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Chapter Five.
Taissa was the first soul Sade told about that night, prompting her friend to immediately scold her, wishing that she was woken up by either Lottie or the freckled girl. The group collectively decides to bury the body the duo found. In this empty time, Sade draws. With help from Akilah for the most vibrant plants for paint, she uses fine mixture of wild berries with lake water, she marks the pigment onto a piece of tree bark dipped into her formerly lost brushes. She finds herself painting a deer. Piercing eyes, a crown of flowers adorning its soft fur, blood smeared across the reaching antlers—an owl by its side.
"Hey," An extremely hesitant and sweaty Shauna makes her presence known, "Lottie wants to see you."
Sade wordlessly looks up from the damp artwork, annoyed at the girls presence. They stare at one another, the atmosphere rigid and tense. Besides Misty, Shauna is the only person who she actively hates within their circle. Her sad, chestnut stare and plump, pouty cheeks—the classic, on-paper victim—is what Shauna seems like. But no, the Shipman girl is not a victim, not at all. Sade knows that she has a burning, a jealousy within her that causes the teenaged girl to expose deprived secrets, to hurt people.
Sade also understands that the sole she hates her that Lottie has immense empathy towards her. A certain tender compassion which is combined with guilt. Understanding. Lottie understands Shauna's nature. And Sade doesn't know why. They are so, so fundamentally different.
Shauna's eyes are constantly moist, distant, a muddy chestnut created in the cold rain under your shoe. The flecks of unseen, slicing, light. Lottie's are chocolate, sopping with childhood memories, autumnal leaves, and soil in the summer heat. A warm fire you can't stomach to look away from, even for a moment. They aren't the same, and Sade will never let Lottie think otherwise. Shauna is sick.
Whatever weird behavior or feeling that Shauna habours towards Jackie, is spreading like an infection—and it's only time that it triggers violence the longer they're stranded. Hopefully, not towards Lottie.
Sade finally arises, briskly pushing the meek girl, heading towards the front of the cabin. Among her arrival, Van jumps toward the girl, into a deep hug, Sade returns the hug. Suddenly, a faint growling enters Sade's jeweled ears, causing her to release the hold on her friend and step back confused.
"What?" Van's features contort in hesitation then embarrassment. "Oh my god, do I smell? We ran out of my travel sized soap so, I probably smell like five onions and death."
"Were you. . . growling?" The girl questions, eyes roaming the redhead's rotund features.
"Sade, honey, I'm fucking starving it's probably my stomach." Van laughs, throwing her head back. "I could literally eat you right now."
