doomsday. [ yellowjackets ]

soixante.

xxx.

chapter soixante.
chapter sixty.

2021.

xxx.

          It was a long winded confession of Shauna admitting that she knew Jeff was the blackmailer and that she hid it for..a plethora of reasons, none of which Alex cared to listen to. She knew all of the bullshit that came out of her mouth before it did, expected it as much as you expect storm clouds to rain, so, while Taissa seemed upset at being used and Van confused by everything being admitted, Alex didn't blink twice.

        " Thanks for your honesty, Shauna. " Natalie commented, though it was difficult at first to determine if she was being sarcastic or not as she stood. Her next words proved she wasn't, " You're not wrong. We're all pretty messed up. "

        The purple duster flowed, watery behind her as she moved to sit at another seat, insisting, " It's time we finally fucking talk about it. "

       " We're not gonna solve shit with talking, Nat. " Lottie interjected, a serious look on her face. Everyone seemed surprised by her response, a stark difference to her past talk of meditation and grieving, even Theo's head snapped over at her. " This isn't something therapies can fix. Something guided you all here, and it wasn't guilt and it wasn't some psychological need. It was something greater, and it had been guiding me, as well. "

      There were many looks exchanged amongst the group, looking weary or nervous as to where Lottie was going with this, but Theo didn't take her eyes off of the woman as she spoke.

" First, I tried to ignore It. I tried to bargain with It, I tried to will It away, but..it's too powerful. " Lottie insisted, her eyes wide and darting around frantically amongst them, like each word was terrifying her as they came out, " And now we have to give it what It wants. "

" None of that was real, Lottie. " Shauna was the first to shoot back, unsurprisingly, but Lottie wouldn't back down so easily—she couldn't, not with what she had been seeing, what she'd been hearing since they were reunited.

" No? Do you feel like there is something inside of you, a feeling that you know is making you do that? " She pressed further, staring Shauna down before she finally stood up.

" It's no secret we're all a little fucked up, but Natalie's right, look at what we lived through. " While Taissa spoke, Theo's eyes followed Lottie's back as she walked over to the small table where a tray of cups and a tea kettle sat.

" But you have to consider that It's been with us all along, and we've been denying It, and that is why we're all so fucked up. " Lottie began to pour the kettle, filling each of the cups equally as her back was to them, " And just like before, the only way to get ourselves out of this is to give ourselves fully to It. "

Theo could already feel the dread filling her chest, breath growing tight as she finally broke her intent gaze away from Lottie's back at the implication. She didn't look up when the next question was asked, one that they didn't really need answered out loud, but she knew it was Van regardless:

" What exactly are you suggesting? "

When Lottie finally turned to them once more, she held the tray of cups and looked between them, " We give It what It always want: one of us. "