II. Between Two Worlds || Jason || NP
Chapter 2/2: Pushing a Fragile Soul
Before Carol got a chance to shout after him, Jason was already gone. He went straight to the cafeteria to grab some breakfast even though he was not feeling hungry at all. Frustration, anxiety and disappointment were all rushing through his body.
Upon entering the cafeteria, he glanced at the large number of people waiting in line for food. The long line made him rethink his decision about eating there, so he stole a sandwich from someone’s table and left in a hurry.
“C’mon, you have to eat something.”, he was telling himself on his way to his room, already thinking about how he’ll get a chance to be alone for a few minutes.
Just as he opened the door, he remembered that only one person rarely leaves his bed – Gregory. Nobody really knew his story, besides the rumors that were circling through the orphanage. He was brought in by a neighbor who caught him sleeping in his garage. Everyone considered him extremely weird, namely because he almost never socialized with anyone and because of his…episodes. Sometimes he was incredibly happy and ecstatic and sometimes he was so depressed, even violent, that he had to be restrained in order not to hurt himself. Later he was diagnosed with a bipolar disorder which explained his extreme behavior.
All in all, Jason never teased him or made fun of him like some kids did, but he also never tried talking to him. Looking at him now, left alone with only the sound of his own heartbeat, Jason felt a surge of sympathy in his chest. He figured how the woman who usually brings him food is late, so he reached out with his sandwich, putting it on Gregory’s bed politely.
“They’re really good you know? I had like, two of them and I’m already full. You should really try some.”, Jason said, accompanying his words with a lot of weird hand gestures.
Gregory looked at Jason, then lowered his eyes on the sandwich and then back at Jason. Slightly confused, he let out a silent ‘thank you’ and started eating. Jason smiled in return and, as he was about to turn around, bumped his head into the half-opened door.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I was just-“, a woman started to laugh, slowly approaching him.
“It’s not funny, Monica.”, Jason replied with a semi-serious look.
“You should have seen your face.”
“Yeah and you should try not to leave death traps around this place!”
Both of them laughed loudly while Gregory was looking at them in silence, probably thinking about how great that sandwich was. Monica made a friendly wave at Gregory, sending him a flying kiss and Gregory blushed. Eventually he waved back and smiled.
“You should come outside and hang out for a minute or two.”, Monica offered, glancing back at Jason.
“That’s actually a good idea. I really need to clear my head, anyway.”, Jason agreed looking at the floor and marched towards his wardrobe to grab some warmer clothes.
“Okay, I’ll wait outside. My break starts at nine.”, she winked and left the room, carrying her cleaning kit along.
Monica Graham was one of the cleaning ladies. Almost everyone adored her because she was very friendly and had a tendency to laugh quite contagiously, meaning that when she was laughing, everyone was too. Her relationship with Jason, however, was very special.
When the orphanage was employing teachers for the school program that was being organized, Monica was among the first few who applied. She taught math and volunteered to help anyone who had problems, even if it meant staying up late after class. Her teaching skills were amazing and she treated everyone equally while paying special attention to those in need. After surviving a car accident, she was hospitalized for a month and the orphanage brought in a substitute. When Monica returned home, she got an email from the orphanage in which they informed her how she, basically, got fired. Later she agreed to work as a cleaning lady so that she could stay in contact with the kids and, at the same time, earn some money. She tutored Jason secretly whenever he had trouble and they eventually became really close.
Jason waited for a few minutes on the cold stairs near the front door of the orphanage. Monica soon joined him with a couple of blankets which they sat on and covered their backs with. Lighting up her cigarette, she glanced at Jason’s worried face.
“Is something wrong, J?”, she asked after inhaling the smoke.
“Yeah, I guess. I was called in for ‘therapy’ because of what happened yesterday.”, he said, making quotation marks with his fingers while saying the word ‘therapy’.
“Well did you explain what happened?”, asked Monica, and took a sip of coffee she brought with her.
“I was going to but Ms. Richards interrupted me as usual.”, he paused and turned to Monica.
“You know I would never do that on purpose? I would have never broken that window if it weren't for them. And you know what they were doing? ”, he continued before she could answer.
“They were gossiping and I just couldn't stand it. I just hate when people talk bad about you, I hate it so much. They can say whatever they want about me, I don’t care, but they have no right to tease you for being a cleaning lady. It’s not your fault you had that accident and stuff. And besides, cleaning isn't a bad job at all!”, Jason explained, visibly getting nervous.
“But you didn't break it! The window just cracked on its own.”, Monica added in confusion.
“I know, I just… when I get really upset, things… things just happen. It’s like I want them to happen and then they do…”, Jason whimpered and looked away.
Monica just smiled softly. She sensed sincerity in those words and it made her very happy but when she noticed how Jason still seems very nervous, she leaned closer and hugged him from the side.
