Shadows

Jade looked around at the shadows rippling in the firelight as Jamie climbed down the tree and shuddered. A four hour trek in this jungle, at night was not possible. She looked over at Jamie.

“Four hours for you or us? And at what time of day.” She asked, hoping the answers were obvious.

“Well, four hours on my own in good light…” He paused, looking at the exhausted group. “I could make it now, in the dark, in about six, it’s not an area I’m familiar with. We are miles from the Ssala camp… I’d say it’d be about daybreak by the time we got there if we all went…” He grimaced, not liking the way Cass would react to this.

“We have to go now.” She demanded, starting to dismantle was little camp they had set up.

“Why?” Eve asked, as tired as Jade was from their trek that day. ‘Because Jay could be hurt’ Cass thought, but rather than say anything she just scowled. Jade saw through the façade and pulled Cass to one side, gesturing at Jamie to keep the others settled.

“We are all worried too. We need to rest, we can’t be trekking through the jungle in this darkness…”

“Just because you’re afraid of the dark doesn’t mean the rest of us are.” She snapped, instantly regretting it. Jade sighed, flushing as her secret was thrown at her. She ignored it, pushing the insult aside and put a hand on Cass’s arm.

“Cass, even if it was Jay. Even if he was hurt. If he’s so badly wounded that he needs help right this second, then do you think any amount of time is going to make a difference?” She asked.

“We have to try.” Cass argued.

“I’m good, but I’m not a miracle worker. I’m worried too. I know time is against us if he is hurt. But if you make us trek through this now, it’ll take all night. So if he is hurt, then we’ll be so tired that we won’t be able to help.” She considered her mad dash through the jungle, her aching limbs and thought that even now she’d not have the concentration to help anyone in a serious condition.

“Well. I’m going.” She said, turning and picking up what was left of her kit.

“None of us are as smart as you Cass, but you are letting your emotions cloud your judgement right now.” Jade watched as Cass walked to the edge of the camp and stepped into the darkness, convinced to go and find the source of the disturbance. Jamie and Jaxx went to follow to bring her back, but Jade sighed and shook her head. “I’ll go. Wait here.”

It wasn’t far outside of the circle of light that Jade caught up with Cass. Just outside of the range of hearing, Cass had sat down and was crying. She stopped when she heard someone coming, like a teenager caught upset when they didn’t want to be.
Jade sat down beside Cass.

“Hey.” She said, leaving it at that as an opening dialogue.

“All I do at the moment is feel crap and upset.” She said, with a shuddering sigh, trying to get her emotions under control.

“That’s ok. We all have bad days. Given what you went through last time we were here, you are bound to be more emotional anyway.” Jade said with a shrug.

“No, it’s not just..." Cass tailed off.

“It’s ok. Whatever it is, it will be ok.” Jade said, putting an arm around Cass’s shoulders. “I don’t need to know why. You just need to know that it’s going to be ok. Everyone has their own demons to deal with, we are all screwed up in our own ways. Just take your time.” She looked down at the fluorescing tube tied to her belt and smiled. ’Yes, but I’m screwed up because of someone else. Fucking Brittany.’ Cass thought, simultaneously worried about Haruk capturing her again, Jay bleeding and broken on the ground, Jaxx tearing into the flesh and blood images of herself, the recent thoughts of not being her own person and the lack of sleep making her thoughts swim in circles in her mind. She heaved another shuddering breath and began to calm down slowly. They sat there for a long time, Jade with a companionable arm around Cass, who for once, let herself be comforted by the friendship. Eventually, emotionally exhausted, Cass fell asleep. Jade picked her up like a sleeping child and carried her back to camp, shooting the others with an ‘if you make noise I will hurt you’ look.

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OOC – Hope that’s ok Locke, let me know if you want any of this changing as it’s a bit of a close one to Cass’s feelings. I thought I'd convince Cass to stay so someone else can get us to the action! :)