Chapter 4
"Hey, Jill, guess what?" My best friend asked me as we were both sitting together on her farm, at her island. I helped her with it from time to time, but I usually just lived in one of the small houses near the lake.
I racked my brain, knowing I probably wouldn't know the answer to her question- She was so random and carefree, and she probably just made something up on the spot. "Um, another cow got loose?"
"No, silly!" She threw her arms in the air and laughed. "I made you something!" She pulled out a mess of blue, red, yellow, and white string.
I tried to figure out what it was, but really had no clue. I knew her feelings wouldn't be hurt if I asked… "Chelsea, I really like the color combination… But… What is it?"
She tied it loosely around my wrist. "It's a friendship bracelet! Eliza makes them all the time… She tried teaching me how to, but it, uh, doesn't look quite right. I thought I'd give it to you anyway." I admired her- She took pride in everything she did, even if she messed up.
I smiled at it. The bracelet was kind of cute, actually, if you looked at it the right way. "I love it! Anyway, it's the thought that counts. Not, uh, the quality." Chelsea giggled.
"Let's go inside, Jill, it's hot out and I've already done the chores." I was a little surprised she didn't want to go and see Denny, the local fisherman whom she was dating at the time, since we were always over at his house. He was a good friend of mine, so it wasn't totally awkward, except when they got all couple-y.
"Sure… It is hot." We walked inside, and suddenly Chelsea fell on her bed. Her face turned red, and she started to cry.
"Jill! It hurts so bad!" The doctor was now by her side, and Denny was standing by me. Chelsea was looking worse and worse by the second. I started fidgeting with my bracelet, scared of what I knew could happen.
Denny turned to me, tears in his eyes. "Will she be okay? I don't want to lose her!" The doctor turned around, hearing Denny's voice.
"She wants both of you to go talk to her." The doctor sounded so cold, so unfeeling. Did he not care that our best friend/girlfriend was dying?
We walked up to her bed. She looked at Denny first. "Denny… I love… you. You've been… great." It was growing hard for her to talk, and the tears spilled over and down Denny's cheeks.
"I love you too. I always have." He squeezed Chelsea's hand. She looked at me.
With all of her might, she managed to speak, "Jill… You're my… best friend. I'll miss you… Both… of… you…" Her eyes closed, and the world went black.
I shot up in bed. Tears had soaked my pillow and were all over my face. It was all a dream… But it wasn't. Chelsea had died, and that nightmare had been recurring ever since. It's what caused me to leave that small island- Leave Denny, leave all of my friends, and leave her ranch. It inspired me to create a farm. But I didn't want to restore her farm… I wanted it to always be known as hers. I fingered my knotted bracelet on my wrist, making sure it was still there. Skye could never understand why it hurt so much… I started crying again.
"Chelsea! Why'd you have to go, so suddenly? Don't you know how much you hurt me? You hurt Denny and everyone else, too. Where are you?" Of course, there was no answer. Eventually I fell back asleep and woke up the next day. I did chores as usual, and went to dig at the excavation site.
My mood dampened from the nightmare, I had to fake cheeriness as I called out "Hello!" when I visited the tent that was home to Flora and Carter.
Expecting a friendly reply, I was a little shocked to hear, "What do you- Oh, it's just you Jill. Come in." Carter was clearly upset, and I wanted to chew him out for being short with me, but it seemed like Flora had beaten me to it.
"Carter! You can't yell at Jill like that! She didn't know!" Carter blushed and mumbled an apology.
Confused, I asked Flora, "I don't know what?" Carter held up a piece of paper and my stomach dropped. Please don't be from Skye, please don't be from Skye. And if it is, don't ask me to help. I'll say no!
"That no good, piece of trash thief… Who does he think he is? Phantom Skye?!?" Of course. He handed me the note. I instantly recognized the handwriting.
Carter and Flora-
I'll be stopping by tonight to take something valuable from the mines tonight. Don't try stopping me, I can assure you that you won't.
