Zee and Todd

Zee:

Later that night, Zee couldn’t sleep. This was the last night that they were going to be at the hotel for their weekend get away and it was three in the morning. She tried to turn in her bed at any angle but she couldn’t get to sleep. Her mind continued to race with questions. Questions that were from what the family talked about that night and also ones that Todd asked her.
After they were talking with their parents, Zee and Todd made their way back to their rooms. They passed by the emergency stairs and Todd motioned for her to follow him. She was taken aside by Todd in the stairway and asked her about Jack. Jack had been acting strange lately and even disappearing for hours on end. Todd was concerned and told Zee his thoughts.
“Todd, are you saying that Jack is Carter in disguise?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying. But it’s strange that he keeps running off. He hasn’t acted like Carter, but that doesn’t mean that he may be working for him.”
Zee turned over to her side and looked over to the couch. Jack was snoring quietly and was sleeping peacefully on his back. She turned her head to see Todd and Ben sleeping in strange positions. Todd was cuddling Ben’s arm and Ben was drooling on his pillow. Zee couldn’t help but smile and she turned back to Jack.
Zee remembered the one day when she and Todd snuck into Carter’s house. She saw him sleeping, but not like how Jack was sleeping. Carter looked like the boys, a man who loved his sleep and didn’t care about how he looked while sleeping. Jack slept soundly. Zee rolled back onto her back and looked at the fuzzy ceiling with her bad vision. She shook her head and smiled. Jack couldn’t be Carter.
She closed her eyes telling herself that, but then she started thinking about that he was a magician and could make himself look like anyone. He could do anything. It could be all part of his disguise. She moaned shaking her head with the thoughts.

“Man, Zee, rough night?” Jack laughed at breakfast.
They were all packed up and ready to go, but Zee looked like she rolled out of bed. She mumbled something and Jack playfully put her in a head lock and messed her hair up. She hit him and they had a little war of slaps. He would hit her then dodge her attacks, and then when he wasn’t looking she would hit him and run off. Mom scolded them and sarcastically asked how old they were. Zee’s mind went back to the thought that Jack could be Carter. He couldn’t be Carter. Jack has always acted like Jack and they always annoyed each other like they’ve always have.
Everyone packed into the cars and Todd and Ben said bye to their grandparents since they lived in another city. Zee smiled and waved to them too. After the quick goodbyes everyone was off. The car ride home was normal and they all ended up playing a few car games till Zee drifted off to sleep.
She had a horrible dream that she was with Jack. They were walking through the woods and down the docks of the beach laughing and having a good time. Zee was at peace and enjoyed his company. Just as she realized the peace, Jack’s look started to change. Suddenly he turned into the monster of Carter. Carter’s large hands took Zee’s throat and she couldn’t breathe. He laughed evilly telling her that she was going to die. He had a twisted smile and his eyes were red. Zee wanted to wake up, but she couldn’t move.
“Zee!” she felt several hard shoves on her arm, “Zee wake up!”
She then finally opened her eyes and saw Jack. He had the back car door open and he was standing outside of the car. Todd and Ben were gone and it was dark outside. She spotted the golden lights from their bungalow home and a concerned look from Jack. He picked her glasses up off her lap and placed them back on her nose. She could see him clearly and he asked if she was alright. She tried to sit up but felt a horrible head ache blister through her head. She nodded briefly and unbuckled her seat belt. Jack took her shoulder and led her to the house asking again if she was alright.
Zee didn’t respond and walked off to her room. Her wandering mind was killing her. She needed to know if Todd’s words were true or not. She needed to know if she was safe.

