Author's Note: Woot. I actually got reviewed, and on my debut story too, I'm flattered. Thank you to the both of you, your comments were rather encouraging. Sorry that this story is so slow coming, but my sister (Sharys Aogail is her penname) has been nagging me to help her with HER story. But I know how this is going to end, but it's getting there that's the problem. (See the end of the chapter for the full A/N. If you don't want to hear a mini-rant I suggest you skip it.) –Fier
For Love of an Illusion Chapter 2The forest had warmed considerably since that morning, forcing Jade to shed her sweatshirt and tie it securely around her waist. Birds and other small animals were out and about, their shuffles, chirps and whistles creating an interesting chorus. Sunlight decorated the ground in dapples, filtered by the tall pine and oak trees that dominated the area. True, it was beautiful, but they were getting tired, and most of the group was ready to stop for lunch.
The group of friends had been walking down the mountainside for over an hour, with no trace of the missing creek. Amanda suggested that the rest was underground, but the boys, and Shelly seemed deaf to her words.
Jason, and Shelly led the pack eagerly, with an agitated Amanda and tired Seth close behind. Jade trailed behind the others, daydreaming of all the other things she would rather be doing right now. A long horseback ride down a beach and swimming in a wonderfully heated pool were quickly becoming her two favorite fantasies.
Bored and restless, Jade picked up a handful of small rocks as she walked and proceeded to systematically toss them at random weeds one by one. She let her mind drift to early in their hike, when the boys apparently thought it would be funny if they pretended to put a spell on Jade, complete with chants and showering her with flower petals and pine needles. Since then she had gotten a minor headache, and she blamed agitation as the cause.
Eyeing her last rock thoughtfully, Jade half turned and pegged her new target in the back of the head.
Seth yelped. "Hey! What the hell was that for?"
She snorted and began to collect more ammo. "Because Jason isn't in my range," she answered simply. "And because I'm still pissed at you. I still can't believe you guys dragged us out here for a stupid ghost hunt. You know I don't fall for all that superstitious crap."
"But you used to believe in ghosts," Shelly reminded her, obviously eavesdropping. For once the camera was off and resting at her hip in a tan travel-bag.
Jade glared and tossed a pebble in her direction, the small stone deliberately falling short. "I was five Shell!"
The other girl shrugged, and rolled her eyes. "Jeez, I was just saying . . ."
"It's called 'fun' Jade," Jason pitched in. "Remember 'fun'? It's when-"
The rest of his sentence was cut short when Amanda slapped his shoulder. "Keep digging that hole, buster. Just see what it gets you."
Jason stopped walking and looked from his girlfriend to Jade and back again. "What is wrong with you guys? You're acting like a Vacation Nazi! This was supposed to be an adventure!"
"An adventure? What are you, like five? You're supposed to be eighteen next month! Grow up!"
While the couple continued to argue, Jade heard a small shuffle of movement and turned in time to see Shelly whip out her camera, quickly zooming in on their quarreling friends. In a flash the strawberry blonde squealed in protest as the expensive piece of equipment was suddenly confiscated.
Jade gave the taller girl a hard look, her headache making her agitation more volatile. "Filming your own Jerry Springer show too?" she asked harshly. The short brunette looked around at the others, and waved her free hand in frustration. "Look, you guys can continue to look for monsters and phantom creeks, but I'm heading back to camp. Later."
"Wait a minute, Jade!" Seth called, but was cut off by a scowling Jason.
"If she want's to storm off, let her. It's her own damn fault if she gets lost."
"But she has my camera . . ." Shelly wined quietly.
oOoOo
I can't believe them!
Jade kicked the nearest thing she could find sending a fist-sized rock flying into the underbrush. Several small birds screeched and flittered away, their rest suddenly disturbed. Her head was throbbing, as her headache grew worse and her patience became nonexistent. She wanted to punch something as well, but restrained herself on behalf of Shelley's camera, which she still held clenched in her left hand.
Vacation Nazi? How dare they? Stupid, immature . . .
With a frustrated sigh, Jade plopped down at the base of a massive evergreen, carelessly folding her legs and propping her elbows on her knees. She massaged her temples absently, trying her best to calm down seeing as the stress was just aggravating her headache.
She hated this. She hated being lied to, she hated being upset, and she absolutely despised getting pushed into things. She had wanted to get away from her issues at home only receive something new to be angry about.
If her friends wanted to be idiots and go tramping about on a stupid ghost hunt, that's fine. She would have probably joined them anyway, just to disappear for a week. But it was the fact that they hid their motives from her, leading her into something they knew she didn't completely agree with. All they had to do was ask her. She was their friend after all, they were supposed to be able to talk to her. At least that's what she believed.
