The passengers' heavy breathing and frightened murmurs filled the sheriff's station.
Bakta stood against the wall, rubbing her face with both hands as though trying to wake herself from a nightmare.
When she finally looked up, she took a deep breath and fixed her eyes on Boyd.
"Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?" the driver demanded. Her voice trembled, but there was unmistakable resolve behind it. "What was that... thing?"
The sheriff raised a hand, asking for patience.
"I'll explain everything. But first, I need to understand something."
He turned his attention to Elgin, who remained seated with Marielle beside him, both still recovering from everything that had just happened.
"How did you know?... How did you know there was something wrong with this place?"
The room immediately fell silent. Every eye turned toward Elgin, filled with a mixture of suspicion and unease.
Under the weight of those stares, the young man shrank into himself.
"I... I had a dream." He stammered. "On the bus. I fell asleep and dreamed about this place... I don't remember everything. It's like any dream that fades after you wake up. But I remembered the town and horrible things coming out of the darkness. When I woke up and saw the houses, they looked exactly like they did in my nightmare. That's why I wanted us to leave."
Boyd exchanged a brief, meaningful glance with Father Khatri and Donna.
Prophetic dreams were nothing new in this town.
The problem was that, until now, none of them had ever provided any real answers or a concrete clue about how to escape.
"All right," the sheriff murmured, deciding he'd question Elgin further another time.
He addressed the newcomers and began the same speech he had repeated dozens of times before.
He explained the road that always led back to town, the complete impossibility of contacting the outside world, and, most importantly, the creatures that took on human form to slaughter anyone left outside after dark.
As his words sank in, everyone reacted differently.
One elderly woman began quietly crying.
A man kept shaking his head, refusing to accept any of it.
Another laughed nervously, unable to process the absurdity of the situation.
Some simply remained silent, staring at the floor as though expecting it all to be an illusion.
Even so, no one needed many details about the monsters.
The attack was still far too vivid in their memories.
"So you're telling me I drove my bus straight into some Bermuda Triangle that's been wiped off the map?" Bakta let out a bitter laugh. "And now we're supposed to trust a rock to keep us alive? That's insane."
"Insane or not, this is our reality," Khatri replied with his usual calm.
Across the room, Randall's face reflected nothing but distrust.
Despite everything he had witnessed that night, he still didn't trust a single person in the room.
Nearby, Kenny was crouched beside Kelly.
The young woman still sat on the floor with her knees pulled against her chest, her body trembling.
"Here. Take small sips," he said, offering her a cup of water.
Kelly accepted it with both hands, but her fingers shook so badly that the water nearly spilled over.
The shock written across her face came not only from the carnage she had seen, but from the betrayal as well.
"He left me..." she whispered as tears finally escaped. "Brian saw that thing... and he just ran. He abandoned me."
Her chest tightened with a pain that had nothing to do with fear.
"You're safe now," Kenny replied quietly.
He knew that expression of despair better than he wished he did.
"No one's prepared for the things that happen here."
At that moment, Kelly lowered her eyes.
Tiny dark splatters stained the pale sleeve of her coat.
A muffled gasp escaped her lips.
In one abrupt motion, she tore the coat off and threw it away as though merely touching the fabric would burn her.
Without saying a word, Kenny picked it up from the floor, carefully folded it, and set it out of sight.
Kelly took several deep breaths, trying to gather her thoughts.
"Thank you," she said softly. "For coming after me. You didn't even know me, and yet..."
"I just did what anyone should've done." Kenny scratched the back of his neck, trying to sound casual, though the slightly straighter posture he unconsciously adopted betrayed the quiet satisfaction of having saved her. "You're alive. That's what matters."
She simply nodded, still hugging herself.
Near the window, Daniel was lost in thought, reflecting on the creatures' behavior, when Predator's Senses sent a faint chill crawling across the back of his neck.
Following the direction indicated by the skill, he found Randall staring at him without even trying to hide his hostility.
An innocent smile spread across Daniel's face.
"Got a problem?" He tilted his head slightly. "Want to thank me?"
The veins in Randall's neck bulged.
"Thank you? You punched me in the stomach, you son of a bitch."
"After you tried to hit me in the face." Daniel raised an eyebrow as though pointing out the most obvious detail in the world. "Besides, you're welcome. For saving your life. If you ever need me to beat you up again to stop you from committing suicide, just let me know. I'll do you that favor as a courtesy."
One of the Colony House residents standing near Donna let out a snort of laughter.
