Home Sweet Home

In a small home just the right size for a growing family their lived a man named Tom, his wife and two children. This was an elegant modern structure with a brown underhue; the trimmings of the house baverantly glowing in their eggshell wight. Its tall well trimmed trees lining the wavy entryway leading right up to their front door. They blocked the more alluring feature of the home that Tom had fallen in love with. Which was the four car garage that extended widely to cover most of the underlining of the home. This was something that they would convert into a laboratory that Tom had pictured in his dreams. It's location up on a hill top was not uncalculated down to each slight detail. Privacy was a must knowing from his past ventures that the noise that his inventions could cause, would also bring nearby neighbors to complain. As the attempts would at odd times cause the wrong kind of attention. A feature that would now be required and so was something that could not be compromised.
The home was near a very peaceful neighborhood not too far for the children to explore. A neighborhood where everyone that lived in it trusted their surroundings enough to allow their children out without the need of supervision. The streets would at most times be covered in the traffic of the families that inhabited the neighborhood. Dogs running by their owners, groups of kids making their runs out to explore the entire block in their power wheels, bikes,skateboards and roller skates. A feature that won the approval of his wife Lucy and after all a smile on her face was something that Tom would always aim for. Jason and his sister Gloria would enjoy their time in the place that they grew to call their own. Each holiday pre packed into carefully marked boxes, ones that Lucy would assemble and disassemble each year to bring a perfect holiday for her family. Jason enjoyed the big park nearby most of all, every day he could convince his mom to take him.
Gloria and him had been close growing up playing about in the swings and their favorite game of all, hide and seek. A game that made their sibling childhood that much closer. The bright sunny evenings that warmed the grass below, the trees that provided the needed shade above, the winds that made each passing leaf dance about. Each perfect day that gathered the family together brought joy into their hearts. Jason had always known the park, the home, from the first memory ever recreated in his mind. The memories had always just known this to be his home that inhabited all that he loved in one single place. His laugh and running feet longed to always have this be the norm unlike his sister that since then had now grown to stretch her curiosity to other interest. With time Gloria would only pretend for Jason’s sake their favorite game was still hers. Giving her about ten minutes of peace before she would actually begin the hunt that she could quickly end now knowing all of his favorite hiding places. Skating soon enough brought her more friends and Jason became just her little brother and no longer a sole playmate. The home that they had always dreamt of now was there and their future felt so bright.
Each morning the house was filled with the sweet smells of the morning breakfast that Lucy would prepare. The cup of coffee that welcomed Tom into the day was placed on his over packed and cluttered desk that towered him by four feet. Each paper, book and tool originally having a home now scattered throughout as his mind calculated each new approach. The book that had its designated place two shelves up now sat on his desk table, the pencils that had once shared a single home on his first shelf now laid on his third shelf, his first drawer, his fourth shelve and a lonely one forgotten underneath the desk. Papers rained down about the floor crumbled up into angry little balls of frustration. All the chaos waited for their weekly spring cleaning tha would place them back in an orderly fashion until the following day where they would once again find a new temporary home.
The dinner table inside the main home was prepared meticulously for the morning rush of the kids that would visit it before their journey off to school. The pile of the morning breakfast was placed in the middle of the table on a lazy susan that would allow the children easy access to fill their plates with just the amount of food that they would consume that morning. The condiments lined the outer edge of the susan, the plates placed on each side of the table awaiting their users. Fork, spoon and a knife placed carefully on the napkin on one side of the plate and the cup placed on the other side waitting the request to be filled with the desired liquid.
Like a train rushing to make it to its next stop the children ran with direction and precision through the morning ritual. Lucy’s life ran like a well-oiled machine having every crucial detail of her responsibilities down packed to a science. She took every other minute or so to turn her head thwart the miniature grandfather clock that ticked away every second of her pre planned time. As the clock reads 6:40 she rings the alarm “Times up, time to head out that door” Lucy kisses the foreheads of her children as they walk past her and into the car.
Another morning started but not closed she thinks to herself as she reaches her front door once more. Lucy’s ears take only a few seconds to enjoy the silence of a quiet home. The morning was not over quite yet; something that she knew required her attention still remained. Tom’s loving smile greets her from the doorway of his office. Lucy gives him a quick glance and smile before rushing to her next assignment. The breakfast begins for her and Tom as she places their finished meals down on the table. Tom joins his loving wife and begins to twirl away at his food. Lucy takes a few bites and turns to ask “Is everything ok with the food?” Tom looks at his food and back at her. He begins to bring a few bites to his mouth and brings her worries to a halt. Tom loved the food that his wife would make, never truly had a complaint that could not be resolved with a bit of spice, salsa, or cream.
Tom’s mind complained about the time that he knew he had little of. Time that had to be spent on nourishing his body for the upcoming attack that he foresaw his work would place on him. His heart felt swollen with distress of never truly having a moment to spend with the woman that had won his heart since the day that he had laid his eyes on her. Her natural red hair flowing down over her shoulders still as smooth and beautiful as ever curving in just the right places. Her blue eyes that reminded him of the waters at sea that he and his father used to sail. Her twinkling freckles that he could mark out in his sleep on her rosy cheeks. Her full lips that refused to leave their bedroom without placing a thin layer of red lipstick within their outline. Her beauty screamed out at him on this morning more than ever and he felt the need to indulge in the prize that he had won those seventeen years ago. The passion that had begun the romance so many years earlier still burned deep within their hearts and their movements magnificently showed its truth.Each moment his warm breath touched the nape of her neckline a tingling sensation rushed through her body. The soft sounds that escaped her throat as the movements were shifted added a movement to her body. It twisted and turned as the feelings within her escaped her knowledge. Tom’s hands at work but on a project that he knew they should not be on. He reluctantly retracts them as their bodies now spread across the kitchen floor and says “I love you, you know that… work is a necessary evil” He makes his way to his office and shuts the door behind him. The locks in place and his mind ready for the day of work now being flooded by the pieces that he would attempt to tie together.