She hated manipulation. She hated being manipulated or feeling like she was being used. Even if it wasn't intentional.
"Jade?" a familiar voice called.
In response, the brunette waved one hand to be more noticeable. "Over here."
Amanda dropped down next to her and nudged her with an elbow. "You alright?"
Jade pursed her lips and gave a noncommittal shrug.
Noting the awkward silence, the tall girl grabbed a nearby twig and began to absently peel the bark away, glancing at her shorter companion. "I know their idiots but they didn't mean for you to get upset, you know."
Jade took a deep breath and exhaled slowly and ran a careless hand through her loose bangs. "I know," she answered slowly. "But you know where I stand."
Amanda looked away, letting loose a sigh of her own and casting the twig aside. "Yeah . . . I do."
They sat there in silence a bit longer, until Jade's headache quieted and both of their stomachs demanded to be fed. Both girls rose to their feet and dusted themselves of the dirt and pine needles that had attached themselves to their clothing. They chatted as they walked, about any random thing that came to mind.
This was how they would break tension whenever it built between the two of them. There were no forbidden subjects, and knowing that neither would be judged for their words helped the agitated party member to relax. It took Amanda a few tries, but once she got Jade to open her mouth the smaller girl began to calm down, finding comfort in the familiar banter.
Jade managed to smile again, amused while Amanda told her of her little brother's newest attempted stunt. Her mother nearly had a heart attack when she caught little six-year old James leaping from the roof to their backyard tree, boasting that he was Tarzan.
The two girls laughed together, and swapped more stories, neither one of them really paying attention to the forest around them. There was nothing to see really, but if they had been a little quieter they would've noticed how silent the woods had become, and maybe felt something cool ghost along their skin.
However, what they did notice was a landmark neither of them recognized or remembered passing by. They found themselves in a particularly circular grove of trees, framing what appeared to be a tall stone circle, crumbling from age and covered in moss.
"What do you think it is?" Jade asked aloud.
"Don't know," Amanda replied, walking right up and peering into the center of the circle. "Hey, check it out, I think it's a well."
Jade frowned, moving in to stand next to her friend. She eyed the old frayed ropes and broken buckets attached to them. "A well. Who the hell would have a well out here?"
Amanda grinned. "Don't you know? Every good cult needs a well, what kind of creep club would they be without one?"
"Shut it. You're not funny."
"Spoilsport."
"Hag."
"Hey!"
"Fine, fine, I'm sorry." Jade turned around and leaned back against the old stone well, her fingers playing absently with the camcorder buttons. "Gahh, I should've been paying more attention to where we were going, now we're lost."
"We're not lost," Amanda isisted. "We're . . . err, turned around."
"Same damn thing."
"Fine, fine, so we're lost." Amanda plopped down next to Jade and let out a weary sigh. "Some vacation, huh."
Jade snorted. "I'll say"
Suddenly both girls tensed at a faint grumbling sound that seemed to come from beneath them. It was a small sound, hardly noticeable really, more felt than heard.
Then the old stone of the well gave way, and Amanda shrieked and reached out in a panic as she felt herself fall and grabbed Jade's arm. Almost tumbling over the edge herself, Jade grabbed the edge and clung tightly. But the weight was too much for the weathered old stone and it cracked and crumbled beneath her fingers. Both girls screamed as they fell, but if there had been anyone to hear, only one splash could be heard.
Then the forest fell completely silent.
Author's Note (cont.): I'm trying to keep it different from the usual run-of-the-mill OC/Self-insertion-type stories that are already out there. I have read so many and I notice the same thing over and over, almost like there is some sort of book that's being distributed titled "How to Write a Self Insertion". ( Being what I am, I ended up casting my sister as Jade. Sorry Sis.) The lovely leading lady seems to always be either a) a constant damsel in distress, or b) a secret, or a soon-to-be super being. She is always either a Goth or a princess in pink. She meets her true love by or before chapter 2 and love miraculously blossoms overnight. The cannon characters like her for reasons they can't explain. There is absolutely no solid reason for her being there (or at least no explanation) and finally, there is no such thing as The Language Barrier (For those of us who don't speak fluent Japanese).
I don't think so. I plan to address these missing pieces, and to have fun doing it. Hopefully it comes out alright. If you see any gaps (but beware! Some are intentional) tell me, and if something is confusing, just ask in a review. I DO answer questions. Thanks for listening. – Fier
P.S. – There WILL be YYH characters in the next chapter, I promise!