Opal 77: Skewed Space (Jerrie)

Part 19

Jade was angry. She was mad at herself, the seemingly great idea fizzling into nothing as all her leads disappeared; Much like the last time she had searched for Perrie. She was mad at her computers for crashing, cursing at it as she threw one of the monitors across her bedroom. She was mad at Karl, because he had his life sorted out. A purpose. Even if it had been sooner than he would've liked, or something he never saw himself doing. And Jade was angry at... whatever doctor had tormented Perrie. But for the life of her she couldn't remember the name! It had a "k" in it, the brunette was sure of that.

With a loud sigh she stood up, only to quickly sit back down again as her vision went dark.

"Stupid head rush..." She growled, though her second attempt was successful. Making her way to the bathroom she passed by a mirror, wincing as she noticed the purple bags beneath her eyes and her unkempt hair. The shirt she had on was from three days ago, and she shrugged at the realization, comparing this to other times when it had been worse.

After a necessary hour long shower, and a good twenty minutes taming her hair, she stood in front of her closet, thumbing through her options. A soft baby blue sweater caught her eye, an ache settling in her heart as she snatched it off the hanger. With shaky fingers she slipped it on, grabbing a pair of leggings to go with it, and her jacket in case it got cold.

It was time to return to the land of the living, she would visit Jesy.

Jade's driver was quick, and she felt a quick pang of guilt in her heart. She had a few drivers who were on call around the clock, but she never left her apartment. Their job was almost redundant, but Norma insisted that public transportation was out of the question for a Thirlwall. Jade would have used it to spite her mother, but honestly she didn't know how. Besides the fact that she had nowhere to go. And she didn't trust the self driving vehicles either.

"Shall I leave the car running?" Her driver asked, shaking Jade from her thoughts.

"Nah, pick me up in two hours Mx. ..." Jade paused, realizing she didn't know this drivers name.

"Ikram, Mx. Ikram." They responded with a soft smile reflecting back at Jade through the rear view mirror.

"Thank you Mx. Ikram, I'll see you in two hours."

The door thudded behind her as she slammed it, anxiously turning to face her mother's most precious jewel.

The James Thirlwall Memorial Medical Institution for Biogenetics a sign read.

She had been here last week when they had brought Jesy in. She had been here when she returned from that planet, her mother had insisted even though all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. She had been here many times during its construction, and later on when she had dropped out of school and got her stomach pumped. No matter how long she spent in the pristine halls, sophisticated hospital beds, or her mother's surprisingly comfortable office, she always got a pain in her chest. Always faltered before she entered. It was like clock work; continuously happening. Or maybe an objects natural reaction to gravity.

Either way she breathed in slowly, counting to ten before letting it out again.

"Jade Thirlwall for Jessica Nelson." She stated to the receptionist, ignoring how their eyes went wide from recognition. "Has she moved rooms?"

"N-No," The receptionist stammered, typing quickly to cover up her surprise. "The patient is still in room 703."

With a nod of her head Jade was gone, eager to rid herself of the uncomfortable feeling that receptionist had caused her. She hated all the preconceived assumptions people had based on her last name, tying her to everything her family had done in the public eye. She longed to be free of it to such an extent that she had asked Claud one time if-