Beasthood

~Chapter 21- Build~ Part 3

Didn't realize it but this chapter comes in FOUR parts. Which are basically chapters in themselves really so figured I'd space them out. And this chapter is dedicated toooooo @Dazla98 for her awesome voting and support. Thank you! 

Sunday June 5th

Construction site

It was exactly a week later when things took a turn for the worst.

Jaz helped out with the build every day from the early morning until around one o'clock. When she got the chance, she'd spend it lying in bed; her whole body aching.

That week, she had two fevers but they were manageable. Edda knew about them but didn't show any signs of concern. They appeared around dinnertime and continued all the way through the night. Jaz stayed in bed without eating; sleeping it off.

Every day, after returning to the cabin, she'd always get a visitor. Either Alf, Skye, Ronnie or Kelda and Kenna. They would drag her out the house, and take her on long scenic walks. Jaz didn't like to admit it, but she did feel better afterwards and she really enjoyed spending time with them.

The sisters came to see Jaz often, usually with Skye in tow. Ronnie came as often as he could between his homeschooling, and Alf would always tag along, no matter who was with him. He and Ronnie were very close; they treated each other like brothers. Jaz learned that the Scottish man, Tomas, who had slapped Alf on the back, was Ronnie's and Skye's father. It made sense that Tomas would treat Alf like his own son when she saw the affection between Ronnie and Alf.

Skye and Alf took it upon themselves to teach Jaz about the routines, the council, what everyone did; how the whole community saw each other as equals and took equal share in the chores; how they were self-sufficient but still did trading with the outside, and between Packs who they had good alliances with. They skipped over the Packs they weren't on good terms with, and Jaz didn't ignore it.

They took Jaz around the plantations, the stables and pens. The crops and greenhouses. They introduced her to some of the community whilst showing her how they planted and sowed, explaining the process to her. Jaz kept everyone at arm's length but was grateful for the effort that they, Skye and Alf in particular, put in to getting her to feel at home. She didn't feel like she was a prisoner anymore, as such, but she certainly didn't feel at home yet.

She still wasn't allowed to contact her family or friends. On Friday she asked Edda about it.

“It's not possible now,” Edda said, shaking her head. “I promise soon, but it isn't down to me.”

Jaz frowned at her and retorted, “Then don't promise something you can't keep.” She went to her room and didn't come out until the next morning.

Edda wasn't there and by the time Jaz got back from work and her walk, neither she nor Edda spoke of their quarrel again.

Jaz wasn't one to hold grudges. Even if she tried. She was terrible at staying angry at people for long. But she didn't forget when someone burned her. Even if it seemed she had forgiven them the memory would stay there. It's hard to forgive, much harder to forget, her mother, Rachel, would always say.

Jaz didn't know it yet, but her immunity to grudges was about to be tested.

It was coming up to eleven o'clock that Sunday, when Jaz observed two things.