{3 Jalice}
whack.
whack.
whack.
whack.
whack.
My throwing stars hit their target everytime: a stray beer can, a fence post, an old and rotten apple, even a daisey swaying in the wind. I was getting better with protecting myself by training everday. It was an obsession to protect myself and other people from harm and cruelty. People always needed to be protected.
I couldn't help it.
I always pushed myself to improve medically and physically, willing myself to get better. Training, reading old timer medical books, practicing, improving. It was an obsession. It couldn't be helped.
I needed to feel useful.
Maybe someone will appreciate my efforts one day.
**<[Flashback]>** 2 years ago
"Come on Jalice, we're going to be late to school! Hurry it up!" my friends yell at me, pounding on my bedroom door.
"Just go without me! I'll come tomorrow!" I yell back pulling my blanket up to my chin.
CRACK
I quickly jump out of bed only to gape at my three friends smirking at my fallen door, Pally with a dusty fist. "You said that four days ago J, tell us what's going on. NOW," my best friend, Pally, demands, a look of concern in her brown eyes. My other two friends nod their heads, agreeing with her.
"I-you promise you won't freak or leave me? Even if it sounds crazy? Promise?" I ask unsure of what they will do.
"Well no shit sherlock, why do you think we're friends? We're used to your craziness," Stansi laughs along with Pally and Berto. (Yes, Berto. His parents were old timers and addicts to some oldy drug called weed).
'Deep breaths. Deeeep breaths Jalice. Come on they promised they won't leave you. Just tell them.'I reassure myself over and over again.
"Ihaveinsanitation!" I blurt out quickly, ducking my head under my blanket, hoping I won't have to repeat it.
"Wait. What?!" Berto asked a few seconds later confused, as Pally and Stansi give me the "Dafuq" look.
I sigh uncovering my head, " I have insanitation. I tried to give my mother CPR when she died from it, thus I now have the insanity." I wave a hand over my right cheek, the cursed mark barely visible.
They all stare at me blankly.
A few minutes later, which seemed like years, my friends make their choices.
Stansi is the first one to bolt out of the room.
Not seven seconds later Pally is out the door and down the street too.
Berto is the only one that's still with me.
He looks down at the floor, scrutinizing the carpet.
"J," he says quietly, "I'm sorry. I truely am." He gives me a small hug, his face angled away from mine so he wouldn't risk his safety. I feel something slip into my front pocket on my jeans and he's gone too. Like the rest of my so called "friends".
I close my bedroom door then nervously open the note that he gave me.
[ Jalice,
I noticed that you were infected a week ago, so it's only a matter of time before you spill to us. I've arranged for you to stay with my friend, Malco, he'll take care of you. There's a map to Malco's place on the back of this note. Stay safe.
