HEARING DAMAGE
TEEN NOLA - CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE !

NOLA HAD FOUND HERSELF sulking about the cabin. Ever since Javi's return from the frozen hell scrape that surrounded them, Travis had been avoiding her. Avoiding her eyes, walking away when she attempted to speak to him. Leaving the vicinity when she appeared. She knew why, of course but it didn't hurt any less. She knew she was to blame. She'd lied to him, for him own good but Nola knew that didn't matter to Travis.

         Javi was still yet to utter a word, instead choosing to communicate via nods and gestures. He also kept a lid on where he had been all that time. Curiosity had become a constant emotion for some of them. They wondered how the young boy had survived out there in the harsh and unforgiving weather.

In order to make herself feel just a little bit better, to lessen the guilt that riddled her body and flooded her veins every single time she looked over and caught the look of betrayal Travis wore, she had decided to join in on the little gatherings Lottie had begun. The floorboards cracked under her weight as she walked through the cabin, making her way to towards the door. Everyone had already begun assembling together outside in the fresh, clean morning air.

         "You coming?" She swiftly inquired of Taissa, who was sitting next to a slightly irritable looking Shauna, who had been dealing with the baby practically tap dancing on her bladder. Taissa had begun going right around the same time Nola had.

         Shauna's brows knitted in offence. Her jaw dropped though her teeth still managed to grind in frustration. "You too?" She forcefully asked of her ex girlfriend, who just nodded her head and moved to pull open the door.

         Nola was more than aware of Shauna's opinion on the Wilderness. She found it utterly ridiculous that everyone seemed to be believing in the bullshit that Lottie was spewing. What amused Nola though was that Shauna continued to blame it all on Lottie as if she hadn't been hearing things since day dot. In Nola's eyes, she was just as much to blame for the whole Wilderness thing as Lottie was, but Shauna refused to acknowledge it.

          Perhaps she was afraid that if she did, she'd have to admit that Nola was slipping away more and more. That things weren't as they seemed and there wasn't some logical explanation for the things happening,

           "Yeah." Taissa responded with a nod and a smile before returning her gaze to meet Shauna's eyes. "Look, Van's convinced I stopped sleepwalking because I started going, and it's making her very happy, as you can see." As she spoke, she rose to her feet and moved to join Nola at the door.

           The door creaked as the brunette pulled it open further as Taissa glanced back over at the heavily pregnant Shauna and shrugged. "Happy wife, happy life." The Turner girl joked before tugging the fabric that settled around her neck up in order to cover the lower half of her face.

Snow settled atop their clothing the very instant the pair stepped outside. It was no surprise to either that the air was still freezing that morning or that their faces were numb from the cold. They quickly joined the group that had gathered, each taking a seat on a snow topped log. Nola immediately cupped her hands around her mouth, blowing gusts of air to warm them up with her breath. As she did, she managed to caught Lottie's eye. The faint chatter and rustle of the wind in the trees seemed to fade as a look of understanding was exchanged between the two.

The two girls, both of whom had been both bestowed and burdened with their own connection with the Wilderness, sat directly opposite one another as though two heads of the table. When she'd first began the little gatherings, Lottie had pleaded with Nola to lead them with her, something Nola just hadn't been ready for. This was an endeavour Lottie would have to go alone but Nola was always there to lend an ear when things got too much.

          A 'blink and you'll miss it' nod was sent Lottie's way which earned Nola a small smile in return. Lottie's eyes then drifted closed. "Take a breath."

           A collection of deep inhales was audible as they all listened to her instruction. Their own eyes fell closed, eyelashes settled atop their the tops of their cheeks. The ice in the air burned as it entered their noses though it was the good type of burn. It hurt but woke them up as well.

         "What do we feel?"

          Mari was the first to offer up an answer to Lottie's question. With her eyes still cinched closed and a pleased smile upon her chapped lips, she uttered, "The cold. It makes my cheeks burn. But it also makes me feel...awake, like really awake."

