X-periment 5

The Spring

            A few days after the encounter with Cassandra, I began following Jerry as she went along with her day to day routine, which to my surprise wasn't that eventful. She would wake up very early, I couldn't tell at what time because her clock was faced away from me. But as she got up I mimicked what she did, I would gather the clothes I would wear for the day, a plain black shirt and tan cargo pants, and follow her to the elevator. I remember asking her the first time I followed her if there was a private bath area where we would get ready, but she just laughed. Instead we left the building and walked into the woods that we'd come from when I first arrived. After walking for about a mile we reached an opening in the earth where water flowed. Jerry called it a "spring", I called it an accident waiting to happen. I remember the first time I initially refused to enter the rushing water, something in the back on my head kept my feet from moving forward. The way the water moved in all directions as if 1 false step would swallow you whole and you could never escape. But as I felt the grime I'd accumulated over the past days, I sluggishly entered the water. As I did, the flowing clear liquid pierced every part of my body, but the dirt flowed from my fingertips. "You look petrified. It' just water." I remember she told me. I shook off her comment and submerged myself under the rushing water. It was just water, but something in the back of my head prevented me from calming until we exited the spring. After we bathed, dressed and returned to Tent city Jerry would head to the Slush to grab us some food. We would head to the defense center after, where she would organize the weapons according to model and bullets. I helped her but after a while she would shake off my offerings and tell me to just clean the guns with rags. Something told me this wasn't what Jerry would normally do. She just seemed too smart and too involved with this place, but I decided to leave it alone. I could care less by this point. They most likely knew that I would just follow her because I had nothing of any importance to do and probably felt out of necessity that Jerry should do the most inconspicuous tasks when I was around.

But as I woke up ready to clean guns with rags today, Jerry was already dressed and leaving the tent.

"You're not following me around today. Sorry, you'll be taken by someone-I don't know who- to the spring to wash up and then come back here."

"Okay." I simply replied as I gathered the clothes I'd worn two days before. I only had 2 shirts and 2 pants to wear, so I didn't really have a grand selection of clothes to choose from. Jerry looked as I did so and strode over to her cot. Reaching into the pillow case she took out a small circular object. She clicked a tiny button and the object opened in two, revealing two circular mirrors on the inside. She tossed it over to me. It was a gold color, that almost matched my eyes, with an intricate design engraved into it. I traced the design with my finger.

"It's a compact mirror. So at least you'll know how you look like."

"I know what a mirror is used for." At this she laughed but sighed exasperatedly. I wasn't a fan as much as Celina was to use the sole mirror in our room back-there, but I remember punching one in a fit of rage when I was younger because an instructor had threatened to call Dr. X on me.

"I'll see you later. Try not to kill anyone." she gave me a small smile before exiting our tent.

"If no one tries to do the same." I mutter as I hear a small whistle outside of my tent. Grumbling, I get off of my cot and walk out, where Amer is rocking back and forth on the heels of her feet.

"Hi Rye! You haven't visited me you know, I don't like that!" she whimpered, dramatically facing away from me

"Hey Amer, sorry I couldn't-"

"Sh! I'm supposed to be taking you to the spring now. So as a responsible adult I will take you and you won't say anything." She proudly placed her one hand on her hip.