Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

The engine coughed to silence, a small shudder rippling through the violet paint of Sierra’s car. She gripped the steering wheel a moment longer, the cool plastic a stark contrast to the heat blooming in her palms. 

Closing her eyes for a couple of seconds, frustration flashed across her face as a rebellious braid fell on her tired face. 

Deep breaths. You can do it.

With a heavy sigh, she tapped her fingers against the wheel in a restless rhythm. Finally, she removed herself from the embrace of her seatbelt, tucked her hair behind her ear, and pushed the door open; the click echoing in the suburban street she found herself in.

Before her, the familiar two-story house glowed a muted tangerine glow in the early afternoon sun. The partially visible backyard contained an array of colorful roses, and the scent of freshly cut grass drifted on the warm breeze. 

To most, it would have been a picture of idyllic comfort. But Sierra’s gaze lingered on the chipped paint of the wooden porch railing, the faded swing set she could make out in the garden, each detail a tender memory etched in her mind as her steps inched closer.

She lifted a hand and pressed the doorbell. A familiar melody echoed, each note a small hammer against her nerves. One. Two. Three. Four. Fi—

The door swung open before the fifth second, revealing a face etched with time, yet unmistakably her mother’s.

“Sierra, honey!” Her mother’s voice, though warm, held a flicker of unease. “It’s been ages. I’m so happy you’re here.”

Sierra’s smile felt brittle as she hugged her and swiftly stepped back. 

“Hi, Mom.”

The discomfort of her eldest daughter dimmed the spark in Deborah’s deep brown eyes, a flicker of disappointment quickly masked. A beat of silence passed before she continued, “What are you waiting for? Come on in.” 

Deborah stepped to the side and opened the door wider, the faint scent of her floral perfume drifting toward Sierra. The floorboards creaked under her feet as she hesitantly entered her childhood home. 

“Is Dara ready yet…?”

Standing right next to the staircase was her old, black piano, its polished surface reflecting the afternoon light. A thin layer of dust coated the keys.

How long has it been?

In her mind, tiny fingers were gliding over those same keys on Christmas Day when she was five years old. Her parents were so proud of her, big smiles on their faces as she played “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

A lifetime ago.

It’s been a while since she has even touched a piano. 

Her mother’s voice pulled her out of her trip down memory lane.

“She’s in the bathroom still, but her suitcase is ready. Do you want anything to drink? I’m sure your father is as excited as I am to see your face again!”

As if on cue, her dad walked into the big living room, his beaming smile a clear contrast to his dark complexion.

“Sisi, come here! I’ve missed you so much.”

He opened his arms and brought her into a big hug. Her chest tightened, still, she gently hugged him back.

“Hi, Dad.”

As they embraced, Sierra could smell the subtle scent of bergamot and oakmoss from her dad’s aftershave, which he had been using for as long as she could remember. Reluctantly, she let go of him and took a step back, her arms limply falling to her side. 

“I’m just here to pick up Dara. I have some other things to do later…” 

Her father’s smile fell. “Oh, okay. Are you sure you want nothing to eat on the road?”

“Thanks, but I already ate earlier,” Sierra replied, the smile feeling fake on her lips.

Her mother and father exchanged a brief glance as Sierra’s hand instinctively touched the healed scar of her right palm. Deborah’s lips pressed into a thin line before she spoke.

“Sierra, we barely see you at all. I mean, when was the last time you showed up? Seven— no, eight months ago? We miss you, honey. Maybe we can have a family dinner every other month like we used to. What do you think?”

Before Sierra could even genuinely think about her answer, her younger sister burst into the room like a ray of sunshine, her laughter a breath of fresh air that cut through the stifling tension.

“Sisi!”

Dara ran toward Sierra and launched herself into her arms.

Despite their nine-year age difference, Dara’s curly head slightly towered over her.

She’s grown so much.

“Hi, D. I’ve missed you,” Sierra muffled into the warmth of Dara’s tight embrace, receiving a similarly muffled “missed you too” back.

After a couple of seconds, Sierra reluctantly loosened her hold and stared into her sister’s warm brown eyes. Dara beamed, a slight gap between her front teeth. 

“You got all your stuff?”

“Yes! Let me say goodbye to Mom and Dad first.”

Dara turned toward their parents, who stood by the living room table.

“We’re gonna miss you so much, honeybun.” Herman enveloped Dara in a bear hug and kissed the top of her head.

“Dad, it’s just college. Plus, I won’t be far away. I can still visit, or you could visit me!” 

Instead of loosening his hold, he held her even tighter. Deborah joined in, her manicured hand gently stroking Dara’s back.

“We’d love that, and we love you, hun. Don’t forget to text us when you’re at your dorm. And also call us once in a while. I know you’re grown up now, but you’ll still be our baby.”

At the sight, Sierra’s chest tightened, a sharp pang of jealousy stabbing through her.

The family group hug finally broke apart, leaving a bittersweet ache in Sierra’s chest as everyone seemed to be getting teary-eyed. Smiling wistfully, Dara picked up her giant black suitcase, the wheels rattling slightly on the hardwood floor.

She slung her brown backpack over her shoulder, her smile not faltering as she turned toward her older sister.

“I’m ready.”

“Okay, let’s go. Was nice to see you guys again,” Sierra said to her parents, the words feeling stiff and awkward on her tongue as she waved goodbye. “Gotta go.”

Sierra and Dara were almost down the porch steps when Deborah’s voice, a soft plea, reached them.

“Sierra! Remember what we talked about earlier. We’d love to spend time together as a family again… if you’re ready.”

Sierra stopped on the last step, the worn wood creaking. She turned her head with a slight, strained smile and nodded. “Okay, Mom. I’ll think about it. Love you… ”

Dara looked between her parents and older sister, her hopeful gaze lingering on Sierra, before continuing toward the car.

After helping Dara with her luggage, the sisters entered the car and buckled their seat belts, the familiar click a sharp sound in the quiet.

“So… are you ready for the next chapter of your life?” Sierra asked, turning the key and starting the engine.

“Honestly, I’m just excited to be on my own. I mean, I’ll have roommates, but it’ll be a fresh experience being away from Mom and Dad.” 

Dara fully turned toward her sister, “...how was it for you when you got out?”

Sierra hesitated, “My situation was a bit different. I mean, I moved out at 17 and had to work part-time to afford tuition. You probably don’t even remember…”

Dara furrowed her brows, “Not really. What even happened between you? I know Mom said that things were rough at some point, but Dad— he won’t even talk about it at all. He’s always closed off when I bring it up…”

Sierra’s expression changed as she continued focusing on the road.

Dara fidgeted with her phone before continuing, “I mean, I’m glad that you’re driving me, and that you always pick up when I call— when I need you. But I just… wished that you guys didn’t see me as some fragile little girl anymore. You can just tell me the truth. You can’t protect me forever.”

Sierra sighed, the sound echoing softly in the car as she navigated through the sun-drenched streets. She turned to Dara and offered her a small, sad smile.

“We don’t think you’re fragile. It’s just… complicated, D,” she said, her voice tinged with a hint of weariness. After a moment, Sierra continued, “There was a lot of hurt between Mom, Dad, and me. And I guess there still is. Maybe I just can’t let go of the past, who knows? But that’s why I moved out so early. It just didn’t feel like home anymore…not really.”

Dara looked at her sister, a pang of sadness twisting in her chest. She knew Sierra had always shielded her from the details of their separation, never wanting to put Dara in the middle of their drama. Although she loved the occasional calls and face-times between them, she missed doing something together as a family.

“I know it must have been hard for you,” Dara said quietly. “But you’ve always been so strong and independent. I really don’t know how you did it… I know I wouldn’t.”

“Sometimes I don’t know either,” Sierra admitted with a soft chuckle, her grip tightening on the steering wheel, the fake leather cool against her skin. “But I felt like I didn’t have a choice. I couldn’t rely on Mom and Dad financially, and I refused to ask them for help.”

She took a deep breath, the air catching in her throat, steeling herself for what she was about to say.

“There were days… nights, when I was so tired, so overwhelmed, I thought I’d break. But I kept pushing, because giving up wasn’t an option.”

“You piss me off sometimes with your secrets, but I love and admire you, Sisi… for everything you’ve achieved, for how tough you are. You’ve got an incredibly hard shell, but I know inside you’re… a fluffy teddy bear.”

Sierra huffed a laugh.

“No, like seriously. I just want you to be okay. You know I love you, and I miss seeing my big sis in person. You really need to show up more.”

Sierra’s heart swelled with feelings of both gratitude and guilt at Dara’s words.

“Thanks,” she said softly, her grip on the steering wheel loosening slightly, the tension easing from her shoulders. “That means a lot. Just… remember, no matter what happens between me and our parents… I’m always here for you. You can count on me, okay?”

“I know I can, and I appreciate it more than you know. And I want you to know that I’m here for you too, no matter what. You don’t have to carry everything alone.”

The sisters fell into a comfortable silence, the quiet radio voice a soothing backdrop to their thoughts. Dara gazed out the window as she fidgeted with her hands, enjoying the blur of passing streets and buildings.

Tired of the engine’s gentle whir and the occasional whoosh of a passing car, Sierra broke the silence.

“So, are you excited about your new roommates? You’ll be living with four other girls, right?”

Dara slumped slightly in her seat, her gaze still fixed on the passing scenery.

“Well, I’m definitely excited to make new friends. Five girls in one dorm is kinda… a lot, but we’ll see. Could be a fun group to party with… take some cute pics for Insta. Maybe I’ll get the full ‘Sex Lives of College Girls’ experience.”

“As your older sister, I’m absolutely hoping that that won’t be the case,” Sierra replied with a tiny grin.

“Speaking of sex lives, how’s yours?” Dara sat up in her seat and deviously smiled at Sierra, who in return side-eyed her.

“Girl… let’s not talk about that. Nothing’s going on, anyway. I’m focused on work and nothing else.”

“Boohoo,” Dara rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Maybe you should go out more. I know being a 911 operator isn’t easy, especially with those long hours. But c’mon, don’t you want to go out and party sometimes? Have some fun. Use dating apps. Find a hobby. Anything!” Dara’s voice and gestures grew more animated with each sentence, making Sierra’s lips twitch with amusement.

“I have hobbies, mind you.”

“I know you’re not a believer, but I’d even pray to God to finally give you a good partner!” Dara dramatically clasped her hands together, closing her eyes. “Dear God, please give my lonely, lovable sister a partner who cherishes her forever! Someone sweet, optimistic, a beam of sunlight in her… well, in her very dull life!”

Sierra shook her head, a snort escaping her nose, “Okay, now you’re doing too much. I don’t think God would appreciate the theatrics.”