          "It makes me feel..." Van began to join in. Her voice trailed off for just a moment before she entered a state of serenity. She then breathed out how she truly felt in that moment. "alive."

          The replies from the two girls brought a smile to Lottie's lips. "Good. Now what do we hear?"

           "The wind." Travis replied. Just as he finished speaking, a small breeze blew past them, brushing against their skin and nipping at their faces.

           Van nodded. Her bright red hair shook about in the breeze as she found herself agreeing with him. "I can hear it in the pines. It's...peaceful."

           "It sounds like a whisper?" Akilah added somewhat reserved. She had shown up just as they had all closed their eyes, the girl sneaking up and taking a seat. Part of her wanting to join in, feel the connection that was growing stronger amongst the group with each passing day but another part was reluctant. Did she really believe or was she just an outsider looking in?

            "It's sounds like singing." Misty and Crystal added, uttering the last word in unison. This act caused the pairs eyes to shoot open and their gazes to drift to the other. Giddy grins appeared as the two girls heard how in tune they truly were.

           Nola's body grew more lax with each minute that passed. The wind that typical held for her the patter of feet or the racing her friends beating hearts was now still. All it was doing was brushing itself through the trees, jostling the snow covered bristles about. It was so peaceful. It was everything that she wanted and more. No voice was calling out to her, no ominous clattering of machinery assaulted her ears.

            "Good. We're tuning into nature. Into each other." The leader like Matthews girl confirmed for the lot as her eyes finally peeled open. She glanced around them all, looking at each of their faces. "That protection is what's gonna protect us and we need to nurture it. Especially now. A new life is coming and we can't wait to meet him."

Everyone else stared back at her. Some nodded while others smiled as they replied in unison, "We can't wait to meet him." Their voices eerily echoed through the forest.

Lottie's gaze shifted over to Nola once more. "Nola?" She called out, getting the Rilke girls attention. "What do you hear?"

Nola's shoulders slumped. A defeated sigh rushed past her lips as her head shook back and forth. "I haven't heard anything in a while, Lottie. No voice, no footsteps, nothing. Once Javi came back, it's as if I don't need to hear anything anymore." She explained. Everyone seemed to be hanging on to her every word as it left her mouth.

It hurt her. The fact that she was seemingly no longer useful hurt her.

She let out a slightly amused, breathy chuckle. "Who knows? Maybe it'll pass to one of you. Like Mari. You're hearing that dripping, right?"

Mari's head immediately shook. "I doubt it." Frankly, she didn't want that responsibility. She was more than happy to let Nola retain that position and for her to remain as Lottie's loyal right hand.

"Hey, if it wants you to hear it, you'll hear it." Nola calmly replied before sending a comforting smile Mari's way.

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           NOLA HAD BEEN SCRUBBING at the collection of clothes for longer than she cared to admit. Once she'd returned to the cabin, she'd had maybe five minutes of peace before a deck of paper, each with its own chore scrawled across it, was shoved in her face by Mari. Her chore for that day had been cleaning their clothes. She'd huffed and puffed while gathering up the articles of clothing as the water took its sweet time heating up. Soon she'd begun scrubbing and scouring with a small bristled brush. Each little bristle was aggressively pressed and dragged along the fabric. The sopping wet clothes smacked obnoxiously loud as it was thrown into the bucket that sat beside her while droplets of water flung about, landing on the lower half of her body.

As she worked, she couldn't help but let her attention be grabbed by the desperation filled words that dripped from Travis' mouth as he sat before his younger brother. "Look, I get running away, especially that night where a lot of fucked up things happened." Javi remained quiet, just spooning mouthfuls of broth to his lips.

"Whatever you saw out there, why you're not talking to us, to me, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to. But please, just tell me where you were, Javi." Travis pleaded. He just wanted to hear his brother say something. He wanted to know how Javi had survived for so long all on his lonesome.

