Love, Blood and Wilderness | YELLOWJACKETS

Chapter 31

I recalled my nightmare as the baby emerged from Shauna's womb, it didn't rip its way out of her stomach. It sort of just... slipped out. It didn't rip her stomach to shreds or anything of the sort, it was just falling out of her.

    Lottie appeared behind me, holding the knife to my throat in her antler veil, but she was wearing the same outfit as the night of the party where we first had sex.

Lottie was on the other side of me, offering looks of encouragement.

    I felt the barrel of a gun to my forehead and Natalie stood over Shauna, with her rifle pointed to me.

Nat was still behind me, rubbing my back, squeezing my shoulders at any chance she could.

  "Get the baby," Jackie Taylor whispered in her hyper frozen state. She wrapped her hands around my neck.

I couldn't feel any anger or guilt for myself, as if this should be Jackie's baby. I feel as though I've finally accepted the fact that no, I couldn't replace Jackie, but I could help Shauna in my own ways, and that Jackie would be proud of us.

Get the baby. Get the baby. Get the baby.

"Get the baby!" I told Misty, whose hands were at the ready. Shauna released one last screamed and her eyes flew shut.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

I held the little boy, who was still covered in some blood even though Misty had tried to wipe him off with a wet rag. Holding this baby was not what I expected it to be. He was pudgy and soft, his cheeks were chubby and his features were small and innocent. He was crying from being removed from his once comfortable home, wailing with unfamiliarity.

But from the second I held him, I loved him like he was my own, which I didn't think I would. I was so overwrought with the fear of being a secondary mother to this little boy that I didn't leave room in my heart to think that I'd love him.

But I did. I loved this little Shauna junior.

    Misty handed me a cut of fabric to wrap him in, and so I did. Though it didn't ease his crying, at least he would be snug.

    Nat, Lottie and Tai all leaned over to see the little guy. Nat's eyes welled with tears, as did Tai's. Lottie looked between myself and the baby adoringly.

"Shauna... Shauna wake up," I tugged her shoulder with my free hand, her baby curled up in the nook of my other arm.

Shauna's eyes fluttered open, dazed and uncertain. Her skin was still drenched in sweat and tears.

Shauna had passed out after her birth and though we were worried, she was still breathing and we knew that she must've been exhausted from all of her hard labour. Misty assured us that there shouldn't be anything to worry about that, that she was just worn out, and I had no choice but to believe her.

Shauna looked around at everyone's smiles of relief, grateful that both she and the baby had made it through the labour. I had a lot of doubts that this baby wouldn't survive from the lack of medical care and nutrition that Shauna was receiving, but granted, the wilderness gave us a miracle.

It wasn't long before Shauna eyed the baby in my arms. Her mouth dropped and a gasp escaped her lips. Tears welled in her brown eyes, the corners of her mouth curling into a slight grin.

I gently laid the baby in her arms and wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"It's a boy, Shauna," I told her and she stifled some cries. I could feel Nat and Lottie's eyes on myself and Shauna, on the family portrait that was being portrayed right in front of them. But I didn't pay any mind, how could I when Shauna looked so beautiful holding our sweet boy.