Dara glanced over at her sister with a playful smirk. “Maybe He’ll answer my prayers and bring someone wonderful into your life. Or maybe God doesn’t need to do all the work. You could just, you know, put yourself out there a little.”

“Oh, please. My love life is nonexistent right now, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I’m too busy with work anyway. Also, I’m pretty sure God has better things to do than worrying about finding me a partner,” she said, shaking her head in mock irritation. “But thanks for the thought, I guess. I’m glad to know that my single status is causing you so much distress.”

Dara playfully rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Sisi. You deserve someone who’d move mountains for you! Maybe the universe just needs a little divine nudge to bring that special someone into your life.”

Sierra couldn’t help but laugh at Dara’s matchmaking efforts. “Alright, alright. You might have a point. Maybe it’s time for the universe to work its magic. But don’t hold your breath waiting for a miracle…”

With a decisive turn, Sierra peeled off the highway, the smooth hum of the tires shifting to a rougher rumble as they hit the cracked asphalt of a side road. The familiar stretch of the interstate vanished, replaced by a narrow road that was surrounded by dense trees and an absence of other vehicles.

The car ride continued in a comfortable silence, the engine’s gentle hum accompanied by the occasional crackling of the car’s radio. The road snaked through the thick woods, the afternoon sunlight filtering through the trees, casting long, fractured streaks of light across the asphalt.

Dara, who’d been scrolling through her phone, her fingers tapping a rapid rhythm against the screen, finally looked up. Her dark brown curls bounced as she tilted her head, brows furrowed slightly.

“That’s… a really long road,” she observed, a hint of confusion creeping into her voice. “Shouldn’t we be at the college by now?”

“I thought so too,” Sierra admitted, her voice a touch sharper than intended. “Maybe I missed an exit.”

“Want me to pull up Google Maps?” Dara offered, already tapping at her phone screen again. 

The radio started crackling.

 “Maybe we took a wrong turn earlier.” Her brows furrowed as she looked at her phone. “Huh, that’s weird. No signal.”

“No signal?” Sierra fiddled with the radio; just more noise. “That’s… odd.”

“Yeah, I even checked my network settings,” Dara said, frustration creeping into her voice. “Nothing.” She held up her phone, turning it this way and that, as if trying to coax a signal from the empty air. “Maybe it’s just a dead zone?”

“Maybe,” Sierra replied, though the tightness in her chest told her it was more than that.  She eased her foot off the accelerator and scanned the roadside. The trees lining the road were thick, their branches almost intertwining overhead, creating a partly open dome that blocked out some of the afternoon sun. The air hung heavy, a suffocating silence pressing against her ears. No sound of birds whatsoever.

“This is really weird, Sisi. I don’t like this.”

“Me neither,” Sierra admitted, her gaze fixed on the endless stretch of the road ahead. “But we’ll find a way out.” She tried to sound confident, but even to her own ears, it sounded forced.

Just then, she noticed something in the middle of the road. A massive tree, its gnarled branches reaching out like skeletal arms, blocked their path. It felt almost like a purposely placed barrier to Sierra.

“What the—” she began, her voice trailing off as she stared at the imposing tree. It wasn’t just large; it was wrong. The gnarled branches were as thick as a grown man’s torso, whereas the other trees were noticeably thinner. 

What was strong enough to rip it out of the ground?

She glanced into the dense forest, the shadows within seeming to deepen. A flicker of her instincts kicked in — assess, analyze, act. But this wasn’t a call; this was something far stranger. No signal, no radio, no nature sounds, no way across.

With a decisive click, she unbuckled her seatbelt. “Stay in the car, Dara,” she said, her voice firm, though a hint of worry lurked beneath the surface. She stepped out and approached the tree, the gravel crunching under her beige sneakers.

Sierra took another cautious step toward the tree, her eyes scanning its gnarled branches and roots.

“How did this tree get here…?” she murmured to herself, the question hanging unanswered in the still air. 

Before she could ponder further, a sudden, frantic flapping of wings broke the silence. At least a dozen crows descended from the sky, their cries harsh and divergent. They swarmed around the tree before landing on it. Their black eyes fixed on her with an unsettling intensity. Sierra instinctively backed away, a primal sense of unease washing over her. Their presence felt ominous, like a dark omen.

Keeping her eyes glued to the tree and the crows, Sierra walked backward, the crunch of gravel under her soles a stark contrast to the silence that had reigned moments before. She slammed the door shut, the solid thunk a slight comfort against the growing unease. She fastened her seatbelt with a sharp click and turned the key, the engine roaring back to life.

“What in the world is going on?” Dara’s voice was slightly trembling, her eyes wide with fear as she saw the pitch-black eyes of a dozen crows focused on them alone.

“I don’t know.” She gripped the steering wheel. “But we’re not staying here to find out. Maybe I really did miss the exit…”

She put the car into reverse, her gaze flicking between the rearview mirror and the ominous tree. The car rumbled backward, but the crows’ relentless gazes didn’t waiver. Sierra slammed on the gas, driving away from the unsettling sight.

Sierra’s pointer fingers nervously drummed on the steering wheel as clouds started to slowly spread across the blue sky, a fleeting moment of beauty before the inevitable descent of darkness.

“D, do you still have no signal?” Sierra asked, her voice strained.

Dara’s brow furrowed as she stared at her phone. “No. Nothing. It’s like the world just ended.”

Then, Dara’s eyes widened. “Those are new,” she said, turning in her seat to stare out the back window. “Train tracks. We didn’t see those before, did we?”

Sierra glanced in the rearview mirror, her eyes narrowing. “No, I don’t think—” she stopped mid-sentence, her gaze fixed ahead. “There’s…buildings. A town?”

Their car slowed down as they passed a barn, its wooden planks warped and gray. A figure came into view. A broad-shouldered man with a wooden cart stood outside a building that had a faded American flag hanging limply in front. His face was etched with a mixture of confusion as he stared in shock. His intense gaze felt like a physical weight pressing down on them.

“Um… why is he looking at us like that?” Dara asked, her voice barely a whisper. 

She scanned their surroundings, taking in the strange, almost staged quality of the town. They passed houses that looked lived in yet abandoned, and a blue diner where guests stared at them behind giant windows as if Sierra and Dara were a tourist attraction. A young man in a deputy’s uniform stood outside in front of the building, his face etched with a look of surprise.

“Maybe they don’t get a lot of outsiders?” Sierra replied, her voice laced with uncertainty. The stares felt heavy. 

Dara turned to her older sister. “It’s kinda giving ‘Get Out’.”

Following the road, Sierra made a right turn, leaving the town behind them. A large mansion appeared on their right, its porch filled with people engaged in conversation. Their happy faces abruptly fell as the sound of the car’s engine cut through the air, their eyes, similar to the crows from earlier, following the car as it passed.

The oppressive presence of the trees intensified. It was as if they had driven in a circle, finding themselves back on the same endless road where they had encountered the unsettling tree. The fading light cast long, distorted shadows, making the familiar landscape feel alien.

Dara checked her phone again. “Still nothing,” she said, her voice frustrated as she threw her hands in the air. “We’re completely cut off.”

The road offered no exits, no escape, just the endless loop of trees. The afternoon sun was now hidden as a bank of ominous clouds rolled in.

“Are you kidding me!” Sierra’s frustrated voice cut the silence as she saw familiar buildings enter her view yet again. “There is no way we could’ve missed the exit. Is this some sick joke?”

Dara grimaced, her eyes darting around nervously. “Maybe we should stop and ask that deputy how to get to Baltimore?”

“I guess we have no other choice since our phones are about as useful as bricks right now.”

They passed the barn again, where a blond man was now feeding the animals. The broad-shouldered man they’d seen earlier was engaged in an intense conversation with another man, who had shoulder-length dark curls and a look of deep concern. The serious faces of the middle-aged men caused Dara’s eyebrows to furrow slightly.

Sierra slowed the car as they approached the diner and the young man in the deputy uniform. Dara rolled down her window, forcing a bright smile. “Hi! Sorry to bother you, but we kinda got lost, and I have no signal on my phone. Do you happen to know the way toward Baltimore?”

The young man looked at her, his expression shifting from a guarded wariness to a gentle, almost apologetic sadness. “Baltimore?” he repeated softly as his gaze flickered to Sierra. “I’m sorry. You won’t find Baltimore here.”

Behind him, a young woman wearing an apron stepped out of the diner. She exchanged a brief, almost imperceptible look with the deputy.

The young woman turned to them with a pained smile, “You turned right earlier, correct? Maybe try the road on the left.” 

Sierra tilted forward, two braids framing her face as she locked eyes with the young man, then with the woman. Something in their eyes, an unnecessary amount of empathy considering their situation, made her weirdly uncomfortable. “Right… thanks. Have a nice day.”

Dara rolled up her window again, the glass muffling the sounds of the town, as Sierra moved the car, this time, taking a left turn. She glanced in the rearview mirror. The woman watched them, her gaze lingering, as if she knew they were driving further into a trap.

Chapter Text

Sierra and Dara strained their eyes, scanning the roadside, desperate not to miss the mysteriously nonexistent turn they kept passing. They’d been driving for what felt like an eternity after taking that left turn inside the town, the silence inside the car broken only by the occasional frustrated sigh. The afternoon sun was now almost completely hidden by clouds, casting long shadows that danced across the asphalt. But instead of an exit, the familiar buildings of the town loomed ahead.

“How?! How are we here again?” Sierra threw her hands up in exasperation before gripping the steering wheel tightly. “This is insane!”

“Maybe… maybe that’s why they were staring at us like that,” Dara said, her voice thoughtful, though laced with unease. “All these weird things have happened ever since we left the highway. We need to talk to someone… ask them what’s going on.”

Sierra pulled the car to a stop directly in front of the diner for a second time. As they unbuckled their seatbelts, the broad-shouldered man they’d seen earlier approached. A sheriff’s badge pinned to his belt, and a holstered gun pressed against his hip.

Sierra stepped out of the car, her gaze locked on his.

“Hey,” she began, her voice tight. “We’re trying to get to Baltimore, but… we keep ending up back here. We asked for directions earlier, from a young man and a woman at the diner, but…”

The man nodded slowly, his expression a mask of calm, though his eyes held a flicker of something Sierra wasn’t able to decipher. 

A forced, almost too-warm smile spread across his face. “My name is Boyd. Why don’t you come inside?” His voice was low and steady. “Have something to eat and drink. We were just having dinner. I’ll explain everything.”

Sierra glanced back as Dara stepped out of the car, a silent question passing between them. “Alright. Sure,” she nodded.

Inside the diner, a commotion of voices and clattering cutlery filled the air, a stark contrast to the silence outside. People filled almost every table, yet no one seemed genuinely happy to be here. To their right, a young family — parents and a small child — sat huddled together inside their booth. Sierra recognized the curly-haired man from earlier; he was the one having a passionate discussion with Boyd.

