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CHAPTER 2

Jacoby

After what seemed like hours of unpacking my belongings, I finally got to the last box. Jacoby’s Special Belongings was labeled on the side of it. I slowly ran my knife around the edges as a thick soreness bore down on my arms like weights.
Opening the box, the air filled with dust, old and new; with memories, joyful and painful. Bible, schoolbooks, and carving supplies. Photos, sketchbooks, and art supplies.
“What are you doing?” the small voice said behind me.
I jumped up, trying to hide it behind my back. “It’s nothing, go and play sis.”
She looked at me with those pleading blue eyes. “Please?”
I shook my head. “You’ll laugh, and think it’s silly.”
She settled her six-year-old-self next to me, looking straight into my eyes. “I’d never laugh at anything that you love to do. I promise.”
I stood up quickly, trying to push the memories away. Reliving my past in my head is just like an endless nightmare, because my little sister was not here to relive it with me.
“I’m sorry, it was all my fault.” I murmured, clenching my teeth, fighting back the sobs that wanted to explode inside of me.
In a quick movement I got up, flinging the door open, and running down the halls. I couldn’t do it. Not for one minute longer. I ran on blindly as sharp pictures bled bright into my mind.
I came to a sliding stop, as I heard voices ahead. Shaking my head, and wiping my eyes, I managed to push those pictures away and focus on what was going on around me. People walking, eating, talking, like normal.
“Hey, you’re a Smith, right?” I turned quickly and focused my gaze up on a guy who looked to be in his twenties.
“Uh, yes.” I realized he had his hand out waiting for me. I reached out, and shook it. His hands were hard, a little rough, like he had used them a ton in his life.
“I’m Brad.” He pulled his hand away and scratched his curly haired head. “You’re how old, sixteen, seventeen?”
“Jacoby. And I’m seventeen.” I could feel his dark eyes looking me over. Was something off about my appearance? I glanced down at myself. Do I have clothes on? Yep. So, what is he looking at on me?
“Great, I have a younger brother about your age, who’s hanging around in a hallway towards in the far west wing. Might be nice to talk to someone your age? I think he’d like it. His name is Joe.”
“Oh, okay. Cool. I’ll try to find him.”
“Okay, well I’ve got to run, but great meeting your Jacoby. I’ll come by and talk to Dr. Smith later.”

“Oh, okay.” I said again, not knowing what else to say. Who was he that needed to talk to my dad? Was he sick, or was he someone important? “Thanks.”
He nodded, and smiled, then walked away.
I sighed wondering what to do now, should I go find his brother? I had nothing better to do.
“Where is that hallway?” I questioned out loud, but got no answer, so I just started wandering down different ones I had never been to before.
After a bit of aimlessly wandering I saw a boy my age sitting on a bench down the hallway. I started towards that way, he looked like he was crying, or was about to start crying. Did something happen?
I came forward, and stopped a few paces in front of him. “Hey you okay?”
He looked up quickly, slight panic in his dark brown eyes, and nodded. Looking down he said “Of course.” He was three or four inches shorter than me, his slightly spiked brown black hair making his seem a little taller. He looked back up, looking me over. “Who are you?”
I smiled “I’m Jacoby Smith, we just moved here.” I put out my hand.
“Oh.” He shook it, but sort of in an unsure way. “I’m Joe.”
This must be who Brad was talking about. “Nice to meet you. I talked with Brad, your brother? He said we were about the same age. I’m seventeen, how about you?”
I saw him clench his jaw. Has a said something wrong? Was there something going on with him in his brother? I tried not to jump to conclusions.
“Sixteen. You move here alone?”
I shook my head, sending up a silent prayer of thanks. “No, thank God I’m not. Came here with my parents, I think my dad is going to be the new head doctor over here.”
“Your dad is a head doctor? That’s cool. So that means you’ll stick around here for awhile.”
“Oh?” I questioned in confusion. “So, we won’t keep moving every two years?”
“No, you stay unless you are discarded, like high officers are.”
“Oh, okay.” He seems to know a lot I don’t. I leaned my back against the wall, but turning my head to still face him. “So, how long are you here? What does you dad do?”
“I’m here permanently, unless I decide to move elsewhere. And I guess I didn’t tell you my last name? It’s Bentwood.”
Bentwood? Bentwood head of the headquarters? I stood up quickly. “Wait… like commander Bentwood? Your dad is the commander?” This guy is cooler than I thought! “That’s so cool!”
He grinned. “Yeah, I guess so. Just makes it easier where we don’t have to move everywhere.” ‘Yeah, I guess so’? He must have been trying not to be prideful. I decided he would make a great next commander.
“Yes, I assume so. I think it would be good for us not to have to move anymore…though that helped…” When we got there searching for her name on the list, looking, hoping she had got rescued and just was at some headquarter. Each first week the same, not here, not found, mom crying every night, dad quiet. Then we settle down, and then pack up, and move, and do it all over again.
Quickly remembering Joe was there I quickly looked up, trying to push those thoughts away putting a slight smile on my lips. “Won’t you be, you know, like next in line?”
“No, that’s Brad.”
Oh! I mentally facepalmed. Great, I just reminded him of what he doesn’t have. “Oh. Right. Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay, not your fault.”
But it is my fault that you had to remember it. “I know, but that must be a bummer. I’m the eldest, but I imagine it would hard to be under the next in line commander.”
“It is, thanks.” He gave me a full grin. “So, you’re the eldest, do you have other siblings?”
I hesitated slightly, wanting to say no, but not wanting to lie. I swallowed hard. “Yah, I have a sister. What about you?” Have? Or had a sister? Is she still out there? I clenched my fist, trying to fight the sadness in my chest that would make me cry.
“Just Brad and another sister.”
His words brought me out of my head, and I shook it trying to stay focused in the here and now. “O-oh. Okay, that’s cool.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say with all that on my mind, I needed to get away. “I think I have to go…” I hated lying, but added on so he didn’t think I just didn’t like him, I did, just was pre-occupied inside. “But can we talk more later, and maybe hang out some?”
“Of course, I’ll meet up with you later.”
“Awesome, nice meeting you.” I started walking away, but then turned back forcing a smile to him. “Bye Joe!”
“Bye!” I heard him call as I walked around the corner.
Sighing softly, I wondered if it would always be like this. Would I always try to get away from people to avoid talking about me? Maybe Joe wasn’t like the others. There was something about him that made me think he was different