Trackstar; Yasmina Fadoula (JWCC)

"The Art of Chill" | S2

Jaycee woke up with a start, her heart racing and her body covered in sweat, again.

Theses nightmares were becoming too frequent, but she couldn't let her companions know about it. She had to be strong for them, to keep their spirits up and ensure their survival.

She took a deep breath and tried to push the dream aside, focusing on the present. She got up and went to check on the rest of the group, who were still asleep. As she walked around the trees that they inhabited for the night, she saw the others sleeping peacefully, and she felt a pang of envy. They didn't have the weight on their shoulders like she did, and they didn't have the nightmares that plagued her almost every night.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She couldn't let her issues affect the group, not when they were all depending on each other to survive. She had to be strong, to push through her own problems and help the others through theirs.

As she sat down to watch over the camp, she heard a rustling behind her and turned to see Yaz, waking up.

"Hey, you okay?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

Jaycee forced a smile. "Yeah, just couldn't sleep."

Yaz nodded, not pressing further. Jaycee was grateful for her understanding, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt. She should be able to confide in her friends, to share her struggles with them. But she couldn't risk bringing them down, not when they were all fighting to survive.

She stayed up the rest of the night, watching over the camp and keeping her thoughts to herself. The nightmares would come and go, but she couldn't let them get in the way of her responsibilities. She was determined to be the strong one, the one who held the group together, even if it meant putting aside her own mental health.

~#~

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"Could you not!?"

Yaz caught the next rock Kenji threw, glaring at him, causing him to drop the one he was holding.

"Sorry guys but pterosaurs are nearing in the eastern mountains so that's out." Darius informed from the top of a different tree.

"So just more bad news then." Jaycee groaned

"We can't stay on Main Street cause, dinosaurs. And the mountains, grasslands and jungles are also out because dinosaurs." Brooklynn went through the options that came and went.

"And Kenji's penthouse is also out because he is bad at math." Yaz added on, to the surprise of no one.

"Hey it's not my fault my dad changed the code because I didn't do my algebra homework." Kenji attempted to come to his own defense.

"It is your fault, anyways, we're on a dinosaur infested island, or if anything, human infested island because it's their now; so they are everywhere we just need the safest spot." Jaycee answered.

"There is a place we haven't tried but I'm not sure you're going to like it." Darius rubbed his neck sheepishly.

~#~