As they stepped fully into the diner, a wave of eyes turned toward them. The young woman with the apron approached the family’s table with a plate of food and spoke to the little boy in a soothing voice.

Boyd clapped his hands together before gesturing toward an empty booth. “Take a seat. I’ve already told Tian-Chen that we’ve got some new visitors.”

How did he know that we’d be back?

The sisters sat down in the booth behind the family’s table. The man and boy behind the younger sister stole curious glances at them — well, the father’s were rather scrutinizing — while Dara nervously fiddled with the silent jukebox that seemed to not be working.

Boyd joined their table, placing two plates of what looked like potato casserole before them. Right behind him, carrying two teacups, was the young deputy they’d asked for directions earlier. Sierra shifted slightly, giving the deputy some space as Boyd settled opposite her, next to Dara.

“Thank you,” the sisters said in unison as the men put down the plates and cups. Dara immediately started eating, while the deputy locked eyes with Sierra, offering a reserved smile as he sat down beside her. 

“That tastes delicious!” 

Dara looked like she hadn’t eaten in two days, the way she was gulping down forks of the casserole. Sierra rolled her eyes at her sister’s antics. The deputy seemed to enjoy her lack of restraint, his smile growing slightly as he watched Dara devour the food. 

“My mom made it. She’s the cook here. I’ll tell her that you loved it,” he remarked with a chuckle, his eyes flicking from Dara to Sierra. 

Sierra gave him a tight-lipped smile before she turned her steady gaze to Boyd. “Boyd, was it? You said you’d explain. Let’s talk.”

Boyd raised an eyebrow at her directness, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Right to the point. I like it.” He glanced at the deputy before continuing, “So, you saw the tree in the middle of the road.”

It sounded more like a fact instead of a question. Sierra went rigid, whereas Dara looked up from her plate in surprise.

“We all saw the tree,” Mr. Deputy chimed in, his voice soft yet somber. “And now we’re all stuck here… I’m Kenny, by the way. Forgot the introduction.”

“Um, Sierra. And that’s Dara, my little sister.”

At the mention of her name, Dara raised her hand up high as if she were back in school.

Tilting her head slightly, Sierra asked, “I’m sorry, but… what exactly do you mean by ‘stuck’?”

Boyd answered, his voice low and steady, “By ‘stuck,’ we mean just that. Once you see the tree there is no way back. You can drive down the road on the right, the one on the left, even turn around at the town’s edge… it doesn’t matter. We’re surrounded by trees, and we can’t get out of this place.”

“A lot of us have been stuck here for years,” Kenny added, his gaze drifting toward the family at the nearby table. “The Matthews family over there has been here for three days now.”

Sierra’s eyebrows furrowed again, a deep sigh escaping her lips as she tucked a stray braid behind her ear. “How— how is this even possible? Surely there must be a way. There’s always a way.”

“Can’t we just leave through the forest if the roads don’t work?” Dara asked, her voice laced with a desperate hope. Her fork now placed on the almost empty plate.

Boyd looked at her, his eyes dark and serious. “The forest doesn’t end, and you really don’t want to be outside once the sun goes down. That’s when they come out.”

“They?” Dara inquired, her voice barely a whisper. “Are we talking forest cult they or gender-neutral they?”

“The creatures,” Kenny answered, his voice low and grave. “They come out of the forest every night. We don’t know where, but they look like humans. They smile… but only because they enjoy the hunt. If you’re not in an enclosed space with a talisman hanging on the wall, they will… they will tear you apart for fun.”

As he spoke the last words, his gaze dropped to the table, his expression hardening, a flicker of raw grief and rage momentarily breaking through his calm facade.

Sierra took in a breath of air before she exchanged a wide-eyed, horrified glance with Dara, who sat frozen. The somewhat casual mention of being “torn apart” hung in the air.

“Talismans? How did you get them? How did you even find this out? Is this a jo—” Sierra asked when the jukeboxes suddenly turned on, surprising not only the sisters but also the Matthews family.

“Yeah, they do that sometimes. It’s like they’re mocking us,” says Boyd while turning slightly behind him toward the Matthews.

He pointed at a weirdly shaped stone hung next to the door before turning around to the sisters.

“The talismans somehow repel them, so we hung them at the entrance of every building. I found them while being stuck in the forest at night.”

“This is just insane,” Sierra says as she picked up her teacup, hoping it will calm her down. After these news, she wasn’t particularly hungry anymore. Kenny looked at her with empathy, offering a tiny, pained smile.

Boyd turned to Sierra, “I know this is a lot of information, so I’ll leave you alone for a bit. We don’t have that much time until sundown, so I’ll make sure you girls have somewhere to sleep for the night, and tomorrow morning, we’ll figure something out, okay? Eat. Drink.”

As he got up, he looked at Kenny, “Do you have time to talk right now?”

Kenny nodded, sparing the sisters a glance and a soft smile before he joined Boyd who moved next to the counter to talk to him in private.

“Eat something,” Dara looked at her, “we need some food for the night. Might be easier to fall asleep that way.”

“How can you even eat right now after these news? This sounds like the beginning of a horror story you get told while sitting around a fireplace with your friends.”

Sierra looked at her younger sister and ultimately picked up her own fork once her stomach started growling.

Not bad.

“Well, if we’re really stuck here, then I’m guessing food is limited. Also, it’s a gift. We can’t just not eat it. You can’t say no to food!” Dara gave her a bright smile, her slightly spaced front teeth showing.

“Sometimes I wish I had your optimism,” Sierra mumbled, taking another bite. “I gotta say, the casserole really is good. You’re right.”

“I’m always right, aren't I? And what can I say? Not everyone chooses to see the world through a cloud of rain,” Dara replied, flashing a playful grin as she shoveled another forkful into her mouth.

Sierra raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a reluctant smile.

“Yeah, well, I think I’ll pass on your rose-colored glasses for now. Not sure how being caged up in a town with monsters can be turned into a positive… if it’s even true. Maybe this is all some elaborated prank or social experiment. If not, then maybe I’ll try on your glasses tomorrow.”

A moment passed, and Dara gazed out the window, lost in thought.

“Mom and Dad are probably worried… I still haven’t told them that I made it to the dorm.”

Sierra stared at her sister. “To be fair, we never made it to the dorm, so…”

Dara turned from the window, looking at her completely unimpressed.

The older sister’s tone softened, “Look, I know this sucks. They might be freaking out right now but thinking about it won’t help us. We’re here… together. We just need to figure out how to go back… or out, or whatever.”

She reached over and lightly nudged Dara’s shoulder. "You’ve got an emergency pro right here. We’re gonna find the exit. Trust me.”

At the Matthews’ table, the little boy wobbled back to his seat with a crutch under one arm and a plate of food in his other hand. A kind-looking older woman emerged from the back of the kitchen.

That must be Kenny’s mom.

She looked at the newcomers and offered a warm smile. Sierra smiled back, nodding gratefully as if to silently say, thank you.

Suddenly, Kenny’s voice called out, “Sara!” as the young woman in the apron collapsed, her body convulsing on the floor behind the counter while Boyd rushed to help.

Dara froze in her seat, wide-eyed, but Sierra was already moving. She shot out of the booth and bolted toward the young woman. She dropped to her knees beside her, her voice steady as she quickly assessed the situation.

“Boyd, do you have a nurse or doctor here? Call for help! Now!” she commanded, glancing up for a moment.

She didn’t wait for an answer, but heard the door of the diner open as footsteps rushed out. Her hands hovered near Sara.

She took a deep breath, trying to keep herself steady.

Focus, you’re trained for this. Just think like you would on the phone.

“Sierra?” Dara’s voice was tight with worry.

Sierra kept her gaze on the young woman, fingers hovering just above her body as she mentally ran through emergency protocols.

“Stay back, D. Let me handle this.” Her voice appeared calm, but her mind raced. 

Sara’s breathing was erratic — she was in obvious distress, but there was no immediate sign of anything life-threatening. At least not yet. 

Focus on the breathing. If she seizes longer than five minutes, I need to act fast.

She quickly tried to clear the area around her, gently guiding Tian-Chen out of the way.

“We need to keep her safe from hitting anything and keep her airways clear.”

Sierra took off her purple hoodie and placed it flat under Sara’s head to protect it from the hard ground. As she carefully turned Sara on her side into recovery position to prevent her from choking on saliva or vomit, a couple of braids fell into her face, momentarily obstructing her view.

With a frustrated sigh, she grabbed two strands from either side of her face and wrapped them around the remaining braids, securing them as best as she could.

Airway's open. Breathing is labored but present.

With Sara’s head now resting on the soft cushion of her hoodie, Sierra’s focus shifted back to the task at hand. She scanned the area, taking in the surroundings for any sign of Boyd, but he wasn’t back yet.

Sara slowly stopped seizing. Once it subsided, Sierra kept one hand on her back to make sure that she remained steady and didn’t roll onto her stomach. Sierra’s heart raced, but she forced herself to stay calm. She needed to make sure Sara was breathing, her mind ticking through the steps she’d learned over the years.

After a moment, Sara’s breathing became more regular, though still shallow and uneven. Sierra kept a close eye on her, speaking softly, trying to reassure her even if she couldn’t hear.

“It’s okay, you’re safe,” Sierra whispered, her voice steady.

The entrance of the diner finally opened as Boyd and a woman, probably around her own age, hurried in. 

That must be the doctor.

Her eyes quickly scanned the room until they landed on Sara, still laying on her side.

The young woman’s movements were calm despite the urgency of the situation.

“How long was she out?” she asked, her voice low and focused as she kneeled beside Sara.

“A few minutes,” Sierra replied, her own voice fake steady. “One moment she was fine, then just… collapsed.”

The nurse’s fingers moved swiftly, checking Sara’s pulse, her pupils, her breathing.

“We need to get her back to the clinic,” she said, her brows furrowed. “Boyd, can you help me get her up?”

Boyd nodded, his expression grim. The little boy’s father jumped up from his seat. “Let me help you.”

Together, they carefully lifted the limp body of Sara. As they moved toward the door, the diner fell into a hushed silence, all eyes following their progress.

Sierra watched them go, her heart still pounding in her chest. The image of Sara’s seizure, the sudden, violent shaking, was burned into her mind. She glanced at Dara, who stood beside her, her face slightly pale.

“Does… does she often have seizures?” Dara whispered, her voice trembling as she turned to Kenny, who still stood next to his mom.

“No. This has never happened to her. I— I don’t know why…” Kenny muttered in shock, his voice distant. “But I’m glad that you were there. Kristi might’ve been here too late otherwise.”

Sierra didn’t respond immediately, still processing everything that had happened. Her hands shook, but she clenched them into fists.

