if you say it enough times, you might just believe it

[forhawkeye]

Yesterday's message had been loud and clear. For all that I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, I made those around me feel even worse, convincing them that I was somehow wrong and that the Island was playing its tricks again. Contradicting them hadn't been an option, not when they presented me with such incontrovertible logic. Nate's in particular

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[oscaroscaroscar]

"Ooh!" Felix exclaimed with a wince when he saw the string snap back. "You alright there?" he asked, mild concern coloring his voice as he ambled his way over to her, absently adjusting his baseball cap.

[forhawkeye]

"I'm fine, Felix," I said in a strained voice, brows furrowing, as I tried to keep my tears at bay. I had never seen him wear a baseball cap before, but then again, I hadn't been convinced until this very moment that he wasn't a construct of my imagination. Suddenly, the thought alone seemed absurd.

[oscaroscaroscar]

Felix would have let it go at that, but she certainly didn't seem all that fine. Better give it one more shot before dropping the issue.

"You sure?"

[forhawkeye]

I knew I should have said yes, but the pain was significant enough to challenge my resolve, and I found myself shaking my head. "No," I admitted, a lone tear making its way down my cheek.

[oscaroscaroscar]

There, see, the second time was always the charm. "Oh, that doesn't look so bad," he said in a comforting tone, finally getting close enough to get a good look at the mark on her arm. "Probably stings like a bitch, though. Maybe try rubbing some mud on it or something?"

[forhawkeye]

I wasn't sure what startled me more, his language or the suggestion itself. Looking up at him in wide-eyed shock, I spluttered, "M-mud?"

[oscaroscaroscar]

"Sure, why not? I'm sure it has, you know, cooling properties or somesuch," Felix explained with a shrug. Bending over, he tried to scoop up a handful from the ground, but there was nothing but grass and dirt, which seemed less likely to help.

"It could work?"

[forhawkeye]

I shook my head fiercely, my mouth set into a thin line. I wasn't about to roll in the dirt like some sort of wild boar, not with that flu I read about it in the newspaper.

[oscaroscaroscar]

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, trying to pick some of the dirt out from under his fingernails and giving up in fairly short order. "So what's with the bow?"

[forhawkeye]

"I was practicing," I explained, rubbing my hand over my arm a few times. "It usually helps clear my head."

Or, in this case, I thought it would help convince my friends I wasn't insane.