STRANGERS ♱ yellowjackets

42. an old friend

NATALIE WHO HAS SPENT THE ENTIRE DAY SNEAKING AROUND, finally found a room worth her while. A corkboard filled with different treatments, all of them made Natalie sick. She didn't want to be here, this felt wrong in so many ways.

"Sign up for something. Everyone's eager to meet you", Lottie's voice doesn't startle Natalie. She only glares at the woman as she says in a snarky tone, "I'm not really a joiner."

"I thought you might say that. C'mon", Lottie says and starts walking away.

"This is Sadie," Lottie says, her hand resting lightly on the girl's shoulder. Sadie's hair, dark as ink, falls in soft waves around her face, contrasting starkly with her wide, almost unnervingly brown eyes that seem to absorb everything around them. "She's here to help you."

Natalie's skepticism is instant, her brow furrowing. "Help me? How?"

"Sometimes, seeing the world through the eyes of a child brings clarity," Lottie explains, her voice steady and calm, almost too calm, as if she's navigating around Natalie's mistrust. "Sadie has a gift for connecting with people. I think she can help you find what you're looking for."

Natalie's mind races. Is this another one of Lottie's games? Another layer to whatever scheme she always seemed to be weaving? Her gaze flicks to Sadie, scrutinizing every detail—the girl's small frame, her delicate hands clasped in front of her, and the way her shoes barely make a sound on the wooden floor. Could a child—this child—be part of some manipulation? But when Natalie looks into Sadie's wide, brown eyes, the doubt falters. The girl seems so genuine, so untouched by the complexity and tension that fill the wellness center like a thick fog.

Sadie can't be more than ten years old. Maybe younger. Her face is soft, unlined, and somehow familiar, though Natalie can't place it. That familiarity gnaws at her, deepening the unease. Where had she seen this girl before? The thought lingers, stubborn and unsettling.

"So, my therapist is literally a fucking kid?" Natalie says, her voice sharp, eyes narrowing as they shift to Lottie.

Lottie's expression tightens for a brief moment before she squeezes Sadie's shoulders, irritation flashing like a ripple beneath her calm exterior. "No," Lottie says, her smile still soft but her tone firmer. "More like you're her babysitter for the day." She glances at Sadie with warmth, offering the girl a reassuring smile.

Natalie raises a brow, about to shoot back with another question, but before she can speak, Lottie pats Sadie gently on the back. "You'll be fine," she says, her voice breezier now as she slips toward the door. "I'll check on you both later."

Sadie stands perfectly still, her hands at her sides, eyes never leaving Natalie. There's a softness to her smile, something innocent but slightly unnerving as if she sees more than she lets on. Natalie looks at her like she's some kind of alien, her mistrust still pulsing under her skin."What's your name?" the girl asks, her voice light but confidence, as if she's been waiting for Natalie all along.

Natalie stays quiet, unsure how to respond. After a beat, she finally says, "Natalie."

Something flickers in Sadie's eyes—almost a recognition, but it's gone too quickly for Natalie to grasp. The girl's smile widens slightly. "I know exactly what we're going to do today," she says, her voice filled with certainty as if everything is already set in motion.

Natalie's arms are crossed as she watches Sadie from across the room, still trying to wrap her mind around this whole situation. Is she supposed to entertain a kid today? Really? The silence between them grows uncomfortable until Sadie speaks up, her voice soft but insistent.

"You know," Sadie begins, her wide brown eyes fixing on Natalie, "it's kind of your duty to keep me entertained. Babysitter, right?"

Natalie suppresses an eye roll. "And how exactly am I supposed to do that?"