The Umbrella
What if an umbrella could do more than just protect its user from mere sun or rain? What if it could protect its user from pain? Jared Evans' umbrella does just that. Sure, it may not be real to anyone except him, but whenever pain, fear, or any other unpleasant emotion threatens to rear its ugly head, Jared has only to release his imaginary umbrella to escape into a world that he is all too familiar with... numbness. It's not until his counselor, Henry Green, convinces him to carry around a real umbrella instead, that Jared begins to understand; his umbrella may protect him from pain, but it also protects him from life. Haunted by pain from his past, but disengaged from life in the present, Jared must make a choice; he can run and hide like he's always done, or choose to finally let go of his umbrella and find the freedom that comes from living honestly. Written by The Initiative
