doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

cinquante-deux.

xxx.

chapter cinquante-deux.
chapter fifty two.

2021.

xxx.

" Theo? Did you get a new number? " Taissa's voice came over the phone, sharp and direct as usual. The pale girl leaned against the kitchen counter with an inaudible sigh as she held Van's house phone to her ear, twisting the ancient cord around her finger unnervingly.

        " Uh, yeah, dropped mine on the sidewalk. Completely shattered it. " She came up with a quick lie, since the truth was that she had absolutely no clue where her phone was. After tried to tell Van what had happened, she assumed she was just going to call her crazy regardless, so she didn't really get to think about where her belongings had ended up. She had nothing on her at all, no phone, no wallet, no ID, and didn't have a clue if her moments in the therapist's office were real or part of her hallucination.

        She didn't even know how she ended up here, seemingly several hours away, which was a far bigger issue for her that Taissa didn't need to know about, yet.

" Right. " Taissa didn't really sound like she believed her, but her dry tone also told Theo that she didn't care enough in the moment to demand she elaborate, which she was thankful for. " Is that why you missed therapy this week, then? Your alarm couldn't go off because your phone's broken? "

Well, there was her answer to that question.

" I..uh..no, actually. I had to skip it to work on pieces for my art show this weekend. " Theo said, which could've been true, since the gallery was in fact in a few days (she had checked on Van's calendar shortly after processing everything), and she had a few paintings not completely finished; not like they would be done in time now, anyways.

Again, Taissa didn't sound like she had convinced her, " Okay, Theo. You made sure to take your medication then, right? "

Theo visibly grimaced. She hadn't even thought about that when she was in a panic about how she ended up in an entirely different town with none of her belongings. Of course she hadn't.

" Yup, same as always. "

You would think therapy would make you less of a big, fat liar.

" Alright, well, I have some things to do for the election next week, so I'll give you a call before then. Be careful, Theo. " Taissa bid her fair well, not bothering to listen for her response before Theo heard the phone beep to signify the end of the call.

" The Theo Prince I knew would never have sounded so..pitiful, certainly not when talking to Taissa. " Hearing the name roll off her own tongue was a shock to Van, but she played it off well as she suddenly appeared in the doorway. As the redhead leaned against the side of it, crossing her arms with a questionable look, Theo sighed.

" Gee, thanks, Van. "

" I mean it. " She insisted earnestly, pushing off of the door to take a few steps further into the apartment, which sat above her DVD shop. She shook her head lightly as she said, " You two were always butting heads, you never agreed on any moves. Now..now, what? You have to call and check in with her? "