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Tuesday, February 8, 2022 Ella’s studio, Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York, United States

Jade dreamt…

Ella sat on a throne of crystal, her eyes glowing in the same hue. Jade knelt before her…

“When I was a child, they made us take a course in biology. I remember one day we came in and we had these trays in front of us with scissors and push pins.”

“Mostly we ignored them. We filed in, I sat next to my friends and we chattered away. And the teacher came in and said today we would be dissecting frogs.”

“And she showed us how to cut down the middle of their belly and slowly peel away the skin of those poor frogs. We didn’t want to do it. Asim, a boy who used to bully me, started crying I think. But we all did it. We cut through the layers one by one and peeled them back one at a time.”

“I remember it well. The skin was translucent, the organs were right there. The teacher droned on about different layers of tissue and organs and whatever else, but I don’t think any of us paid any attention.”

“And then the girl next to me, I don’t remember her name, screamed. I looked over.

“And I saw… I saw her frog and it was still alive. It had been skinned, it’s organs were visible. And it was moving.”

Ella regarded Jade kneeling in front of her.

She signaled and a guard forced Jade up from their knees.

“Flay her”

Jade looked at her, “this isn’t who you are…”

Jade shot out of bed, she was sweaty and almost shaking in fear. For a moment she was disoriented, not knowing where she was. The bedroom was unfamiliar and alien.

And then her waking mind caught up with her.

“Borro! I need some water.” She climbed out of the too plush bed with its too fancy, too slick satin sheets and stumbled into the attached bathroom - the marble floor cold on her feet. She turned on the sink and splashed her face with water before leaning over to drink a sip.

In the mirror her face regarded her. Her hair was bound in its net but it was somewhat askew. She calmed herself, adjusting it until it was bound correctly again.

The next morning she sat across from Charlie who was drinking coffee, but no breakfast.

“Eat something…” Jade wheedled, sounding like her mother, damn her.

“Nope. Intermittent fasting for a while. My clothes back home don’t fit well.” Charlie said cheerfully. “Anyway, I gotta go in and formally disenroll from my major. Then tell my parents.” Charlie frowned a bit at the last.

Daughters and their parents, thought Jade, looking around the ridiculously palatial flat that Charlie lived in. When Ella had moved out, Jade had not been sure what she would do. She had gone outside for a walk and found a small moving truck outside and Charlie had hopped out of the passenger seat and told her that Jade was going to be moving in with her.

It still felt like she was dreaming. And maybe something showed on her face since Charlie jumped in, “Another nightmare? What was it this time.”

“Ella had me flayed alive.” admitted Jade.

“Dream Ella is scary. No doubts about it.” Charlie threw in cheerfully.

“I do not like these dreams.” Jade’s Kenyan accent thickened when she was tired and upset. Much like Charlie’s Southern accent - at least that was one thing in common they had.

Otherwise they were opposites - Charlie was flighty and drugged up and non-serious and inappropriate. Jade was always serious and rarely joked.

“I do not like it… I told Ella I was going to stay next to her, I worry she will lose her way. And then she moved out to who-knows-where and is doing who-knows-what?”

Charlie looked at her and asked, “How did you choose to go all-in on this 1970s vibe you got going?”

Jade smiled a bit. Charlie’s idea of changing topics was unsubtle.

“The ’70s were a time of great change and strides in civil rights. I think we are backtracking and I guess that mattered to me. Plus, look at me. Too skinny. It works for me.” Jade touched her hair. She had spent the morning working it with her hair pick and it was perfect.

“It does work for you!” Charlie said.

“Hey, none of that shit you pull with Ella.”

“No. I am done with that.” Charlie looked serious, her pale cheeks blushing.

“It is Monday, you know. You have to wait until the weekend until you can see him.” Jade said gently.

Charlie blushed even further.

They eventually parted ways and Jade sat in the study wondering at this strange path. She flipped on the television, but all that anyone talked about was the strange island and the military embargo on news. Someone had apparently managed to sneak a drone through but it had suddenly gone dark when it reached the same room. The drone pilot, some kid from China, had been arrested.

She turned off the television and called her brother. She left a voicemail: “Craig, I’ve moved to a friend’s place. Call me when you get a chance.” He was probably out with his boyfriend.

Charlie had told her all about their weekend in Miami, but also what she had learned about herself. And now she was making the changes she needed to bring her life into alignment with her inner self.

Jade envied that clarity. She had come to the US to become a journalist, to put a spotlight on injustices around the world. When their parents had disowned Craig, it hadn’t been hard to side with him there. When Uncle had tried to kill him (Craig had left him alive which was more than he deserved), then Jade had given it all up to come with her brother here, where he could be himself. It was just.

But… that was for him. What was she? Was she still an aspiring journalist? It felt… almost right. The world was changing in front of her in a way that was unimaginable - what did that mean for justice in this world?