The Danger You Don't Know (Part 2)

(Just for reference, this is a part 2 to my story “The Danger You Don’t Know.” To understand what is happening in this story, I recommend reading that one first. Because in this story, I pretty much pick up where I left off.)

Lorraine: Judd! Judd! What do I do? I’m scared. They’re coming!

Judd: I’m here. Walk over to your window and open it. Move quickly, but be quiet.

Lorraine: Alright, I did it. Now what? They are getting closer!

Judd: I am waiting for you outside. Step out of your window and run to my car. It is right outside of your window.

Lorraine: What if they catch me before I get away?

Judd: Just go, Lorraine! We don’t have time. You have to trust me.

Lorraine: Ok, I am going.

         “Oh, Judd I was so scared. Who were those—”

         “Shh, Lorraine. Don’t speak. You do not know who could be listening in. If you have to say anything, text me. I have ensured that our conversations on there are not monitored.”

Lorraine: Judd, I do not know what is going on. Why do we have to text? Who were those people? And why am I in danger?

Judd: I will explain everything I can to you. But we must get away from your house first.

Lorraine: How are you planning on driving and texting? Isn’t that illegal?

Judd: Don’t worry, this is a self-driving car, so we won’t be doing anything dangerous.

Judd: To start off my explanation, I must begin with your parents. Your parents were scientists. There main goal was to create a way to save people who were dying. They knew that they could never make people immortal, but they wanted to be able to have a better chance of saving lives. For years they pored over past experiments, charts, solutions until they found something they thought would work.

Lorraine: My parents died before I was old enough to know them. I had no idea what profession they had. Even my aunt who raised me had no idea what they did before their death.

Judd: That makes sense. They did not tell anyone about their profession because they wanted to safeguard their research. Not just from scientists who would want to steal it and make it their own, but from dangerous people.

Lorraine: If they didn’t tell anyone than how did you know? And how can I trust your information?

Judd: I can’t tell you everything, yet, but I will. For now, I will explain as much as I can and you can decide for yourself if you want to trust me.

Lorraine: You are very cryptic, but I suppose I can listen to your explanation.

Judd: As I was saying, your parents made something they felt would do the job. The only thing was, they had no test subjects. The government deemed the experiment too dangerous and told your parents that if they wanted to test out their experiment, they would have to find their test subject themselves.

Lorraine: Did they? Find the test subject, I mean.

Judd: They did, but it was quite by accident. You see, two months later you were born, but there were some complications. The doctor told your parents that there was no way you could survive. But your parents were not convinced. They took you to their laboratory and administered the serum that they had concocted.

         “They gave it to me? What? How?”

         “Lorraine, remember. Text it.”

         “Oh, sorry, I forgot.”

Lorraine: They gave the serum to me?”

Judd: Yes, they did. And I suppose you know how it went since you are alive right now.

Lorraine: Why have I never heard about this if it worked? I have never seen anything about it on the news.

Judd: That’s just the thing. When your parents realized it worked, they also realized the danger. If people learned that you could make something that could save people who were on the cusp of death, what would stop them from trying to reverse it in a way that kills people.

Lorraine: This all sounds crazy! I don’t understand how something like that could be possible.

Judd: But that’s not all. They learned later on that the serum did more than just save the person who took the serum.

Lorraine: What do you mean? What else could it possibly do?

Judd: When you were three, you and your family went to visit a relative who was dying. They had no more of the serum, so they could not save them, but you could.

Lorraine: Me? How could I save them? You are confusing me Judd.

Judd: I know it is confusing, but it should all make sense when I finish. You see, your parents didn’t know it at the time. But the serum also allowed the person who took it to save dying people as well. During that visit, you touched their hand. And they lived, for a longer time than they were supposed to. They weren’t supposed to survive, but they did.

Lorraine: That’s great. If what you are telling me is true than I can save people. Is that where we are going? To save people?

Judd: No, in fact we are going as far away from people as we can.

Lorraine: I don’t understand. If I have the ability to save people than why shouldn’t I use it? It seems selfish to keep that sort of power to myself.

Judd: For two reasons. The first one being it is dangerous. For you. When you saved that relative of yours, you grew sick. So sick in fact that your parents thought you would not survive. That’s when they realized something, but they had to test the theory first. They made one more batch of the serum, the only other batch to be made, and they tested it.

Lorraine: How did they test it?

Judd: …You are not going to want to hear this, but they tested it on themselves. They didn’t want to endanger anyone or anything, so they took the serum themselves. Then they went to the hospital, they found someone there who the doctors had ruled out, saying there was no hope. Then they both laid hands on the person.

Lorraine: What happened, Judd? I am afraid to find out, but I need to know.

Judd: The person lived, but your parents didn’t. They grew sick like you did, but it was even worse. When they died, they made the person promise they would watch over you and never tell another soul about the serum. Thankfully, they never wrote the serum down, so the recipe went with them. Though it is a small mercy when you think about their deaths.

Lorraine: ...Judd?

Judd: Yes?

Lorraine: Who was the person my parents saved? Was it my aunt? She has taken care of me, well she had until I moved out.

Judd: It was not your aunt, Lorraine. It was…me.

Judd: I didn’t know. I had no idea when I was laying there that they were even there. I was practically dead. And if I had known that they were going to do that, and that they would die because of it, I would never have let them…

Lorraine: So that’s how you know all this. They saved you.

Judd: They did. And even though I wish they didn’t sacrifice themselves; I am grateful for them. When I made that promise to them, I did not take that lightly. I have been keeping close tabs on you. That’s how I knew people were after you.

Lorraine: Why are they after me, Judd?

Judd: Either they want you to save someone, or they want to use you for harm. Do you have anymore questions? We are almost at our destination.

Lorraine: I do actually. How did I not die, if I saved someone? Like my parents did.

Judd: I don’t know. But your parents figured that it had something to do with the person you saved. Perhaps it was because the person you saved was not as close to death as I was. Or perhaps it was because you were so young, giving you a better chance of recovery. Or maybe it was because you took a whole vial of the serum, while your parents each took a half. Either way, they figured that for every person you saved, some of your health would wane. Which is why we are getting you away from anyone who thinks they can use you for their purposes.

Lorraine: But what if I want to save someone?

Judd: It will cost you. And my job is to make sure that never happens. I owe it to your parents and I owe it to you.