Short Story Excerpt: The Hero's Journey - Ch4-5
Content warning: This is the chapter where I introduce Sadie. Previously, I had portrayed Sadie's mental illness improperly, and unfortunately resulted to infantilization. It is much better here, where I actually did just a little bit of research on a specific illness to get proper side effects. Not extensively, since this was a project I had to do for class, so I apologize for any inaccuracies. For now, I think this is much better. However, Sadie is in a psychiatric center--self check-in like I mentioned last chapter. The only thing shown here is a singular room, and we don't know any details further than that.
Chapter Four: Meet the Mentor
Jason walked up to the Rebellion’s psychiatric center and put his thumb on the panel. After a quick scan, he saw his name pop up and a green light ding. The words, What are little boys made of? appeared on the screen.
“Snips and snails and puppy dog tails,” Jason answered. Voice authorization confirmed. Please stand by.
Jason shoved his hands into his pockets and waited for the slot on the door to open. After a moment or two, it slid open, revealing two angular hazel eyes. “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” Jason answered. This was the answer the Mad Hatter gave in Lewis Carroll’s famous Alice in Wonderland, but since then, there have been three answers given to the riddle. Each was code to make sure the Rebel had not been followed or forced to give access to the center.
The slot on the door shut, and Jason heard a series of locks click open before the door swung open. “Hey, Jason. What brings you here?”
Jason stepped inside. “Seb, I need to speak to Sadie Miller,” he said as Sebastian closed the door.
“What for?” Seb asked.
“She may have the information we need,” Jason explained as Sebastian led him down the hall. “I have no plans on actually taking her in, but if I didn’t come myself, she would probably be forced to by the other members of my team.”
Sebastian led Jason down the fifth hallway on the right. “Sadie’s room is the last down the hall to the left. Be gentle and quiet; she scares easily. And I should warn you,” he added as Jason began to walk down the hall, “Sadie… she has leftover brain damage from what the Others did to her.”
“Do you have any idea what’s wrong with her?”
Seb shook his head. “She has trouble forming words, but that’s all we know. She admitted herself here.”
Jason turned back around and began to walk down the hallway. When he reached Sadie’s room, he knocked quietly on the door. “Hey, Sadie. My name is Jason. I’m here to talk to you for a few minutes. Is that okay?”
Jason waited for a response. When none came, he said, “Okay, I’m going to open the door now. I’ll do it slowly.” He turned the knob and gently creaked the door open. The lights were off. Jason began to shut the door but left it open just a crack so light could still enter the room. Suddenly, something shoved him backward into the door, blocking the light and encasing him in darkness. Something hard hit his left shoulder; thankfully not the arm that had been broken. Jason cried out and fumbled for a light switch, flooding the room in light as he clicked it. The girl that he could now see in the center of the room cried out from the light, closing her eyes and dropping the lamp she’d been holding. She curled to the floor, screaming. Jason found the light switch again and turned it off.
Jason waited a moment for his eyes to adjust, but he could still only see her faint outline. “Sadie? I’m not going to hurt you.” He crept forward, feeling around for the lamp on the floor. “I’m going to turn this lamp on. That way, I can see you, and you can see me. It won’t be as bright as the overhead. I promise.” Jason hoped that was true as he found the lamp switch. Thankfully, a dim orange light was all the bulb emitted. Sadie still whimpered and flinched at the light, but she didn’t scream or cry. Now Jason could finally get a good look at her. Her ebony curls were unkempt, and her big brown eyes were wide from fear behind them. Her dark skin seemed to glow in the amber light, and she was curled up so deep within herself, Jason thought she might almost disappear.
“How…do you…know…my name?” Sadie asked so softly, Jason barely heard her.
“I’m with the Rebellion,” Jason answered, setting the lamp down and sitting cross-legged on the floor. “The same people who take care of you.”
“Never…seen…you,” Sadie whispered, seeming skeptical.