A few days later Zee’s dreams went back to normal. She was able to convince herself enough that Jack has always been Jack. He was her brother and will always be that. Zee plotted an evil revenge on Todd for filling her mind with those thoughts. He needed to pay the cost for her sleepless nights the past few nights! She mainly organized an evil plan because she was bored. She had papers out on her desk that all strangely ended with Todd being pelted with a pie. Probably because she really was craving pie…
A knock sounded from her door and Mom opened it. She was dressed up and was putting some earrings into her ears.
“Ah, you’re up early!” she said walking over and kissing her forehead.
“You off to work?” Zee said hugging her back.
“Yep, Dad is leaving soon too. Remember that we both have meetings tonight so we won’t be back till ten. You’ll have to fight Jack for what pizza you guys want.”
Zee rolled her eyes. Zee liked veggies on her pizza with chicken while Jack always wanted the “heart attack” combo. Which was the three meats pizza and a side of greasy- too hot- hot wings. He always won with the rule that “the one to the phone first gets to order the pizza”. He always knocked Zee off her feet and got to the phone first every time.
“Can’t we have more money and get something better? That boy needs to learn how to eat better!”
Mom started to leave and smiled, “Now Zee, don’t be his mother. That’s my job. I’ll block the movie rentals on the TV for only chick flicks. How about that?”
She winked and Zee nodded liking that plan. Mom went into the hallway and yelled at Jack to clean his room when he got home from work that day.
“But, Mom!” Jack called from the bathroom.
“It better be done when I get back!”
Zee heard Mom pick up the keys and soon a slam from the front door. The bathroom door opened and Jack came out with wet hair and his work uniform on. He worked at some home repair shop as a builder and smelled of deodorant. With hot days like today, he dreaded working outside. Zee didn’t have to work today, so she had the entire house to herself. Becca already invited herself over and was probably in the drive way waiting to see Jack before he left for work.
“That stalker friend of yours is outside again…” Jack frowned coming into the doorway.
“You should just ask her out. You two would make a beautiful couple.”
Jack stole Zee’s hair dryer off of her dresser and turned back into the hallway. He needed to leave in a few minutes and he was scolded before for having wet hair at work.
“I’d rather go on a date with you. Then I would know that you won’t want to take me down the tunnel of love or something.”
“Oh, is that right?” Zee smiled following him to the bathroom, “Was that your attempt to ask me out?”
“Hey, we have thirty bucks, Mom blocked the channels, and both of our parents won’t be home till late. Want to go to the new theater down town and watch that new Science Fiction movie?”
He gave a toothy smile as the hair dryer blew his hair up into the air. He never liked to wear his glasses anymore. He really only needed them to drive and to see the chalk board at school. Zee gave a half smile liking his evil little plan and nodded. He laughed and quickly brushed his hair and ran off to the kitchen. Zee told him that she would find a seven o’clock showing of the movie and that he needed to be back by six. He rolled his eyes and grabbed his keys and wallet by the front door. He reminded Zee about what Mom said about her being a mother.
He opened the door and Becca was right here.
“Sup’ Zee, hi Jack,” Becca said flipping her hair.
“Becca,” he said picking her up and moving her to the side of the porch.
She acted like a little school girl as he picked her up. Once she was out of the way from the door, he patted her head like a dog and told her to stay. He then ran off to get his car in the drive way. He hopped into his black car and backed up and out of the driveway. Zee walked up to Becca as she watched him leave.
“You’re not going to have his babies some day,” Zee smiled.
“A girl can dream can’t she?” Becca said in a southern 1940s movies accent.
Zee threw her arm around her friend and they walked inside the house. The rest of that morning the girls plotted Zee’s pie revenge on Todd and did each other’s nails. Becca asked many questions about Zee’s trip and a lot of questions about how Jack looked in a swim suit. Zee shook her head and lied in a serious voice that he looked ugly. Becca pretended to be disgusted and they both laughed.
The day flew by quickly and soon Zee was left alone to get ready for her “date”. The movie was some action movie with aliens, robots, and lots of almost realistic blood. Jack loved his Science Fiction movies and usually went to them with his guy palls. Zee had to smile for Jack never ever invites her on fun nights. Usually their fun nights are either with the family, or consist of them fighting for the phone on pizza night.
When she first picked out her outfit, she strangely picked out something nice. She changed it ten times till she found something that made her seem like she’s going out to have fun rather than a nice night out with a guy. Jack came home and rang the door bell. She went outside to see him dressed in dark jeans and a dark shirt that showed off his muscles. Zee wondered when he changed but didn’t matter.
“Got the money?” he asked as she closed the door.
She waved it in the air and smiled, “Lets go see aliens killing other aliens!”
“Yeah!”
They clapped hands and jumped into the car and drove off to their movie…