-The Phantom Skye
I rolled my eyes. He was always so conceited; so sure that he'd get what he wanted. "Yeah," I said to Carter, "all of his notes seem to be like that. The Villa and Blue Bar have both gotten those notes, and he went to both locations like promised. He's kind of sneaky, I guess, and he can do this weird-ass beam thing that freezes people on the spot."
Carter looked at me in disbelief. "Save the melodrama, kid." I glared back at him. I never really liked him all that much, and I didn't really get what Flora saw in him. But to each her own…
Speaking of Flora, she stepped in and broke the tension. "Actually, I think Jill's right. She's not being dramatic. For one thing, as long as we've been friends, she's never told a lie. And Muffy told me something about the thief freezing people…" She looked deep in thought.
I stuck my tongue out at Carter when he wasn't looking, to get my revenge. I could be childish at times, but who isn't? He turned back to me right after my tongue was back in my mouth, and I smiled innocently. He glared. What a shock. "Ugh… Jill, I hate to ask this, but can you come here tonight and help us?"
I sigh. I really don't want to see Skye. And I'm not sure why- it's like I'm partly mad at him for taking my bracelet. But he couldn't have known how important it was to me, and I have no idea what his reasoning was. Or maybe I was just embarrassed because he'd seen me crying, and I hate when people see me cry. I figured I'd scared him away, and I was kind of shocked that he was even coming back to the town. Unless… He didn't expect to see me. Maybe I should stay out of the way…
Right when I open my mouth to decline, Flora chimes in. "Please, Jill, you could really help!" I can't abandon Flora, she's one of my best friends and one of the sweetest women in the village.
In defeat, I mutter a barely audible "Sure." Flora looks excited, and even Carter almost smiles. We agree that I'll meet them in the tent that night at 11:00, and go on from that. I leave their small tent and go to the excavation site to dig things up. I find a pretty pink necklace, and keep it in my pocket. Maybe I could sell it, so that I could get a meager profit for the day. It's better than nothing…
I went to my house, more exhausted than I thought from staying up so late the past few nights. I must've dozed off, because suddenly I opened my eyes and was lying on my bed, and it was time to go to Carter's. I never shipped my necklace! The shipment (or lack thereof) was already taken… I groaned and trudged over to the excavation tent.
"Jill!" exclaimed Flora as I walked in. Carter just looked annoyed, like he usually did.
I smiled and talked to her, but we were soon hushed by Carter. "Flora, Jill. This is serious business, okay? Stop squealing, he'll know we're here." He rolled his eyes obnoxiously and grabbed his head.
Even Flora, who was one of the most serene and laid back people I'd ever met, glared at Carter for a second. I glared at him, but it wasn't something he wasn't used to. Ever since we met, we had basically always had a mutual dislike for each other. I pitied Flora for having to put up with his behavior every day, but I guess love is blind… And deaf… And very, very tolerant.
Flora and I were being very well behaved and somehow managing to keep ourselves silent when Carter jumped up again. "What?!" I said harshly, "what are we doing wrong now? Are we not sitting quietly enough? What is your problem?!"
"No, Jill! Pull your head out of your ass! He could be robbing us of artifacts in the caves! Flora, come with me, we have to investigate!" The couple ran out of the tent in a frenzy, sprinting for the excavation area. I was left alone, yet again, to be found by the "Phantom Skye." I figured though, honestly, if he were smart he would go to the caves and I'd just have to sit here.
I was looking through Carter's things and getting very bored when my nose picked up a familiar smell- The spiciness of curry, mixed with a sweeter saccharine scent, creating a very sultry smell. I knew that smell. He was here, and would probably enter the tent. Fear, humiliation, anger, and even some sadness swirled around in my stomach, and I thought I'd be sick.
The tent door opened and I let out a small scream. "Jill…?" That familiar, smooth tone of his voice drifted through the air.
Author's Note: Hope you enjoy it so far! :) I've discovered I really like writing. This is fun. :)
