Creating Jane

Chapter 8

Joseph brought the wolf back from the woods and skinned it. The sun began to set so we all sat by the fire. Tonight it was the coldest night of them all. Some of us were shivering even by the fire.

Ruby and Kayla came back with a nice yield of fish. They told us about a nice spot they had found to fish from and the yield was great. I smiled at how happy they were. They split some of the fish up while Joseph and Simon skinned them. Harold watched and learned so he could help them too.

Later that night a woman named Tanya approached me and asked how I was. We had a nice discussion while eating some fish. Once the wolf was skinned and cook we ate it too. It was sour at first but the after taste was very sweet and meaty which kept some of us wanting more including me.

We started piling into the fenced area until we heard the noise from the jungle again. It went on for just about a minute which was the longest we ever heard it go for. Everyone worried again. I got out of the crowd and decided to head towards the woods, but it was too dark to see.

“Don’t get too close Jane, we don’t know what’s in their especially after today.” He told me. I began to head back, until I heard a familiar voice. “Jane its Max, come to the bunker tomorrow.”  He whispered. I looked into the woods and didn’t see him but instead I saw Max towards the fence. My eyes widened. I nodded my head and went back into the fence.

I had trouble sleeping that night. How were their two Maxs and who was the real Max? It was on my mind all night, but eventually I did fall asleep.

When sun broke I got out of the fence before everyone woke up. I snuck out without realizing that there might be just one person awake. “Where you sneaking off to hun?” Megan said. I jumped from my position and almost fell to the ground. I figured I could tell her the truth.

“Megan, Max told me last night to meet him in the old bunker. I think there’s two Maxs. I don’t know how to explain it.” I told her. She frowned slightly. “Sweet girl you’re going crazy, but if you must leave come here.” She said. She held on my shoulder making me walk with her. She bent over the supplies and pulled out a walkie talkie and began to hand one to me.

“If anything happens please keep in contact.” She said shaking my hand while she handed it to me. I nodded and smiled. She waved me off as I headed into the jungle. The bunker door was closed and the window was covered with leaves. I knocked.

“Jane?” Max said. “Yea it’s me” I replied. I heard him shift around and get up to open the door. When he opened the door he shoved me in and looked outside the door to make sure I wasn’t followed. He then closed it.

I was still in shock. The Max I saw this morning was sleeping in bed and now he’s here in a bunker. “Jane, there’s something going on here. You know I’m the real Max right?” He questioned. I looked to his leg and pointed to it with a slight nod. It was still bloody. “Exactly, now why is there two of me?” He asked.

I shrugged and began to hold my head. I needed to think. Then I realized something. When did Max and him switch? Max’s cuts had healed, well not healed but stopped bleeding, and his bandage was switched around. Max was at the camp the whole day after the incident. This wasn’t the real Max.

“I hear someone outside let me see who it is, be careful and stay in here.” I told him with a slight tremble in my voice. He nodded and I went outside. My hands fumbled for the walkie talkie as I hid behind a tree hiding from the fake Max.

“Megan!” I whispered. Static introduced itself to me before I heard a familiar voice. “Yes baby girl?” Megan said. “Send hel-“ Max’s hand covered my mouth and I dropped the walkie talkie. I screamed for air. Eventually I found his thumb and reached up and bit it hard, drawing blood.

“You bitch!” He screamed. I picked up the walkie talkie and yelled into it. “Get everyone here now!” I heard Megan scream something while I was running. I hid behind a tree and watched Max look around for me. I turned the walkie talkie off to avoid making noise.

He seemed to sniff the air for me which I thought was strange. I took the stone club from my belt and smashed him right in the gut. I heard the air escape his lungs. My next hit sent him straight onto the ground by going right up into his face. “Augh!” He screamed almost inhumanely. I held my hand over his throat on the ground and pushed his head further into the pile of grass we were fighting on.

He then grabbed up towards my face. It was a good thing I had my hair up or he would have grabbed a good portion. Instead he wiped his blood over my face leaving a streak from my ear to my eye. I brought my club up towards my face before I went to hit him in the head; before I could I heard a loud pop and Max’s facial expression went dead along with his whole body.

I looked to the right and saw Joseph, Megan, Tanya, Max, and Edgar standing there. Each with a club in hand expect for Joseph who held a pistol. Max was most surprised out of all of them.

“You killed me.” He said slowly. I looked to Joseph and noticed the silver pistol still being aimed. He pointed it down and approached me and the fake Max slowly. I picked up my hands and saw blood all over them. I cried at the site accidently rubbing blood all over my face.

“Shush girl, its ok. I know it’s messed up.” Megan said holding me in her arms. I let my sobs take over for about a minute before I could stop but she was still there for me.

“How did you get that gun?” I asked Joseph while I laid my face in Megan’s neck. He must have been looking at the body because his voice seemed to almost touch my ear.

“From the wreck, someone must have smuggled it, maybe in a pat down.” He said still checking the body. I got to my feet with the help of Megan and finally cleaned the blood off into a cloth Edgar handed me. He used it for sweat but that didn’t bother me right now

After Joseph examined the area well he left the body and we headed back to the fence. By the time we got back they had made another fenced in area for the supplies, they had even made a make shift roof to protect it from the elements.

“You get some rest. You went through a lot in the past two days for just being a young girl.” Joseph told me. I felt insulted but I really was tired from all the drama so I did as he said. The second my head it the clothes I was asleep.