HEARING DAMAGE
TEEN NOLA - CHAPTER FORTY-TWO !

            THEY WERE SAVAGES. They all knew it. Each and every one of them knew that they despite their raging hunger, they could have stepped in and rescued the struggling boy from the ice cold water that consumed him. The ease in which they stood there and watched the water enter his lungs was harrowing.

            Their faces were devoid of emotion as they trudged back to the cabin, all of them just too numb from their actions. Natalie, who looked and felted completely broken, wordlessly led the group as they carried Javi's frozen body the distance back. They'd managed to find a large, sturdy piece of wood and had strung him up to it, binding him by his ankles and wrists. His pale blue skin contrasted greatly against the ivory snow as he hung from the log like he was nothing more than an animal.

Natalie arrived to the cabin first, catching the attention of Travis who had been freaking out since they'd first vanished into the forest. He paced desperately on the porch, almost wearing away a hole in the wood from how frequent his walking had become as he alternated between biting at his nails from nerves and breathing into his hands to warm them.

The bitter cold harshly nipped at their faces as the group trailed behind her. They arrived just in time to see Travis tearing his gaze away from Natalie and up to them, his eyes tearing up as deliberate confusion became marred upon his face. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. This couldn't be happening. Not Javi. Not his brother. He had to be dreaming because there was just no way they were so carelessly moving his brother's body.

"Travis, it happened so fast." Natalie attempted to explain, her voice broken as she choked out her words. He barely even glanced her way. Her own tears, whether out of guilt or relief that she had been spared, cascaded down her cheeks. "The Wilderness c-chose."

Hearing her shakily blubber out her explanation, hearing her admit that it had actually happened, that Javi was actually gone caused Travis' heart to shatter. "No. No. No!" He cried down at her, not wanting to believe her despite the cold, hard evidence now lying limp on the snow mere feet away.

Without a second thought, he left her side and headed straight for his brother. His knees slid against the ground as he landed with a thud next to the ice cold body that once belonged to his little brother, now totally devoid of life. "Javi." He whimpered like a child as he cradled the back of Javi's head, unwilling to accept the fate his brother had met.

The girls stood still, numbly watching on for only a moment as Travis mourned his baby brother. As a group, they headed back towards the cabin, unable to stand by and watch him any longer. His distressing sobs echoed behind them as they walked inside.

Nola, stopped at the door. After turning on her heel, she glanced over to the blonde who had yet to move. "Leave him, Nat." She quietly called out, speaking low to avoid upsetting the boy she'd grown close to further. Natalie's eyes looked vacant as she tore them away from Travis and placed them upon a remorseful Nola. "Let him grieve."

Not waiting for a response, she headed in as the crunch of snow followed. Natalie refused to look up as she ventured away from the boy she loved who had managed to sink further into the ground beside his little brother as he cried into his frozen chest. She also refused to look back as she slowly closed the cabin door, letting out a haggard sigh once she heard the familiar click.

The girls had grown warm once again thanks in large part to the fire that had been kept ablaze during their rabid attempt to hunt down Natalie and the blankets they had thrown over themselves. Travis remained outside, still clutching tight to Javi's body, unwilling to part from his side. They'd all chosen to leave him out there. Instead of forcing him to move back inside, they knew he needed to grieve. Much like Shauna had been given the time and space to mourn her own loss, Travis deserved that same courtesy. That and none of them knew what to say to him.

Did they say they were sorry? Were they actually even sorry? Someone had to go and while it should have been Natalie, who had been unlucky enough to hand chosen the Queen card, Javi was just as a good an option. It was shitty. He didn't deserve to go out the way he had, begging for help as the cold slowly enveloped him, but they also didn't deserve to be trapped in the middle of nowhere with no food.

Javi was good, better than any of them would ever be and he'd simply been at the wrong place at the right time.

Misty, who had disappeared up the stairs to talk with Lottie not long after they'd returned, came clobbering down the ladder, hee feet thumping loudly on each step capturing the group's attention. They all peered up at her, eagerly waiting to hear what Lottie had to say about what they had done.

The curly haired blonde stared back at them, a pleased smile gracing her lips as she uttered, "Lottie's pleased with the Wilderness's choice." Her head turned to face them all, the whole time the smile refused to drop. "She says Javi will save us."

