward off an incoming headache, and closed her eyes briefly.
“Well then,” Jarod grinned, “I’m glad I know where Sydney keeps the spare key.” He flipped the door mat over, and retrieved a dusty silver key, all without getting up from his chair. Jarod stood and unlocked the door, and swung it open for Miss Parker to walk through. She did so, with a surprised smile, and spoke as she entered.
“Wonderboy isn’t an idiot after all.”
Jarod grinned. She was still the same Miss Parker, alright, and he was most definitely a man named Jarod.