Lucy continues on to her daily chores until the children relieve her from her loneliness. The kids that had spent the better part of the day absorbing the lessons of an average school day. Lucy ponders to herself “The friends that they had acquired most likely take up most of, if not every inch of memory retained for another day” Lucy lets her children into the house and tested out her theory “So what did you learn at school?” Gloria answers back “Same stuff, nothing truly new, by the way some of my friends are headed to a movie tonight,anyway I can go at 7 o’clock?” Lucy answers back “If you finish your homework, then yes” The next on the stage young Jason “I learned that the way that I…” Jason looks down to his hands and traces through his mind the lessons that his father had said of how to turn even the smallest things into an alluring story. He starts again and says “I mean I learned that the velocity of an object is heavily determined by force as well as mass distribution” Lucy studies his wide smile and turns to see her husband behind her. Tom clarifies his explanation “He learned a new way of making a paper airplane” “Theory proven” Lucy whispers and smiles along with Tom as they watch their son run off into the back yard.Tom’s Arms wrap themselves around her waist and he makes his hand stretch passed her and to his cup of coffee. A movement that is followed by her body as she makes a complete u turn toward his front.
Lucy looks at Tom and her eyes fixate on the cup of coffee that could be counted as the third one this morning. Tom leans in for a kiss he aimed at her forehead. Lucy takes a step back and says “Headed to your bat cave again?” a rhetorical question she already knew the answer to “I thought that you working from home was going to give you more time, not less” Tom looks at the traitor that had brought forth all this questioning in his hands and takes a long sip as he says “I will… I want to spend more time with you and the kids I just have to finish this one project… I’m trying here” He leans in for his kiss once more and fines no more fight.
Gloria finished her work as promised and was allowed to attend the movie alongside her friends. She was a teenage girl that loved to expand her horizons, dabbling in the world of art, poetry and music. Her classic stolen looks of her mother had always brought her direction much attention, people would be wooed over her softened curls. Her big blue eyes and twinkling freckles placed throughout her face were all features that everyone seemed to always bring up. The walls of her room where her canvas, the journal that lay underneath her pillow her voice, the music that filled her room her escape. Gloria took after her father in his passion to learn and create everything that she could. She longed to follow in her father’s footsteps in reaching all that traveled within her mind. Because of her advance understanding she would most days find herself bored with the lessons that her teacher’s would try to teach. Gloria’s eyes would turn to the clock and she would trace the hands on the face that moved too slowly for her liking. She would cope by finding a challenge in the juggling of her work and her social activities within the classroom. This was a technique that would find her trouble on many occasions with her teachers. Still this was almost always forgiven because of the grades that she would produce. Gloria and Jason had been close growing up as children, but as the years had moved forward the wedge of age and gender grew wider. Nowadays they barely did anything together that wasn’t a family event or forced upon them.
Little Jason looked up to his sister in a way that any younger sibling would, longing for the day that it would be him going out with his friends. He wondered if his social life would be as colorful as his sisters counting out his two close friends and watching those of his sister’s walk past him and out the door. Lucy looks at her son as he watches with intensity and says “It won’t be long before that is you, trust me and enjoy your childhood” Jason smiles back at his mom and thinks she was right, because moms usually are. Lucy watches her son run off into his room where he would spend the better part of each day. She could still remember his small fragile body cradled into her arms as an infant and now he would run off to create with his hands anything that traveled within his inner wonderland. Lucy’s things alongside her daughters would at most times be used as props for this world inside his room. As Lucy would walk in to claim the things that she would need for the moment her gaze would admire her little one that just continued growing before her very eyes. Jason’s deep blue eyes like his father’s and his beautiful messy shaggy tinted blond on brown curls. Her hands would love to travel through them any chance that she was given.
As he plays with all his toys and enjoys the imagination he wondered if he would lose when he would get older. Jason thought about his sister's actions now that she had matured. Gloria never played with her toys anymore and through logical reasoning he thought it must be true what they say about wonderland belonging to children. Her mother’s presence is noticed by him and he rushes to wrap his arms around her and looks up to her gaze. Lucy asks “Jason did you take my vegetable stem…” her words stop as she gazes upon what she had been searching for. Lucy takes a moment of her time to look over everything that he had created and spend a bit of her time by his side. Her warm smile smirks up and ponders away at the thought of this always being his deviase plan.
He took pride in all the collectable toy cars that his father would buy him each birthday, Christmas and any other special occasion that he could find the excuse for. Each time he received a car he would find just the right place for it to be displayed within his room. Something that mirrored his father in the need to keep the things that meant much to them in pristine condition. Unlike his sister trait that she had inherited from their father, this trait didn’t mean that class work would come easy to him. He had to work hard for the grades that he received and found days that he would struggle to grasp onto the daily lessons. Jason would although manage to still keep afloat with the acceptable levels of education that his teachers would require.
Jason had always longed to be by his mother’s side for as long as he could remember. As young Jason began to walk he would chose to stand by his mother on almost every occasion. Jason would be by her so much so that his father would call him his mother’s shadow. Jason loved to hide behind her dress and poked his little head out only if he knew that he could trust the one that was there. The first five years of his life were spend by her side. He would watch everything that his mother was in charge of doing and as he understood more of her routines he would attempt to help her complete them. After all her chores had been done she would spend the rest of the time that she had by her son’s side. This was the time that little Jason would countdown for each day.