“I’m from a different branch,” Jason explained. “My team does a lot of fieldwork and surveillance.” Sadie seemed to be struggling to understand. Jason sighed. “Nevermind. We’ve heard you’re really smart. Maybe you can help us.”
“Help?” Sadie repeated.
Jason nodded. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
Sadie was silent. “Who?” she asked.
“I told you, I’m with the—“
“No.” Sadie shook her head. “You.”
“My name’s Jason Grayson,” he answered.
For once, Sadie smiled. “That… rhymes.”
Jason chuckled. “Yeah, it does.”
“How…old?”
“Nineteen. Like you.”
“Never met…another…like me,” Sadie said.
“I haven’t, either.” The first wave of the Other’s attacks occurred nearly thirty years ago and killed millions. Ever since, there wasn’t a lot of babies being born, as everyone was fighting for their own life; there was simply no time to raise a kid, and most didn’t want a baby born into a world like this, so finding someone under thirty was a rarity.
“Jason Grayson?”
“Yes, Sadie?”
“What…will happen?”
“If you go with me?” Sadie nodded. “If you come with me, Sadie, we’re going to try to help you. We’d have to run a few tests and ask a few questions.”
Sadie bit her lip. She lifted her head, and some of the tension in her body released, and she sat up straight. “If…I help,” she said slowly, “what…will…happen?”
“To the Others?” Sadie nodded again. “We may be able to learn more about them.”
“Jason Grayson…you’ll stop them?”
“Well, me and the rest of the Rebellion.”
“I…will go with Jason Grayson,” Sadie said, standing up.
“What?” Jason scrambled to his feet. “No, I said you didn’t have to!”
“I…want to,” Sadie insisted.
No, no, no! This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! She was supposed to decline! “Sadie, I’m not sure you understand. You’re going to be tested, you’re going to be asked uncomfortable questions—“
“Understand,” said Sadie. “I want…to help Jason Grayson.”
Chapter Five: Crossing the Threshold
Jason sighed, closing his eyes. “Fine,” he said through gritted teeth and a heavy chest. “But you can back out at any time, okay?”
Sadie nodded.
Jason opened the door, the light from the hallway flooding in. Standing in the threshold, he turned back to Sadie, who was glued to her spot in the middle of the room. “Take your belongings,” Jason told her.
Sadie leaned down to pick up the lamp still on the floor, clicking it off and setting it on the dresser, which she then opened the drawers of and pulled out a few changes of clothes. “Are you sure you want to come?” Jason asked her, just to make sure.
Sadie nodded and stepped forward. She squinted her eyes, trying to get them to adjust. She pressed herself against Jason’s side. She had a small body, and Jason was a pretty decent-sized guy, so she only came up to just below his shoulder. “I’ll be with you every step of the way,” Jason said softly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder. Sadie gripped Jason’s shirt tight. Guilt was plunging from Jason’s chest to his stomach. He fought the urge to tell Sadie that she needed to stay here, where she was safe. But as they got closer and closer to the end of the hall, Sadie’s grip on Jason loosened, and by the time they exited the center, she had let go completely, though still looked scared to be out on the streets again.
They walked in silence. Jason was fuming silently. If he had to do this, he would be with this girl every step of the way, and ensure that nothing would hurt her ever again.
I really like this portrayal of Jason and Sadie much better than the last. Don't have much to say other than that.
Don't forget to like, comment, sign up, leave a rating, and join me on Spaces to never miss an update!
Recent Posts
See AllTHE SECRET PORTAL PART ONE IS READY FOR BETA READING! Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfRKc2F15DmHAZjaHRCBiVfmZaGK...
First of all, if you didn't catch my latest post, I don't think I can keep up with the "daily" part of my blog any more, but I will...
Overview: https://kaylinrosealexande.wixsite.com/kaylinalexanderbooks/post/short-story-fantasy-the-emerald-of-secrets-pt-3 Previous:...
Comments