STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

21. ancient gods dressed in empath's clothing (self-diagnosed)

LATER THAT DAY when the two girls returned to the cabin, they were faced with the crippling reality that they were still indeed very much out of food.

The team gathers in the yard once more to do their daily tasks. Bunny is hanging the washed laundry to dry when suddenly three figures stumble into the yard, exhausted from running they almost collapse to the ground. Jackie shoots up from her spot on the porch, being the first to notice the three, "Oh my God, what happened?"

Misty is pulled to sit down by Jackie, Shauna, and Nat. Bunny drops the shirt she is holding back to the pile of clean clothes, eyeing the incomers with a frown on her face. Where are Van and Taissa?

"Where's Tai?", Bunny asks as she crouches down next to Natalie, who is holding Misty's shoulder as the girl tries to catch her breath. "Misty, where's Taissa?", Bunny asks again, her voice eager as panic starts to grow inside her. Natalie grabs the girl's hand, squeezing it slightly as she gives the girl a pointed look to take it easy on the curly-haired girl.

Laura-Lee grabs Misty's shoulders tightly as she orders, "Show us which way to go."

Natalie tried to stop Bunny from going into the woods as the night was already falling upon them, but the girl said she needed to help the search party. She needs to find Taissa, Bunny doesn't know if she could ever live with herself if she knew something happened and she could've done something to stop it. As she walks through the now dark forest, following Misty who is showing the girls the way, it is fear that leads her deeper into the wilderness. The fear of losing the person she so dearly loves.

"Taissa!", Bunny screams, cupping her hands next to her mouth as she yells the girl's name, "Vanessa!", she calls, praying that either of the girls would answer.

"Are you sure you came this way?", Bunny asks from Misty, who's holding the other one of the two lanterns, the second one being in Shauna's possession. Misty hesitates, looking around the dark forest, "I don't know. I-I can't see anything, it's so dark."

Just as the words leave Misty's lips, a soft boom echoes through the woods, and a red SOS firework signal is shot near the girls. They immediately start rushing towards where the signal was shot, eager to get to the two girls in time. As they run to Taissa and Van, Bunny's heart almost stops. The sigh in front of her was not what she was expecting; the blood covered Taissa and Van with her face torn open.

When Bunny gets back with the others, her eyes immediately find Natalie's. The older blonde sees the nightmare of a situation that returns with the search party and understands the pure shock on Bunny's face. The two do their best to help Akilah and Taissa as they start to stitch Van's face back together, holding the red-haired goalie in place as the pain takes over her. The muffled screaming fills the cabin, gathering everyone around them, looking at the situation horrified.

Bunny washes her hands for the third time, her eyes glued to the surface of the water in the barrel. The imagery of Van's torn-up cheek is now imprinted on her mind, surely cutting off every hope of sleeping for the next week. The washroom is dark and silent. The only sound is the even sound of Bunny scrubbing her hands raw.

"Hey", Jackie peeks her head through the door, her curious eyes eyeing the still girl. Bunny's head snaps around, she hadn't heard Jackie coming. "You scared me", the girl breathes out as she turns her gaze back to her hands and rubs them together with force. Jackie frowns slightly as she looks at the girl. The brunette brings her arms to her chest as she walks closer to the girl, cocking her head slightly. "Bunny, what's wrong?", Jackie's voice is so kind, curious, and almost innocent it makes Bunny want to cry. She sniffles as she brings her sleeve up to her face, quickly wiping her tears as they fall.