The J Project

Chapter 2

Day 1- Taryn

The fire crackled softly as the group of teens huddled around its warmth. I turned the tiger meat on the spit slowly, roasting its skin to a golden brown. Apprehension filled the crisp jungle air. None of them had ever tasted tiger before, obviously. I tried to act confident and closed, but truly I was frightened and wanted someone to talk to me, anyone. But the roles have been decided, and my role was the mysterious one who doesn't talk nice. I didn't choose it, but this was how it was going to be.
Once the tiger seemed well enough cooked, I borrowed Gwen's dagger and sliced up an even amount for each of us. We could have had vegetables as well, but no one was ready to go foraging just yet. I glanced to my left, noticing out of my peripheral vision that Blake was looking at me. His gaze shot to the jungle once I  made eye contact. Odd.
Now there was the problem concerning sleeping arrangements. We made the decision of splitting the hut in half and putting the 2 boys on one side, and the 3 girls on the other. None of us had a watch with us so we didn't really know how late it was, but it didn't matter. After the day we had, we were all ready to sleep. Except me. After laying down for awhile, I decided to get up and go outside, making sure the others were asleep. I needed a break from the whole social scene, so I  went back to that little niche in the tree I had gone to earlier. It seemed more homey to me for some reason. I needed this time to myself to just think, without worrying about putting on a mask of strength for anyone. It felt good to be in the fresh air, just sitting there, the cold crispness of the air hitting my face and feeling good after the hot day we had.
          I thought about home. My aunt has been sick for such a long time, and both of us knew she didn't have much time left. She has been everything to me since my parents... I barely remember them anyways, but it still stings. My mother had cancer, and she unfortunately lost that battle. My father was so heartsick that he took his own life. I was seven. I began to cry. Slowly, at first, then rushing down like silent tidal waves raking my body. It was all too much for me, and it hurt even more knowing I didn't have anyone to talk to about it all. After a minute, I was sure would never stop crying, but then I heard a noise below. I looked down to see Blake. I stayed in my niche thinking he was just out to use the bathroom or something. That was, until he began calling my name silently through the night.
"Taryn... Taryn...You there?" I sit as still as possible, hoping he would just move along so I wouldn't have to show my tear-stained face. I wasn't ready for the mask of strength just yet. He kept calling through the night, continuing to walk through the forest. 
Then his voice again, "Taryn, I can see your foot. I know you're up there."
I mumble cusses as I pull my knees up to my chest and begin to wipe away the tears that stained my face.  "What do you want, Blake."
He comes up to the base of my niche tree, then sits on the largest root. "Just noticed you were gone, wanted to make sure you weren't dragged off by killer baboons or something," he mutters.
I laugh out loud, "Killer baboons, huh?".
He shuffled uncomfortably, as if he were embarrassed. "Well, you never know. Mysterious jungles could have anything in store for us. Such as killer baboons." He looked up to see my face. His eyebrows drew together, then he looked away. I could tell he knew I had been crying, and I thought he would laugh, but he didn't, and it struck me as odd. When he spoke again, his voice had more of a sad, wistful tone to it. As if he were in another place.
"I wonder if they know."
He keeps his gaze to the ground, and I had no idea what he was talking about
so I replied, "What do you mean?"
He sighs, "You know, our families. I wonder if they know we're gone yet. If they're worried, or maybe they agreed to it?"
Something I hadn't thought of yet and made me even more upset, but I didn't show it on my face or in my voice. " Even if they did, we can't let that get us down. We have to survive, push them out of our thoughts, as hard as that might be. I love my aunt, truly, but I can't have my worries for her distract me from the task at hand. Our will to live must be stronger than our will to remember."
He looked up at me then, wonder filling his dark eyes, "How do you do it?"
I look back down, meeting his gaze, "Do what?"
He looks so serious, "Be so strong. Everyone else has already broken down. Me when I was chased by the tiger, Gwen when she twisted her ankle, Kimberly was crying in her sleep before I left, and Alex was broken long before he came here. Just you."
I scoff, looking up to the stars. I can see Ursa Major from here. "I wouldn't say I'm not broken, everyone is."
We sit there for a while, no words pass between us. Eventually though, Blake speaks up. "Judging on the shadows, I'd say it's about three in the morning. We'd better go back to the hut and get some sleep before anyone starts to stir." I nod my consent, pushing off from the tree, landing silently next to him. The trek back was quiet and peaceful.
When we reach the door of the hut, Blake looks back over his shoulder with a sly grin, "This has been fun, maybe we could do it again sometime."
I smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that." I pushed open the door and crawled back over to the other side of the hut to finally get some sleep.