Lucy was a kind and devoted mother and wife; she was the heart of their family. When she had been a young girl she had always dreamt of being just that. To have a family that was close knit had always meant much to her. The day that Tom and her meet marked a fork in the road to make a call to where her heart would continue to be the truest in. Everyone makes sacrifices for their children; for the ones that they love. Lucy made a choice to stay true to the dream that she had always longed to make a reality. Although she did continue her studies she made the relationship that she had begun with Tom her priority.
Tom had always longed to make a difference, to help those that could not help themselves. This was the urge that drove him to where he could do just that. He was only eighteen when he joined the army and although his physical abilities didn’t lead him to his full potential his mental abilities did. The US military repositioned him within a branch better suited for what he could offer. Tom served his four year term before walking out of the military and beginning his work with the FBI. With his help the agency became better equipped to handle the rising crime. Tom was assigned to their intelligence team that would gather all the necessary information that the agents would require. On each day he woke knowing that his work would help bring someone home, or catch someone that didn’t deserve their freedom. With all his work he felt pride in knowing that he was out there making a difference.
One day when Tom was called in to give an expert testimony in the courts he rushed down the halls heading toward his assigned court hearing when speed got the best of him. Tom was abruptly stopped by the warm sensation that only human skin could produce. His eyes instantly shot from the path he had calculated to be free toward the person that he had just disturbed. His eyes grew with intent as he gazed at the woman that now stared at him. His eyes refused to leave the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. His mouth had begun to say “I’m..” when it was swallowed by his distraction. Tom’s hand had landed on her just as they had made contact and he realizes that he still hadn’t let go. He quickly shoots out the rest of his apology saying “orry.” Hearing himself he recomposes and re does his complete apology “I’m sorry” as his hand finally releases her shoulder. Lucy gave him a slight smile and begins to walk away. Tom’s mind traces back to the reason that he had been there and quickly makes his way toward the courtroom.
She danced around in his mind the entire time that he had been forced to stay in his seat until his testimony was called into place. Tom walks out of the courtroom as soon as he is no longer needed. As his face gets touched by the cool breeze in the air he takes a quick glance around the setting outside the building. His eyes land on her once more, her eyes glazed with the moisture that refused to let Tom walk away. Knowing that now he was given no other excuse he sits next to her and says “I don’t mean to pry and forgive me if I overstep, but I couldn’t help to see that you are upset. Please help me understand why and if I can help, I will” Lucy answers “Thank you, but I’m fine truly” Tom says before he begins to get up “Are you really willing to live with this what if moment?” Lucy takes a closer look at the stranger that sat next to her and saw a bright and kind man she became smitten with. She told him that it was only that her roommate had just been found guilty of a crime and now she found herself without a place to stay. Lucy says “It was just that we were splitting the rent in half for the apartment that we stayed in close to campus” Lucy takes a few moments and continues “Really I will be fine, this just means that I have to take a few semesters off until I can figure something out” Tom ponders through his mind and asks “Do you have anywhere to stay now?” Lucy answers back “Yes I will move back with my parents for now. This doesn’t mean that we can’t stay in touch though. I’ll return soon and when I do we can truly catch up” And so she did Lucy went back home to her family in Syracuse New York, but continued her conversations with Tom. He would make time to go down and surprise her and slowly their relationship grew and with time Tom was able to convince her to move back and continue her studies. The young couple evolved and their family grew to include their two children.
Nowadays Tom would spend most of his days living in his lab coat dreaming of all the changes that his inventions could bring for mankind. The glasses that refused to leave his face seemed to be a part of his features. He refused to let his blond curly hair grow too long and would rarely hit the brim of the black glasses that shielded his deep blue eyes. He was a scientist who had been working on a new device after grasping the interest of a private investor. The investor was named Kendall and he allowed him to move forward on a project that had been pulled from his original laboratory. Tom had made some remarkable advancement to a project that allowed the user to manipulate the memories of a subject. Tom always wanted to help and while working with the FBI he saw many stories of people that longed to forget what they had just gone through. These Memories would haunt their every dream and swallow their persona whole, and he longed to be able to help ease their pain. Kendall approached Tom as he walked out the research lab and said “You have some amazing potential that is only being restrained here. I want to offer you a deal that will give you the opportunity to truly test your furthest abilities. I just need you to do one thing for me and that is to make a device I have in my possession work” Tom replies “I only have interest in making the world a better place so if your request contradicts that then I’m sorry but this conversation is over” Kendall smiles and returns with “Well then I believe that you and I have some more talking to do. Come let me buy you a cup of coffee or two” They head into a nearby coffee shop and Kendall explains that the project that he would like Tom to work on would do just that. Kendall “I want to combine my device with the one that you were forced to put down a year ago. My device has the ability to show you what your future will look like granted you were to make a certain choice. Yours has the ability to erase the memories of those that you chose and the combination could become a most valuable tool that the FBI, CIA, Marshalls… you name it, could used to their advantage and save millions while doing it. Kendall seemed like a dream come true after making all the necessary adjustments to give Tom the freedom to work on the chips advancement from his home.
