The Next Morning
The morning sun filtered weakly through the trees, doing little to chase away the shadows clinging to their memories. A heavy silence hung over the group, the terror of the previous night still fresh in their minds. No one spoke at first—each of them lost in thoughts of the friends they'd lost and the horror they'd endured.
After some time, Sky approached Nori. The fear still lingered in his eyes, but he extended a hand. "We're still in this together," he said quietly. Nori hesitated, then nodded, accepting the gesture. Their friendship, though strained, began to mend.
Lumen stepped closer, her voice trembling. "Sky… please," she said, almost in a whisper. "Don't ever do anything like that again." There was fear in her voice, but also something else—deep concern. Sky glanced at her, and for a moment, his expression softened. He gave a small smile, touched by her worry.
"I promise," he said. "But we all need to be more careful. Stay close to one another. We still don't know where that… thing came from last night. We can't afford to get separated."
The group nodded solemnly. Grief hung in the air like mist, unshakable.
Then William stepped forward, anger tightening his voice. "Let's not forget why we lost people last night," he said sharply. "It was because of Nori. He's the one who had the brilliant idea. And it nearly got us all killed."
Nori lowered his head, guilt washing over him. No one rushed to his defense. The weight of William's words hung heavy, undeniable.
Lery's voice was low, tense. "I don't think it's such a terrible thing… that the creature came. Not if the knife really protects us from it. So William—don't put this on Nori."
He glanced around before continuing, his eyes shadowed with something deeper. "We've started to understand why she appeared at that exact moment. There's a connection… between Mery and her. Something we missed before. Something dangerous."