Love, Blood and Wilderness | YELLOWJACKETS

Chapter 28

I continued kissing Lottie when we heard someone scream, "Javi?!"

My head jerked up and I stared at Lottie, who possessed a knowing look on her face.

"I told you."

"Holy shit," I whispered, "C'mon we have to go see."

We hopped out of the bathtub and dried ourselves as best we could and hauled our clothes over our bodies quickly but inefficiently.

Lottie and I tore downstairs to see a very frightened Javi wrapped in a blanket. I glanced at Nat, whose mouth hung open and guilt visibly loomed over her. Everyone crowded around him, shock overcoming all of their faces. Travis knelt in front of Javi, holding his shoulders.

"Javi, it's me, your brother," Travis cried, though Javi was unresponsive. His eyes were wide and his face was dark and sunken in.

"How the hell did he survive?" Ben wondered aloud.

"How did you know?" I whispered to Lottie, who shrugged in reply.

"This means Lottie was right," Mari claimed, glaring at Nat, "She's the one who said Javi was alive. Three cheers for Lottie! Hip-hip-"

"Lottie knew he was alive, but Taissa knew where he was," Van stated.

"How did you find him?" Lottie asked.

"No, but I..." Taissa started but was cut off by Van.

"No, you can't deny this anymore. There is something deep inside of you that is connected to all of this," Van declared.

"Does it have something to do with the sleepwalking?" Lottie inquired.

"Wh- sleep walking?" I asked.

"Yeah, Tai has been sleep walking and there's some pattern to where she goes," Van explained.

"No, there's not, it's just a coincidence," Tai responded.

"Can we just say, for the record, that I was right and Nat was wrong?" Mari sung.

"Oh my god, shut the fuck up Mari," I muttered.

"I don't want to sleep walk anymore," Tai turned to Lottie, tears welling in her eyes.

"Then maybe we should have an intervention... For everyone," Lottie declared.

"What do you mean?" Van asked.

"We could have... A group time of talking about our feelings... Listening to the wilderness and letting it listen to us..."

"No offence but I don't think the wilderness can help my issues," Tai said.

"Tai, you've been ignoring it for too long! If you love me, you'll do this!" Van shouted.

"Can I think about it at least?"

Van's lips tightened.

"I'm not participating in some weird ass ritual," Shauna snapped.

"You don't have to," Lottie told her, "only those who are willing to listen can choose to participate."

"Lottie, we're not a cult," Nat growled.

"It's just a way for the group to connect and find something else to focus on," Lottie insisted.

"Do you agree with this Taylor?" Nat asked me.

"I-"

"No, she doesn't, does she?" Shauna glared at me.

"I think Taylor can decide for herself," Lottie vocalized.