“It’s… it’s part of my job,” she finally said, her voice quieter than usual. “I’ve talked people through situations like that before, but… seeing it in person is something else though.”

Kenny gave a small nod, his face still clouded with worry. He glanced back at his mom, who still looked distraught, then back at Sierra. “Thank you.”

Sierra gave a tight smile, her mind still racing as she tried to push the image of Sara’s shaking body from her thoughts. “Just doing what I could.”

Dara placed a hand on her shoulder after she crouched down to pick up Sierra’s hoodie, her voice soft but firm. “You did more than enough, Sisi.”

Sierra took a deep breath and nodded, trying to shake off the lingering tension in her chest. But even as the room grew quieter, the image of Sara’s seizure stayed with her. They weren’t even in town for half a day, and she’s already stressed the fuck out.

“Oh,” Kenny said, eyebrows lifting slightly in realization. “About the sleeping arrangements for the night… Boyd and I were thinking of putting you two in Sara and Nathan’s house. But with everything going on, it might be better if you stay with my mom, Jade, and me instead.”

“Jade?” Dara asked. 

“Jade got here the same day as the Matthews. His friend died here, unfortunately…” Kenny grimaced.

“Anyway, let me grab some blankets from the back, and I’ll show you your room for the night. Hopefully, we can find a permanent place for you after your Choosing Ceremony.”

“Choosing Ceremony? What’s that? Is this a cult?” Dara raised an eyebrow.

Kenny chuckled as he disappeared into the back of the kitchen, returning quickly with a couple of blankets and an old pillow.

“The Choosing Ceremony… Father Khatri holds it for new arrivals. It’s where you decide if you want to stay in Town or at Colony House. Take the Matthews, for example. Their daughter, Julie, decided to stay at Colony House with the other free spirits, while the rest of the family stays here in Town.”

“Is Colony House the mansion we passed when we took that right turn?” Sierra asked as they headed out the door that Kenny held open for them, earning a small smile from Sierra.

Kenny followed them outside. “Yep. It’s basically a commune. Everyone shares responsibilities, possessions, and they even grow their own food and weed. Donna is kind of like their Boyd. Town’s more about privacy and individually following rules so that things don’t get out of hand.”

Sierra glanced at Kenny in confusion. “Seems like a terrible idea to have a big group of people living together in one house if there really are monsters roaming the streets at night…”

“Which is exactly why Town exists,” Kenny nodded with a smile. “Sounds like you’ll fit in here just fine.”

They stopped in front of a yellow two-story house with a white porch.

“Welcome to the Liu home,” Kenny said, leading the way up the stairs and holding the door open for the sisters.

Dara flashed him a bright smile, while Sierra muttered a quick, “Thanks.”

They followed him up to the second floor, where there were four bedrooms. Kenny led them into the room and set the blankets and pillows down at the foot of the queen-sized bed.

“This is your bed for the night. I hope it’s okay. If you need anything, just ask. Once Boyd starts walking around Town ringing the bell, that’s our signal to lock up doors, windows, and close the blinds.”

“O-Okay, got it. Thanks so much for letting us stay here,” Sierra said, her voice softer now. She turned to Dara. “You still have your luggage in the car, right? Let’s go grab it. I might have some stuff left in the car, too.”

After Dara threw Sierra’s purple hoodie on the bed, the two made their way downstairs. The sisters stepped back outside, the chill of the air creeping into their bones. They made their way to the back of the car and opened the trunk. Sierra slightly pulled on her sister’s way-too-big suitcase while Dara grabbed her backpack. The sound of gravel crunching under their shoes was the only noise between them.

Dara stood off to the side for a moment, her eyes scanning the street. “I can’t believe we’re really stuck here…” she muttered.

Sierra heaved the black suitcase out of the trunk with a groan. 

“Me neither. You know that I have terrible sleeping habits…if I’ll sleep at all, that is. Surviving while sleep-deprived. Yay, fun.”

Dara pulled out Sierra’s sports jacket and a black cap from the car, then closed the trunk with a soft thud.

“At least we’re together. And the people in town seem nice, especially Kenny.”

“Mhm…” Sierra nodded, her eyes lingering on the street ahead. “We should definitely check out Colony House tomorrow morning. It’s not my scene, but it’s good to get the bigger picture. I’m a little concerned about dividing the people, though. Shouldn’t we all be working together to get out of here? It sounds more like a ‘them versus us’ type of thing.”

“Hmm,” Dara mused. “Aren’t humans always divided in some way? Maybe that’s just how it is.”

“I guess… we’ll see.”

They both headed inside to put their things into the room. Sierra glanced out the window, the sun might hang on for another hour before dipping below the horizon.

“I’m gonna take a walk outside,” Sierra said, stretching her arms. “Check out the area a bit. Maybe it’ll make falling asleep easier later.”

“Alright, be careful. I’ll be waiting downstairs. Love you.” Dara smiled softly.

“Love you too.”

As they made their way downstairs, Tian-Chen — Kenny’s mom — entered the house. The two exchanged polite smiles. As Sierra stepped out the door, she could hear her sister thanking Tian-Chen for letting them stay and mentioning something about the potato casserole. Sierra chuckled and shook her head as she left the porch, the evening air cool against her skin.

Standing outside the Lius’ home, Sierra pondered where to go. On her right was a big, empty swimming pool with an overturned truck stuck in it. 

“I wonder how that got in there…” Sierra mumbled to herself.

She went left, remembering the old barn with animals in it. She passed the gas station they drove by earlier as two people entered her view — a handsome, bearded man with a white-blue striped button-down shirt and an equally well-dressed woman with a jet black shoulder-length bob.

“Oh, you’re new,” the woman stated with a surprised look, a thin scar covering the left side of her face, from her temple to her cheekbone. She looked youthful, yet a bit older than Sierra, maybe in her early or mid 30s.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Rosalie, but you can call me Rosa.”

Her smile was genuine and warm as she stretched out her hand, her perfectly painted nails reflecting the light.

Shaking her hand, Sierra greeted her with a small smile. The man beside Rosa was looking around impatiently, tapping his foot, with no specific focus. Rosa glanced at him, slightly elbowing his side. The man glared at her before sparing Sierra a quick, dismissive glance.

“Jade. Hi.” 

Sierra forced another smile. Not much of a talker, I guess. Same.

Rosa, however, seemed content with his reply as she smiled at him. “Sorry, we have somewhere to be, but I’m sure we’ll see each other tomorrow, Sierra. Have a safe night.”

Sierra smiled at her as the two walked away, Jade practically dragging Rosalie with him.

Sierra watched the odd pair disappear down the street. With a small head shake, she turned around and headed toward the barn, the sound of animal noises a comforting presence in the otherwise eerie quiet.

As Sierra neared the barn, the scent of hay and earth filled the air. A young man with messy blond hair stood inside the fenced area, his hands busy feeding the animals — chickens pecked eagerly at the ground, goats bleated softly, and a couple of sheep lazily grazed nearby. A cow stood by the fence, its dark eyes fixed on the scene.

“Hi, I’m Sierra. Do you need any help?” she called out, her voice carrying over the soft noises of the farm.

The man slightly jumped, clearly startled, before turning around. His eyes widened in surprise, and he wiped his hands on his jeans. “Oh, hi. I’m Nathan. Are you new here?”

Nathan. Sierra nodded, stepping closer to the fence. The weight of the day’s events still sat heavily on her shoulders, but she pushed the thoughts aside.

“Um, yes, I am. Are you Sara’s brother, by any chance?”

Nathan gave a quick nod, though his expression was tight.

“Yeah, that’s me. I take care of the barn while she’s at the diner.”

He gestured behind him at the scattered animals, his eyes lingering on them before flicking back to her. “It’s a lot to manage alone, but someone has to do it.”

Sierra could hear the fatigue in his voice. “I can imagine. It must be tough, especially with everything going on,” she said, her voice softening as she recalled the chaos earlier.

Nathan sighed, his shoulders slumping a bit. “Yeah. She’s been having a rough time. Been a lot of… things happening that we can’t quite figure out.”

Sierra studied him for a moment, picking up on the hesitation in his words, but chose not to push.

Instead, she offered, “If you ever need a hand, just let me know. I’m happy to help with the barn or whatever else you need. I love animals… and helping.”

Nathan looked grateful, but the weariness didn’t leave his eyes. “I appreciate that.”

A silence settled between them as Nathan kept feeding the animals and Sierra crouched down to pet one of the goats, its fur comfortingly soft.

“How did these animals get here? Boyd and Kenny said that monsters come out at night, so wouldn’t they be in danger without one of those talismans?” Sierra glanced up at Nathan, her eyebrows raised in question.

“From what I know, Boyd found some chickens and a goat about two years before we arrived. He also found the talismans in a cave and noticed that it repelled the creatures. They never hurt the animals for some reason.”

Only humans? Sierra raised an eyebrow, “Damn. No wonder he’s the boss in town.”

“Yeah, he’s got a knack for finding things. Things people need.” He paused, a somberness settling over his features, his gaze drifting into the distance. “But it comes at a cost.”

“A cost?” Sierra asked, her voice low.

“You know… sometimes I wonder if we’re here for a reason. Did we do something bad? Is this a lesson? What if… if we die here, do our fears become reality? Are we already living inside somebody’s nightmare?”

Nathan didn’t elaborate further. Instead, he shifted his attention to the animals.

“I should get home,” he said, his voice clipped. “It’ll be dark soon.”

As Sierra opened her mouth to reply, she heard the ringing of a bell. A sharp gust of wind rattled the barn doors, sending a shiver through Sierra. Nathan looked at Sierra, his eyes wide with urgency.

“Don’t be out here alone after dark.” He closed the gate and hurried toward his house, his movements almost frantic.

“Why the rush?” Sierra mumbled. She turned to the animals with a soft smile. “Goodnight. See you tomorrow.”

As Sierra jogged toward the Lius’ house, Boyd approached, his bell ringing softly in the evening air.

“Don’t forget to lock the windows and close the blinds,” he said, his voice steady. “It’s almost nighttime.”

Sierra slowed down and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Boyd gave her a small, reassuring smile. He continued his rounds, the gentle ringing of the bell fading into the quiet of the approaching night.

As Sierra entered the yellow house, she saw Dara, Kenny, and Tian-Chen chatting at the kitchen table. It was cluttered with half-finished cups of tea. 

Kenny stood up and confidently walked toward Sierra. She slightly stepped to the side in confusion as he got closer to her. He reached out a hand and Sierra went rigid. Kenny locked the door next to her and glanced at her with a puzzled expression.

Oh. Stupid.

“Make sure the blinds in your room are completely closed. I’ve already checked the windows,” he said, his voice soft but firm, his eyes lingering on hers for a moment as she awkwardly nodded.

