Tabitha watched Julie disappear with the residents of Colony House, still processing her daughter's verbal outburst. The shock slowly gave way to a mixture of hurt and guilt that tightened in her chest.
She took a deep breath, trying to regain control.
"We can't leave her alone in that house." Her voice came out firm, though there was an underlying tremor. "I'm staying there too."
Boyd, who had been watching the crowd disperse, turned toward her.
"Despite the loose rules, it's a safe place. Donna will take good care of her."
"With all due respect, Sheriff," Jim said, adopting a protective posture. "We don't know her. We need to draw our own conclusions."
Boyd glanced up at the sky, where the light was beginning to fade dangerously. He didn't have time for debate.
"Fine. I'll ask Donna to let you sleep there tonight. Either way, the house you'd be staying in has unprotected windows. You'd have to sleep in the basement."
"But I still advise you not to try to convince Julie today. Let the dust settle."
They both nodded tensely.
"Cool. I want to sleep at Colony House too."
The comment came from Ethan, who had been watching the entire situation in attentive silence.
Jim let out a sigh that was half laughter, half surrender, ruffling his son's hair with a forced smile.
The sheriff turned to Kenny, who was waiting a few steps behind for instructions.
"Kenny, take Jade and your parents to the clinic."
He nodded.
"Khatri," Boyd called to the priest, who was quietly talking with a few residents. "Wait for me at the station with Frank. I won't be long."
The priest agreed with a solemn nod.
The sheriff headed in the direction Donna's group had taken, the Matthews family following close behind. The silence between them was heavy, each lost in their own thoughts.
Jim leaned toward Tabitha, speaking low enough that only she could hear.
"Later you need to apologize to Daniel. Despite his attitude, he's only helped us since we got here."
"I know." The reply came in a regret-laden whisper. She had gone too far in a moment of nerves, placing blame on someone who didn't deserve to carry it.
The words had come out before she could filter them. And now there was no taking them back.
---
At Colony House, Donna's group had just arrived. She pushed the front door open with familiar force, turning to the residents in the living room.
"Everyone! We've got two new members!"
A few people who hadn't attended the ceremony immediately came over to greet the newcomers.
"Let's get things ready for the welcome party!" Fatima grabbed Julie's arm with contagious enthusiasm, her curls bouncing as she gestured. "We have a tradition here. Good food, maybe even a little—"
"Donna." A thin young man at the back of the group interrupted her, pointing outside. "The sheriff's coming. With the girl's parents."
Julie stiffened instantly. Her entire body tensed. The worst possible scenario crossed her mind: they would drag her away by force.
Donna noticed the change immediately. She placed a firm hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Don't worry. Since you chose this house, you're under my protection. No one can take you by force."
Daniel watched the interaction with narrowed eyes. He didn't agree with that kind of protection. They were her parents. Even with problems, it was better to let them work things out without outside interference.
He looked at Julie and saw pure rebellion stamped across her face. Jaw clenched, posture defiant.
It was the same rebellion he'd once seen in the mirror. Except now she was turning it against the wrong place, her own family.
He didn't judge her for it. He himself had done something similar when he was younger. Something he regretted. If he could go back in time, he'd do it differently.
She still has time to mature.
"Boyd." Donna stopped in front of the group when the sheriff entered, her posture relaxed but alert. "Can I help you with something?"
He quickly explained the reason for the visit.
"All right." Donna agreed after thinking for a moment. "We always have space. But I hope you've all calmed down. I don't want fights inside the house."
Julie looked visibly uncomfortable knowing her parents would be sleeping there. She looked at the floor, the walls, anywhere but their direction. She didn't know what to say. What to do.
"Since everything's settled..." Daniel broke the growing silence, drawing attention. "I wanted to know if you have a talisman you could spare, Donna."
Several looks immediately turned toward him. Boyd included.
"Kenny left a few here earlier." Donna tilted her head, curious. "But why do you want one?"
"I'm going to use it in the motorhome." His reply was casual, as if it were obvious. "I'm sleeping there."
The impact was immediate.
"What?" Julie snapped her head toward him.
"Are you serious?" Fatima's eyes widened.
"But we don't know if the talisman works in a vehicle," Ellis interjected. "It's never been tested."
"Then it looks like I'll be the first to find out whether talisman science is compatible with the automotive sector." Daniel shrugged with that studied indifference that made people want to shake him.
"You're being reckless again," Julie murmured, loud enough for him to hear. Her fingers automatically went to her bracelet, spinning it in a nervous tic.
"No need to get like that, everyone." Daniel raised his hands in a placating gesture that convinced no one. "The vehicle is armored. And we already know the talisman works in enclosed rooms."
"Even so, it's not one hundred percent certain it'll work," Fatima said, concern evident in the way she frowned.
"And what is one hundred percent?" Daniel shot back, his tone more serious but not hostile. "A person can die just by tripping on a rock."
He paused, seeing that Boyd and Donna still weren't convinced.
"If it works, we'll have one more form of protection against those things. Useful information."
"I don't think this is a good idea," the sheriff finally spoke. He hadn't been liking Daniel much lately, but he also didn't want to see him kill himself out of stubbornness.
