[013] attached to the hip

                                             Early in the morning, Suki had found herself floating in the lake.

                                             She couldn't sleep due to all of the voices she was hearing and so she decided to try and drown it out. With her clothes still on, she swam into the cold water and submerged herself underneath so she could try and get a moment of peace. It works for a little while until Suki had no choice but to rise back up, her chest tight and her lungs desperate for air.

                                            The girl settled for floating in the lake instead, staring up at the sky for as long as she could until a tall shadow ultimately blocked her vision. She looked up to find that it was none other than Lottie who had a faraway look in her eyes. Suki instantly rises back up, looking at Lottie who appeared to be staring right into her. But before she could ask what was wrong with her, Jackie walked towards the lake. She quickly took notice of the other two girls now standing in the lake like everything was normal.

                                            "Lottie? Suki? Aren't you two cold?" Jackie called out.

                                            "Yeah...," Lottie trails off as she looks down at the water before turning around to look at Jackie, "Actually, I thought it'd be warmer."

                                             "Right," Jackie murmurs, weirded out by both Lottie's answer and Suki's silence. She just went ahead to go and collect the water before she quickly left, allowing the two of them to be alone again.

                                           "What are you doing out here?" Suki asked, brushing her now wet and stringy hair behind her ear.

                                           "I'm not sure. I just felt drawn here. Maybe it was to find you," Lottie answered.

                                           "Maybe," is all Suki says. Although she hadn't really wanted to be found, she supposed that it was better than someone like Mari finding her.

                                           "Have you been seeing more weird things?" Lottie asks next.

                                           "Maybe. But... I'm not sure I really want to talk about it," Suki admits.

                                            "You can trust me. I'll listen," Lottie insists.

                                            Suki sighed. She knew that Lottie was being sincere and besides, she had listened to her before. "I've been seeing my mom a lot more lately. She told me that I should embrace my gift. But I'm not sure if I even have a gift or if I'm just losing my mind. And now I've been hearing things. Whispers. I don't know what any of it means though. I feel crazy."

                                            "I know what it's like," Lottie agreed.

                                           "Lottie Matthews knows what it's like?" Suki scoffs, not bothering to hide her disbelief. Lottie was rich and popular, having a seemingly perfect life from the time she was born. How could she possibly understand?

                                           "Ever since I was little, I... I saw things before they happened. I knew things that I couldn't possibly know. My parents put me on meds as soon as they could, convinced there was something wrong with me. For a while, I thought there was. But now that I know there's someone else who can understand...," Lottie confesses before trailing off, looking down into the water.

                                         "Maybe we're both crazy," Suki suggests, her words immediately causing Lottie to look back up at her.

                                         "Or maybe we're a part of something greater. Maybe you should embrace your gift. If your mom is telling you to, then maybe she's right," Lottie replied.

                                         "You think so?" Suki inquired. "I'm so scared about what might happen if I do. But at the same time, I want to stop fighting it. I'm so tired of fighting."

                                         "Don't be afraid, Suki. The last thing you should be is afraid," Lottie assures her.

                                         Suki smiles, feeling relieved to have someone listen to her and validate everything that she had been seeing. Suki loved Courtney but she was still firmly rooted in what she knew, too afraid to venture into the possibility of the unknown. But Lottie understood her. She had been in Suki's shoes, although she and her family had done a much better job at hiding it.

                                        Courtney was already grumpy, feeling like crap because her period had just started. But she'd be one of the last people to wake up and Suki was missing. Naturally, Courtney was a little worried about where Suki had gone. She normally wouldn't leave her just like that. So Courtney gets up, immediately searching for Suki. But when the blonde went outside, she was disappointed to see everyone else but Suki.

                                       "Ah, if it isn't Princess Courtney finally gracing us all with your presence," Van commented.

                                      Courtney chooses to ignore her snide comment in favor of finding Suki. "Where's Suki?"

                                      "Why would I know?" Van shrugged. No one else provided any answers, only leaving Courtney more worried. She could've been anywhere, sneaking off early in the morning without anyone knowing where she had gone.

                                       Just then, Jackie came back with a large bucket filled water, huffing and cursing underneath her breath like she had just ran a marathon. 

                                      "Hey, have you seen Suki anywhere?" Courtney asks, approaching the team captain.

                                     "Yeah, your girlfriend's floating in the lake with Lottie. They're both acting really weird," Jackie says, walking right past her.

