doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

quarante-sept.

xxx.

chapter quarante-sept.
chapter forty seven.

1996.

xxx.

    
            Coach Scott had taken Natalie's information about Javi praying to one of the trees on the far side of the map and ran with it. He had enlisted in Sam's help since she had been the one putting together the maps for Natalie and Travis since winter fell, and though she might not have been eager to aid him, she would choose a long, potentially pointless walk outside with Coach Scott over sitting in that cabin of despair for another moment.

It had taken them at least an hour to find the tree Natalie had referred to, using the smaller version of the map that Coach Scott had drawn up, using Sam's iterations on the real thing that was back in the bedroom of the cabin. However, there was nothing peculiar or different about that tree than any of the others.

At least, not at first.

Coach Scott was desperately searching for an indication that this was the correct tree, but it was one of several with the strange symbol carved into it, and they had no other indication of where Javi's secret hideout could've been. Sam was ready to give up on the expedition ten minutes into their walk, her cheeks burning from the wind and her side aching with stitches from being out of shape, but as she looked at the tree's trunk for the twelfth time, she finally saw it.

The symbol wasn't on the tree correctly. The arrow striking through it was facing the wrong direction. Sam didn't say anything, she simply reached forward to drag her fingers over the carving. She turned her head in the direction that it was actually pointing, and began walking towards it.

" Well, I don't know how else this is.." Coach Scott trailed off when he realized Sam was gone, turning around a few times to see where she was. He stomped with his new and improved snow-crutches, moving around the tree to see she was walking in the opposite direction. He huffed as he called out, " Sam! Wait! "

Unsurprisingly, she didn't listen and continued walking, forcing him to keep up with her, at least enough to see her in the bit of distance growing between them. He was going to ask her what she was doing but couldn't catch his breath long enough, but, in due time, he received his answer without having to say a word.

Sam finally stopped, in front of a huge mound of greenery. It was a tall tree, perhaps the tallest in the entire forest, and while it was not completely untouched by the ice and snow, all that laid atop it was a bit of fallen white along the edges. There was brush surrounding the base of a wide tree, and the ground of it held some snow, but it was sloshy and wet, melted.

The symbol was carved into it, too, flecks of snow making it stand out against the mossy trunk. It was the correct way that time.

" Holy shit. " Coach Scott murmured as he finally came up beside Sam, tilting his head up to look at the expanse of the tree. He stared in awe for a solid moment before he tugged a folded piece of paper from his pocket, unraveling it to reveal one of Javi's drawings. The lines were messy and unkempt, but it was clear that it was the tree that stood before them.

Coach Scott exchanged a look with Sam, then shuffled forward, reaching his hand out to the tree, where it began to steam, accounting for the melted snow and the appearance of green leaves in the dead of winter. He moved some of the brush away cautiously, feeling how warm it was, and then exposing the entrance to..well, they weren't sure yet.