Love, Blood and Wilderness | YELLOWJACKETS

Chapter 11

    Over the next few days, I hardly spoke to Lottie.

    I would take extensive walks or work on my own chores or projects while the girls would go out together and scavenge for berries and such.

    In the beginning when I took these walks, I was often joined by Shauna. We would walk in silence and sit together for a little bit, just to clear our heads.

    Our time together sparked some arguments between Shauna and Jackie, which I felt bad about, but I couldn't control how Jackie reacted.

   But, it led to Shauna's absence and we no longer had a lot of time alone.

   However, Tai and Shauna became somewhat of a duo and spent time together as well. They would sneak off or whisper to each other, and Jackie was especially irritated.

    I haven't seen much of Nat either, which I felt sour about.

    I was disconsolate by the fact that Natalie was allegedly so adamant on making sure I was okay, yet has been avoiding me and hooking up with Travis while I've been struggling. I was starting to feel lonely.

    Tai and Van did their best to help by sleeping in the attic with me, since Jackie insisted that Shauna stayed downstairs with her and Nat was avoiding me like the plague, and while I appreciated their efforts, I really missed Lottie.

    The first few days she tried to approach me, but I abstained from her. Now, she had just been giving me space, realizing that I wasn't ready to talk to her.

    The girls and Javi were all foraging somewhere in the woods right now,, and Natalie and Travis were hunting.

    I volunteered to wash clothes while they left and no one seemed to have an issue with it. So I kept Ben company at the cabin, which was nice. He was good to talk to, it was pleasant being able to talk to an adult and to talk about things other than Lottie.

    "So have you been doing okay?" He asked me.

    "I've been fine. How about you? Must be nice getting a break from your nanny," I joked and he laughed.

    "Don't even get me started," he said.

    I scrubbed the clothes on the wooden washboard we made and plunging them in the bucket of water, my hands and arms getting sore. But despite that, I felt at ease.

    The sun shining warmly on my face, Ben was reading his book that he brought quietly, birds were chirping. I've felt the most relaxed since I've been here.

    Until I heard the girl's voices return.

    "Fuck," I muttered, though Ben didn't hear me.
    I caught Lottie's eye and she stared at me sorrowfully.

I wasn't sure what to do. On one hand, I really missed Lottie and each night without her I pined to have her at my side.

    But on the other, my arms were still healing from her attack and they stung every time I so much as glanced at her, as if they were reminding me what she was capable of and if I wanted to be around that.

Nat and Travis arrived back at the same time. My bitterness got the better of me and I marched up to Natalie, not caring if Lottie was watching or not.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked, though it was more of a demand.

"Sure?"

"Privately," I jumped down her throat and grabbed her hand, pulling her to a secluded area.

"What the fuck Scatorrcio?" I snarled.

"What ever the fuck do you mean?" She wondered bitterly.