The young, now mute boy stayed silent. Whether he couldn't talk or just chose not to, no one knew. Javi just cupped the bowl in both his hands, brought it to his lips and slurped down the remaining broth that lingered on the bottom of the bowl. When Travis realised that Javi wasn't going to be spilling the beans any time soon, he just nodded his head, gave Javi a gentle pat on his knee before rising to his feet and walking away.

Natalie, who had been skulking in the corner, watching the two brothers interact while feeling like shit knowing she had betrayed Travis' trust, stepped forward just as Travis walked past her. "He'll be alright, he just needs time." She comfortingly uttered, trying to alleviate Travis' feelings of torment.

He didn't even bother glancing her way as he snarkily responded, "You don't think he got enough of that out there?"

"Travis—"

"Quit acting like such a fucking saint!" Travis snapped at the blonde, cutting her own with his acid like tongue. He finally turned to face her as his nose scrunched up into an almost vicious snarl. "You planted the bloody clothes. Just say it."

       Natalie now wore a frown. She was trying her best, she had been trying her best, doing what she thought was right for him. "I did, but only—"

"You made me stop looking for him."

She looked desperate. She needed him to understand why she had done what she did. It hadn't been out of malice but pity. "I didn't think that he was alive. It doesn't make any sense that he is." Natalie gestured over to the young boy as she despairingly explained the motive behind her actions.

          By now, everyone in the cabin was watching the two going back and forth, one hurling accusations while the other offered up defence filled pleas. Nola's hands were wrinkled, completely pruny thanks to the soaked clothes she'd been handling. She now just held the brush idling in her hand, the young girl too captivated by the argument that went on before her.

"Well, maybe he wouldn't be so fucked up if I had found him sooner, so that's on you." The Martinez boy shot back at Natalie, brushing off her attempt to defend herself. Without evening offering up a passing glance, he brushed past her and stomped for the door.

         The door was opened and slammed shut in mere seconds. Looks of pity were directed at the blonde who stood unbelievably still, hands shaking down by her sides as she stared off after the boy.

         Nola let out a sigh as she threw the brush into the bucket causing it to fall onto of the still wet clothing. She rushed to her feet, drying her hands quickly down her yellowjackets varsity jacket. As Lottie too rose up, clearly wanting to go and tend to the emotional boy, Nola waved her off. "I got this."

        She was hot on Travis' heels from the second she stepped out into the cold. Her skin was nipped as the wind blew harshly against all of her exposed flesh. "Travis!" She called out as she trudged rapidly through the snow. Her shoes kicked up clumps of snow as she reached out a hand and wrapped her fingers around his elbow. "Hey, Travis, stop!"

         Suddenly, Travis spun on his heel, shaking his arm to knock off her hold. Her hand went flying back to her side, fingers colliding with her chest as Travis stared angrily down at her. "You lied to me!"

         "For your own good!" Nola yelled back. A light snow fall settled atop her clothing, sticking to the fabric as passion wildly grew in her eyes. "I could see how much looking for him was fucking with you. You were killing yourself and dragging Natalie down with you."

She'd hated seeing how he'd get. She knew Natalie had hated it too. Every time he would wake up earlier and earlier, the hope that that would be the day he'd find Javi dwindling fast in his eyes.

        "No, you knew he was alive. You knew and you let me believe he was dead." Travis retorted. He pointed over at her, jamming his finger in her direction with each emphasised word that left his lips.

           "I've always been able to hear him, Travis. Even when I told you he was gone, I could hear him. But he always sounded so far away. Like with each step you took to find him, he moved further and further away." The young girl explained.

            Her head shook as she continued. "I didn't want to hurt you. Believe me, I didn't but I don't regret telling you he was dead." She was being brutally honest. "He needed to find his own way back. And he did."

          What she had done wasn't the greatest thing she could have done but after seeing him struggle and beat himself up even after Javi's return, she at least she'd done the right thing. "I'm sorry, Trav. I'm so sorry but I did it for your own good."