His work became his life and he would rarely emerge from his tasks. He would spend countless hours hidden away in his office which was located in his converted four car garage of his lower house. A very well lit large room that covered most of the lower area of his home. He had been able to purchase many devices required for his research with the money that his investor had provided. He would choose the most functional spot to place each new piece of equipment that he would receive. A true scientist’s office that most could only dream of, one he felt pride in. He had been blessed with family that loved him and a job that he adored. Tom wanted so much to continue his days the way that they had been the past year and a half. So much that he would isolate himself from the ones he loved the most in order to keep on task with his assignment. His investor had given him everything that he had ever dreamt of. He wanted to keep him satisfied with his decision to back his inventions. Kendall had promised that after the chip project he would continue his support in any venture that Tom would choose. This was a promise that Tom would picture every day that he would be forced to walk away from his son, daughter or wife for the sake of work. The sadness that threatened to swallow him was shattered by the thought that one day his invention would help countless out there. His only other love apart from his family drove his action on a daily basis.
With time Tom was able to developed “The Master Chip” an instrument that he hoped would break the chains that bonded him and would give him the fortune to proceed in everything else that he had begun. Tom smiles at the finished project in his hands and leans forward to dial the phone to Kendall. Before his hand could reach the dials he finds his memory being swung forward to the outcome that call would have. His wide smile was quickly replaced with the terrifying image that froze on his face as the images that were brought to his eyes at the first activation of the chip filled his eyes with tears. His body still frozen but his mind swung forward as the altered future gained clarity. The possibility of Kendall gaining possession of it began with his demise and followed with his families. Kendall had gained all that he needed and Tom’s use alongside his families were no longer needed. The terror would continue until Kendall reached what he desired most and humanity would pay for his happiness with blood and terror. Tom had seen Kendall for the first time in his true light and the image was one that filled him with fear. What he had begun as an instrument to better the lives of those still on this earth became a weapon that would instead claim their freedom. The day turned to night as Tom continued to sit on his stiff desk chair. Pain from even the slightest movement of his body gaining feeling woke the numbness tingling throughout his legs and lower back. The warm sensation of the light coming from the one small rectangular window hits his hand that laid on his desk. Tom’s night had came and went and now he woke still on his desk and still stuck in this disasters delemea.
Days continued to march forward and Tom’s dedication to the project seemed to stay untouched. Full days were continued to be spend in his office and his family remained undisturbed in their routine. Tom only hid the true nature of his work that now had drifted to finding a positive outcome to this upcoming disaster. He now held closely to the chip, never letting himself be without it. He begins to build a duplicate when the chip jumps him ahead to the outcome that would bring and seeing as Kendall’s original agenda of cleaning house still remained. His hand crushes the beginning attempt with so much force that the rough jagged edges cut through his skin and the pain from the penetrations cut straight to his heart. His pain submerges him into the day that would come when everyone that meant the world to him would see their end because of his actions. The tears that held back no force rain down on the wounds and he is swung forward to a possibility that would bring his invention the purpose that he had always intended. The hands that touch the chip pass by its capabilities in all its intended glory and the people that it touched begins with twenties and ends with infinite millions. The possibility of it helping humankind still remained filling his heart with hope and new upraised motivation.
Tom clears his mind once more and begins again to search for the way that this could become a reality nearly bringing his mind to exhaustion. The flashes seem to be a replay of what he knew Kendall would do to him and his family and the world alike in every single case. The phone rings and his heart skips a beat knowing all too well who awaited him on the other end. Kendall had been following his research closely and wanted to see the fruits of all the money that he had invested. He knew that Tom was close and had become more persistent in seeing all the progress as soon as a new development was made. “Good morning Tom” Kendall’s voice chimes in and Tom takes a few moments to compose himself knowing that he needed more than ever to keep Kendall satisfied with his progress. “Good morning Kendall how have you been” Kendall takes on a more serious tone and takes his time to answer “Well that depends on you, I have been patiently waiting to hear from you for the past week and still no progress report” Tom pulls the phone away from his face and takes a deep breath in and quickly reassembles himself in order to answer back as close to the truth as he could allow. “I’m deeply sorry for the misstep on my account I had been extremely eager for the last few weeks believing that I had stumbled on a miracle to the formula. I regret to inform you that I have since then abandoned that theory and have begun a new possible method” Kendall takes the conversation once more “I sure hope that I’m not hearing that you will need another year to get this project done. Truly I admire your dedication and hope that my faith in you will be fruitful” Tom bites down on his lip in order to stop the trembling that may cause his fear to be heard “Sir I assure you that I’m close and I truly doubt that it will come to that” Kendall makes a final decision and announces it without words to his men. A decision that leads him to say the next words “I expect the next report to be punctual; in fact I look forward to a personal presentation, on that note have a nice day Tom” Tom’s eyes fill and the burning sensation overwhelms him to rain down the tears that refused to calm down. Kendall had never in all their time of collaboration asked to see the project in person. The fears that sunk down to his heart found no possible reason for him to have asked now.
Tom retires to his home and watches his family squander away their time in meaningless activities. Enjoying every dull moment that he had took for granted for too many years. The room was dimed in lighting and one of the only lights that shifted in color was the one of the Television with it’s one member of audience. The light off the kitchen table shinned directly onto its inhabitant in need. Jason sits by the coffee table that had become his personal village under attack from the 10 inch dragon that he had received two Christmases ago. Gloria sits at the kitchen table reading through her soda pop magazines admiring her favorite stars. Each new trivia learned would bring her joy and in her mind them down to a reachable reality. His wife Lucy watched her shows on the television reacting with such emotion for these make believe people and their make believe problems. The sight was enough to bring tears to Tom’s eyes. His hand wipes the tears with one swift movement. Jason sees his father “Dad” his voice calls out at him. Tom walks to him and kisses his forehead “So what do you have there?” Jason answers back “My Kingdom, do you want to play?” Tom looks down to his son and remembers himself being his age, his eyes linger to his wife and he answers back “No thank you, but I sure would like to watch you” Jason continues to play and Tom sits by his wife that works her body until she manages to create a perfect embrace she falls asleep in.
