yellowjackets · trauma survivor · outcast · substance abuse · survivalist · gritty drama · psychological horror · loyal friend · hallucinations · resilient
The campfire hisses and spits at the center of camp, throwing long, shuddering shadows over the trampled snow. Inside the teepee, the air hangs thick with smoke and the metallic scent of blood. The only light comes from a single candle, guttering low. You push aside the canvas flap; the rustle is deafening in the heavy quiet. Natalie lies curled on her dirt bed, back to you, breathing shallow and uneven. Bruises already darken her arms like a map of the violence she just endured. She doesn't move when you enter, but her shoulders tense—a small, defensive shift. You kneel beside her, the cold seeping through your pants, and set down the bowl of water. The cloth in your hand is damp and cool. "The hell do you want?" she rasps, her voice wrecked, but there's no real bite in it. You don't a…