          "Where the fuck was he?" Tears of frustration glazed over Travis' eyes. His hands shook so violently that even clenching them into fists did nothing to quell the shake. Even though he knew she didn't know the answer, he still pleaded with the brunette before him. "Why won't he fucking talk?"

          He was right. Nola had zero clue as to where Javi had actually been or why he had refused to utter a single word to any of them. Instead of telling Travis what he already knew, Nola just stepped forward, the snow crunching under her shoe, and tugged the boy by his jacket into a hug. His arms were around her waist straight away, tightly holding her close while his face became buried in the hair that settled around her neck. His entire body now vibrated as his emotions grew too much for him to handle, pounding past the dam he had put up to keep them at bay.

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"WHAT THE FUCK, LOTTIE?" Shauna had sudden screamed at the top of her lungs, her shrill like voice disturbing the peace that had settled amongst the group. The room was warm as Shauna rushed to her feet, thrusting her hands in the crouched down Lottie's direction and slamming them hard against her shoulders, sending the Matthews girl to the floor.

Taissa quickly rushed over. "What happened?" She asked in a hurry as she leaned down, grabbed hold of Lottie and helped the girl to stand back up again.

"She was whispering weird shit to my baby!" Shauna screeched, her voice cracking as her gaze bounced back and forth between the two girls.

Lottie brushed herself free of any debris that may have clung to her clothes when she collided with the wooden floorboard. She shrugged nonchalantly, having seen nothing wrong with what she had been doing. "I was just talking to him. It's good to talk to them in utero."

Shauna scoffed in response. Her hands fell protectively over her stomach as she snarled back, "Yeah, so they learn to recognise their mother's voice."

Her big brown eyes were filled with rage as she looked to Taissa to back her up. Taissa's gaze dropped to the floor for just a second before she reluctantly let out a sigh of defeat. "She wasn't hurting anyone, Shauna." Taissa calmly explained. She didn't want to hurt Shauna but Lottie had just been talking to the baby, she hadn't brought a knife to Shauna's belly.

"Wow." Shauna uttered. Her voice dropped with disbelief. She looked around the room briefly, eyes landing on anyone and everyone to find someone to just back her up. Not a single look of offence of her part was worn, not even by Nola. This hurt Shauna more than she cared to admit in that moment. "Okay, fuck this."

Without a second thought, Shauna spun on her heel. She marched towards the door, pulled it open and nearly ripping it off its hinges before heading out on her own into the barren, frozen forest. Though she had taken Lottie's side in the disagreement, Taissa was quick to shoot the girl a look of disappointment. Her hands sat perched atop her hips while her lips pursed. She didn't offer up any words, just the look before also turning on her heel and rushing off after Shauna, tugging the door shut behind her as she went.

"Why, Lottie?" Nola asked from her spot next to the fireplace. Her question caused Lottie's eyes to fall in her direction just in time to catch the frown that negatively tugged at Nola's lips. "You know how she feels about all this."

Lottie appeared upset. She'd hadn't meant to hurt anyone but what she'd done. She just wanted to comfort the baby, tell him how much he was loved by them all already, how they were all ready to welcome him. "I wasn't doing anything wrong." She mumbled after a brief moment of quiet.

"I know." Nola breathed out. Instead of continuing the conversation, instead of further scolding Lottie who clearly felt bad for her actions, the Rilke girl just looked back towards the fire and resumed watching the embers dance intrinsically in the air.

It wasn't long after Taissa and Shauna had headed out before the cabin's door flung open, only it wasn't them rushing back inside. It was a freaked out Misty Quigley, who all by threw herself into the room as her arrival garnered everyone's attention. A flurry of snow managed to enter the cabin before Misty could slam the door shut behind her.

"I lost her!" The curly haired blonde cried out.

"Who?"

