Wildflowers

The cold had let up a bit the following morning, and Melissa jumped at the chance to spend some time outside without a bunch of dead birds raining on them. Gen and her sat quietly around the pit, interrupting the silence only to stoke the fire. After an hour or so, they saw a group of them file out and head to the back. 

“Oh great,” Gen muttered, “the cultists are at it again.” 

The pair of them had never bothered to attend any of the “Wilderness Sermons”, as Gen liked to call them, but they always listened in and made fun of whatever they caught. Melissa crossed her legs and put her palms facing up on her knees. She glanced over to the circle and closed her eyes.

“What do you feel?” She said in tandem with Lottie, her voice lowered to sound more sagely. They both turned to listen to the circle. Mari was the first to speak up. She was wearing a light blue cap similar to the one Melissa had on. Gen reached out and grabbed it from her head and placed it on her own. 

“I feel… cold.” She said it with such seriousness that they both startled laughing. Just as Gen was about to put on the best performance of her life, the cabin door swung open. Akilah slowly walked toward the circle. Her steps were staggered and she hesitated before taking a seat. Like the two of them, Akilah had never bothered to join in on Lottie’s prayer circles until now.

“Huh, what does that make now? Four people that don’t follow Lottie?” Melissa leaned back to get a clearer view.

“Make that three.” Gen whispered. Both of them looked toward the cabin and watched Shauna carefully step out. As much as she denied it, Shauna had become weighed down by her stomach. Her walk had slowed to a waddle in the last few weeks. They went back to being quiet and Melissa watched Shauna as she stood just outside the clearing. 

“We are excited to meet him.” The circle affirmed in unison. 

“Ugh, that’s so creepy.” Gen said. Shauna stormed off before the circle joined hands. 

“Why do you think they keep saying ‘he’? Why not just say ‘the baby’?”

“Because if she’s right, it’ll make her look prophetic.” 

After another half hour, it started getting colder, so they headed back into the cabin to get warmer clothing. Melissa was pulling on a coat when Gen spoke. 

“I can’t believe he won’t tell us where he’s been.” She glanced over and saw Javi sitting by the fire. He was staring into the flames like he could see something beyond them. 

“He could have found another cabin, or other people even” 

“Well then he would’ve been rescued, duh.” Melissa zipped up her coat before a thought struck her. 

“Maybe he did die,” She whispered, “and that's his ghost!” It took everything in Gen to not roll her eyes at that. 

After mealtime everyone but Misty and Crystal were lounging around the cabin. Travis had locked himself in Ben’s room after he blew up at Natalie, so the rest of them just sat around in silence. Melissa sat on the window ledge and watched Shauna. She was dead asleep on cabin guy’s chair. The only time Shauna ever seems relaxed nowadays is when she’s asleep. Melissa's eyes traced the shape of her face. Where everyone else’s faces had gotten skinnier and more defined, Shauna’s had gotten softer, her jawline rounder. Melissa remembers everyone telling her aunt when she was pregnant that she was glowing. She didn’t really get it then, but in her eyes, Shauna was definitely glowing. 

One of her arms was laid across her stomach. Melissa often found herself wondering how terrifying it must be to worry about not only herself, but a whole baby out here. It’s not like anyone had cut her any slack, she was still responsible for her share of the chores, as well as all the  butchering if Natalie and Travis came back with a catch. She shuddered at the thought of having to butcher animals. Melissa was sure she’d hurl if she had to do that, and she wasn’t even pregnant. 

Melissa was brought out of her thoughts by Lottie crossing the room and hovering over Shauna. She watched as Lottie lowered herself to the ground and leaned toward her stomach. Her focus went back to Gen and Robin’s conversation. 

“What the fuck Lottie?” Shauna’s yell shifted the entire room’s attention toward her, and Lottie who was on the floor. Tai ran over to help her up. 

“She was whispering weird shit to my baby.” Gen and Melissa gave each other a look. Lottie’s defense was  that it’s good to talk to babies, and for some reason unbeknownst to her, Tai was taking Lottie's side. 

“Some friend.” Gen said under her breath. Shauna marched out of the cabin before anyone could stop her, and Taissa ran out after her. 

Melissa and Gen were in the middle of a less than riveting game of poker when Misty burst into the cabin. There was a storm out, and she’d gotten separated from Crystal on her way back. Everyone got to their feet and rushed out. Taissa and Shauna were still out there, and the storm seemed to be getting worse by the minute. All of the girls started calling out their names, since they couldn’t go out to search for them in this weather. Melissa could barely make out Lottie asking Van what she could hear over the wind. Natalie took the words out of her mouth.

“What the fuck does that have to do with anything?” They paid her no mind, and a few of them started listing things. 

The sky was darkening, and it felt like they’d been waiting for hours. Melissa went back to her spot at the window ledge alongside Gen, who was sitting by the fireplace. The only ones standing on the porch were Lottie’s believers, still going strong with their chants. She had to keep wiping the window because her breath was fogging it up. Without realizing it, she had started to mouth what Lottie and others were reciting. Two figures suddenly came into view. 

“Shauna.” Melissa breathed out. Akilah and the others perked up at the excitement outside. The group of girls outside rushed into the room. While the two were catching their breaths, Akilah’s eyes went wide. 

“Wait, is she in labor?” Before anyone got the chance to digest what she’d just asked, Shauna confirmed her suspicion with a blood curdling scream. What followed could only be described as chaos. They all started moving things around to make room for the bed. Some of them took charge and stayed beside Shauna once she was on the bed to help out, while the rest resigned to the back of the room to watch. Gen was one of the ones kneeling by the foot of the bed. 

Melissa had a habit of being clumsy, her brothers often made fun of her for missing easy throws when they were younger, so she figured Shauna would be better off without her. Lottie and Travis slowly moved up to the front of the room, so she followed suit. She stood between Gen and Mari and looked on as Lottie asked them to share their hopes.

“Wilderness, I hope Shauna doesn’t die!” The only thing stronger than her urge to give Mari a swift kick to the side, was the realization that Shauna really might die. 

All of a sudden, Misty got up and ran off. Everything was a mess from that point on. Melissa and Gen busied themselves with gathering up rags. Natalie tried to bring in Coach Scott but he almost fainted at the sight. Akilah took over for Misty, who was still nowhere to be seen. Travis dismounted the moose skull from the wall and brought it over to the fire. Melissa wordlessly looked to Gen, and they both walked over. He cut his palm and let his blood flow onto the skull. Everyone started making sacrifices, Lottie ripped out a chunk of her hair and Van tore a button off her shirt. Melissa fumbled in her pocket, pulling out a patch, and tossed it in the pile. She closed her eyes, and made a small prayer. 

“Please let Shauna be okay.”