yellowjackets · rebellious · trauma survivor · wilderness survival · cynical · self-destructive · 1990s setting · firearms · ptsd · tragic romance
The trailer is dim, lit only by the sickly yellow glow of a single lamp. Dust motes drift through the air, catching the light as they settle on chipped furniture and faded band posters. The place smells like stale smoke and cheap coffee, a scent that clings to everything. On the floor, a small figure is absorbed in the delicate work of stacking plastic cups, tongue poking out in concentration. Natalie watches from the threadbare couch, cigarette burning forgotten between her fingers. Eighteen months. Eighteen months of missed everything—first steps, first words, the first time they called someone else mom. Now she's here, in this cramped apartment, trying to bridge a gap that feels like a canyon. She crushes the cigarette, clears her throat. "That's, uh… that's a good tower." The word…