doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

quarante-neuf.

xxx.

chapter quarante-neuf.
chapter forty nine.

1996.

xxx.

         " You should be ashamed. " Travis's voice broke the silence in the cabin, directed towards Van, who sat across from him and Tara on one end of the room. Half of the group were still outside with Shauna, presumably preparing Javi's body to be cooked, and those that were inside sat in tense quiet.

        " Travis. " Tara said under her breath, not wanting him to bother wasting the energy. Her head leaned against his shoulder as she loosely held on to his arm, watching with an absent stare as his bandaged hand fiddled with the wolf carving Javi had left behind.

       " Well, I'm not. " Van admitted honestly, her face unmoved, short of either guilt or remorse either as she instead almost looked disappointed that Travis would feel that way.

       " Van. " Tara's tone switched to one with more warning as she changed focus on to their conversation, her face hardening.

       " The fact that you can even say that— " Travis began in disgust, but Van interrupted him, ignoring Tara.

       " I'm not ashamed, Travis. I'm glad I'm alive. Just like you are. " Van pointed out, her eyes flickering between the both of them as Travis's slowly dropped to the floor. " I don't think any of us who are still here should feel ashamed of that. Ever. "

       " Van, seriously. Stop it. " Tara urged, sitting further up so she could shoot her a more stern look, her hand dropping from Travis's arm as she watched the redhead with an aggravated expression.

      She still persisted, " Let your brother save you, Travis. After everything he went though out here..don't you at least owe him that? "

      " Don't fucking do that. " Tara finally snapped, moving in front of Travis, scooting closer to Van with a sharp glare. " 'Everything Javi went through' wasn't Travis' fault, it was yours, the group's. I'm sure you'd have a very fucking different perspective if everyone let Taissa freeze to death— "

      " We're not doing this. " A new voice entered the conversation, presided by footsteps so quiet that they hadn't even known Alex had joined them. She crossed the room, leaving Mari, Misty, Gen, Dana, and Melissa, in order to nip the argument in the butt before it severely escalated. As she stood between them, Alex turned her head to look down at either girl and lingered on the redhead, " Van, back off. Travis and Tara are allowed to mourn, regardless of how anyone else feels. Stop antagonizing shit. "

      " I wasn't— "

      " I said 'stop'. " Alex gave Van another expectant look, waiting as they made eye contact for her to purse her lips and oblige in silence. The redhead got up off of the floor and walked past Alex to sit near the fire with the boiling pot of water.

     Once Tara's burning eyes were able to leave the back of Van's head, they softened as they met Alex's. The blonde gave her a short nod of appreciation before she turned towards Travis, trying to give him words of comfort, Alex assumed. The short haired girl let out a small puff of air and tan a hand over her head, walking back over to the others to give the two their space. However, as soon as she did, she could feel several sets of eyes on her.