Daniel made a show of helplessness, spreading his arms. "Unfortunately, Sheriff, if I don't get a talisman, I'll have to test just the vehicle's armor. Which, let's be honest, would be a much more exciting experiment for whoever's inside. Would you rather I go with or without the lucky charm?"
Donna let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "You're a pain in the ass, you know that? Stubborn as a mule. Ellis, get him a talisman before I change my mind and leave him out there with nothing but a blanket."
Boyd said nothing more. He'd given his opinion. Now, if Daniel wanted to take the risk, it wasn't his problem anymore. He had bigger issues to deal with.
He also couldn't deny that he wanted to know whether the talisman would work in vehicles. It had been on his mind for some time, but there'd never been a reason to test it.
"I'm heading out." The sheriff announced. "Still have something to take care of."
The weight in his voice made it clear it wasn't something he wanted to do.
Donna waved goodbye.
Ellis returned quickly, the object dangling between his fingers. He handed it to Daniel, who took it with a smile and thanked him.
"You're really going to do this?" Julie asked, hoping he'd change his mind.
"I am." Daniel kept his tone light, waving a hand in the air as if it were a trivial matter. "Don't worry so much. Sometimes I make impulsive decisions, but this isn't one of them."
"How am I not supposed to worry..." The whisper was so low it almost vanished into the surrounding murmur.
"What did you say?" Daniel tilted his head, frowning.
Before Julie could answer, Tabitha approached timidly. Jim and Ethan followed close behind, forming a hesitant family unit.
"Daniel." Tabitha cleared her throat, fingers interlaced in a show of nervousness. "I wanted to apologize for what I said."
He was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected it so soon. Much less in front of everyone.
"Don't worry, Tabitha. If I were judged by everything I say under pressure, I'd already have been exiled from at least three continents."
She let out a sigh of relief that seemed to come from the depths of her soul. She turned toward Julie, her mouth opening to start a conversation that needed to happen.
But the words died before they could leave. The atmosphere was wrong. The moment, even worse.
"Are you okay?" In the end, only a generic question came out.
"I am." Julie replied awkwardly, looking away.
The silence that followed was painfully uncomfortable. Everyone around them hearing, but pretending not to.
"Well." Daniel clapped his hands once, breaking the tension efficiently. "It's time for me to head to my luxury suite. Good night, everyone."
He moved toward the door before anyone could protest.
"Good luck, kid." Donna called after him, the words carrying the weight of experience. "And no matter what they say, don't open the door. Understand?"
He simply nodded in agreement, waving over his shoulder without looking back.
---
The interior of the motorhome was an oasis of technological normalcy. Daniel hung the talisman from the rearview mirror, making sure it was secure. The object looked strangely out of place among the modern dashboard and LED screens.
Daniel went to the fridge and grabbed a cold can of Coke, the metal chilly against his palm. The sound of the tab popping open was satisfying.
He sat down on the leather couch, sinking into the soft upholstery. The massive TV on the opposite wall stared back at him, promising hours of distraction.
He browsed through the nearly endless list of entertainment. Anime, series, movies, documentaries, music. Everything meticulously cataloged, waiting for a single click.
Daniel decided to marathon the Django films. A classic. Violent.
He got everything ready and went to the kitchen to make popcorn. The smell of melted butter began to fill the space as the kernels popped in a steady rhythm.
That's when he saw them through the window.
They were starting to appear.
Human figures emerging from the shadows between the trees. Slow steps. Smiles far too wide.
An old woman approached the motorhome, stopping right below the kitchen window. Her wrinkled face was stretched into that unnatural smile. Her eyes fixed on him without blinking.
"Could you give me a glass of water, dear?" Her voice was gentle.
"Sure." Daniel replied with a calm smile. "Let me just grab my list of people who deserve hospitality. Oh, wait. Smiling monsters aren't included. Tough luck."
The old woman's smile didn't falter. It widened.
"We're watching you."
The words carried something that made the hairs on the back of Daniel's neck stand up. What bothered him wasn't these monsters themselves, but the unknown ones.
Daniel pressed a button on the wall-mounted control panel, closing the blinds on every window. His smile faltered for a brief moment before he picked up the steaming bowl of popcorn and went back to the couch.
It was time to stop thinking about it and relax.
---
At Colony House, the atmosphere was the opposite. The residents were crowded near the windows, peering through the gaps between the boards.
"They're all over him," Julie whispered, her heart pounding.
The creatures surrounded the motorhome, circling it, rapping lightly on its sides. It was a nerve-wracking test for everyone watching.
Donna tried to look calm as she observed the motionless vehicle on the lawn.
Minutes passed that felt like hours. Then, gradually, the creatures began to retreat, as if they'd lost interest in prey they couldn't touch.
A collective sigh of relief swept through the living room at Colony House. Fatima squeezed Julie's shoulder. "See? He did it. The talisman works in a vehicle."
Julie didn't respond, but felt her legs go weak. She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes for a moment.
Inside the vehicle, Daniel tossed a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in his mouth.
[You really like living on the edge, don't you?]
"The edge is the only place with a good view, System," Daniel thought, diving back into the movie's revenge-fueled plot while the world outside continued to be hell.
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