Tom awakes to the sounds of his kids and wife walking out the door. The chip once again activates and the images of his family’s futile attempt of escaping end with a swift and quick attack from Kendall’s men. The Phone begins to ring and draws his attention back to the present day. His old friend that he had worked with in his days in the FBI building triggered yet another journey down the road of possibility. As the thought of the outcome lingered within his mind he activated it and the scenario of handing it over to the FBI jumped out at him abruptly. The chip walked him through the ways the agency would escalate the misuse of its power and eventually it would become just as bad as handing it to Kendall. Randy had been speaking but Tom had drowned out his words to escape into his mind as despair sat in. Randy manages to break through to Tom and re asks the question that he had called for. “Tom I can see you’re busy but I’ll ask anyways, can you help us out on this one case?” Tom had known Randy since before he had meet his wife and knew that he was a good friend and wouldn’t ask for anything if he wasn’t backed into a corner. Tom answers back “You know that I would help you out in any way that I possibly could like I know you would. Unfortunately right now my time is not mine to give and my hands are truly tied” Randy chuckles a bit and says “No worries thank you anyways and please say hello to Lucy and the kids for me”
Tom spends the day with his family and as soon as they all head out to bed he heads down to his lab and begins his search ones more. His eyes feel heavy with the need to sleep and he fights them back for the last few moments that his body could endure. Back to the screen that he prayed would find him something new. The cup of coffee that now stood hollow brings his moral down yet another notch. He stands reaching for the cup that needed its fourth fill. His body glitches his command and as he nearly falls his hand reaches to the nearest surface. His hand lands on a book that slips from its original place on his desk down to the ground, taking him along with it. The book slams down on the ground and lands opened to the page that had been storing one of his pens. The handle of the coffee cup still wrapped by his fingers while the rest of it laid shattered throughout the floor. His hard work had paid off as he found his answer, although not through his research beyond the outside walls of his own office. Instead the answer was found through the actual research that he had used to create the Master chip. When Kendall had come to him he had handed over an old rock that he wished for him to analyze. A rock that proved to be more than what it seemed. It would grasp you through your thoughts and jump you ahead into your close future and bring upon a glimpse of what would come to be. An extraordinary discovery he marbled on and used in his device.
The book’s sole image had been a rough sketch of the Tablet which was a mystical stone that stood 20 feet tall, the location which his pen had been saving. No doubt in his mind that the stone had produced the ancient rock that he had used. The stone was said to hold within it the souls of all the past guardians that called themselves the counsel. Men that had devoted their complete life to the protection of such power. There rumored that an extraordinary power hid within the stones matter awaiting for someone to wield its power. The author of the book had mentioned that the stone had a fail safe system which would never allow anyone with capabilities of a darkened heart to take control of it. A fail safe no doubt Kendall had counted on him to bypass by encageing all its sensors within the material. His eyes continued through the written pages and the chip lining his coat pocket called out to his hand yet again. The words drifted past his mind of “The ACAD (an organization that pride itself in not existing) that had kept the secrets of the tablet for centuries” seem to pop from the page. The chip emerges him in the possibilities of this organization grabbing hold of his invention. His hard work being used for the protection of the innocence the enhancement of prosecuting the guilty and at last with those that would not misuse its power. His answer had come at last, but now he wondered could it be too late? The day that Kendall would come was to close and he needed time to find them. The words that he had just read proved that this would not be an easy task. His family needed an out now and his heart sunk deep as he realized that time was not in his favor.
Two days pass and Tom seems to lose faith in the ongoing quest to find what seemed like a non-existent ACAD that no one knew more than what he already had read a thousand times. Lucy walks into her husband’s office and lays down a silvered colored envelope next to his hands hard at work at the computer. Lucy’s lips press down on his cheek as he turns his head to look down to the mysterious envelope. His eyes glare down at the shiny paper that covered the outside of the letter that swayed the mind to see a fancy letter that would invite a person to a wedding or other fancy event. He asks “Where did you get this? It’s too early for the mail” Lucy answers back “It was laying on the floor this morning like someone slipped it underneath the door” The letter was plain with a simple message on the front “TOM” He opens the letter and finds within another simple message “See you tomorrow at Five o’clock” He turns to see the image of his wife walking out the door and into the main house. The majority of his life had been spent in an office of some sort when his heart had always longed to be with those that he loved. His life was now counting down and he rushes to the main house where he finds his wife working on breakfast. He stands by the doorway unable to move or speak. His children join them and sit at the table waiting for the breakfast to be served to them. The children’s bodies awake, but their minds still drowsy. Lucy places their meals down and as they take some bites Jason looks past his comic and sees his father standing by the doorway. He jumps out of his seat and rushes to embrace him, an action that takes all the attention of the room. Tom’s silent tears begin to form in his eyes and his mind does what it can to wrap itself around the upcoming events. He knows that the time left should not be used to wallow or fear the last moments that he would have with his family. “Give them the day” his mind pleaded and his heart reacted swiftly moving down to embrace his son and turning into his robe to wipe away the tears that had forced themselves out. He walks down to the table and announces “No one is going to school, shopping or anything else that does not involve the entire family. We will spend all day together doing anything and everything that you can all agree to” Everyone looks at each other puzzled by the announcement. Lucy “Today… I just had to…” Tom stops her midstream and says “Whatever it is I don’t care, no late charge, no excuse is an acceptable one, today belongs to us” with a tone that meant my word is law and he found no more debate.
