Chapter 1
This was the third New Years party Shauna had been to this week. She doesn’t quite understand the point of a New Years party days after the New Year has already passed, but her friend, Taissa, hosted so she was obligated to go. They met on the first day, during their induction, and immediately connected. There was an air of familiarity surrounding her that Shauna was drawn to, and in the following four months have became so close there was little they did not know about one another. Not that there’s much to share, her life before Brown is so unimportant, she barely thinks about it—barely remembers it.
Shauna left the party early, it was pleasant but conversing with others often leaves her drained, like the life is being sucked out of her and she needs to get away, that she does not belong here and if she stays, she’ll become an empty shell of small talk and fake smiles. It is a silly idea, of course, but this sense of dread follows her in every social interaction. Taissa is the only person she can tolerate for a couple hours but she was too busy going round the room talking to everyone there, the good host she is. Shauna didn’t think Taissa would mind if she left early, she sent her a quick text, stating that she’s tired and just wants to crawl into her bed, which was true.
The walk from Taissas apartment is 15 minutes, she lives off campus in a place her parents paid for. Shauna, however, lives on campus in an accommodation the University provides as per the scholarship fund she earned. Walking up to the University entrance all those months ago was the start of her new life, a life she would not trade for anything else. Everything has fallen into place. Her professors love her, her grades are high, she has so many friends it is exhausting to keep track of them all, and she won’t spend her nights wasting away as a cashier at a minimum wage job. It’s everything she ever wanted is what she tells herself.
It is cold, so cold, snow is beginning to fall. Her hands begin to numb and she has to remind herself it is only 15 minutes. If she walks faster, she can get there in half the time. As she speed walks through the streets linking Taissas apartment to the campus, she notices a dead bunny lying on the ground with its guts spread across the pavement, and eyes wide open. For a moment, she felt as if those eyes were alive, with stars in them, but mentally slapped herself for thinking something so silly. She felt hypnotised, staring at this carcass and slowly knelt down, feeling like she should check the pulse just to make sure it is truly dead and close its eyes so it can rest in peace. She wonders how it ended up in such a state, a pit in her stomach forming, twisting.
As she reaches to touch the bunny, she hears footsteps and sees a girl, in an elegant dress and no shoes, step outside of a near alleyway. She is sobbing, shivering and clearly distraught. Shauna slowly walks over to her, trying to be as calm and gentle as possible, not wanting to scare her. The girl, who looks about the same age as Shauna, realises another person is near, and more tears flow from her eyes.
“Please, help me” The girl said softly. “I don’t know where I am. My head, it’s all fuzzy. It doesn’t make sense.”
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” Shauna contemplates asking what happened but suddenly the snow falling has gotten heavier. “Why don’t I get you someplace warm and you can tell me what happened?” Her tone delicate, still approaching slowly.
Shauna takes off her jacket and puts it on the poor girl, who takes it, thankfully. There is not much conversation during the following 10 minute walk outside of Shauna repeating “it’s okay”, gently stroking the girl’s hand as she leads her in an attempt to comfort her, and Shauna asking the girl’s name, which she quietly said was “Jackie”, and that it was all she remembered.
When they reach her dorm room, in which she resides alone despite having two beds, Shauna quickly gathers up blankets, offers Jackie warm clothes, and leads her to the bathroom. Once Jackie is out, they sit down on Shauna’s bed together. Shauna finally gets a good look at the other girl and it finally registers how beautiful she is. Her hair, dirty blonde, is slightly wet from the melted snow. Her cheeks, flushed, and wide eyes taking in every detail of Shauna’s dull dorm room.
“Is there anything else you remember?” Shauna asks, Jackie’s attention moving to Shauna before looking down at her hands.
“Nothing. I don’t know who I am, where I am, or how I got there.” Jackie replies, speaking slowly, the not knowing clearly causing frustration as tears begin to form again. “All I know is my name and that I am in great danger.”
“Danger?” Shauna repeats, feeling dumb as realises that that was an obvious assumption to make considering the state she was in.
“I don’t know, I have this strong feeling deep in my bones that someone is after me but- I don’t know.” Jackie turns to look Shauna in the eyes. ‘Stars.’ Shauna’s mind whispers as it brings the image of the bunny to the forefront. “Please, help me. I have no one else, you’re the only one that can. I need you.” She pleads.
Hearing this beautiful girl, tell Shauna she needs her, lights a fire within her. This feeling of familiarity she once felt with Taissa, has returned, even stronger. A small voice within Shauna’s mind tells her to reject the poor girl and watch the hurt form in her eyes, but Shauna quickly pushes that urge down. How can Shauna be cruel to someone that depends on her so desperately? That, if not for her, being there at the right moment to bring her into a place of warmth and comfort, she may have died or worse. Shauna is her saviour, the only person her fractured mind knows. Jackie may be a stranger, but Shauna knows that here, by her side, is exactly where she belongs.
“Of course, I’ll help you.” Shauna gives her a soft smile, which Jackie returns after a shaky sigh of relief. “Don’t worry, you’re safe with me.”