CHERRY BOMB ~ yellow jackets (van palmer)

part seventeen.

-1996-

the sky was beautiful out there. there was no buildings casting large shadows. just trees. the wind made it cold in the mornings but the sun beaming down on everything made it warmer. cheryl thought that the air smelt nicer than back home, no smoke or large factory's for thousands of miles.

cheryl assumed her friends would be waking up soon so she snuck back into the cabin behind her. when she walked in she only saw laura lee was awake. she had a book in one had and the other rubbing her chin as she paced. taissa had told cherry that laura lee had suggested flying the old guys plane to find help. taissa convinced her not to of course.

'hi, lee.' she whispered. laura lee looked worried about somthing. 'laura lee?' she repeated, slowly sitting back by vanessa's side.

'morning cherry.. where were you? you didn't come back last night?' laura lee mumbled, her pacing had come to a stop. laura lee noticed cherry had gone. she thought it was very sweet.

'i was just sat on the porch for a few hours before everyone got up.. are you okay?' cheryl flashed her a small smile while she awaited an answer.

'i really need to say somthing... to everyone. i'm waiting for them to get up.' laura lee quivered. cheryl eyed the room of sleeping teens. laura lee sounded like she had been awake forever. she cleared her throat and began. 'i have an announcement.' while her attempted words were enough to stir a few girls, they where useless.

laura lee huffed and walked over to the front to a grabbed the spare axe. 'woah what are you doing?' cheryl whispered as she walked back to her original position. lee grabbed the chair of which she was sat on all night and began hitting it with the dull end of the blade, causing quiet the ruckus.

'hello?! hi?! good morning?!' she said raising her voice over the banging. sure enough her actions has woken the whole cabin within a few seconds. groans and swears were muttered as she threw the axe down on the ground next to her. 'thank you.in light on the expedition ending how it did.. i have decided i'm going to take the dead guys plane and fly south. i'm going to get us out of here.' her eyes full of determination and hope.

'wait your gonna fly?' lottie asked, fixing her think hair out of her face.

'you don't even know how.' natalie pointed out, emerging from the same covers as lottie and resting on her elbows.

'i've been studying the flight manual for weeks and i've check the tank it's full!' laura lee pleaded. trying to convince the girls it was the best shot they had. 'i used to watch my grandpa fly and he even let me steer dozens of times, i know what i'm doing. i can do it please.'

'your not serious?' jackie scoffed, pulling the blanket back over herself.

'deadly.' laura lee persisted.

'lee.. jax is right. did u ever stop to think of why dead guy didn't use the plane to leave himself? somthing has to be wrong with it.' cheryl added. van had woken up fully and sat with her head resting in cheryl's arm.

'trust me i've check that plane a hundred times nothings wrong!'

'cheryl's right! it's suicide.' mari added shaking her head. cheryl glanced over to allie who seemed awfully keen on laura lees plan.

'it's not the worst idea.' allie mumbled.

'no.. i actually think it's the worst idea.' tai piped up.

'you can't deny that van it's serious medical treatment! she might look fine now but infection could begin at any time!' laura lee made her final point. lottie looked at laura lee with such trust, loyalty. cheryl wondered if anyone looked at her like that.