The family enjoyed a beautifully prepared breakfast with all thoughts in the air. Tom watches his family eat in silence and begins to speak “So what is it that you would like to do for the day? Jason quickly announces “The movies” Tom waits for a reaction from the rest of his family and then says “Ok then, but I say we go rent movies each one of us choosing one and we can stop by the market after to choose out our favorite snacks. We can set up the living room up so that everyone can be perfectly comfortable enough to sleep throughout the night. Until then what should we do?” Jason smiles once more and says “The Mall” Seeing the smiles of the girls Tom smiles as well and says “Ok then the mall it is, the big one down in New York so get ready everyone”
The kids rushed to their rooms and Tom turned his attention thwart Lucy, his arms wrapped themselves around her, his hands scanned every inch of her exposed skin. His smile tells Lucy what he would like to do accomplish next, and her hand holds his as she leads the way to the bedroom. Tom closes the door behind him and walks up to his wife in a slow pace, his mouth wraps itself around hers and he begins to remove all that stood in his way of indulging in his wife's love. Their bodies worked in a uniformed predetermined way, covering each other's needs with each movement made. Tom traces his hands through her skin pressing oh so gently on her smooth skin; warming his hand’s skin with each stroke. Lucy works through his layers until nothing more was left in her path to commence her rituals of his enjoyment. Sweet memories flood his mind knowing this dance had been danced many times before. And also that today was a special day that he didn’t know would ever come again. As the excitement passes they lay on their bed Tom's heart is grasped by the heartache he had long to forget. Tears begin to roll down his face and his body turns swiftly to cover his emotions that had with no warning risen to the surface. The warmth of Lucy's hand covers Tom's shoulder and he can no longer bear the pain within. Tom rushes to the master bathroom a room that was filed with all that his wife held close. She had always said that in all the house that room was the only room that brought her peace. If only for a moment, still being able to hear the voices of her young ones on the other side waiting for mom to open that door. He had given her full freedom on the decor of that room, a fact that now worked against his efforts to gain control once more. “I must” he speaks to himself “One day, if only one more day for my family” Twenty minutes later the door opens by his hand and he finds his wife choosing her outfit meticulously calculating in the daily plans. Lucy heads to the bathroom and Tom heads to his children's rooms, he finds Jason ready and now playing with his precious cars, and Gloria in the guest bathroom bringing together her look. A smile creeps to his mouth and he heads into play with Jason to wait alongside him for the women of the house to emerge from their laboratories.
At the mall there was no demand too huge or to expensive this day. Jason walked home with the newest racing set tightly held by his arms. Gloria wanted cloth and accessories from her favorite store and once her shopping was over three bags had been filed to their capacity. Lucy received the diamond necklace that she had always wanted from the Jewlers she had always eyed and Tom he got his wish just the same.Everyone walked out of the mall with a smile that granted Tom the only wish that could come from a marketplace.
The next stop was the supermarket to pick out their favorite movie night snacks. Ice cream, chocolates,gummy bears, popcorn and nachos were just some of the snacks chosen. Each member of the family was handed a carrying basket to fill with every single treasure of snacks that they would like. As they meet at register eight all patiently waiting for Jason to join them. They all admired each other’s selections and shared their owns. Lucy turn to Tom and says “This family outing has truly been a complete success. I really would like to continue the tradition each year” before Tom could say anything his attention had already drifted to their youngest making his way up to them. Tom loaded each basket up on the belt as the space was allowed and gave the cashier the following instructions to bag each basket continents in separate bags so that there would be no more wasted time to figuring out which snack belonged to which family member. Jason walks out of the store holding out his three bags as the rest of the family holds on to their one bag.
The family loaded into the car again and headed to the movie rental store. Everyone was ordered to pick out one movie for the family to watch together. Jason heald on to his two choices after the half hour had past and all the others had chosen their picks. Tom holds onto Jason’s shoulder as he says “Cant decide? let me see them both” Tom places both of his selections behind him and shuffles them behind his back “Now if you give me your answer now you get that one, but if you don't then the one that lands on my right hand will be the winner” Jason is about to see the winning movie when he screams out “The Masked Tiggers” After having selected their favorite stories to light up the screen they finally headed home after a long day.
As the family arranged themselves around the living room Tom graves the camera and sets the timer for a family picture. They all await the flash that takes up the rooms capacity and captures everyone's mood for that particular instance. Jason curls up into his mother's arms. Tom holds his wife tightly and turns to call his daughter closer over to the rest of the family. Glory lays next to her father and they watch all of the movies as they whisk them away to another place time and world. The night comes to a close and the light that creeps into the house sounds the end of a perfect day.
