doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

vingt-neuf.

xxx.

chapter vingt-neuf.
chapter twenty nine.

xxx.

Inside the cabin window, Natalie stood, watching the prayer circle with frustration. Her warm breath frosted the glass and hid her furrowed brows and deep set frown, but it wasn't as anyone outside would've been paying attention anyways; they were too occupied by Lottie's morning prayers. She was growing more and more irritated with Lottie's ritualistic bullshit. She thought Laura Lee's constant prayers before every practice were overkill, but this was insane. Mari would listen to just about anything Lottie said, or had some mystical insight to everything the Matthews girl did being related to the 'Wilderness', and she wasn't sure which of them were more annoying. The worst part was that she was watching it spread amongst the group in real time with very little power to stop it.

The prayer circle consisted of Mari, Misty, Van, Travis, Melissa, and Gen today, much to the dismay of both Natalie, and Taissa and Alex, who she could see standing out on the porch. Natalie was glad she wasn't entirely alone in thinking the whole thing was bullshit, but even if she wasn't alone, she was in the minority.

" You don't want to join Bible study? " Tara asked in an almost sincere voice as she looked up from the kitchen table; they were the only people inside the cabin, minus Coach Scott in the bedroom and Crystal humming in the pantry, so Natalie didn't bother to hide her disdain for what was happening outside. The golden blonde put down the small, wooden figurine in her hands, and Natalie recognized it as Javi's carving; she wondered where she found it, but decided it wasn't important when Tara spoke again. " Here I thought Catholicism was a cult, but Lottie's got my church beat. "

Natalie let out a small chuckle, running a hand through her hair. Her roots had begun to bleed through, dark streaks appearing at the top of her head, a stark contrast to the rest of her bleached hair. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms, " I'm surprised your religious trauma hasn't persuaded you into joining them. "

" Oh, no, I'm a sinner now, don't you know I'll burn if I cross that circle? " Tara insisted sarcastically with a ghost of a smile before her expression eventually faded. Her eyes downcast as she looked to the wooden carving, shifting in the chair.

" Do you think he'll be okay? " She asked, pulling the ends of her sleeves over her hands. Natalie didn't need her to look past her, out the window, to know what she meant. Tara sighed quietly when Natalie didn't say anything at first, " I've never had anyone that close to me die before, and if I have, it's been because of old age, or whatever. Not..not because a bunch of girls tried to gut me and scared my baby brother into running into the woods. "

Natalie's eyes scanned over Tara's face as she tried to think of her response. She could be honest, and probably put Tara in a worse mood than she already was, or she could lie and say that Travis would be fine, which the other girl likely wouldn't believe. She ended up looking back out the window, eyeing Travis in the circle outside.

" It'll be hard, but he'll..he'll get better. I don't think you can ever be 'okay' after losing a family member, and he's lost two now. " Natalie finally said sombrely, and Tara took the far-out look on her face as one of understanding, but she didn't want to pry. The taller blonde didn't say anything after that, she just propped one of her elbows up so she could sit her chin in her hand, staring at the table in thought.