The rest of the drive was wrapped in complete silence. Each of them, in their own way, was stewing over the macabre event in the town center. All they wanted now was to finally walk through the front door of the mansion and feel the comfort of its protective walls.
Almost five minutes later, they entered a street where overgrown vegetation dominated both sides, leaving only a gravel road as the way forward. Five more minutes, and they reached the foot of the hill. According to the GPS, it would take another ten minutes to get to the house, provided there were no surprises.
The road up was narrow and lined with pine trees, allowing only one car at a time. On both sides of the road, just trees. To the left, they stretched endlessly into a forest; to the right, they ended in a cliff about twenty meters away.
"I need to remind Rob to be careful with that cliff… or maybe set up some kind of fence so he doesn't get too close without realizing the danger," Augusto thought.
The GPS had calculated well. Ten minutes later, they were at the top of the hill. Rob let out a loud "Woooow" as he looked down. From up there, you could see all of Rio Denso, under a clear sky and surrounded by greenery in every direction. None of the boring, ugly buildings of the big city, no constant smoke or gray sky. It was his first time outside São Paulo—and he didn't want to go back.
Augusto and Elisa felt comforted to see their son looking more relaxed, maybe even a bit happy. She smiled faintly, stroked the boy's hair, and wrapped an arm around her husband. He joined the embrace.
"If you're surprised now, son, just wait until night falls and all the lights come on," said Augusto.
If all went well, the furniture would arrive by the next day at the latest. Since they didn't have a table yet, Elisa laid a cloth on the grass, Augusto brought the groceries from the trunk, and Rob helped his parents set up a cozy afternoon picnic under the shade of the big tree.
The mansion was even more spectacular up close. It had two stories and resembled the houses they'd seen upon arriving in Rio Denso. One of the rooms had a window set into the roof, right in front. Augusto was sure Rob would insist on staying in that one. The porch had heavy wooden carved chairs and a swing. And they didn't have to worry about mosquitoes—every entrance already had protective screens installed.
The family tried to forget the earlier incident. Elisa rested her head on her husband's leg while he fed her grapes straight to her mouth. She popped a few between her teeth, letting the juice dribble down her lips. Rob burst out laughing and said:
"Mom and Dad are kissing! You're kissing!"
Elisa joined her son's sweet giggles, and Augusto gave the boy a gentle push that knocked him onto the grass. Boris pounced and left a big slobbery kiss on his face.
"Eww, Boris! Get off! Hahaha… You'll see, you ugly dog!"
Rob wriggled free from the Saint Bernard and dashed off to play tag.
The house had plenty of space for him to do anything—kick a ball, run, or just lie down next to Boris. The tree in front of the house was magnificent—very tall, filled with lush green leaves, and casting shade over most of the yard. It also gave the home a cozy charm. Unlike the trees lining the hill road, this one wasn't a pine. Augusto guessed it was a type of fig tree. Its massive branches spread out in all directions. At the center of the trunk, there was a large fissure. From that point down, it looked hollow.
"It looks like a big mouth. Like it's yawning," Rob said. One of the things Augusto loved most about his son was his imagination.
"You're right, kiddo. And if you're not careful, it might eat you up!" he said, scooping Rob up and pretending to stuff him into the tree's hole. The boy laughed, and Augusto set him back down, tousling his hair.
They stayed out there for about forty minutes—talking, laughing, and eating. The view was truly breathtaking. Augusto felt happy in that moment. And it seemed his wife and son were enjoying the place just as much as he was.
Rob ran into the house to explore and came back like a rocket—Boris close behind—excited about something Augusto already suspected. The boy rushed over, panting, and said:
"Wow, Dad, this house is huge!" He paused to catch his breath and continued. "I already picked my room. I want the attic." He pointed to the window set into the roof.
Augusto looked to Elisa, waiting for a nod of approval or disapproval. She nodded.
"Alright, champ. But only if I get a hug and a kiss."
Rob grinned at his dad like it was the easiest deal in the world. He threw himself into Augusto's arms and gave him a big hug.
Then the boy added:
"But, Dad, some parts of the house scare me."
Augusto looked at him gently.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, son. Besides, we've got Boris to protect us."
Boris barked. Rob paused, processing what his dad had said, then continued:
"But it's just so big. What if there are monsters in the basement?"
Elisa and Augusto smiled.
"Come here, little guy," said his father. "No need to be scared. Before we go to sleep, I'll check the basement for monsters, and if I find any, I'll take care of them. Deal?"
"With your superpowers?" Rob whispered in his father's ear.
"With my superpowers," Augusto said, giving him a wink.
The boy stared at his dad.
"Okay then. Come on, Boris!" he yelled, running off again.
***
Among the trees, someone was watching them.
A man of about forty years—who hadn't shaved his beard in at least ten—stood beside a boy who looked to be around eight.
"When are we going to talk to them, Ben? I want this done," said the boy. Despite having his eyes covered by a bandage that wrapped most of his head, he seemed to see every detail of the family's joyful afternoon.
The voice coming from his mouth—the only visible part of his face besides his nose—didn't belong to a child, but to a grown man.
The older man stroked his massive beard and replied in a lifeless, cold tone:
"All in due time, Michael. We've waited years for this moment, and we can't risk blowing everything now. Patience."
The boy huffed, clearly not satisfied with the answer. Ben tried to place a hand on his shoulder, but it passed right through. Then he shook his head, as if to snap back into focus, and said:
"Let's go, before they see us. That would make it harder to approach."