She then turned her gaze and set her sights on Shauna, who had settled into the rocking chair with a blanket thrown over her body. "Shauna."

Shauna looked apprehensive for a moment. Like she truly didn't wish to do this but slowly peeling back the blanket and rising to her feet. They all watched as she grasped at the hunter's knife she'd place atop the fireplace, the metal clattering against the wood, before making her way around them all and towards the door. Without a word, each of them chose to follow closely behind, settling by the door as she ventured out into the snow, standing somewhat ominously behind Travis.

At the sound of the door creaking open, and the feeling of eyes staring down at him, the Martinez boy twisted his head around, his eyes landing on the knife. "No." He croaked out. He knew what was coming, what needed to be done. His whimpers managed to grow more frequently and fast paced as he looked back down at Javi for a moment, the boy blinking back another flood of tears. "I'm sorry."

After slowly settling the young boy back into the snow, Travis climbed to his feet and stomped back towards the cabin, colliding his shoulder with Shauna's as he went. He refused to look at them as he stepped past them all.

Shauna's deep brown eyes grew wide as her breaths shuddered. She turned back to glance at the group, before they all got to work on setting up the body for Shauna to work on. Snow was wiped off of an old table they'd left out there while planks were placed down upon a stool placed at the bottom. Layer by layer of clothing was removed from Javi's body until there was nothing left. They all grabbed ahold of him, gripping him tightly before heaving him up and setting him down atop the table, face up.

In an effort to give the young boy a shred of modesty before he was cut into, Natalie grabbed a pieces of cloth and draped it over his private area.

Shauna stood, hands shaking and breaths shuddering. Her bottom lip trembled as she stared down at the boy. To help ease her into it, Van lightly grabbed hold of Javi's head and turned it until he faced away from the brunette. That still wasn't enough for Shauna. She reached up and tugged the fabric that had been wrapped round her head to keep her warm, down over her eyes, leaving her unable to see the horror that awaited her.

With her hands still shaking, she slowly placed them atop Javi's body. Starting first at his stomach then trailing upward, gliding her fingertips over his pale blue skin until her fingers came into contact with the supple, taut skin of his neck. The sharp side of the blade soon followed, pressing gently against his neck until finally it slid fast across the flesh, ripping apart layer after layer of skin until a stream of blood came oozing out. It drained from his neck down to the table and then the ground below, staining the snow a bright crimson.

"You guys should leave." Was the only words Shauna said before she got to work, allowing the other girls to walk away from the carnage they would have otherwise witnessed had they'd stayed around.

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IT HAD BEEN A WHILE since she'd seen Travis, Nola noted as her head turned to glance around the cabin, only to realise that neither he nor Van had made a return from the back bedroom. She wondered what they could be talking about, what Van was saying to him. Was she comforting him, helping him grieve as best she could?

Her curiosity had gotten the best of her. That's why she found herself rising to her feet and gently walking out of the room so as to avoid disturbing the others who sat in silence, welcoming the fire's warmth, around her. She trailed to the back bedroom, where the door was cracked open a little, just enough that allowed her to peak in and see the missing pair sat on the floor.

Seeing the pain that was etched on to Travis' face reminded the Rilke girl so much of the pain that had overwhelmed her when she first caught sight of Jackie's body. Both Jackie and Jaci had gone out in very similar ways, both would be missed terribly and both would help feed them through the rest of winter.

"Let your brother save you, Travis." She heard Van urged the Martinez boy. The mention of Javi caused the brunette's stomach to turn as images of his frozen body flashed in her mind. A small sigh left her lips as she focused back on the Palmer girl. "After everything he went through out here, don't you owe him at least that?"

"She's right, Travis." Nola found herself uttering, her voice filling the otherwise empty room. She managed to catch the pair off guard causing both of them to glance up at her as she pushed open the door and stepped inside.

She agreed with what Van had said. She was right. Javi went through so much. He'd been a victim of a plane crash, had watched his father plummet to the ground, had gone missing just before the onset of winter which left him trapped in a perpetual snowfall and had been met the unfortunate fate that was freezing to death. He had endured too much, far too young.