                                    Courtney sighed. She was confused as to what was going on with Suki and while she was hanging out with Lottie, out of all people. Ever since she had fled into the woods the other night, something in her had shifted. And now, Courtney was going to find out exactly what it was.

                                   "Hey, do you think you can help out instead of just standing there?" Mari questioned.

                                  "How about you fuck off?" Courtney retorts before she storms off.

                                  "Bitch," Mari scoffed.

                                 Courtney makes her way over to the lake, finding Suki and Lottie talking just as Jackie had said. They were deeply engrossed in conversation now and it only made Courtney wonder what was so important that they could talk in the middle of cold water.

                                 "Suki? Suki, what the hell are you doing? It's freezing!" Courtney called out for her.

                                  Suki turns around to look at her before back at Lottie who just nods, allowing her to leave. They could always finish their conversation later anyway. Suki ventures out of the water and approaches Courtney, suddenly shivering now that she was out. She was freezing cold, hugging her body in an effort to try and make herself warm. But that was useless.

                                "Do you mind explaining what sort of water ritual you were doing with Lottie Matthews?" Courtney questioned; her brows raised as she waited for a response from Suki.

                               "I had snuck out early in the morning so I could be in the water. She came after. And then we just started talking about everything I've been seeing. She believes me," Suki explained.

                               "Of course she does. In case you haven't noticed, she's a little weird," Courtney chuckled.

                               "So am I but you like me," Suki pointed out.

                              "Unfortunately," Courtney teased, making Suki lightly chuckle, "You don't have to just talk to her about it. You can tell me. I might not understand any of it. But I don't want you to shut me out. In case you forgot, I'm the only one who's really been on your side. Not Lottie. I mean, she barely talked to you before the plane crashed. Do you think you two would've been friends if this hadn't happened?"

                              Suki thinks about it for a moment. As harsh as it was, Courtney had a point. They hadn't been close before the crash. But now, it seemed like things had changed. "No. But I think we'll be friends now. Lottie's the only one able to help me with all of this. And I'm not going to stop talking to her, whether you like it or not."

                              Courtney chuckles again, faltering when she realized that Suki was serious. "You're serious? Alright then, you two can be Looney Tunes together some other time. But for now, we need to get you warm."

                              "Fine," Suki says, allowing Courtney to lead her back over to where the camp was.

                               Everyone was a little confused to see Suki dripping wet from head to toe, Courtney leading her by the campfire where Akilah was warming up breakfast. It was the only place that was really warm and while it helped a little, the chill had settled deep into Suki's bones. Still, it was a lot better than having to hear all of those whispers which had thankfully seemed to stop for now.

                              "Here you go," Courtney says, wrapping her own blanket around Suki to further warm her up. "Does that feel better?"

                              Suki just nods before she grabs a stick, dragging it along the dirt.

                              "Did you trip into the lake or something?" Van questioned.

                              "Just wanted a swim," Suki answers distractedly.

                              "In your clothes?" Van raised a brow.

                              "What's with all the questions?" Courtney interjects, quickly growing defensive.

                              "Relax, Court, I'm just curious. You don't look so good, Suki," Van remarked.

                              "I've never felt better actually," Suki replied, further confusing everyone else. She looked like shit, and she couldn't stop shivering and yet she was so calm.

                              "Here, you go," Akilah says, holding out food for Suki. But Suki was so zoned out that she hadn't heard her. She was still focused on whatever she was drawing into the dirt. "Suki? Earth to Suki?"

                              Suki blinks, realizing that she had been drawing the whole time. What she drew into the dirt had been the very same symbol that she had seen carved into the tree. She drops the stick like it had suddenly burst into flames before she looks at Akilah who was still waiting for her to take the food.

                              "Sorry," she apologized before taking the food, quietly eating.

                               "Thanks for jinxing me," Shauna replied as she approached Jackie, holding up a bloodstained cloth.

                               Jackie just chuckles before continuing to try and play music on the walkman. "Welcome to Club Flo. Call me when you're ready to shake Misty down for Motrin. Ugh, these batteries! Fucking cocksucker."

                              Everyone else was working (with the exception of a sickly-looking Suki and a bitchy Courtney), quickly taking notice of the fact that Jackie was doing literally... nothing. For the others, it was frustrating and what made it worse was that Jackie was totally oblivious to it.

                             "Come on," Shauna declared, pulling Jackie's headphones off. 

                             "What the hell?" Jackie frowned. First, Mari had been acting weird towards her and now Shauna was?