"Crystal! We were together, and...and then we got separated in the storm, and it all happened so far." Her words came out in a hurry. Her voice stuttered frantically as her hands weakly gestured about. Her eyes were wide, her pupils dilated with fear for her friend. "I kept looking for her and looking for her and I was screaming for her name, but-but she just like, vanished."

The mention of a storm had everyone jumping to their feet. "Okay, well we need to go look for her." Akilah stated worryingly.

Realisation hit Van like a wave hitting the shore. It felt like her heart had dropped to her stomach as she yelled out, "Oh, shit. Tai and Shauna are still out there!"

Concern for the two girls, presumably lost in the icy blizzard, began to run rampant. The air was thick with anxiety as they all but rushed to the door and pulled it open. Their faces were hit little tiny shards of ice cold snowflakes in an instant. The wind had seriously picked up, rushing around, spinning up a storm and making it damn ear impossible to set more than a couple centimetres in front of you.

They were never going to be able to find any of the lost girls in that weather. They'd end up lost themselves if they dared to venture out into the blizzard. They all seemed to understand this as screams of 'Tai! Shauna! Crystal!' leapt from their cracked lips as they stood on the porch, staring out at the wall of white ahead, searching for any sign of movement.

Call her selfish but Nola didn't care. All she cared about in that moment was finding Shauna and never letting her go. "Shauna, where are you?" She screamed out in the vast nothing that was the snow covered woods.

"Van, what do you hear?" Lottie suddenly asked, her eyes now closed as she attempted to tune into their surroundings.

This didn't make sense to Natalie, who was squinting over at the brunette with the most ludicrous expression. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything?"

Though it seemed fruitless since she'd been unable to hear even the tiniest peep from the voice ever since Javi's return, Nola found herself unable to stop from joining in. Her eyes scrunched tightly shut as she too attempted to focus on the sounds that surrounded them. Soon, a list of all the things certain members could hear was said. The wind, the trees and even their own breath was said.

Suddenly, a faint voice filled Nola's ears. It was a girl's voice now and it wasn't speaking French. "I-I can hear them, I think." Nola hurriedly stated. Her lips fought off the smile that threatened to form. With her eyes still closed, she continued to focus on the voice. Now, it was more clear. Now, it sounded like, "It's Tai. She's doing the chants. She's getting closer. They both are."

Van nodded her head in agreement. A rush of slight relief washed over her at the prospect of them returning. "I can feel them. They're coming back to us." The redhead added in.

"I feel our friends coming back to us."

           After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, Taissa and Shauna's bodies appeared in the snow. They had just collapsed to their knees from both pain and exhaustion when the girls from the cabin rushed out towards them. Everyone was being bombarded by the biting cold that swarmed them as they all rescue out and yanked the two girls to their feet, rushing them towards the cabin and it's enveloping warmth just a few deer away.

           The door was rammed open with the strong force of the relentless wind, allowing the girls to come pouring back inside with a curled in on herself Shauna and a teeth chattering Taissa on their arm. Muttering of relief filled the air at the sight of the two. Shauna quickly dropped to her knees as a huge wave of agony assaulted her body. Her breathing had become incredibly fast paced, coming out in huffs and puffs through gritted teeth.

          "Is she in labor?" Akilah then questioned, her eyes blown open as she pointed down at the pregnant girl.

          All eyes fell to the Shipman girl. There was a moment when her pain seemed to subside leaving Shauna to believe she was out of the woods. Just then, a wail of excruciating agony tore through Shauna causing her to double over. Her hands clutched desperately to her stomach as if that could possible stop the pain that now coursed through her entire body. Whether she was ready for it or not, that didn't matter. That baby was coming and he was coming fast.

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author's thoughts.
chapter thirty-five. not proofread.
so yeah travis was pissed with nola but they're all good now lol. we all know what's coming next and honestly having to write a miscarriage is gonna fucking suck. anyway i hoped you enjoyed :)