             At the sight of the Rilke girl, Van rose to her feet. She glanced between the two as Nola stepped further into the room. "I'll leave you two." Van muttered as she headed for the door, giving Nola nod as she passed by her.

Nola breathed out as she slumped down next to the boy. A loud sigh left her lips while her shoulders fell. She stared down awkwardly at her hands that lay in her lap as she began. "Javi's was better than all of us. He didn't deserve to be stuck out here."

Travis' gaze landed upon her, their eyes meeting as she earnestly continued. "If things end up getting worse then sooner or later, you'll be glad he went before it all went to hell."

The boy's eyes narrowed in response. "So you're saying it was a mercy killing?"

Nola just shrugged. "If that will make you feel better, then yeah." She didn't know what else to say. Was there anything to say that would lessen the pain he felt?

            There was a beat. The room was quiet, devoid of all noise that wasn't the sound of the two teenagers breathing.

            Finally, Nola began to speak again, reaching out and placing her hand upon Travis' knee as she did. "We all loved Javi and I know we don't truly know how you feel but believe me when I say, it's fucked up that he went first but he was brave as he went. He helped Natalie and for that, you should be proud of him. Don't let his death ruin his life."

           She was back on her feet mere seconds later. "Come sit with us." She uttered, extending out her hand for the boy to grab. When Travis looked up at her, their eyes met once again. A small smile of comfort formed upon Nola's lips as she sweetly said, "I'll stay by your side every step of the way."

           Believing her words, Travis accepted her outstretched hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, the boy then straightening out and towering over slightly once they stood beside one another. Refusing to let his hand go, Nola gave it a gentle squeeze before tugging him towards the door. All the while, Travis just trailed after her, letting her lead him. The two chose to sit at the table in the kitchen, close enough to the fire to still feel its heat but far enough away from the others until Travis was ready to cross that bridge.

Though they got some looks as they entered, no one spoke, knowing that Travis still needed to grieve and who better to help than the one person who understood him in a way the others simply didn't.

Time went by slow, ticking by at a snails pace. Then just as the sky began to darken, the cabin door finally creaked open to reveal Shauna. Many eyes darted in her direction, stares of stomach eating hunger landing upon the wooden board held in her hands. The brunette steadily closed the door behind her, using her weight as her back pressed against the doors surface while her own eyes quickly scanned the room.

Shauna moved to set the board down allowing the room's inhabitants to see the crimson chunks of flesh decorating the board, circling around the array of organs that sat in the middle. Wordlessly, Shauna bent down and cupped the still bloodied heart that had been beating only a few hours ago.

With the organ cradled in her grip, she shifted her gaze to the back of the room. "Travis." She called out, capturing the boys attention for the first time since she'd entered the room.

With a brief glance towards Nola, who didn't hesitate to give him a forlorn nod, the boy rose to his feet with a heavy frown. He moved towards the fireplace, feeling the heat of their eyes upon him as he tugged the small wolf carving from his pocket then placed it along the mantle. He moved towards Shauna next, keeping his eyes locked upon the heart she held in her hands.

He gingerly picked it up, grimacing at the gummy feeling of wet flesh against his fingers. The air was thick was anticipation as the room looked on, curious on what he would do. Many of them ignore the rumble of their stomaches. Unexpectedly, Travis raised the organ to his lips before opening his mouth wide and biting down on the flesh, welcoming a bite of his little brother with a faint cry. Blood smeared across his mouth as he swallowed it down, before spinning on his heel and tossing the organ into the hot frying pan, allowing a sizzle to echo throughout the cabin.

Travis then turned to walk away, heading back towards the kitchen and relenting control of his little brother for the last time. The girls hopped up from their seats, jumping to snatch up a piece of meat from the board and throwing them alongside Javi's heart in the frying pan.

The room immediately filled with the most mouth watering scent imaginable causing the girls to salivate uncontrollably. A ravenous hunger danced wildly in their eyes as they stared down at the sizzling meat, none of them willing to look away for even a second lest they miss the opportunity to grab the food at the very second it finished searing.

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jamielee's thoughts
chapter forty two, not proofread
our cute little psychos helping preparing Javi for Shauna is so funny. anyway only two chapters to go after this and I will be completely finished with season 2! anyway I hope you enjoyed :)