”Jarod? Jarod?” an accented voice called from just outside the open door. “Jarod, come out now.”

A young Jarod, about age twelve, listened to the voice, but made no effort to move. He was transfixed, amazed, at the realism of the biology he had studied. His body looked similar to, but not exactly like, the drawings. He was confused and intrigued: confused by the inaccuracies; intrigued by the discovery.

The accented voice drew nearer, but Jarod was oblivious. He did not even hear the gasp that preceded the heavy robe that fell across his shoulders. “Jarod, you must never reveal your body to anyone,” the accented man calmly lectured.

”But why, Sydney?”

A slight wheeze accompanied the remark originating from the exterior door, “Because it is evil. You must be punished for your wrongdoing.”

Two large sweepers entered the room, grabbed Jarod by the arms.

”Sydney!” the boy called.

”Raines, he’s just a boy. He doesn’t understand.”

”Sydney, you know the rules,” Raines spoke around his cigarette.

The rest of Sydney’s pleas were left unnoticed as Raines left the room behind the boy and the sweepers.

”Jarod, what’s wrong?” Sydney asked of the solemn boy retreated into the corner.

No response.

”We have work to do.” He coaxed Jarod from the corner and into the hall.

Jarod pulled the blanket he had dragged from the bed tighter around himself. Only his head and feet exposed.

”I think we can leave this behind.” Sydney tugged at the blanket, but Jarod would not relinquish his thin film of security. “All right, but only for today.”

A blank stare met his words. What had Raines done to Jarod to cause such withdrawal? Now he would have to spend time returning Jarod to his previous state, which could have been spent on other work.