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[15_words]

Jaye could just tell something was off when she woke up that morning. She couldn't tell WHAT, but it was SOMETHING. The animals weren't speaking, which was both a good and a bad sign, so no matter how many sour glares she threw their way, they remained impassive and quiet. Even the wax lion refused to budge. Her right eye felt twitchy from the

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[izzyevans]

Isabel was exhausted.

The entire night she'd tossed and turned, getting little sleep. It wasn't that she just couldn't get comfortable; that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she kept having these dreams in which Vorenus lopped Tim's head off with a freaking broadsword. Yeah, as if her subconscious knew how to be subtle.

Finally she gave up on trying to get actual rest, deciding to get dressed and haul her ass up to the compound for some coffee and fruit. It was better than staring at the ceiling and simultaneously blocking out the image of Vorenus' face contorted in fury he didn't even have the right to feel and Tim laughing just before, well, he lost his head.

"Great," Isabel muttered, scrubbing the heels of her palms over her eyes as she staggered somewhat gracelessly up the path. Her mood was foul and it only got fouler when she realized the woman she was about to pass on the path was JayeIsabel didn't want to talk to her, not today because she knew she'd rise easily to Jaye's brand of crazy jibes, but something

[izzyevans]

"I'm not looking for anything," Isabel retorted. "I'm just trying to see how freaking crazy you actually are -- if that's even what it is. Are you sure that your...ability...to hear fake animals talking isn't some sort of...power?" A triumphant light gleamed in her eyes. "Maybe you're an alien of some kind, too. Ever think about that? Or you just wanna go with the crazy train?"

[15_words]

Jaye snorted and crossed her arms over her chest. "This isn't a POWER. It's a CURSE. And believe me, I'd RATHER be an alien than crazy. But I've tried that route and I'm definitely not adopted, no matter how much I sometimes say I wish I were even though I really don't mean it because I love my family even Sharon."

Once all the words rolled out, Jaye realized she'd used the word 'love'. Worse, she used it in the same sentence as 'Sharon'. "...I feel sick now," she muttered.

[izzyevans]

"So basically," Isabel decided, grinning manically now, "you really aren't the anti-people establishment you'd like the entire island to believe. And the kicker is that Mr. Ed hasn't even come along to give you any instructions. You just...connect with people of your own free will. You don't have your fake animals to blame. Does that scare you?"

Maybe Isabel was being a little over the top, but she seriously couldn't help herself. Jaye'd had fun for weeks carrying around Isabel's secret. It was only fair Isabel gave Jaye a taste of her own medicine.

[15_words]

"Nuh uh!" Her face screwed up and got a little red-tinged as she struggled to defend her stance beyond THAT, but it was hard to get anything to come out. Strange, that.

"I-- No-- This whole thing STARTED because the monkey told me to lick the lightswitch. And then they WERE talking to me. They told me to do things for people and SAVE THEM. And I only do help CERTAIN people ON RARE OCCASION now because I fear the animals coming to get me, but mostly because I'm starting to learn at least on a subconscious level that life is better with people in it even though it opens you up for a lot of hurt, so yes, yes it scares me a lot."

The last bit definitely came out without any conscious effort on Jaye's part. "Oh, SHUT UP!" she shouted testily at herself.

[izzyevans]

There had been several prime opportunities for Isabel to open her mouth and, well, openly mock Jaye but then she had to go off on that whole 'life is better with people in it even though it opens you up for a lot of hurt' thing. The jovial expression on Isabel's face disappeared completely and her mouth set in a thin, drawn line.

"Now you know exactly how I feel. Or you've known it all along and just didn't want to admit it." They actually had something in common. Isabel definitely felt a headache coming on.

[15_words]

"Oh, please," was Jaye's first, incredibly dismissive reaction. And then she felt compelled to keep talking.

"Yes, we have something in common in feeling scared, but the fact is that even though you're a freaking ALIEN, you're still way more normal and attractive and nicer than I am or ever will be. You try, and people love you. I try, and I still end up the short, skinny, bitter, sarcastic bitch I always am. Or I end up hurt. WAY more often than you are. So, yeah, we both fear the same thing, but I have TWO DECADES of experience BACKING ME UP."

[izzyevans]

For a long moment Isabel couldn't do anything save for goggle over at Jaye. Is that what Jaye really thought of her? Isabel snorted inwardly, knowing it had to be since she couldn't seem to avoid telling the truth. But that wasn't how it really was.

"Boy, have you ever got it wrong," Isabel said, rolling her eyes. "I get hurt, Jaye. I get hurt a whole hell of a lot. Do you know what it's like to be constantly shot down by family because you might do something wrong or because you apparently don't know what's best? Because I sure as hell do. My life is definitely so not as great as you're implying it is. And why are you even comparing yourself to me? It's not worth it."

[15_words]

Why did Isabel have to keep phrasing things like QUESTIONS? Sullenly, Jaye crossed her arms over her chest and sighed before answering.

"No, my family was always supportive of me. But in that backhanded way because they're all overachievers and I've only achieved a degree from a very expensive university that hasn't done crap for me. They keep pushing me to be better and are never satisfied with me just being me. And I'm comparing myself to you because you're there, and you're the kind of girl my mother's compared me to my whole life."

[izzyevans]

"You shouldn't be compared to anyone. Being yourself out to be enough." Somehow all the fun in torturing Jaye had gone away, like all the air getting sucked out of a room. While Isabel could be catty and bitchy with the rest of them, it wouldn't get her anywhere here -- and she found she didn't want it to.

"Look," she said suddenly, tilting her head and raising her brows meaningfully at Jaye. "This truth thing isn't gonna go away for at least a day, if it's anything like what happened to me. Maybe you should...find somewhere to hang out where you won't run into anyone you don't want to run into today."

[15_words]

Jaye eyed Isabel. Not warily or uncertainly. She saw what Isabel was doing, and she didn't expect something backhanded. She didn't LIKE people all that much, but that wasn't because she thought they were all heartless bitches. Especially not Isabel, not really.

"I was going to get food and coffee," she said, without thinking again, and the words came out like she was a mopey child because that was EXACTLY how she was acting. Jaye rolled her eyes at herself and shifted her stance, her hands on her hips now as she stood a little taller. But not much, of course. "But this ruined my appetite for right now. You're right. I'll go back to my trailer."

Jaye paused awkwardly, like her body was trying to cough up a word but she was trying to stop herself. Quicker than she would have liked, the battle was over and her body won. "Thanks."

[izzyevans]

"I don't blame you," Isabel murmured, remembering all too well how wrecked she had felt after she'd unwillingly spilled her guts to Jaye in that church. Going home and trying to sleep it off or at least barricade oneself in their place was the smartest option.

For a long moment all Isabel did was watch Jaye carefully. Previously, Isabel wouldn't have imagined the word 'thanks' had existed in Jaye's vocabulary. It was strangely nice to hear. "You're welcome." She cheated her face a little to hide a small smile, gesturing down the path. "Guess you'd better get going, then. Anyone else could be along any minute."

[15_words]

That was enough gratitude and Long Moments Full of Things Unspoken for Jaye. She took two awkward steps backwards, then waved weakly.

"Yeah, so, see you around whenever this ends. Bye."

And then she turned and walked VERY, VERY QUICKLY in the direction of her trailer.