See No Evil
Author's Note:
This story is set after the end Plague, so if you haven't read it turn back now!
*SPOILER ALERT*
Summary:
Jasmine René moved to Perdido Beach when she was 11. Now she's 13, living in the FAYZ. She's a regular preteen, except for the fact that she's living in a world with no adults and an impenetrable barrier surrounding her. Also, she can sense the feelings of others. She may be a two-bar, but she never bothered to find out. And that she's blind. Nobody knows except for her, for fear that she'd be treated like a disabled person. But secrets can't be kept forever…
Chapter 1:
Jasmine woke up to the sound of shuffling. She got up and straightened her bed.
"Morning."
Ellen, the old fire chief, was rubbing sleep out of her eyes. The two girls had become roommates, partly because of the fact that Jasmine and Ellen had hung out back before the FAYZ.
"Hey. What time is it?"
Jasmine could hear Ellen going to the window to look out.
"I'd guess around 9:30. Others are starting to wake up."
Jasmine went into the bathroom to freshen up. It wasn't a big boat, only about 15 square feet in the cabin. The two girls has scooted air mattresses into two opposite corners of the cabin. The bathroom was small, only a toilet and a tiny tub. She ran her fingers through her hair a few times.
"You're beautiful, you know. Your hair is the perfect shade of auburn, and your eyes are silver."
She'd heard that description a million and one times from her mother, while her dad kept stressing the fact that she was black. She briefly wondered what color her hair was now, without shampoo to wash it in.
She opened the bathroom door to find Ellen had already left. She slipped some gym shoes on and stepped onto the deck of the boat.
Activity was buzzing around as people began to wake up and greet each other. She could hear Sam in the boat next to her as he stepped up onto the mast.
"'Sup René," He was calling in her direction. René was what most people called her, so she went by it now.
"Nothing. I just woke up. Where's Lana?" She knew Lana was heading into town today and wanted to go get some stuff from her old house.
"I saw her heading to the restrooms."
During the first few days at the Lake, kids had discovered pretty soon that, even though there was fresh water, there was no plumbing. A few of the older kids had built about 15 outhouses far enough away from camp so that the smell didn't reach it, but close enough to make it if someone really had to go.
Jasmine nodded in his direction as she climbed the steps down onto the shore. She wanted to find Lana before she left for town.
She ran into Lana just as she was coming out of the forest.
"Hey, would you mind if I came with you to town? I have some things at my house I forgot."
She could feel Lana thinking, measuring the options.
"Okay. But I don't stop much. Better use it before we leave."
"'Kay. Thanks."
Jasmine used the restroom and walked the short distance to Lana's boat. She skirted the campsite, where kids who weren't quick enough to claim a boat slept. There were a bunch or makeshift tents propped against trees and rocks. Soon, she made it to Lana's boat. From what she'd heard, Lana had the biggest boat there, so big it could almost be called a yacht. She waited calmly outside until Lana and her dog, Patrick, walked out.
Sanjit called a goodbye from his own boat, which he shared with his siblings.
Lana stopped for a brief talk with Sam, who waved as they walked away from camp. They walked in silence at first; it was too early to talk. Jasmine made sure to listen to the girl's footfalls to know when to step up or down.
It was around noon when they reached the Hills, and Lana turned to Jasmine.
"René, isn't it?"
"Yeah, well, that's what most people call me. My real name is Jasmine."
"Jasmine, then. You don't mind going the long way around, do you? There's something I need to see."
"Sure. Why not?"
Lana led the way around the hills. The sun beat down on them as they made their way towards the highway, and soon they were both sweating.
Patrick trotted next to Lana, his tail swishing the air and fanning Jasmine's legs.
Jasmine could smell the tar on the road a while before they got to it, her senses a bit stronger than Lana's.
They followed the road for a few miles before the dirt and grass turned to sand under Jasmine's feet, and she knew they were in the desert.
She wasn't aware of how far they'd gone until Lana chuckled bitterly.
"The power plant. A lot has happened there, huh?"
Jasmine turned, startled. The power plant was the center point of the FAYZ; it meant they had gone about 10 miles.
"Let's stay there for the night, it's getting pretty dark."
LANA'S POV
"Let's stay there for the night, it's getting pretty dark."
Lana thought she heard Jasmine mutter, "Like that'll be any different" under her breath.
She assumed the other girl meant the lack of electricity.
They soon reached the entrance. Lana stared at the hole in the containment tower, the one made by Caine.
"I'm pretty sure there are a few cots somewhere around here…"
"Okay. You look for them and I'll see to Patrick."
The Labrador was whining and scratching at the floor.
"Alright. Don't wander off."
JASMINE'S POV
Jasmine whistled and Patrick followed her outside. She brushed the tip of her fingers against the cool metal of the building and enjoyed the fresh air.
Must be a pretty sunset, she thought, gazing in what must be the direction of the sun. Rises in the east, sets in the west, she remembered. She stubbed her toe on a rock and cursed, hopping around a bit on one foot. Patrick whined, and she could tell he was worried. Wow. She didn't know soe could sense dogs too.
She stooped down and rubbed his neck.
"I'm fine. Now, do your business, it's getting chilly."