Center of The Universe

Chapter 6- Finding Out The Truth

       Jennifer lit a match off her jeans and threw it into a pit full of pine needles, dry leaves, and logs.  A slow flame built its way up.  Crawling sluggishly across the wood.

       "You okay?"  Asked Jennifer sitting down across from me.

I held the picture tightly in my hands,  studying every detail.

       "Uh, yeah,"  I say shaking my head as if I was coming out of a trance.

       "I just didn't think..."

Jennifer's gaze was soft and sincere.  The fire cast flickering shadows under her eyes.  We sat together in silence for a minute.  Possibly to think of what to say next, or just because we had nothing left to say.

       "How did you know about the show?"  I finally asked.

       "I...   can't say."
 
       "Listen, I just found out some...  Insane stuff, I deserve to know what it is."

       "I used to work for the company...  But I don't work for them anymore!"

I stared at her, my heartbeat sped up.  She waited for a reaction.  I did nothing. 
      
       "I worked for Brown Inc.  This awful company that creates reality TV shows.  Someone came up with this idea that involves a person getting broadcasted LIVE, their whole life.  From birth to death.  I-it was incredibly stupid.  It was back when I was some insensitive, rich, snob that had everything and just wanted more money and maybe a promotion or something."

       "Hasn't that been done before?  I mean with the show.  I think there was a movie like that."

We sat in silence again.

       "Nope, don't think so...  Anyways, Mr. Brown loved it so much that he decided to take over the show.  He wanted to take all the credit.  I told him that the show was wrong.  He fired me for it."

       "Couldn't you have told someone?"  I asked completely engaged in the story.

       "He would've had some sort of stupid excuse.  He'd even bribe the cops.  He would've sent me to jail instantly."

       "Well, why do you want to help me?"

       "It's wrong!  An utter violation of basic human rights."

Not knowing what to say, I looked down at my hands and twirled my thumbs in circles.  I heard her clear her throat.  I felt her stare at me.

       "I mean, you deserve your basic human rights.  It just wasn't fair."

I looked up at her and nodded.

       "We better go.  You have to get home."  She said standing up and brushing the dirt off her pants.

       "Wait!"  I said pulling my journal out of my pocket.  Jennifer looked at the book and then at me.  I walked closer to the fire and gazed into its wonderous hue.  The journal fell out of my hand into the fire.  The smoke swirled in the air and through the trees.  It was pretty freakin' releasing.

                                                                                  -----------------------

I pulled myself up with the help of the rope, and Jennifer who let me get on her shoulders in order to reach the window.  I reached the window sill and creaked open the window. 

       "Doin' okay?"  Asked Jennifer.
       "Yup, just.  Let.  Me...  There!"

I climbed through my window and landed on my stomach.  I stuck my head out the window to wave at Jennifer.  She waved back and walked away into the darkness.