Donna shot him a disapproving look, and the man immediately cleared his throat, trying to hide his embarrassment.
Randall's face turned crimson with rage.
He took a step forward, clenching his fist.
"That's enough! Both of you!" Boyd barked, quickly stepping between them before things could get out of hand. "I won't tolerate any fighting inside my sheriff's station!"
Indifferent to the threat, Daniel turned his back on Randall.
He dismissed the man like an annoying insect and walked over to the window. Leaning forward slightly, he peered through the gaps between the boards.
The street was empty, with no sign of the creatures. To be sure, he activated Danger Wi-Fi. The minimap confirmed it: no red dots anywhere near the sheriff's station.
Satisfied, he turned back to the group and raised his voice just enough for everyone to hear.
"Well, everyone, it's been a pleasure. I sincerely hope you all have a wonderful night." He gave a casual farewell wave. "But it's time for me to go."
The silence that followed was almost tangible.
Everyone stared at him in disbelief. Even Julie's eyes widened. More than anyone, she knew how powerful Daniel had become, but walking out into the night surrounded by dozens of creatures with superhuman strength still sounded like a death sentence. One mistake, one careless moment, and even he could end up cornered.
Without realizing it, she reached out and grabbed the edge of his jacket. Daniel looked back over his shoulder, giving her a reassuring smile that was enough to ease some of her tension.
"Have you lost your mind?" Donna asked, frowning. Even by Daniel's standards, this was pure madness.
"The door stays locked until sunrise. Nobody goes outside," Boyd added, taking a step forward.
"Relax, Sheriff. I'm not planning on going for a jog with the monsters." Daniel slipped a hand into his pocket and pulled out the motorhome's key fob.
With a sharp click, he pressed the alarm button three times in succession.
The next instant, the deep rumble of a powerful engine echoed outside.
Boyd and Donna rushed to the window almost simultaneously. Both froze as they watched the motorhome parked beside the Matthews' house come to life on its own.
The vehicle slowly rolled forward until it stopped directly in front of the sheriff's station.
Donna blinked several times, unable to find the words.
Boyd let out a long, noisy exhale.
"If you'll excuse us," Daniel said, lacing his fingers with Julie's as they walked toward Father Khatri, who stood by the door.
Hearing the engine and seeing the vehicle drive itself, Julie concluded that it had to be yet another feature of the divine motorhome.
Considering everything she'd already learned, it almost seemed normal.
"You can't do this. It's an unnecessary risk." Khatri kept one hand firmly on the doorknob.
Several of the passengers also began protesting, demanding that the door remain shut.
Daniel stopped and cast a single cold glance toward the newcomers.
The memory of him crushing that creature's eyes in front of everyone, combined with the fact that Julie had drawn a gun earlier, was enough to quiet every complaint. The protests died before they could truly begin.
When he turned back to Boyd and Khatri, his expression returned to its usual pragmatic calm.
"Come on. Don't make this more complicated than it has to be. There is no way in hell I'm spending the night sitting on the floor of this tiny sheriff's station while my comfortable bed is only a few yards away."
"You open the door, we get into the motorhome, and before any creature can get close, you'll already have the place locked up again. Simple."
Donna and Kenny remained silent. Both knew trying to change Daniel's mind would be a complete waste of time.
Khatri looked toward Boyd.
The sheriff studied Daniel for several long seconds. Then he looked back out the window, making sure no creatures had appeared during the brief delay. Only then did he let out a deep breath.
"Fine. But make it quick."
He gave Khatri a subtle nod.
The priest unlocked the door.
Daniel and Julie crossed the threshold almost instantly, covering the short distance to the motorhome in just a few strides.
As soon as they reached it, Daniel climbed aboard first and reached down to pull Julie inside before Khatri shut and locked the station door once more.
"It really drove itself over here." Julie pulled the pistol from her waistband, where the cold metal had begun to bother her, storing the weapon in her Inventory.
"It's just one of its many features." Daniel shrugged. "Now that you know where it came from, I imagine that's nowhere near the strangest thing on the list."
Julie nodded slightly, unable to argue.
Daniel started the engine and drove the motorhome a few yards back to its usual parking spot, maneuvering it with practiced precision before shutting it off.
"You're gonna have to teach me how to drive sometime," Julie said.
"Sure. Maybe tomorrow."
She smiled brightly as she grabbed one of the water bottles and drank nearly half a liter in one go.
"Anyway..." Daniel leaned against the marble countertop. The look on his face made it obvious there were ulterior motives behind his tone. "We survived another day of chaos. I think that earns us the right to begin our nighttime training."