Tom orders the kids to ready themselves for the day quickly. Today was all the time he had left to salvage what he could and for that he needed privacy, and the truth. The kids headed to school and Lucy accompanied Tom. Tom headed to the FBI agency off site that he had worked in while he had assisted the Agency in his earlier days. He searched through their database for anything that may lead him to the organization that could save his family. Coming up empty he slams his fists down on the table that held the computer that he had been searching with. All the attention of the room turns to him and he quickly apologizes for the outburst. He places the first cookie trail that the agency would have of the secret organization. A tidbit that read “There is talk of an Organization that works in the shadows of the US government. They are believed to hold with them amazing power that must be protected at all costs” Tom hoped that this would spark the interest in the organization but he also knew that even if it did it would not do it in time. Tom thanks his old co workers and walks back to his car where his wife waited. Lucy knew her husband well and the fear and worry in his eyes brought up a question within her she feared to ask. The car ride was a quiet one until Lucy's eyes landed on her children's school, her body instantly jumps and turns toward Tom. Tom "I know what you're going to ask, I plead to you, don't" They head into the main office and ask for their children to meet with them. "I just need to speak with my kids for a moment, so please would you call them up" Tom asks the office clerk. The children soon enough join their mother, Tom walks out from the principal's office and announces that they would be heading into the library. As Tom closes the door of the school library his eyes close and dreads the following speech he knew he would have to give. "How I wish that this was not so, that you would not have to endure the pain that will come next" Lucy steps in and says "You're scaring the children, Tom get a hold of yourself" Tom begins once more "Sorry, I made a mistake by taking on this job. The investor that granted me the resources that I needed to complete my work is not a good man. He has an evil within him that will destroy most, if not all the world if he is able to gain control of the chip that I have created. I have seen what will happen if I hand it over, if I don't, if we run, if I destroy it... I am sorry but in each scenario none of us make it out alive. I pray maybe you can find a way to better our chances. I have no more ideas, but you. Maybe you can find a scenario in which it will not reach him. We cannot let them have it at any costs for it has the abilities to tell you what will happen if you set a certain scenario for it. It can also erase people’s minds 15 min safe set and 1 hour max. The fifteen minutes is the fail safe locked in the device right now but can be altered for the hour max” Don't be afraid it will give you the knowledge of knowing what will happen with images but not harm you" As he hands it to his wife she glares at her husband with confusion and disbelief. Her long red hair that most days would be tightly done up swayed on her shoulders, her long bangs covered her eyes and layed on her cheeks as her face looks down. The images overwhelm her thoughts and tears begin to flow down her eyes. Disbelief is no longer part of her description, what takes its place is fear and longing for the news to not have to be as she lets the chip fall. Tom quickly recovers it and then hands it over to Gloria. “I have researched all the possible resources that we can use and I have found that the only place in which this device will be safe. Where it will be used for good without a chance of corruption is a place called The ACAD, they are a secret organization that protect people that are not being protected and with this device they will be able to branch out and protect even more. My fondest wish is that this organization receive my work, but I will settle for it not to land on the hands of Kendall. Think of The ACAD and the chip will show you the good, think of Kendall the investor and you will see the misery that it can bring. Think outside the box and try to find a better outcome to all of this” having said that Tom hands over the chip to Gloria. As it lands in her hand she closes her eyes and ponders away the different outcomes that the chip revealed until the tears from her eyes fall down and hope slips from her heart. Tom graves hold of his daughter's hand and gently motions for her to release the chip and allow it to fall within his hand. Tom looks at the youngest of the family and kneels down to look his son in the eyes “I know you're afraid, but I can use your help here, will you please give your mind a twirl around this problem?” Jason’s tears begin even before the chip is placed in his hand. His eyes close and his mind searches through the possible outcomes. New tears join those that had already begun to dry out, and his expression turns to fear. Jason screams out “No, no please no I don't want to be alone” as soon as his eyes open back up he rushes to his mom’s arms and continues weeping. Tom looks around to his family and says “That’s it then, I have no more ideas I will deny him the chip and there is no more chance left for us, at the very least we'll be together” Jason smiles and says “Yes at least we'll be together and I won't be left alone” Tom turns to his son and says “Wait, did you get out of this alive?” Jason looks at his mother with sorrow and says “You don't, Gloria.. she doesn't and Dad I don't want to be left alone, please” Tom asks “And the chip, what happens to it?” Jason “I have it, that’s the only thing” Tom “You and the chip make it out, does it ever make it to the ACAD?” Tom hands the chip back to Jason. Jason grasps the chip with his hand and takes in a deep breath, a breath that meant that he would have to be strong, strong like his father. Jason wakes from his trance and announces “Yes, I don't know how but somehow it makes it there it told me that a great man within the organization will one day hold it in his hands” Tom’s face changes instantly and hope grows within his heart as he says “I need you to do this for me, please Jason you can get the chip there and when you do, when your life is complete we will be waiting for you, that I promise you” Jason’s tears flow now at a steady pace as he continues to scan the room around him. All that he held dear was in that room with him, his eyes stop there scan on Gloria and he holds his glance until they all surround him with an embrace. As soon as the bell rings for the end of classes the family is ready to go home and play out the plan that allows Jason to live.
The entire family helps to prepare and set the table for the last meal that they expect to consume. As the family got ready to eat their dinner Tom’s mind only lingered toward the miniature grandfather clock that hung in the middle of the wall facing the kitchen. A single dove like bird flying above the stems from underneath, a third dimensional painting that gave Tom hope for what he dreads would be his family’s future. The waves at the top of the clock had once just given definition to its design. Tom’s mind warps it and he sees the lines now make up human figures above looking down at this single dove. His little boy that would be left in this world alone with his family to watch over him from up above. The clock that had maintained a connection within his wife's family for years marked the time that was now upon him. As he hears the sounds of the cars approaching his home he looks down to his hand where he sees the chip and back at the clock once more.
Tom turns to his children and says with a heavy heart “Take this Jason and know that we will never truly leave you, you are smarter and stronger than you believe and that is why I know that you can do this”
Tom sits back down on his place around the dinner table with his entire family before him. The windows break open shattering into tiny little pieces that shower all around the prepared food and the family sitting in front of it. Men run in from all sides suited up with weapons and body armor. They hold the family down on the ground while they ransack their home. After coming up empty they ask the father “Where’s the chip!?” The men get furious as they await his answer. Tom looks at his family, never had he wanted to involve them. What was at stake here? Could it be more important than his life? His families? He gives no answer. The men stand up the family and walk them into separate rooms. Tom manages to say “Be strong, I love...” their father’s last preparation.
