The Second Me: Jonathan

Chapter 2

When he was in a supermarket, he stumbled upon a enigmatic man that was also shopping. The man was clad in a dark brown overcoat and wore a pair of brown-rimmed sunglasses. He had also a fedora that looked as though it was worn hastily, as if he had walked through a typhoon a few minutes ago. Upon noticing Jonathan's presence, he started to tremble incessantly, with a look of horror plastered on his face, "Y-y-you are t-t-the kid who robbed m-m-my house! Stay away from me! And my family!" The man passed a thick wad of money into Jonathan's hands before whizzing out of the entrance. Jonathan was shocked; what could innocent, good-looking 14 year old Jonathan have done to make a grown man that flustered? How could a offence-free citizen - well, except dozing off in class - like him commit a grave crime like this? Jonathan dismissed his questions and thought that the words of a stranger were not to be trusted; he deemed that as balderdash and shrugged his head. He thought nothing of it and decided to continue his shopping spree.

After getting the ingredients he needed for dinner, he checked out at the cashier, and was ready to return home. As he walked home, he thought of the weird events that happened within a short period of 6 hours. "Why did everyone say I was present at a certain place -- even though I wasn't? Are they pulling pranks on me? That cannot be. I've known Dawn for quite a long time and I know she is a very honest person and doesn't fancy April Fools either."

When Jonathan returned home, dog-tired, Commander Pierce clothes ripped apart - like a dog came and attacked her, tearing her clothes apart. Her hair was unkempt; like a bird's nest, which was pretty weird, because she was a strict disciplinarian, and valued looks. Blue-black bruises blanketed her face and there were blood oozing from her forehead. Jonathan dropped his grocery bags upon seeing this scene.

"You... you beat me up and still dare to come back?" hollered Commander Pierce, in a weak voice. The house was in a total mess. Out of a sudden, Commander Pierce wheezed, "I knew it... It wasn't you. Yet it was you... Now, I have full faith in you... Take your belongings and go... Now...!" With that, Commander Pierce tumbled on to the ground, with eyes rolled and she breathed her last.

Jonathan was in a total state of shock. He stood by the door helplessly as his jaws dropped. He immediately rushed to Commander Pierce and shook her vigorously to wake her up, or to knock her into her senses. However, it was to no avail.

His nose slowly turned as red as beetroot and turned sour. His mouth started to tremble as the floodgates forced to be close, but could not. Just then, Jonathan did not know whether to shed a tear to someone who constantly tortured him; or to cry to someone who had taken good care of him ever since his mother died.

Jonathan immediately ran into his room to grab his money and stuffed some clothes into his haversack, before running out of this apartment. He knew that this was the last time he would ever come to this place again.

Receiving this shock, the first thing Jonathan thought to do was to take refugee at one person's house -- and that person was Dawn.

Dawn opened the door after furious and ferocious knocks on the door rapidly. "You came back so fast? Why did you leave so fast just now? Why must you insult me?" Puffs of smoke started to rise from Dawn's ear. "Wha..?" Jonathan interrupted, folding his eyes, "What do you mean? I just came."

"Didn't you come just now? You forgot about it already? You even called me a fat jerk!" Dawn said.

"What!!? I seriously just came from my home! What are you talking about?! I swear!" Jonathan replied.

"Whatever." Dawn said, followed by a door slam right in front of his face.

Despite feeling very wronged, he blurted out "My stepmother died!! I seen it with my own eyes! I came here because I don't know where to approach! I swear!" The door flung open and Dawn appeared with a confused face.

"You sure?" asked Dawn with a puzzled face.

"Yes! I'm sure she breathed her last... If you don't believe, I could bring you there..." Jonathan proceeded.

Dawn of course believed him and thus allowed him to come into the apartment. She immediately poured tea and asked Jonathan to sit on the couch with her.

"Tell me more." Dawn told Jonathan.

"It's been very weird nowadays... Out of nowhere, people whom I never seen during that day always claim that I had seen them... Even strangers!" Jonathan spoke out his thoughts.

"Wait... Did you say that people never seen you. But they claim to see you? Oh no! Come with me!" Dawn spoke in a extremely fast pace and dragged Jonathan out of the apartment.

"Where are we going?" inquired Jonathan.

"No time for talks." Dawn had a very serious look on the face.

The duo travelled to the neighbourhood library. Dawn barged in into the library and scanned the whole house of books. "Gotcha!" Dawn exclaimed as she snatched a book away from the bookshelf.