doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

trente-quarte.

xxx.

chapter trente-quatre.
chapter thirty four.

2021.

xxx.

         A few weeks after the Yellowjackets had been rescued, Tara's parents finally realized that their daughter wasn't just ignoring them or 'communicating with the Devil', but actually had no hearing in her left ear. At first, they believed that was her consequence for the sins she had committed, that God had taken part of her hearing until she could 'find her way back to Him', but even after they had her baptized again and had a priest come pray with her once a day, her hearing miraculously did not return.

        They decided that their last resort was to take her to a doctor, who had her fitted for a hearing aid after determining that her right ear was perfectly fine, but her left ear had blunt trauma, likely caused by a sharp weapon, and she had little to no hearing in that ear. Her parents were less than thrilled to be told that, since it meant they were wrong, but they still covered the payment for the aid but declined the offer of therapy the doctor gave them. Of course, they believed that no therapist would be able to help their daughter, at least, they wouldn't be able to do anything that their local priest couldn't do.

          However, as time would pass, Tara couldn't grow used to the hearing aid. If she didn't have it turned on, she felt like she couldn't function without having to turn around constantly to keep everything on her right side, but if she did have it turned on, she was convinced she could still hear whispers, and it was driving her insane.

         So, one day, while her mother was screaming at her to pay attention to the prayer they were doing before dinner, Tara picked up the fork near her plate and tried to pluck the hearing aid out of her ear. Both of her parents tried to wrestle it out of her grasp before she could do it, ending with both her father and herself getting stabbed with a fork, though only Tara ended up having to stay in the hospital after that.

        They kept her in the psych ward but claimed it was 'for her safety'. The doctor explained to her parents that she had gone through a traumatic experience and, without therapy, would likely continue to have these 'issues' and potentially hurt others or herself. They kept her for a total of four days, alone, with only the visits of the doctor, nurse, and psychologist to keep her company. Tara didn't really care, though, she didn't speak to any of them anyways. The only time she was remotely interested in anything they said was on the second day when the nurse walked in, holding something behind her back.

         " Miss Dean, I have something for you. " She called in a sing-song voice; if Tara wasn't so numb in the moment, she might've actually liked her, she was very peppy despite the sort of situations she had to deal with. As she bounded over to the blonde's bed, she wore a wide grin on her freckled face.

         Initially, Tara didn't bother even turning over to look at her, she remained laying on her side, staring at the blank wall as the sun peeked through the navy curtains. Her hair was braided back from her face in thick strands, sheltering her porcelain features as her injured hand laid under head head, wrapped in fresh gauze.

         Seeing as Tara wasn't biting yet, the nurse continued, " It's pretty cute, usually we don't allow gifts to our patients but since we also don't allow visits from non-family members, Dr. Yates made an exception. "