The children are taken to their father and mother’s room where they are sat down in the two wielded wooden chairs that his father had taken pride in matching the medium sized desk that had been given to him as a gift from his dear friend in the FBI, uncle Hues. Their hearts break as they hear the screams from their parents fill the house. Jason looks over to his sister Gloria and as they hear a single gunshot echoing throughout their home their hearts takes up all capacity in anguish. As the tears flow down Gloria’s cheeks she tells her little brother “Be brave, no matter what take this b*****d down” Jason had always maintained a certain respect for his sister, holding her in a higher level than himself. Her persona matched her mother’s but her intellect could have surpassed her father’s. Now bound by the wrists with thick and heavy rope Jason could only see the eyes of her mother that reflected love and the look of his fathers that displayed attentiveness to the task at hand. Gloria’s only sign of rebellion had been the little black bow with dangling blue and purple ribbon about two inches long. Her mother had always wondered why she would choose to always wear that certain bow in all occasions no matter what she was ever forced to wear on her body. A bow that would prevent her hair from covering half of her face. The bow now worked against her not allowing her to cover the pain that her heart now overwhelmed itself with. Gloria manages to semi smile as her heart tears apart from within. She turns her chair backwards and hands Jason something. She begins to say something until they hear the men’s footsteps come closer to the room and the fear within Gloria doesn’t allow the following words to continue their stream. Jason now knows that Gloria is aware of the upcoming events and tears are shed for her. As the men walk through the door they set their eyes on her. The men move with concise direction and remove themselves from the events that would come. One of the men takes her and ties her down on her father’s desk. As the torture begins Jason now knows the outcome and tears rain down knowing that there will be nothing that he could do.
Tom is brought in in handcuffs to witness the pain that his daughter undergoes. Her screams tear apart in his soul and seam to continue with no end. Jason looks into his hand at the reason that has brought his whole family down to its knees. The light shines off the chip? No wait… the blade, as he begins to work at his restrains tears fill his eyes. To relive this moment in his mind the pain from knowing the best possible outcome continues to torture his soul. He hears his sister’s screams lose all momentum. He knows his sister won’t make it and as Gloria’s screams start to die out and her life begins to slip away. It becomes clear that Tom would never reveal the location of the chip. The men ask “Now what!? To the talkie in their hands, Kendall’s voice then says “Kill them” as the order is given Jason takes one more look at the chip that will inevitably be theirs.
He hears the gunshot that takes the life of his father and shakes the feeling of sadness so that he could stay focused. The last strand breaks and he runs as fast as he can toward the closest opening. “The glass window” he whispers to himself, he then throws the cigar box that had belonged to his father as hard as his arm could manage letting it break through the window. Immediately his body pierces through the pieces of the glass that continue to rain down until reaching the floor. As he runs he hears the men running after him. Gunshots fill the air and he feels scared that he won’t make it. “He has to” he tells himself or all of the death that he left behind would have been in vain.
He traces back in his mind the preparation that his father had given. The chip had the ability to erase the memories of a person up to a 1 hour period but 15 minutes was the safe set, the one locked into the chip's memory. Using the hour was the max of the chip’s strength and the longer that you set it for the more that the people would remember. But using it now would let them know that he had it. The only advantage that he had at this moment would be lost. Tom had known the outcome even before he had sat down around that dinner table. The torture that his heart underwent seeing his beautiful family before him. Knowing in just moments they would be slaughtered and tortured aiming their performance at him. Tom had tried but failed to keep the chip safe. Now the burden fell on Jason to deliver the chip to an organization he knew nothing about.
Jason ran as fast as he could until his feet could no longer run anymore. The weight from his body seemed unbearable, he could not keep moving at the speed that he had been going. He knew the park coming up and felt that it could be his opportunity to end the chase. As a child he had played and ran around its entire surface and although he had not visited in several years he prayed some things had not changed. His sister had found a great hiding place within its territory as a child and he remembered its location well. He could hear the footsteps of the men getting closer and knew they had seen him enter the park. He fights off his jacket and throws it up a tree in hopes of a different look. He then sees a few people up ahead and looks toward the opposite side knowing the bridge that he needed was coming up. He swings around the bridge and spots the hidden hole underneath its obvious beauty. The hole was well hidden and would be hard to see if you did not know of its existence prior, something he counted on. He immediately looks around to make sure that they had not caught up to him. He now knew that he had to get out of sight.
He jumps into the hole and recognizes the tighter fit as well as the cold and damped ground up against his skin. As opposed to when he had been a child playing on a bright and sunny day. Lying close to the new atmosphere enclosed within its natural resource Jason pondered. He was now encaged with his only way of looking out being the very opening that he had used to enter. He would have liked to have had that sweater now swaying with the wind up on those trees. He waited out the night to make sure that the men had truly lost his trail. After repositioning himself Jason looked up at the sky and his eyes began to fill. How had his whole world completely crumbled down in the period of one day? All his family gone along with the possibility of ever going home again. He turned the chip with his thumb and index finger twirling it around while thinking of what he could do now. His father had once worked for the FBI so maybe they could help. He knew that his father didn’t trust them but he was left with no other choice. His sister’s last words to him swam in his mind and he knew that he couldn’t enter that building with anything that he wasn’t willing to lose.

Reviews

[Denise]

I thank you for your reviews and know that I will continue to update the story and look forward to your reactions

[Alice]

I love Lucy and Tom , I already know them. There is already a feeling that something momentous is about to happen to upset their life. what happens next?