A Guardian to Be: The Jessica Parks Chronicles

Chapter 11 The Trek

I woke up screaming.

"Jessi! Jessi! Wake up! Wake up please!" Lily was shaking me really hard.

"I'm up Lil! It's ok, I'm up." I said, finding myself short of breath.

"I've called Mark, so he should be up here with Shaun soon. They're getting Claire and Rose as well."

  She was looking at me hard. I think she was trying to stare me down. I sat up in my bed, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Agh!" I took an intake of breath through my teeth.

  My legs were on fire - not literally. I pushed off the cover and I had claw marks running from my ankles to my thighs.

  We just stood there both of us looking at my legs. I don't think either one of us could believe what we were seeing.

  Just then there was a knock at the door - well more of a bang. "Lil! Let us in!" It was Mark.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Lily went over and opened the door.

"What's happened is everything all right Lily? Where's-" Mark started but then he caught sight of me, standing in front of the mirror face full of shock.

"It's all r-r-right g-g-guys everyth-th-thing is fine." I stuttered.

"Jessi." Claire said, "It's ok, you can tell me what happened."

  I looked up at her. I didn't know what happened that's the thing.

  All I knew was that the school had been over run by humans and we were all put under scientific experiments. I had been put in a room full of all my fears and memories. I had had a melt down when I saw one of my fears come to life and attack my happy and good memories. I had collapsed on the floor and dogs - one of my fears - clawed and attack me.

"I just had a nightmare that's all." I lied.

"Jess." Shaun came over and put his hands on my shoulders, "You can tell us it's ok. You can trust us."

"I know, I do trust you guys, I really do. It's just what happened it seemed so weird, but it seemed so real." I started shaking.

  Rose came over to me and sat me down. Then once I was seated she started stroking my head. Then she... Slapped me!

"What was that for?!" I shouted as I raised my hand to my stinging cheek.

"Just as I thought." She said mysteriously.

"What?!" Asked Mark.

"She had a nightmare, started clawing herself - probably to get it to stop - and put it into a part of the nightmare." She made so much sense.

"Right. Ok. Now that's cleared, every one out so that we can get ready for the woods." I said, feeling so much more refreshed and ready. 

  They all cleared out and Lily and I got ready.

  We all met up at our little spot at the back of our dorms, none of us got detected on our way there.

"Right ok. We're going to the woods and we will have our little picnic." I said.

  Everyone stared at me like I had three heads and four eyes.

"Look guys. I'm fine ok. Honestly I am. My wee series this morning is over and won't be repeated okay?! So, let's get moving."

  I started walking and Shaun ran up to me.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" He asked.

"Unless you're scared that the big bad wolf will get you then, no you shouldn't, but I'm doing this." I replied with a smile.

  The rest of the group caught up with us.

"Who made the food?" Mark asked.

"Why d'you wanna know?" Lily replied.

"So I know if I'm gonna be eating good food - if you made it - or poisoned food - if Jess made it." He said with an expressionless face.

I gave a villainous laugh.

"Well you've figured out my plan to kill you Mark Thompson. You're smarter than I thought. But I guess I can let you live another day." I said in my best evil voice.

"Right so Jess made the food." He said, "Well, I hope everyone is ready for PB&J 'cause that's what you're getting."

"OY! My food is bloody amazing! No, actually it's Master Chef worthy!!" I fired back at him.

  I heard laughter behind me. I whizzed around to see Claire and Rose laughing so hard that Rose was on the floor and looked as if she was about to bust a gut.

"What?!" Mark and I shouted at them in unison. I glared at him and he glared back.

"OhmyGod." Rose said in between laughing, "You two" - pant pant - "are like" - giggle giggle - "an old married couple!!!!" And with that they both burst into a fit of laughter.

"Claire! Do you think this as well?!" I said facing off with her.

"No?" She replied.

"You just asked a question Claire! You didn't answer my one!" I said, trying to keep a straight face.

  Everyone was laughing by now including Mark! I tried not to laugh, but it didn't really work. About four seconds after I'd said  that, I was cracking up and the look on my face was probably hilarious.

"Can we just keep going before we get caught." Shaun said, "We're almost there so, let's go."