EIGHT

She sat on the small stool in the living room, leaning against the cold glass of the wide window. Her eyes stared out of the window, up at the night sky, up at the glimmer of moonlight hidden by a shifting layer of clouds.

It was past midnight, yet Jessica didn’t move from her post to go to bed. She was worried, she was scared, and she wanted answers. So she waited anxiously, hoping her brother would return home soon.

From her position, she could see the street in front of their house. It was strangely quiet and bare, almost eerie. Shivering a little, she shifted her gaze to a clock that hung on the far wall, just above the couch. 2:34.

It was getting so late - shouldn’t have Josh been home by now? She blinked, feeling the sting of tears.

So confused. . .

She couldn’t stop thinking about him.

He was a gentle person, careful and compassionate. In many ways, his personality was like hers - maybe that was why they had become such good friends. She never did have many friends. Perhaps it was because she was so quiet and timid.

But at that time, in drama class, when he had did Felix’s part for the first time...

Jessica wrapped her arms around herself, a tiny smile gracing her features. He had inspired her, awed her, and she felt the urge to try and be like him. And when, to her great shock, she had gotten Melindra’s part, she had an opportunity. The chance to step out of the small box, to do something she would have never dared to before.

Thanks to Brendon, she had acted the leading female role, and earned an standing ovation for it. She put on an incredible performance, gaining such a feeling of pride and accomplishment and confidence. She was a better person, she felt. And not only that, she had gained a special friend.

But now...

I don’t know, anymore. Who are you, Brendon? What is going on?

The phone rang, startling her.

Jessica turned to look at the phone, staring at it as it rang again. Its shrill sound seemed to shatter the silence like glass. Hesitantly, she got up, and silently stepped toward it. As it continued to ring persistently, she slowly reached out with a pale hand.

Jessica held it to her ear, and didn’t say a thing. On the other end, she could hear faint breathing.

Then, “Jessica?”

She nearly wilted with relief. “Shane...”

“Jessica, are you all right?”

She nodded, forgetting that he couldn’t see her. “What’s happening, Shane? Please...tell me what’s happening.”

There was a short silence on the other end, before he sighed. “The other guys and I just got released from the school, but it’s still a nuthouse over there. Most of the teachers and staff have been released, but a lot of the male students are being fingerprinted and i.d’d. It’s crazy...”

“And Josh?” She asked anxiously. “Do you know when he’ll be coming home?”

“No, sorry. He’ll probably be there all night.”

“Oh.” She fell silent, wondering what was going to happen now. What about school? Would they be allowed to go back to school tomorrow? Or would Garington State be closed for who knows how long?

Her phone suddenly beeped, signaling that another call was coming in. Her heart leapt - it was probably Josh! “Shane, can - can you hang on? I think Josh is calling.”

“Sure.”

She pressed the star button on the phone to switch lines. “Hello?”

“Jessica.”

She froze. She knew that voice. It was Brendon! But...

. . .it wasn’t really Brendon, was it? On that stage...what had happened. . . Her brother had been so serious and upset, and all those military people with weapons. . .

Then -

Did this mean she had been spending time with a fake? With someone who was just pretending to be Brendon? Did that mean their entire friendship, and all those times they spent giggling nervously over that last scene - was it just an act?

Her mind flashed back to the frightening boy with hard, flat gray eyes, and an emotionless mask. She replayed the way he had broken free from those military men with frightening ease, with a deadly grace that seemed to find it so easy to kill. . .

And seconds before that, that glimpse of a terrible shell, a mere husk of what used to be a person. That boy was so empty, so sad, that it seemed impossible that he somehow had been Brendon, and then the horrifying Shaa.

Jessica swallowed hard, whispered. “Who - who are you?”

Brendon’s voice answered without hesitation. “I am Brendon.”

How could he - ? Her fingers tightened on the phone, and a sudden spurt of anger flashed through her. “Don’t lie to me!” She exclaimed angrily. “After all that happened, how can you say that? Tell me the truth - who are you!”

“I am Brendon.”

“No! Stop saying that! You cannot be Brendon! Josh and Shane and everyone else says so!” She was yelling by now, her hurt and anger letting loose a flow of silvery tears. She stopped herself, took in a shuddering breath. Then very softly, she said, “Please. Please tell me...tell me who you are.”

A few seconds of silence. Then, “I...I do not understand. . .I am Brendon now. That is who I am.”

“Then who was that on the stage?” She asked quietly. “Who was the one who called himself Shaa? And what about that other boy? The one who looked so empty and pitiful?”

“Shaa is the assassin. The other boy is nothing. He is nameless. He is nobody.”