“We should all go to bed. The sooner we’re asleep, the better.”

He gave Dara a small, reassuring smile before turning back to the table and saying something to his mother, a soft phrase that Sierra didn’t catch. 

“你應該去瞓覺喇.”

Tian-Chen nodded, her expression accepting as she stood up and went upstairs.

Ah, he must’ve told her to go to bed, Sierra realized, piecing together the tone and gesture. 

The soft ticking of the clock suddenly amplified in the stillness. No bell to be heard.  Dara’s gaze was fixed on the darkening window as she closed the curtain, her expression tight. “Sisi, let’s go upstairs.”

All three went upstairs, Kenny moving toward his room to their left. Jade’s door was open and empty. Kenny turned around and followed Sierra’s gaze.

“Ah… he doesn’t sleep in his room that often. He’s probably with Rosa. She's making sure he doesn’t do anything stupid. No need to worry though. Goodnight, you two.”

“Goodnight,” the two replied, their voices echoing slightly in the quiet hallway.

Sierra watched Kenny disappear into his room and the sisters entered their own room for the night, the silence of the house pressing in on them. 

Dara went to the other side of the room and closed the blinds. The sisters put on some comfortable clothing from Dara’s luggage and got under the blankets of the queen-sized bed.

Dara turned toward her older sister, bonnet on her curly head, “Love you, Sisi. Maybe tomorro—” Dara stopped, her eyes widening.

A distant, loud screech ripped through the silence, almost vibrating through the walls of the house. It was a sound that no person could ever imitate, a sound that seemed to claw at their very souls. Sierra’s heart hammered against her ribs, and her breath hitched in her throat. Dara clutched the blanket.

“Was that them?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, as though speaking louder might summon whatever had made that horrible sound.

Sierra threw her arm around Dara and hugged her close. “Whatever it is, we’re safe here. Try to sleep. It’ll be okay.”

Sierra’s mind raced, but she didn’t let her fear show. She could feel Dara’s pulse quicken under her arm, and it was only making her own heart beat faster. She couldn’t explain the sound, and she didn’t want to. Not yet.

But sleep seemed impossible now. Sierra could feel the weight of the silence pressing in around them, thicker than before. Her eyes flickered to the window, blinds shut.

Another noise shattered the stillness. A soft scrape, like nails dragging across wood, followed by the unmistakable sound of something moving in the grass outside the house. Sierra held her breath, listening intently. The sound grew closer to the exterior wall as if the creature was right below their window.

After a long moment, the footsteps retreated, moving slowly away from the house. The growling sound faded into the distance, and the scratching stopped.

They lay there, frozen, listening until the house was completely silent. Only then, with trembling hands, did Sierra reach out to turn off the lamp, plunging the room into darkness. They lay there, holding each other, listening to the sounds of the night, and waiting for the sun to rise.

Chapter Text

“Get away!

A breathless scream echoed through the night air as Dara stumbled through the eerie forest, her older sister nowhere to be found. One second they were sprinting side-by-side away from the monsters, and in the next, the night had swallowed them up.

“Don’t worry, Dara. We don’t want to hurt you.”

Within the blink of an eye, the silhouette of a man wearing a cowboy hat appeared a few feet away from her.

With a heaving chest, she halted. They had surrounded her. Teary-eyed she looked around for an escape, but there was none. Their silhouettes were drawing closer.

She fell to her knees as a sob tore from her throat, “Sisi, where are you?”

Tears blurred her vision. She had lost. The monsters drew closer.

“We’ll take good care of your sister for you,” a sweet voice cooed.

Sobbing, Dara looked up with a tiny speck of hope in her eyes, which immediately died as she stared at a faceless monster. Only a stretched smile visible. That was the last thing she saw as its claws swiftly moved to her shoulders and started ripping her to shreds.

With a gasp, Dara shot up from her warm bed. A shred of light shone through the closed curtains as her teary eyes began to focus. She looked around the room, searching for something to ground her. Sierra was no longer in the safety of the bed. She wiped the dampness from her cheeks and took a deep breath before getting up and opening the curtain, ultimately facing the reality that is their new home.

The chatter of birds accompanied Sierra as she made breakfast for the entire house. It felt like the least thing she could do after Kenny and Tian-Chen welcomed them with open arms.

The sisters had survived their first night. A small victory, Sierra thought, though she herself had barely slept, her body tense and her mind replaying the night’s horrible sounds. 

She was grateful that Dara was a fast and deep sleeper, oblivious to the terrors that had kept Sierra wide-eyed most of the night — except for when she dozed off due to exhaustion. She had made herself comfortable in the kitchen before the sun came up, downing a cup of green tea.

As she yawned, Sierra’s thoughts were still haunted by the inhuman screeches, the scraping against the wall, and the chilling words Kenny and Boyd had used to describe the forest creatures.

What are they? What do they want? Why do they not harm animals?

The wooden stairs creaked, derailing her thoughts.

“Good morning. Up early?” Kenny’s soft voice entered the room.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, offering him a slight smile, “Morning. Yes, wasn’t able to sleep that much, but I’m used to it.”

Sierra looked down, the sizzling of the sunny-side up eggs filling the momentary quiet. “Scrambled or fried?”

His footsteps halted near the table that was topped with freshly brewed coffee and a big plate of warm scrambled eggs and toast.

“Oh… you don’t really have to—”

“I don’t mind. Distracts the thoughts… I already made coffee, if you’d like some. Would be sad to see it go to waste.”

Kenny moved next to her, opening the cupboard, as he grabbed himself a mug. “Thank you. That’s very kind of you.”

“View it as a thank-you for letting us stay here.”

After a moment, she turned and stared at him with a raised eyebrow, “So, fried or…”

“Yes, please,” he chuckled.

As she placed the fried eggs on Kenny’s plate, Sierra heard a door opening, followed by the creaking of the floorboards. Dara walked downstairs, rubbing her eyes.

“Morning, Sisi,” she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep. “Did you sleep okay? Oh, hi Kenny!”

Sierra released an amused huff as Kenny awkwardly waved at the younger sister. 

“Yeah, fine,” she replied, her voice a little too bright. “Just a bit restless.”

Dara raised an eyebrow at her sister’s lie before she turned to the man next to her. “Hey Kenny, do the showers here work?”

They all turned their heads as Tian-Chen’s soft voice suddenly filled the room, “Yes. Clean towels in the room.”

“Thank you, Mrs Liu!” Dara hurried upstairs again, giving Kenny’s mom a quick side-hug.

“You need help with breakfast?” Tian-Chen asked Sierra as she made her way to the kitchen.

Sierra smiled and shook her head, gesturing toward the table. “No, thank you. You can sit down and eat. I made coffee too.”

Tian-Chen smiled gratefully at her and said something in Cantonese, soft phrases that Sierra couldn’t follow. Kenny answered while grabbing another mug. His mom glanced at Sierra again, adding a few more words.

Kenny translated, “She said you’re very kindhearted, and you should sit back and eat with us. You’re the guest here.”

He gestured toward the table, where her tea mug stood.

Sierra smiled, her eyes lingering on Kenny for a second before glancing to Tian-Chen. “Better drink it before it gets any colder then.” 

The muffled sound of the shower running could be heard as they started eating. Tian-Chen gave Sierra a genuine smile as she thanked her for helping Sara yesterday. Kenny explained that their family welcomed Sara and Nathan with open arms when they first arrived in town. Sara offered to help Tian-Chen with the work in the diner once she saw her struggling. Kenny added that since his mom always made breakfast for the entire town, it’s nice to see someone returning the favor.

Silence overtook the table as Tian-Chen walked to the kitchen counter with her dishes. Kenny set his mug down, tracing the rim with his thumb before looking up. 

“Did you… earlier you said you were used to not sleeping a lot. I’m guessing that’s not monster-related?”

Sierra hesitated, her gaze flicking toward the windows, where the bright morning light seemed to mock the lingering fear of the night. 

"Not really," she said, her voice dropping into a calm tone. "I don’t remember if I mentioned it during the chaos yesterday, but back home, I work as a 911 operator. You get used to the night shifts... and the life-or-death situations."

Kenny paused, a look of genuine surprise settling over his face. He nodded slowly, "Ah, that explains it. You seemed a hell of a lot more composed yesterday than most people do on their first day here."

He took a quick sip of his coffee. "Do you... I hope this isn't too much of me to ask, but do you think you could help Kristi out from time to time? She’s our only medical person here. Thankfully, we don’t need her most days, but with your background…"

“Sure,” Sierra cut in, offering a reassuring nod. “Yeah, I can do that. I can help.”

A soft smile graced Kenny’s features as his gaze moved from Sierra to his mother, who was quietly wiping down the counter before excusing herself and walking toward the diner. A comfortable silence settled over the kitchen, the sounds of chirping birds filtering through the window.

“I know this situation takes some getting used to," Kenny said quietly.

Sierra took a bite from her toast, her mind drifting back to the screeches of the night before. “I’m sure,” she mumbled. Silence filled the room again. She looked across at him, noticing the way he was staring intently at his coffee with a woeful look. “Something on your mind?”

He hesitated for a moment or two before sighing. “It’s just… new people rarely arrive here," Kenny said, his voice flat as he was fidgeting with the handle of his coffee mug. "But lately, it’s like… it’s like a dam broke, you know? The Matthews family and Jade arrived not even a week ago. And since then, we've lost people. Good people. Now you and your sister are stuck here, too.”

Sierra set her toast down, her eyebrows furrowing. “Hm. How long have you been here?”

“Almost a year now. Why?”

"Because keeping your guard up and playing deputy for almost a year straight sounds really exhausting," Sierra said softly, her tone entirely serious now. She properly looked at him, recognizing the sheer fatigue in his posture and the slight dark circles under his eyes. 

"Look... I know you've lost people this week. And I know it feels like everything is just falling apart. But from experience, I can tell you that when a crisis pattern suddenly changes, it usually means the situation is reaching a tipping point."

Kenny paused, shifting his dark brown eyes from his coffee mug to her face. "A tipping point?"

"Yeah," Sierra nodded, leaning forward slightly. "A lack of change keeps you trapped. A dam breaking is fucking terrifying, but it also means that the water is finally moving again. If things in this place are suddenly shifting, maybe that means that the routine is breaking down… that the system is fracturing. And if it's fracturing, maybe we can actually find a way out of here this time."

Kenny stared at her for a moment longer, letting the thought sink in. The heavy defeat in his expression seemed to lift just a fraction. "I guess I never looked at it that way," he admitted, a faint smile touching his lips. "Usually, change around here just means that we need to dig more graves."

"I mean, the chances of that are likely," she agreed quietly. "But standing still won't save anyone either. Imagine if my colleagues and I stopped answering the phones just because the last call went bad. You just handle what's in front of you."