                            "You're coming with me. Let's go, come on," Shauna ordered before dragging Jackie away from the hateful glares of her teammates.

                             Once the two of them were gone, Courtney continued to watch over Suki and she even allowed her to change into some of her clothes which were a lot drier. Suki wasn't too comfortable since Courtney happened to wear a lot of short, tight things. But thankfully, there were a couple of loose shirts that Suki could wear along with her gym shorts. They'd make themselves comfortable inside of the cabin, Courtney instantly snuggling close to her and wrapping Suki's arm around her.

                               "Hey, have you ever had any dreams about me?" Courtney suddenly asks with a smirk.

                                Suki chuckles. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

                                "Liar. You've totally dreamt about me. Alright, how good was I? Did it even get that far or what?" Courtney inquired, making Suki laugh some more. She looks up to see Suki even blushing now which makes Courtney's smiles grow. "Oh, I must've been really amazing."

                                "Can you shut up?" Suki shakes her head.

                                "Not until you tell me what the dream was about," Courtney persists.

                                "I did have a dream about you. But it's not what you think," Suki replied, now turning a little more serious. She starts running her fingers through Courtney's hair while the girl continued to lie on her chest, hearing the sound of her heartbeat.

                                "What was it?" Courtney questioned.

                                "You were a monster with red eyes. It scared the shit out of me," Suki admits.

                                "But was I a pretty monster?" Courtney asks, making Suki snort. "Hey, I'm just asking the important questions here."

                                "What're you two lovebirds talking about?" Mari asked, interrupting their conversation instantly.

                                "None of your business," Courtney responds as she sits up, folding her arms across her chest.

                                 "Fine. Don't tell me. Whatever it is must be pretty important for the both of you to skip out on chores," Mari teased.

                                 "You girls are doing just fine without us," Courtney retorted.

                                 Mari just scoffs before she keeps walking, heading underneath the trapdoor. And then a couple of seconds later, Mari started screaming like a maniac. Courtney and Suki both jump up and follow after Mari who ran outside of the cabin faster than either girl had ever seen her run.

                                 "Get it off! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" Mari shouted over and over again.

                                 "Hang on. Hang on, hey!" Shauna ran over to her, brushing off whatever was on her. But there was nothing at all.

                                 "Get it off me!" Mari exclaimed, panicking.

                                 "What? Get what off?" Akilah asked, searching Mari for any sort of insect or something that'd make Mari panic this way.

                                "I - I was standing under the trapdoor," Mari tried to explain.

                                "I don't see anything," Shauna argued.

                                "But something crawled down my shirt!" Mari shouted.

                                "It's fine. There's nothing there, Mari. There's nothing there. It's fine," Shauna tried to reassure her.

                               "Must have been the ghost," Taissa immediately taunted.

                               "He wanted to get back at you for talking shit," Courtney joins right in.

                               Mari glared at her. "Don't say that."

                               "Wh... You guys? Okay, you guys, I just had a brainstorm," Jackie smiles, rushing towards them. "We should have a seance."

                               "That's a terrible idea," Taissa laughs. "Also, we're not in middle school," Taissa adds.

                               "But remember how fun this shit used to be? Besides, maybe if we can laugh about this, then it would help," Jackie reasoned.

                                Suki shakes her head. "I don't think it's a good idea."

                                Opening a door like that could wake whatever lurked inside of the wilderness. Or... amplify it. And Suki wasn't sure she was ready to open the floodgates just like that.

                               "The occult is no laughing matter," Laura Lee frowned, immediately against the idea.

                               "It's not the occult, Laura Lee. It's a game," Jackie argued. "Come on, Shauna, tell them. It'll be fun."

                                Shauna huffs, briefly glancing around at the other girls. "Um... well, I mean, it's not like we have anything better to do. Besides, maybe this dead guy can give us some life advice."

                                Courtney rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother."

                                "Okay, so it's settled. Tonight, the attic. We make contact," Jackie declared with a big smile on her face.

                              Laura Lee walks away while the other girls laugh. But Suki wasn't really laughing either. She felt that familiar sense of dread pooling in the pit of her stomach. Something was going to happen tonight and Suki was afraid of it.

(🌲🔪🦌)

word count: 2549
notes: was i really planning for lottie and suki to become friends? not really. but seeing as they can both see shit and are in tune with the wilderness, it makes total sense. suki is going to be one of lottie's most faithful followers