doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

vingt-deux.

xxx.

chapter vingt-deux.
twenty two.

xxx.

The sun had not set, but there was a gloomy overcast pitched upon the cabin after that. They had no body to bury Laura Lee, so instead they just created a headstone and stuck it behind the cabin. There was not much mourning, at least not the usual kind, if there even was a 'usual' way to mourn. The group sat inside the cabin, only mere hours after Laura Lee had sacrificed herself for nothing, eating their portion of fried worms.

They didn't have idle chatter or discussions amongst themselves like usual, the room was silent save for the clanging of their bowls and the occasional crunch of someone biting into one of the worms. It was different now; first, Van being nearly mauled to strips struck fear within them, but then Laura Lee's death..it drained them of all potential hope. You could see it in all of their faces now, none of them expected to make it home.

" Jackie, you have to eat. " Shauna declared, looking at the aforementioned girl as she didn't even bother to touch her bowl.

" Why? " Jackie asked honestly, lifting her shoulders, " What does it matter at this point? "

Was she wrong? Alex didn't think so. She was trying not to think about the reality of the situation: they weren't getting out of here, at least not anytime soon. But the rest of the group were so dejected by Laura Lee's untimely death, you'd believe a meteor was coming for them tomorrow.

" Okay, I can't do this anymore. " Mari sat her bowl down and got up, walking into the kitchen and when she came back, she had a giant jar and what looked like dark purple mush.

" What is that? " Coach Scott asked after Mari just popped the lid off the jar, looking down into it with one eye.

" It was some berries I was trying to save but, I think it might've turned into booze? " She replied, looking up at the rest of them with a shrug, " I don't know about the rest of you, but I could use a drink. "

" Do we think it's safe? " Taissa questioned, and Coach Scott sighed.

" Do we care? "

" I have a few more. " Mari encouraged, and that alone made Alex wonder if she had ever really been trying to 'save' berries, but was hoping that they'd eventually become liquor to begin with.

" If we have booze, let's have a party. " Jackie suddenly said, making Taissa scoff.

" Yeah, because we have so much to celebrate. " She remarked sarcastically, giving Jackie a dry look.

" Do we need a reason? We're gonna be dead in a few weeks. " Jackie's tone was borderline patronizing, acting as though she was explaining something super obvious to a child.

" There's a full moon tomorrow night. " Misty added, trying to give a real reason for 'celebration', but Theo didn't think anyone gave a damn about the moon phases.

" And it's almost homecoming. " Akilah agreed.

" We packed dresses, right? " Lottie mentioned, " For the awards dinner? "