STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

14. bloody mary and the seance

DAYS TURN INTO WEEKS. WEEKS TURN INTO A BLOODY HORRORSHOW as one by one every girl's period starts. First Bunny finds it kind of poetic, how all of their periods got synced, but after going through the realization that even in the wilderness her menstrual symptoms are the same as in the real world, the romanticizing comes to an abrupt end.

"Good job, get it all out", Taissa soothes her best friend as she runs her hand up and down the girl's back soothingly. Bunny, bent over in a bush behind the house, gags one last time before spitting the excess salvia out of her mouth. The bitter taste of vomit lingers in her mouth as she stands up from the bush, leaning into her friend. Taissa wraps an arm around the girl, giving her a side hug.

"I hate my periods", Bunny mutters and wipes her lips into the sleeve of her shirt. As Natalie and Bunny found Bunny's missing luggage on their little trip, Bunny finally got more clothes to wear and better shoes. Taissa lets out a sympathetic hum as she says, "Oh, I know." The two walk back to the front of the cabin, where everyone is busy with work and different chores.

"Do you feel better?", Akilah asks as she sees the two girls return from what is now called the Bunny's post-breakfast spot. Bunny gives the girl a tight smile and a thumbs up as she pries away from Taissa, letting the girl get on with her tasks. Bunny looks around for a moment before returning to her original spot inside where she's helping Lottie clean.

As she walks in her eyes find Natalie, whose back is towards the girl, and Jackie who is still in bed groaning and whining about her cramps. Bunny snickers as she walks towards the two.

"Jackie, why are you still in bed?", Bunny asks, her voice soft but holding a small authoritative edge. Natalie turns to look at the girl with a small smile. In truth, the smile would've been a lot bigger, but Natalie didn't want to look like a fool. The two stare at each other for a moment, as Bunny returns the greeting smile to the older girl.

"I have cramps", Jackie whines and stirs under her blanket, interrupting the moment the two girls are having. Bunny sighs and takes a few steps closer to the mattress, bending down and pulling Jackie's blanket off with a swift move. "C'mon. Get up", Bunny says with a small chuckle and straightens her back again. "I tried, I swear", Natalie sighs and crosses her arms with an amused smile creeping onto her lips. A tingling feeling runs down Bunny's spine as she watches the girl next to her.

"Yeah, I believe you", she says and glances down at their captain who is deadpanning both of the girls.

"Hey, good luck on hunting today", Bunny says, turning her attention back to Natalie again. Natalie's eyes widen a bit at the girl's words, "Thanks", she says, shifting in her spot. "And here", the younger girl says and takes out the pen from her pocket, handing it to Natalie. The older girl nods with a small smile as she watches the younger blonde flee to the back of the cabin where Lottie is cleaning.

It wasn't until dinner that Bunny heard the plan for the seance that night. A part of her thought it was a bad idea. To her anything that was even slightly out of their understanding wasn't a laughing matter, or something they should play with. But another part of her was hungry for even a tiny bit of normality and humor.

Jackie and Shauna had made the attic terrifying. The candlelight against the darkness that glooms behind the attic window, creates a sanctuary for the teenagers to process the true darkness that scares them. The darkness came with the truth that they hadn't been saved yet and they had been in the woods for weeks now. It makes the attic suddenly seem safe in the heart of nothing but trees. Even though, it still makes Bunny scared to her core.

As Jackie takes a seat on the floor, handing the small tin pot of dirt and blood to Travis, she takes a deep breath in before raising her hands in the air. Bunny smiles softly at the dramatics of the situation. As Natalie hands the cup to Bunny, the girl dips her finger in the blood before drawing an 'X' on her forehead like the others. "O spirit, we offer our sister as your instrument. Come to us and speak your peace", Jackie voices loudly.