Kenny let out a short breath as a half-smile ghosted across his lips. “Makes sense.”

“Also,” Sierra raised her hands slightly. “More people means more hands to help. I’ll do my best in trying to keep you and the others above the ground.”

Kenny chuckled, the tight tension finally leaving his shoulders. “How nice of you. The same goes for you.”

After getting ready, Dara and Sierra were heading toward Colony House to check out the location before deciding on where to live. Sierra was wearing her sports jacket, some baggy jeans, and a small beige bag with a bottle of water in it, while Dara wore one of her knitted tops and a long skirt as they marched through the lightly wooded path.

“I still think that it’s shortsighted to divide the people here into groups when everyone should be working together,” Sierra stated.

“Yup, after hearing those things outside last night, I don’t really get it. For living situations it makes sense, but this whole Choosing Ceremony thing seems a bit much.”

Dara hurriedly stepped in front of Sierra to look at her, walking backwards. “By the way, did I miss anything this morning? You and Kenny seemed to get along pretty well,” she teased.

“If by ‘getting along’ you mean ‘having a regular ass conversation’ then yes, we were absolutely getting along. He said that things are changing, I told him that’s good. I just can’t believe people have been here for years and just… sat around. I really don’t want this to be my new normal.”

“I mean, I kinda get it. Everyone’s scared and doesn’t want to take a stroll in the weird forest where those things are. Nothing here seems to be making any sense,” Dara turned around, seeing the mansion getting closer. There seemed to be several holes dug into the ground outside.

“Exactly. Nothing makes sense, so let’s at least try to make some sense out of it. Kenny said a lot of people died within less than a week… he sort of trauma dumped on me.”

“Well, he’s the deputy, he doesn’t want to see more people in Town die. He seems very sweet though. He and Mrs. Lui have that in common.”

Dara’s expression faltered as she continued, “Mrs. Lui told me yesterday that her husband recently passed away. She showed me the shrine.”

“Oh… I didn’t know that,” Sierra replied, thinking back to her conversation with Kenny.

“She seems to really like me. I didn’t want to pry obviously, but I wonder how it happened… Do you think he was sleeping in our room?” Dara contemplated.

Sierra paused, “I doubt it. He couldn’t have died inside the room if it happened that recently. Unless he died of natural causes…”

“Whatever it was, they really didn’t deserve that. No one does.”

As they reached Colony House, a blonde woman with an authoritative presence was waiting for them on the porch. Her serious facade turned into a welcoming smile.

“You must be our new arrivals. Boyd informed me earlier. Welcome to Colony House, you can call me Donna.”

Sierra stopped in front of her, shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you, Donna. My name’s Sierra and that’s my younger sister Dara.”

Donna clapped her hands together after the introductions. “Alright, girls, let’s get into our humble abode. I’m sure Boyd must’ve told you a little bit about this place or our differences yesterday.”

They enter the mansion and see an old, white staircase leading to the first floor. Several people walked past them and eyed them curiously.

“At Colony House everything that’s mine is yours, meaning we share our clothes, bedding, and food. We are a commune but first and foremost a family. Living under one roof in this situation makes you feel less lonely, and we also have a rotating system when it comes to household duties, so that you can get to know everyone.”

While leading them through the bed/living rooms and kitchen, Donna continued her info dump, “However, it’s important that we all look after each other here because one mistake can get everyone in danger. This is why we assign newcomers a proxy to help them adjust to their new circumstances.”

Sierra chimed in after her eyes wandered from an old piano to a young couple making out on the couch, “Um, exactly how many people live under one roof?”

“Should be around thirty people in here. I’ve been in this town for four years now and after Boyd found those talismans, I’ve been living here, and we’ve made this place our own.”

“Wow, four years? Does that mean you’ve been here the longest?” Dara asked in surprise.

“No, no. Victor has been here the longest. He’s a bit… it’s been tough on him. But this is why we stay together as one and have parties and anniversaries as well. Speaking of, here’s my favorite resident!”

A young woman with beautiful dark curls walked up to them, her smile bright. “Oh, we have newcomers? Hi, my name is Fatima, it’s very nice to meet you two.”

Before Sierra or Dara could get a word out, Fatima immediately embraced them before standing next to Donna.

“We’re going to celebrate Fatima’s one-year anniversary very soon.”

Fatima smiled brightly at Donna before turning toward the sisters, “As you can tell, we are big on celebrations, especially anniversaries. We celebrate our survival, and it brings us all even closer together, because every day could be your last day.”

Dara nodded with a friendly smile.

“C’mon everyone, let’s go upstairs and meet the others,” Donna said.

While climbing the stairs to the first floor, Sierra and Dara shared a look. Sierra felt like she was back in a classroom. It’s a lot to take in, but she could now understand the existence of the Colony House community a little bit more. Town favors individual living while still following certain communal rules, whereas people in the commune celebrate the present together without trying to live in fear.

Sierra wonders if long-term residents have been so accustomed to this lifestyle that they see no reason to risk their lives in figuring out how to get everyone out of here.

Opening the door to a room in the back, Fatima continues, “Sierra, Dara, this is my partner Ellis. He’s Boyd’s son and that over there is Julie. She recently moved in.”

“Hey, you must be the Matthews’ daughter, right? Nice to meet you both,” Sierra said, offering a small smile while everyone exchanged hellos.

“That’s me. Nice to meet you too.”

“Oh, Julie. Ellis and I wanted to show you the Brundles today. Do you two want to join us maybe? It’s a lake nearby.”

Dara’s eyes widened in excitement, “Yes! We’d love to!”

The group began planning their trip to the Brundles, the room filling with the kind of high-energy chatter that made Sierra’s head spin. 

“Hey, Dara, you can go join them, I’d love to check out the town a bit more, okay? You guys have fun. Thank you for the tour, Donna. It was really nice to meet you all.”

She wandered downstairs toward the kitchen, where the smell of something sweet hit her. An older man with straight brown hair was now sitting at the kitchen table, eating something out of a can as his tired eyes found hers. His button-down shirt looked like it had been sitting in a closet for quite some time.

“Can you keep a secret?”

His voice was soft, yet his expression unreadable.

“Sure.”

“Donna said we’re not supposed to take these. They’ve been here for a long, long time. They’re special.”

“What are those? Can I get one too?” Sierra asked, making her voice sound similarly soft.

“Peaches. They came in a huge truck, but we don’t have many left. Things are changing… they’re in the pantry. You can have one.”

“Thank you. I like peaches too.”

Sierra went inside the pantry next to the table and looked at the full array of food. She took a small bag of almonds and one of the peach cans and put them into her bag. She hoped no one would mind.

“You look like one of my drawings,” he suddenly said, startling her for a second.

She walked back to the table, looking at him, really looking at him. He seemed broken in a way… or numb, or maybe even both.

“Oh… you draw a lot? What’s your name?”

“Victor. I like drawing. It’s good to draw them when you see them. So, even if you forget, you’ll always remember.”

Sierra’s eyebrows furrowed at that, but ultimately letting his puzzling words slide. “My sister likes drawing too, y’know. She wanted to go to college to study animation, but then we got stuck here, so…”

That made Victor look up from his can, eyes slightly widened. “You weren’t supposed to come here together. She shouldn’t be here. He told me—”

Sierra blinked. “Who told you that? What do you mean?”

“I’m sorry, I have to go.”

Victor stood up, peach can in hand, rushing out of the room.

What the hell just happened?

Sierra didn't follow him. She just walked out of Colony House and kept moving down a random path, needing to get away from the suffocating energy of that house. It wasn’t even midday yet, and she already felt exhausted.

She stopped by the side of the path, looking back up at the building. The morning had been a non-stop blur with too many introductions, new information, and a lot of question marks popping up in her head. Breakfast with Kenny and Tian-Chen had given her a fleeting sense of normalcy, only for her to immediately get dragged through the chaotic reality of Colony House. And then Victor.

His frantic words echoed in her head. She shouldn't be here. Donna had mentioned he’d been in this place the longest, which made his sudden panic even worse. If the guy who had survived here since childhood looked at her like he saw a ghost, what the hell did he know that she didn't?

At this point, Sierra had the urge to write down all the bullshit that’s been happening so far, so that she could figure out what to do next. A checklist. A diary. Something to anchor her thoughts. She rubbed the back of her neck, forcing herself to take a slow, steadying breath. Mulling over cryptic sentences from a most likely traumatized grown man wasn't going to get her anywhere. She needed to do something useful, something practical, just to keep her hands busy.

Fixing her posture, she continued down the path until a white building came into view, an EMS truck parked out front. As she entered the building, she could hear someone rummaging.

“Hello? It’s me, Sierra.”

The rummaging sounds stopped and the woman from yesterday appeared. She looked young, but her eyes and posture carried that same overworked look Sierra had noticed in Kenny, although she still seemed more positive in a way.

“Ah, hi Sierra. My name is Kristi. You helped Sara yesterday, right? Sorry that I couldn’t properly introduce myself.”

“No worries at all. I think we both had more pressing issues to deal with.”

Kristi let out a dry laugh, fiddling with an unrolled gauze in her hand.

“True enough,” Kristi admitted. She walked to what seems to be a medical cabinet.

“I heard you and your sister ended up with the Lius. Mrs. Lui is the sweetest… and Kenny’s a good guy. Probably the best one we’ve got here. He’ll make sure his mom doesn't overfeed you, though I wouldn't bet on it.”

“To her surprise, I made some breakfast today since I was up early,” Sierra said, to which Kristi offered an appreciative smile.

“That’s sweet.”

Sierra moved from the balls of her feet to her tippy-toes before continuing, “So… how long have you been here?”

“Should be around six months now. I was travelling to Grand Rapids to meet up with my fiancée… which clearly didn’t work out.”

“Oh, I’m sorry about that. How long have y’all been together?”

A soft grin graced her features, “I’ve been with her for two years. Almost three.”

“That’s beautiful. I’m really sorry you got detoured. I was going to drop Dara off at college and now our parents are definitely worried…”

Kristi looked down, slowly rolling up gauze. "The worrying is the hardest part. Thinking about the people on the other side of the tree wondering where we went."

She cleared her throat, shaking off the heavy thought. "But hey, at least you’re staying with the Lius. It’s probably the closest thing to a normal home you’ll find in this place."

“It’s definitely better than the alternatives I've seen so far, but it’ll just be temporary. Kenny actually told me to stop by. He mentioned you’re basically running this whole place by yourself.”

“Ah, did he now?” Kristi toyed with the gauze and stared outside the window. “Well, Gina was the nurse here and recently passed away. So, yeah I’m doing this on my own right now, but I don’t really have the time to train people from scratch when actual accidents happen.”