“Are - are you trying to tell me that you are three different people?”

“No. I am Brendon.”

Jessica closed her eyes. She didn’t say anything. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks. Why did she feel so sad? Why did it hurt? Was it because Brendon wasn’t really Brendon? Was it because he wasn’t who he was pretending to be?

It was part of it, she realized. She had become friends with Brendon. A Brendon that wasn’t real. A Brendon that somehow was three different people; a Brendon that was just a fake replication of the real one. She had been deceived; her best friend had suddenly become a fraud. And that, was what hurt.

Her first real friend was just a fake.

“I’m sorry,” Brendon’s voice said softly.

“What?” Her head jerked up.

“I’m sorry,” he repeated. He let out a strange sound, that somewhat resembled a muffled sob. Jessica listened, in a wondering silence. Was he crying? When he spoke again, his voice was no longer that of Brendon’s, but a strange, emotionless tone that seemed as cold and empty as a barren, desert wasteland. “Thank-you,” the voice murmured, so very quietly, that she could barely hear it.

Stunned by the sudden change, she stammered out, “F-for what?”

“For letting me see what it was like. Good-bye.”

“Wait!” Jessica shouted. “Who are you?”

A pause. Then, a whisper. “I am nobody.”

Click.

The phone dropped to the floor.

xxx

It took two whole days for the entire mess to be cleared up. After every one had their identities proved, and AX two-seven still hadn’t been found, the police and a military special forces unit spent an entire day scouring Garington State.

And still, AX two-seven was nowhere to be found. He had escaped, leaving Josh to look like a fool. But that didn’t bother the young detective. No, what bothered him was the fact that the monster was out there somewhere, free. And because of that, his sister was in danger! And not only that, the real Brendon, and his friends were also in serious peril!

So, Josh gritted his teeth, and decided that he would do anything that was possible, to find that AX monster, catch him, and hand him over to MI6, in thick chains and fetters.

A week after the incident, Garington State School was declared clear, and classes began once again. This time, the real Brendon came to school.

He was greeted by over half the school. Everyone was anxious to see for themselves - the new celebrity of Garington. As poor Brendon set foot on school grounds, his blue eyes widened as he was mobbed by students.

The whole chaotic mess caused such an uproar, the entire teaching staff had to come, muscle their way through, and escort him to the teachers’ lounge. Somehow, Shane, Trey, Kal, and Darcy ended up there as well. Go figure.

Brendon was seated in a single, plastic chair. Everyone stood in front of him, watching him. Observing him. Mentally noting every single detail about him. Bendon sat under this silent scrutiny for several long moments, nervously gripping his hands together.

Finally, Kal shook his head, and murmured in a slightly awed tone. “I can’t tell a difference. The other Brendon was exactly the same!”

“Shut up!” Trey hissed in an uncharacteristically rough manner. He smacked Kal upside the head. “He doesn’t know!”

“That’s right!” Shane agreed in an undertone. “He doesn’t - “

“Um,” Brendon hesitantly spoke up. At once, every eye turned back to him, putting him under the spotlight once again. He cringed. “It’s okay. You don’t have to hide anything. I - I all ready know what happened.”

“Huh?” Shane’s unlit cigarette fell from his mouth. “How’d you know? Josh said that nobody was to tell you anything.”

“And he said you didn’t remember anything, either,” Trey put in.

“That’s right,” Brendon said softly. “Beyond waking up in the Asylum, everything else is a blank.”

“Then how’d you know?” Shane folded his arms, a new cigarette in place.

“Because of this.” Brendon reached into his pants’ pocket, and withdrew a paper that had been folded in half. He held it out carefully. It was Shane who took it, opened it, and scanned it. His eyes grew wider with each word, until his second cigarette hit the floor like the first.

“What the - ? What is this?” He stared at the paper. For written in Brendon’s handwriting, were the following words:

To the real Brendon.

I am sorry for what Shaa did to you. He was in a dangerous situation, and you were the first solution that presented itself. I hope you can forgive him. If you can’t, then I understand. I just want you to know what happened.

He was the one who attacked you on that street. He gave a specially modified drug which causes the victim to go mentally unstable for a period of three to four months. While you were admitted to the Asylum, I went to Garington State School.

When you read this, I hope you are not angry. I am sorry.

- Brendon

And scrawled below that message was yet another. Except, instead of Brendon’s smooth handwriting, it was in strangely uniform block letters.

Thank you. For letting me see in your place. Thank you, Shane, Trey, Kal, Darcy, and Jessica. For showing me friendship.

‘AX’