“That’s not what’s really worrying you, is it?”, she asked with concern.
Jason let out a heavy sigh and clenched his jaw.
“It’s not.”, he said and continued with a depressing voice.
“There is so much that’s currently on my mind I don’t even know where to start.”
“I’m here for you, don’t worry. Start with the one that’s the biggest burden to carry. That way you’re letting that strong and brave heart of yours take a deep breath before going on.”, Monica said, hugging him tightly, throwing her half-smoked cigarette away.
“I just…have these nightmares. I have them almost every night and they’re always the same. It’s like the same dream, over and over again. It starts with me in a dark room, surrounded by pure darkness. Everything is silent up until the point where I hear a man’s voice, whispering inside my head. I don’t understand what’s he saying and it terrifies me but I don’t feel threatened. I feel warm and comfortable for no reason and it confuses me so much.”
“I just wake up before I get to react.”
“Did you talk to Ms. Rich- Oh...”
“Exactly. And then there’s the fact that this is going to be the sixth Christmas I’m spending here. Every morning I wake up, filled with hope that she’ll come for me or at least leave a message or something. The same goes for my dad. I just… I feel bad for not having any friends here but they’re all so… I don’t know. Maybe it’s me. Maybe I’m the problem…”
Jason’s words sounded so true it almost hurt. He desperately needed someone in his life, someone who will make him feel like a teenage boy, someone who will take his pain and worries, allowing him to catch his breath. Monica was there for him, yes, but he craved for friends his age, for people with real families, so that through them he could live the life he never got to live. He wanted to go to a real school, learn to drive a bike and use a computer, and maybe even try sports or something, along with many other things. A generally depressing atmosphere filled every single corner of the orphanage and he was sick of that, sick of being there for so long.
“Well, I’m sure that-“, Monica was interrupted by a tall man who was approaching both of them from behind, shouting at Jason from afar and waving his hands maniacally.
“What the hell are you doing outside? You were supposed to be inside doing homework!”, the older man yelled violently. Judging by his muscular build and the way he was dressed, Jason figured he was a guard or something.
“Take it easy, Dwayne, we’re just talking.”, Monica stood up and replied calmly.
“You know well enough they’re not supposed to be outside unless stated otherwise? Five of those ungrateful bastards ran away last month and since then no one is allowed outside! Come ‘ere, you little rat!”, Dwayne shouted and pulled Jason’s jacket so hard it ripped open, letting out a brown teddy bear fall from inside of it.
“Hey! You can’t-“, Monica struggled to break Dwayne’s hold but before she gripped his hands, he smacked her so hard she kneed to the ground.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! JUST LEAVE US ALONE!!!”, Jason yelled at the top of his lungs, trying to break free and take his fallen teddy bear.
Dwayne let him go momentarily before grabbing the teddy bear and shouting at both of them.
“What’s this?! You have a teddy bear?”, the disgusting bully of a guard started to laugh.
By that time, nearly the whole building gathered around the entrance, watching in confusion and trying to figure out what the hell was happening.
“GIVE. IT. BACK.”, Jason threatened, clenching his fists and his jaw, eyeing the guard like he’s going to rip his liver out just by looking at him.
“Are you hiding something, Jason?! Did you hide something in it?!”, asked Dwayne with a provoking tone.
The rest of the watching crowd started to giggle. Gregory, on the other hand, took a few steps forward, breathing heavily.
“Why don’t you go and do you job, instead of harassing Jason?!”, Gregory asked with a raised voice and a more than a serious look on his face.
As Dwayne turned around to see who had the audacity to speak to him, Jason tried to pull his teddy bear from the older man’s hand, accidentally ripping it and spreading teddy’s stuffing all over the stairs. Monica managed to catch Jason’s falling body and carefully pulled him away from the insane guard.
Jason’s eyes filled with tears momentarily as he started to sob hysterically, looking at his torn teddy bear. His hands started to shake and his breathing intensified. He started convulsing in agony and Monica tried to hold him still, telling him repeatedly to breathe more slowly.
Ms. Richards ran out and the crowd gathered around Jason. Dwayne just glanced at Jason and smirked repulsively while dropping the other part of the teddy bear in front of him.
Jason watched in disbelief, his body convulsing more rapidly and then… it happened.
His eyes started to turn white, his iris disappearing completely along with his pupils. Monica felt Jason’s body pulsate vigorously, even though she was no longer touching him and started to slide away, like she was being dragged by someone but upon looking up she realized that nobody was pulling her. The rest watched in complete shock for only a second, before they were all pushed back with extreme force. The brutal shockwave threw everyone away as if they were made of paper.
Jason screamed with a glass-shattering voice and utter chaos ensued.