“I’m not a doctor,” Sierra shoved her hands in her pocket as she continued, “But I worked as a 911 dispatcher before landing here. I’ve talked people through everything from panic attacks to childbirth over the phone. I mean, I’m not used to sewing giant wounds together, but I know my way around a first-aid kit and I can keep people calm when everyone’s freaking out. I figured that might be more useful here than just sitting in the Lius' living room staring at the walls.”

Kristi stopped what she was doing entirely, her eyes slightly widening as she looked at Sierra. “A dispatcher?” She let out a laugh that sounded more like relief than humor.

“And here I was worried I'd have to teach someone how not to faint at the sight of blood,” Kristi said, a genuine smile finally breaking through her tired expression. “If you’re serious, I’m not letting you leave this room. I need the help.”

“And help I can,” Sierra answered, a smile tugging at her mouth. “Oh, right. Do you maybe have an empty notebook of some sort that I could keep? I need to organize my thoughts and if I’m gonna help you in the clinic, I’ll definitely need to write some stuff down.”

Kristi tilted her head slightly, “I’m sure there has to be a notebook somewhere. Let me see.”

She put the now rolled-up gauze back into the medical cabinet and waved Sierra toward the back office. Together, they started rummaging through the drawers, hunting for a much-needed journal.

The sun was surprisingly warm against the water of the Brundles. For a few minutes, if you looked only at the ripples on the lake and ignored the endless wall of trees and bushes surrounding them, you could almost pretend you were at a normal summer camp.

Dara sat near the edge of the rocks, her long skirt bunched around her knees. She was skimming her fingers through the cool water, watching Ellis sketch in his notebook a few feet away while other residents of the Colony House were splashing around. Further up the bank, Fatima was sitting with Julie.

Fatima was deep in her story about her home in Iran and the protests. Julie was listening intently, her knees pulled to her chest.

Dara only caught snippets of the conversation, but she chose to give them space. She knew Julie was struggling with her parents' divorce and arriving here only added to her bad mood. 

Seeing Fatima comfort her made her miss her mom’s warm embrace and her dad’s way of cracking a joke in the saddest moments. She looked down at the water, a quiet wave of gratitude hitting her because at least her parents were safe on the other side of the tree. They didn't have to experience this nightmare.

“Deep in thought?”

The voice of Ellis snapped her out of it as she glanced to the right.

“Yeah, just thinking of my parents…” Dara gave him a sheepish smile, trying to shake off the heavy mood. “What are you drawing?”

"Just trying to remember the outside world," Ellis said, tilting the notebook so she could see a rough sketch of a city skyline. He looked at her, his eyes bright and mischievous. "But hey, worrying too much is a Town habit. Up at Colony House, we do things differently."

Before Dara could ask what he meant, Ellis tossed his notebook onto a dry rock, grabbed her by the hands, and yanked her up.

"Whoa— Ellis, wait!" Dara laughed, her long skirt swirling around her ankles as he dragged her straight toward the edge of the rocks.

"No time to think, Dara. You need to start living!" Ellis shouted, and with a giant leap, he pulled her right into the water with him.

They hit the water with a massive splash. Dara surfaced a second later, gasping and wiping the wet curls from her face, but she was laughing hysterically. The cool water instantly washed away the heavy thoughts.

"You are crazy!" she yelled, splashing water at his laughing face.

Up on the bank, Fatima burst out laughing, clapping her hands. "Ellis! You didn't even let her take her pretty skirt off!" She turned to Julie, grabbing her hand. "Come on, Julie, before he comes back for us!"

Julie hesitated for a fraction of a second, but seeing Dara splashing Ellis and actually looking happy was contagious. A genuine smile broke across Julie's face. She kicked off her shoes, and together, she and Fatima sprinted down the bank, plunging into the water right next to them.

For the next hour or two, the horror of life in town completely vanished. Everyone was just splashing, laughing, and pushing each other into the water under the warm sun.

Chapter Text

After her conversation with Kristi, Sierra left the clinic with a lighter chest and a heavier bag. They had agreed on her helping Kristi out every other day, and she was happy about that since having a purpose made the town feel slightly less suffocating.

Instead of heading straight back to the Lius, she decided to walk around a bit. If she was going to survive here, she needed to know the layout of the land.

Her path took her along the edge of the lightly wooded area bordering the main road. The air was quiet until a sharp, metallic caw echoed from above.

Sierra stopped. Perched on a low, thick branch of an old oak tree was a crow, its feathers glinting like oil in the afternoon light. Dara probably would’ve flinched at the sound considering their weird encounter with them at the tree, but Sierra just watched it. She loved animals, but crows specifically have always fascinated her. They were clever. They remembered faces.

As a child, Sierra once heard a story told by their elderly neighbor Mr. Howard. Apparently his older brother Michael was a “spawn of Satan,” as he put it, and always hurt other kids at the playground.

One day, Michael grabbed a pebble with the intent of throwing it at his younger brother; however, he hit a crow instead. Right on its head. It fell to the ground and Michael cheered loudly. That was until they heard crowing from above.

Mr. Howard had said that this moment was the only time he’d seen his older brother scared. Dozens of angry crows were flying in a circle above him as if an iron sight was carved into the sky while a higher power was pinning Michael to the earth, ready to shoot him.

The crows quietened and Mr. Howard swore that one could’ve heard a pin drop to the ground. A singular caw was all it took for them to dive toward their target. Michael was screaming and running as they picked at him with their little beaks. According to Mr. Howard, his brother had made it home safely, well, with several injuries and chunks of his hair missing.

The next day, Mr. Howard made a little grave for the dead crow, whereas his older brother still had issues going outside since the crows remembered and kept attacking him. Young Sierra was fascinated by this story and had told her neighbor that she would always be kind to animals.

"Hey there," she murmured, her voice soft so she wouldn't startle the bird.

She reached into her bag and opened the bag of almonds. Moving slowly, she stepped toward the edge of the tree line and placed two almonds on the ground before taking three steps back, keeping her eyes on the bird.

The crow tilted its head, its dark, intelligent eyes locked onto her. It didn't fly away. It just watched her, as if it were evaluating whether she belonged here or not.

"Just a peace offering."

For a second, it didn't move. Then, with a sudden hop, it snatched an almond in its beak. But instead of flying away toward the deep forest, it launched itself toward the town.

Sierra’s eyes followed its flight as she rushed behind it. After a minute or two, the bird glided straight toward the open window of one of the wooden buildings, perching right on the ledge. It gave one loud, metallic caw before disappearing into the forest.

Sierra couldn't help but smile slightly. Curiosity got the better of her, and she found her feet moving to check out the facade. It had a giant sign above the porch that said “gasoline.” She could hear murmuring and the clinking of glasses inside.

Once inside, two familiar faces entered her vision; Rosa and Jade. A group of people were playing darts on her left while Jade sat at the bar, seemingly bored by the conversation he had with Rosa and a bearded man.

Rosa noticed Sierra’s presence first, a warm smile spreading across her face.

“Sierra! How are you feeling on this beautiful morning?”

“Not as happy as you, I’m guessing. Good morning, Rosa, Jade, and…” Sierra glanced at the unknown man behind the bar.

“Tom. Nice to meet you and welcome to our lovely distillery.”

Sierra was unsure what it was, maybe his warm green eyes or his kind smile, but there was an instant, familiar warmth to him. He felt like the kind of person you could talk to for hours without even trying.

“You two work here?” Sierra’s gaze flickered between Tom and Rosa.

“Yes, Tom built this wonderful place. A bar where we can all hang out and enjoy a card game or two makes this town feel more like home, don’t you think?”

“I don’t mean to brag, but I also make the best moonshine in town,” Tom said with a wink.

“Not like there’s much competition here,” Jade muttered under his breath, taking another sip of his drink and making a grimace.

“I told you to try a glass of my potato soju, but you didn’t listen,” Rosa chuckled, glancing mockingly at his annoyed expression.

Jade let out a loud, dramatic groan, dropping his curly head into his hands before looking up at the ceiling. “It’s not the alcohol, Rose. It’s the boring stagnation of this place. My brain is rotting — and I don’t mean that metaphorically. There is a logic to everything in the universe, a mathematical code. But this… this is a paradox. That’s the problem.”

Tom wiped down the wooden counter in slow motions, completely unbothered by Jade’s outburst. He looked at Sierra with a knowing glint in his eye. “Don’t mind him. He’s upset because the town won’t give him the answers to his test.”

Sierra sat down next to Jade, fiddling with a radio that was placed on the counter, “Well, a test has a structure. This place is more of an anomaly. Realistically, we shouldn’t even be stuck here.”

“Thank you!” Jade dramatically stood up, gesturing wildly. “At least someone here takes this seriously!”

He kept rambling on, pacing in front of the bar, talking about how they had to understand the paradox to solve it.

“Schrödinger’s cat,” Tom murmured, wiping down the same spot on the counter.

Jade spun around. “What?”

“Schrödinger’s cat,” Tom repeated, leaning his forearms on the bar. “That’s your paradox. You put the cat in the box, and then you close it. As long as you never open it again...”

“...the cat is theoretically alive and dead at the same time,” Jade finished, rolling his eyes. “I know what Schrödinger’s cat is.”

“Then you know the cat isn't actually both. It’s a thought experiment about the limitations of our understanding,” Tom said, pointing a finger at the radio Sierra was touching. “Here, we’re in the box. All those people we left behind at home… well, they’re sitting around and wondering if we’re alive or dead.”

Sierra looked down at the device, her eyes narrowed with focus.

“So maybe the problem isn't that you can’t figure out the box,” Sierra said, turning around on the bar stool to look at Jade. “The problem is trying to force your way out of it with old logic, instead of building a tool that lets us talk to whoever is trying to look inside. Like a walkie-talkie… or a radio.”

Jade’s brown eyes focused on Sierra, then on the device.

Rosa let out a soft sigh and shook her head, though a fond smile remained on her lips. She reached over and lightly tapped Jade’s arm with her fingers to get his attention.

“And right now, you are going to give yourself a headache before you even figure out how to turn this thing on,” Rosa said, her tone light and teasing.

She glanced at his messy curls and the dark circles under his eyes. “I heard you pacing the floor at my place until three in the morning, Jade. You haven't slept, your shirt is a wrinkled mess, and you are getting worked up over a radio. Breathe a little.”

Jade opened his mouth to argue, but Rosa just gave him a look, making him sink back into his stool with a muted groan, running a hand over his face.

Rosa turned her attention back to Sierra, her expression shifting effortlessly into a bright smile as she tucked a strand of her neat, shoulder-length black bob behind her ear.

“I’m sorry, Sierra. Don't let him ruin your morning. He has absolutely no concept of proper company when his brain gets going.”