Julie rolled her eyes, though the amused smile on her face made it clear she'd been expecting exactly that.
"You perv." She pointed a finger at him in mock reproach. "But only after we eat and take a shower."
That night, they finally put the bathtub to use.
Each round earned Daniel 0.03 attribute points, while Julie received 0.7.
By the end of the fourth round, when they finally fell asleep beneath the tangled sheets, he had accumulated a total of 0.12, while she had gained 2.8.
The following morning, the motorhome's peace was shattered by a barrage of frantic knocks at the door.
Daniel, who was already up preparing breakfast, set the spatula down on the counter, walked over to the entrance, and unlocked the door.
The moment he opened it, he found Tabitha and Jim standing outside, both wearing expressions far too tense for any greeting.
"Where's Julie?" Tabitha asked without preamble, already craning her neck to peek inside over Daniel's shoulder.
"She's fine," Daniel replied. "She's still asleep."
Tabitha let out a sigh of relief. Her shoulders visibly relaxed as she explained in broken sentences that she'd heard the motorhome's engine start during the night.
When she'd rushed to the window, all she'd managed to see was the vehicle already driving back down the street. Having no idea what had happened, she'd spent most of the night awake, imagining the worst.
The relief, however, didn't last long. It was quickly replaced by the scolding Jim had been holding back for hours.
"You two were unbelievably reckless!" He gestured emphatically as he spoke. "You stood in the middle of the street while those things were coming out of the forest. Then, instead of staying at the sheriff's station, you decided to go back to the motorhome. Do you have any idea how worried we were?"
Daniel folded his arms and took the entire barrage of complaints without changing his expression.
Just then, Julie appeared behind him, still half-asleep.
"Morning..."
Her quiet voice made it obvious she'd already overheard at least part of the conversation.
"Good thing you're here." Daniel glanced over his shoulder. "I was starting to get tired of getting scolded all by myself."
Julie almost laughed, but when she noticed her parents' expressions growing even more serious, she swallowed it before it could escape.
"Where's Ethan?" she asked, making an unconvincing attempt to change the subject.
"He's still asleep," Tabitha answered automatically. "And don't try to deflect, Julie. The two of you risked your lives out of pure stubbornness."
Embarrassed, Julie pulled her hand out from behind her back and nervously adjusted her hair.
Being scolded by her parents in front of her boyfriend made her feel, for a few moments, like she was sixteen again.
At that moment, Jim's gaze settled on her forearm.
The black tattoo of a towering, leafless tree stood out clearly against Julie's fair skin.
Ever since the bond had been formed, she'd been wearing long sleeves to keep that detail hidden from her parents.
"W-What's that on your arm?"
Tabitha followed her husband's gaze and widened her eyes.
"Julie... is that a tattoo?"
Caught off guard, Julie slowly lowered her arm.
Before she could come up with an explanation, Daniel spoke first.
"I tattooed her." Then he raised his own forearm. "I've got the same one."
The look Jim and Tabitha gave Daniel was heavy with unspoken accusations. To them, it looked like far more than a simple tattoo.
It was a permanent mark their daughter shared with him, something that symbolized a bond much deeper than a recent relationship.
"It wasn't his fault." Julie instinctively stepped forward. "I'm the one who asked for it. I thought it looked cool, and I wanted a matching one. It's just body art, Dad."
Jim ran both hands over his face.
Beside him, Tabitha simply shook her head, reminding herself that her daughter was an adult now and old enough to make her own decisions, whether they liked them or not.
"Just... for God's sake..." Jim's voice had lost much of its earlier harshness. "Don't put yourselves in a situation like yesterday again. Don't tempt fate or risk your lives."
"You got it. We'll be more careful," Daniel replied with a respectful nod.
Julie nodded immediately afterward.
The two of them sounded sincere enough to end the conversation, though Jim and Tabitha both suspected that if another similar situation arose, they'd do exactly the same thing all over again. Unable to come up with any new arguments, the couple said their goodbyes.
As soon as the door closed, Daniel locked it.
Julie let out a long sigh and rested her forehead against his chest. Daniel wrapped an arm around her waist and gently kissed the top of her head.
"We survived the Inquisition," he murmured with a hint of amusement.
"That was close." Julie lifted her brown eyes to meet his. "For a moment, I thought they were going to lose it and ask about my gun."
"Maybe they didn't even notice," Daniel said with a faint smile. "Or maybe they're just saving their ammo for the next lecture."
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