Opal 77: Skewed Space (Jerrie)

Part 6

Jade doesn't end up falling asleep. Her thoughts are consumed with visions of Perrie laughing or being distant. She also continues to think about her father and his death, the criminal she killed, and Perrie's strange history. Perrie. That wasn't her name a week ago. She called herself subject 77. What kind of environment was Perrie raised in? She didn't know what laughing was, so she probably didn't have the best childhood. Not that Jade had the best childhood either. Her mother was cold and condescending, and she hardly knew her brother. She was thankful for him at family gatherings, he usually stole all the attention of their family members. He was very outgoing, and an amazing business man. His charm made him a natural at any type of negotiation. People flocked around him at parties. This was also because of his power. Before Jade knew it, her eyes closed and she was asleep. This only lasted for what Jade would swear was mere seconds. She was rudely awoken by Jesy banging on a tin cooking pan.

"Time to get up!" She shouted, continuing to pound her instrument even after everyone started to get out of bed.

"Oh my god! We're awake!" Leigh shouted, taking the pan from Jesy and throwing it on the floor. Jesy was momentarily shocked, and then impressed by Leigh-Anne's hidden strength.

"Well, get going then." Lauren giggled. Loving the pain she was inducing on these three by waking them up at the crack of dawn. She particularly enjoyed the fuming look Jade was giving her. "Goodmorning Jade." She said in a cheerful voice. Jade flipped her off as she pushed past her to go outside. This just made Lauren laugh even more.

"Where is Perrie?" Leigh-Anne asked as she grabbed some food from the pot by the fireplace. Jesy had cooked a lovely pot of oatmeal, which Jade hated.

"Ew, What is this?" She asked as Jesy scooped some into her bowl.

"A nutritious breakfast to give you all the energy you'll need for the day." Jesy responded with a smile, ignoring Jades look of disgust.

"I thought Perrie was still asleep." Claud replied to Leigh-Anne's almost forgotten question. "Does she even need sleep?" He asked as an after thought, mostly to himself.

"She went on a run." Jade responded, avoiding all the curious eyes that turned to look at her. She decided to eat some of her breakfast, trusting that she would indeed need the nutrients as Jesy had said for today.

"How do you know that?" Leigh-Anne asked for everyone, exchanging a look with Claud.

"Because she told me." Jade replied. As if on cue Perrie stepped out of the woods and walked towards the pot of breakfast. She grabbed a bowl and started eating, opting to sit on the same log as Jade. She was completely unaware of everyone's eyes on her and continued to gobble up her oatmeal hungrily.

"So what's the plan for today?" Leigh-Anne asked, wanting to shift the focus to the day and remove it from Jade and Perrie.

"Well," Jesy started. "What do you lot think is most important? Lauren and I are down for anything."

"Shooting." Perrie interjected in between her gulps of oatmeal. She didn't even look up from her bowl. Jade looked at her with an amused smile.

"Yes!" Leigh-Anne agreed with excitement. "I want to know how to handle a gun."

"Okay, we'll start with that." Lauren said with a nod, putting her empty bowl in a bucket of water to be washed. Everyone ate quickly anticipating a fun day ahead of them.
Perrie had thirds.

__________________________

"Damnit!" Leigh-Anne shouted as her shot missed. Jesy and Lauren had set up targets for them to practice on. They had carved circles into the old jungle trees to help everyone know where to shoot. Jade stood beside Perrie a little farther away from everyone else, hands shaking as she held a pistol. All she could do was stare.