“It’s fine,” Sierra said, shifting her weight with a relaxed shrug. “I’m used to handling chaotic people. He’s gonna have to do a lot more than that to faze me.”

Jade let out a dry chuckle as he took another sip of his drink.

“I should get going. I wanted to see more of the town before our Choosing Ceremony,” Sierra said, giving Rosa and Tom a polite nod. “Thanks for the conversation.”

Sierra stepped out of the bar, breathing in the fresh air as the sun warmed her face. She decided to walk toward the barn again. Getting close to the animals usually grounded her when her mind started racing.

As she neared the dirt path, she noticed Nathan walking a few paces ahead of her. He looked completely unhinged. His shoulders were tense, and he was muttering to himself, completely oblivious to her presence.

"Nathan?" Sierra called out, quickening her step to catch up with him.

Nathan flinched, spinning around to look at her. His eyes were wide, and his face was unusually pale. 

"Sierra. Hey. I... I can't talk right now. I have to find my sister before she does something stu—"

He cut himself off, looking toward the barn with a look of pure dread, clearly seeing or hearing something she couldn’t.

Before Sierra could ask what was wrong, a high-pitched yell echoed from the direction of barn.

They didn't waste a second. Nathan and Sierra bolted toward the sound. Sara and Ethan were standing inside the livestock enclosure while screams came from inside the barn.

“Where is my mom? I want my mom!” Ethan yelled at her.

Nathan crept into the enclosure, moving behind his sister in a desperate attempt to de-escalate the situation. That’s when Sierra noticed the glint of a knife in Sara's right hand. She was holding the little boy's wrist in an iron grip.

“Sara, drop the knife!” Sierra urged, her voice sharp and commanding as she reached the edge of the enclosure.

“They told me this was the last one, then everyone gets to go home,” Sara cried. She gripped the handle tighter as Ethan twisted and pulled, trying to slip out of her hold.

“Ethan! Sara!” 

A muffled, frantic yelling came from the back of the barn. Sierra’s head snapped toward the sound. Sara must have trapped Ethan’s mom in one of the backrooms.

In that split second of distraction, Ethan used all his weight to kick Sara hard in the leg.

Sara gasped from the sharp pain, her grip slipping just enough for Ethan to yank his wrist free. The boy took off, sprinting away from her. Seeing the opening, Nathan lunged forward and threw his arms around Sara from behind, pinning her arms down to stop her from chasing the boy.

Sierra hurried toward the struggle, her eyes locked on Sara’s hands to see if she still had the weapon.

“Sara, I need you to calm down. We can fix this,” Sierra pleaded with her hands up as she kept a slight distance from the wrestling siblings.

It all happened in a chaotic blur. Sara, blinded by panic and trying to break free, thrashed violently in her brother's hold, crying that they don’t understand. She managed to twist her body around with a sudden jerk. Her arm whipped backward, and the blade sliced through the air, catching Nathan right across the throat.

“Nathan? Nathan,” Sara hurried toward her brother in shock, trying to stop the bleeding.

As Sara and Nathan slowly fell to the ground, Sierra grabbed the now bloody knife in Sara’s hand and threw it far away as the young woman continued sobbing.

There was no way of her brother surviving this. He had lost too much blood already.

Heavy footsteps approached them from behind. A middle-aged man with a priest outfit jogged into the enclosure area, stopping dead in his tracks as his eyes took in the horrific scene. He dropped to his knees, grabbing a hysterical Sara by the shoulders and pulling her away from Nathan’s body.

"Get up. Sara, look at me, get up!" Khatri whispered urgently, hauling her to her feet and gently pushing her toward the gate.

When he turned back, his dark brown eyes locked onto Sierra. He was breathing heavily, his hands slightly trembling, but his gaze was calculating. They hadn't formally met yet, but he knew exactly who she was.

"You didn't see where she went," Khatri said, his voice a commanding rumble as he took a step closer to Sierra. Not to threaten her, but to make sure she understood. "If the town finds out what she did, they will put her in the Box. It won't bring Nathan back. Do you understand me? You have to trust me."

Sierra eyes moved from the priest to the pool of blood spreading across the dirt. Her mind raced as she thought of the possible outcomes, but she kept her voice steady. "The boy ran. He knows she was holding a knife. Everyone is going to know it was her."

"You need to help Tabitha," Khatri insisted, glancing toward the barn where the muffled banging and shouting had intensified. "But I need you to keep quiet about where she ran off to. For the sake of this town."

Sierra held his gaze for a long second. She didn't like the secrecy, but looking at Nathan's lifeless eyes, she knew causing a manhunt right now would change nothing. She gave the man a single, sharp nod.

"Go," Khatri breathed.

Sierra didn't waste another moment. She checked her hands; there was no blood on them. She turned away from the gruesome scene, ran up to the barn doors, and stepped into the dim interior, following the sound of the desperate yelling.

“Tabitha?”

She ran to the door when she heard, “Over here! Over here! I’m in here!”

Sierra located the barred storage room near the back, lifted the timber bar out of its brackets, and tossed it onto the floor. She pulled the door open, revealing a wide-eyed, panicked Tabitha.

Before Tabitha could even push past her, rapid footsteps thudded against the barn floor. Jim burst through the entrance, his face a mask of pure terror. He locked eyes with his wife, his chest heaving as he sprinted straight toward her.

“You okay? What happened?” Jim tried to calm her down, swiftly glancing at Sierra in confusion.

His wife instantly shoved her hands against his chest, pushing him away with a wild, panicked strength.

"Where is Ethan?" Tabitha yelled, her voice cracking with desperation. "Go and find him!"

They all sprinted outside and saw that a small crowd had formed outside the enclosure, gawking at Nathan’s dead body as if they were bloodthirsty hawks. Tabitha kept repeating her son’s name as they saw a dozen people running to the crime scene, among them Fatima, Ellis, Julie, Dara, and a crying Ethan.

Sierra made her way through the crowd and saw Kristi checking Nathan’s pulse. A shocked Boyd entered the enclosure and locked eyes with Kristi. She shook her head.

He’s dead.

The sun was high in the sky now, hidden behind dark clouds. A fitting weather for the situation they had found themselves in.

Sierra sat on the front porch of the Lius house, her fingers tightly gripped around the cold glass of water Dara had handed her a couple of minutes ago. She hadn't drank a sip. Her mind kept replaying the exact sound of the blade cutting through the air, and the dull thud of Nathan slowly hitting the ground while laying in his killer’s arms.

Dara sat beside her, her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked exhausted, her eyes slightly red from a quiet crying spell that had finally stopped. A sobbing Ethan had ran to them, mumbling something about Sara, Sierra, Nathan, and a knife. She thought her older sister had gotten hurt.

Sierra glanced at Dara again.

She shouldn’t be here.

Victor was right. Dara shouldn’t be here, but then again, none of them should be. She definitely needed to talk to Victor again and some point. He said that he told her Sierra would arrive alone. Sara also said that they told her to do it so that everyone could go home.

“What the fuck is going on here,” Sierra mumbled. To herself? To Dara? She didn’t even know. She didn’t know anything.

"They're going to bury him at the church," Dara whispered, her voice barely carrying over the quiet hum of the wind. "Kenny and Boyd are digging the grave now. It feels wrong. Back home, there would be a service. Flowers. A proper wake."

"Nothing here is proper, D," Sierra said quietly, staring down at her clean hands. She still felt like she could feel the cold metal of the knife handle she had ripped out of Sara's grip.

Footsteps crunched on the gravel of the path. Sierra looked up to see Boyd walking toward them. He looked older than he had yesterday morning, his shoulders carrying the weight of a town that was rapidly spinning out of control.

Jim Matthews had screamed at him earlier in front of the porch they’re sitting on, demanding answers Boyd didn't have, and the stress was written in the deep lines around the sheriff's eyes.

“One big family. Is that what you said? Are you fucking kidding me?” Jim had said, anger clearly visible.

Father Khatri had stood beside Boyd, quiet and observing. Sierra felt bad for knowing what she knew.

As if her thoughts had summoned him, Boyd walked toward them, stopping at the base of the porch steps, a hand resting on the wooden railing. He looked at Dara first, a gentle, tired nod of acknowledgment, before his gaze shifted and locked onto Sierra.

"Sierra," Boyd said, his voice rough. "Can I have a word?"

Dara looked between them, sensing the shift in energy. She quietly stood up, squeezing Sierra’s shoulder before retreating inside the house, leaving the two of them alone on the porch.

“Of course, Sheriff.”

Boyd climbed the steps but didn't sit. He leaned against the railing, looking out toward the distant barn. "The boy is back with his parents. He's shaken up, but he's physically fine. He told me what happened before he ran. He said that Sara had a knife and was threatening him, and he said you were there too."

"I was walking to the barn to see the animals," Sierra said, her voice steady and factual. "I saw Nathan looking panicked, so I followed him. By the time we got to the enclosure, Sara had the knife. Nathan tried to get her to calm down until Ethan kicked her and ran. It was chaos."

"And then?" Boyd pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly, searching her face for any tells. "Ethan said that he ran toward the road. He didn't see what happened next. By the time Jim and the rest of us got there, Nathan was on the ground and Sara was gone. Did you see where she went, Sierra? Did she say anything to you?"

Sierra's fingers softly glided over the slightly raised scar on her right palm.

"No," Sierra lied smoothly, looking Boyd dead in the eye. "Nathan tried to grab her from behind to stop her from chasing the kid. They wrestled. The knife caught his throat, and she panicked. She tried to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. She took off toward the woods before I could even process what happened. I ran inside the barn because I heard Tabitha screaming for help. There was no chance of Nathan making it out alive at that point."

Boyd stared at her for a long, agonizing second or two. He let out a heavy sigh, running a hand over his face.

"Right. The woods. That's what Father Khatri said too. Kenny and I were looking earlier, but if she went deep into those trees..." he trailed off, shaking his head.

“I’m sorry, Sheriff. I wish I could’ve helped more.”

Boyd looked at her, his expression softening just a fraction.

"Don't do that to yourself," Boyd said quietly, straightening up from the railing. "This place pushes people until they snap. It's not on you."

He paused, looking back toward the front door of the sheriff station. "Look, you and Dara… I know you both just got here, and we usually do the Choosing Ceremony ritual, but with everything going on, a big crowd is the last thing this town needs today."

Sierra finally looked up, meeting his eyes.

"Nathan and Sara's house is going to be empty now," Boyd continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's small, but it's quiet. Once things settle down, I think it’d be best if you and Dara took it. Gives you two some space… if that's alright with you."

"Yeah," Sierra said, her voice barely above a whisper. "That sounds alright. Thank you, Sheriff."

Boyd gave a single, tired nod, turning back down the porch steps to head toward the graveyard. Sierra watched him go, her grip tightening on the glass until her knuckles turned white.