I wake up and look up at the sky. The sun blinds me.

“Good morning Mallory,” Earlene says as she goes through her stash of herbs she found yesterday.

“How long have I been asleep?” I scratch my head.

“It's only been an hour since sunrise.” I sigh in relief. I thought it was much later in the day.

I think about yesterday. I kissed Jacob. Why did I do it? He probably thinks I'm a weirdo. I regret it but I don't at the same time.

“Earlene?” Earlene turns her head and smiles. “Where are Caden and Jacob?”

“Oh they went to get supplies for the shack,” she claps her hands enthusiastically, “I'm so excited!”

We are in a situation where we have to kill each other to go back home and this woman is excited about a shack. I mean someone could at any moment and try to take our lives away and she doesn't even have a thought about it. What a woman.

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I stand up and walk into the forest.

“I'm going for a walk, I'll be back soon.”

“You can't go out! Someone might take your lives! You have a lot too, four. That's one more than me.” Oh so now she thinks about our lives. “Oh, and I need your help with my herbs.”

…

I hear talking in the distance. I turn around frantically to see Caden and Jacob coming back with lots of wood.

I’m so glad to see them. Earlene had told me everything about her herbs. Their names, what they do for the body and mind. She is one healer. I had to pinch myself to keep myself awake.

I walk up to Caden and Jacob and they stop their conversation.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask. I rock back and forth with my hands behind my back.

“Actually,” Caden starts, “you can distract Earlene, we’ll never get anything done if she's all up in our business.” I sigh. I guess I have to pinch myself for the next few hours. I plod over to Earlene.

“Any more herbs to show me?” I ask, trying to look interested. I sit down across from her.

“Of course.” Earlene gives an innocent smile. As she shows me a few more of her herbs I wonder how she remembers all of this.

“How do you know all of this? You know with our memories getting wiped?”

“Well, the voice above gave you the memory of knowing Jacob was your last lover and gave Jacob and Caden the memory of being best friends. The voice above gave me the memory of my natural healing abilities for some reason.”

“Can you do more than heal people with herb mixtures?” I ask.

“Oh much more sweetie.” Earlene taps my hand and smiles.

“Like what?” I realize I'm leaning toward her and I’m nearly touching her face. I back away.

“Now that’s a secret.” Earlene starts putting her herbs away.

“Please tell me! I really want to know!” I clasp my hands together.

“Oh so now you're interested. When it came to my herbs you had to pinch yourself to stay awake.“

I start blushing. How did she know?