doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

trente et un.

xxx.

chapter trente et un.
chapter thirty one.

xxx.

" What the fuck is going on? " Natalie questioned as she, Tara, Travis, and Sam finally made it back for the day. They all seemed to be taking in the scene they walked upon, seeing the group finishing the funeral pyre with Jackie's body on top of it. As they got closer, they could see the bright makeup on the now ex-captain's face, making Natalie grimace, " What did you do to her face? "

" We decided it was time to move on. " Taissa explained as Sam casted her gaze over at the funeral pyre, seeing Shauna rise from beside Jackie with a crestfallen expression.

Natalie softly scoffed, shaking her head, " This has been a fucking day. "

Taissa gave her a curious look as Travis balled up the ripped, bloody fabric in his hands. From across the snow, Akilah called, " Wait, are those Javi's? "

" No. Can't be. " Lottie murmured, staring down at the pants with knitted brows, a confused frown on her face. Her interjection made Tara look over at Natalie with concern, but the bleach blonde just stared coldly at Lottie.

" Not another word. "

" No, Javi's alive. I can feel it. " Lottie said it anyways, making Natalie step towards her. Tara shook her head and dropped her gaze, one of her hands pressed gently against Travis' back as the other reached up to pull her headband over her bloody ear.

" For fuck's sake, shut up! " Natalie exclaimed, her hostility making Lottie back up a few steps, " Don't you see how much damage you're doing? Why, Lottie, why? What is making you fucking do this? You can't just keep making him believe— "

Shauna cut the group off, not with words, but with the swish of flames. They all turned to watch her as they fell silent, listening to Shauna's final farewell.

" Jackie..I'll never have another friend like you. I don't even know where you end and I begin. I'm sorry, and I love you. "

She pulled the torch out from the fire and leaned down to light a corner of the funeral pyre as she and the rest of them watched the flames catch. The snow had gotten a bit stronger, but not enough to douse the flames. Theo stood on the porch near Coach Scott as the fire began to slowly spread, illuminating the rest of their faces. She was the first to leave the 'funeral' however, turning to go inside the cabin within seconds, with Coach Scott following close behind.

The group slowly got smaller. Akilah helped Dana back inside, and Sam followed up the stairs after them, then the juniors, and so on and so forth until only a handful of them remained outside. Tara let her hand fall as Travis approached the fire and sat Javi's pants in the flames, murmuring a quiet goodbye to his brother. Natalie and Van dispersed, and Tara waited until Travis was done to start heading to the cabin herself.

Left outside, Taissa, Lottie, and Alex alongside Shauna, but while the former two were on either side, more to be there for Shauna than to grieve themselves, Alex stood at the end of the pyre. She looked down at Jackie's body as the orange glow encapsulated her in a frame, and finally could give her her full attention before it was too late and she was gone. She watched as the trio eventually began to head back to the cabin, but Alex stayed where she was.