Zora froze, staring at the front door.
Bad woman?
She turned to Spark. "I need you to tell me mo—"
BANG BANG BANG.
The pounding came again, louder this time. Her heart kicked into overdrive.
She looked to Aegis. He shook his head.
Zora hesitated, then shrugged and crept toward the front door, her mind racing. She pressed her eye to the peephole—
"ZORA, NO!" Aegis shouted.
But it was too late.
She undid the deadbolt and swung the door open.
Standing there was Sia Mathis — Tariq's mother. The only other person Zora would ever call mom. She towered over Zora's small frame, dressed head to toe in black. But her voice — her voice — still held that same warmth, that same lull that made your shoulders drop and your breath slow.
"Hey baby," Sia said softly. "Are you okay?"
Zora broke down. She dropped to her knees, sobbing.
"Miss Mathis, I—I don't—" she stammered, trying to form words through the tears.
Sia knelt beside her and gently laid a hand on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Zora. Come on over to my house. Your parents are there waiting for you."
Zora's chest tightened. Hope flooded her like a dam breaking.
"My parents? Are they okay? Are they... normal?"
Sia smiled. That perfect, disarming smile.
"Of course they're normal, sweetie," she giggled. "Go pack a bag. I'll wait right here."
Zora stood slowly, wiping her face. "Okay. I'll be right back," she said, closing the door behind her and bolting up the stairs.
Ricochet zipped into her path. "You cannot go with her, Zora."
She sidestepped him.
In her room, she grabbed a backpack and began tossing in essentials.
This time, Nexus blocked her. "Zora, please listen. She's not who—"
"Miss Mathis is the best woman I know!" Zora snapped. "She's who I aspire to be! Don't talk about her like that."
Nexus dimmed.
Zora stuffed more clothes into the bag.
Siri chimed in. "Zora, if you wanna die, fine. But I've only been alive like two hours and I am not ready to go!"
"STOP!" Zora shouted. "You might be part of me, but you aren't me. Just… please. Stop."
The stars fell silent. Their lights dimmed until they barely glowed. Zora felt the weight of their sadness as if it were her own.
She sighed, zipping her bag shut.
"Look," she muttered. "You're not giving me any proof. If something feels off… we'll leave. Deal?"
Nexus sighed. "Fine. You'll see soon enough."
Zora stomped back down the stairs and opened the front door.
Sia was still waiting, that same patient smile on her face.
"You ready, Zora?"
Zora nodded, locking the door behind her and tucking the key back under the flowerpot — just like always.
The stars floated silently behind her as she followed Sia toward the house at the end of the street.
"You know they've been worried sick about you, right?" Sia said as they walked. "Came right to my house, asked me to let them know if I saw you."
Zora's heart sank. "I'm sorry, Miss Mathis. I didn't mean to make them—or you—worry. It's been... a crazy day."
As they made their way up the stairs toward Sia's house, Zora filled her in. She talked about the chaos, the monsters, the corpses—everything. Everything except what she saw in the field. Everything but Tariq.
Sia listened, nodding with concern. When Zora finished, she put a hand to her heart.
"Oh honey, that sounds awful," she said, her eyes glistening with tears. "You must've been so scared."
At the door, Sia smiled warmly and opened it wide.
"Please, come in. Your parents are in the kitchen."
Zora didn't need to be told twice. She rushed past her and down the familiar hallway. Her breath caught as she heard it:
Her mom.
Chattering in Spanish, her voice animated as always.
Zora burst into the kitchen, tears already clouding her vision.
Her mother stood up, arms outstretched.
"No..." she heard Nexus whisper.
But Zora ignored it.
She threw herself into her mother's arms.
"Mom… You guys are okay!" she sobbed into her chest.
Her mother wrapped her arms around her and gently stroked her hair.
"There, there… is okay, is okay. We good now, my baby. You wit' mami, no happen nothing."
Zora melted into the hug. In her arms, she felt safe again. Strong again.
And yet…
Something's wrong.
Her mother's voice was calm—too calm.
And her hands... they were ice cold.
"Hey! What about me?" her father's voice rang from behind.
She turned just as a chair scraped back from the table.
He stepped in, wrapping her in his arms.
She was wrapped in a bear hug, but there was no warmth to be found.
The three of them stood there, holding one another in the middle of the kitchen.
Zora clung to it, even as that small voice inside her whispered that something was very, very off.
After a few long moments, Zora noticed it.
Her mother was trembling.
Zora looked up, confused—expecting to see joy.
But her mother's face was twisted with something else entirely.
Rage.
Her brow furrowed. Her lips, trembling. Her jaw clenched tight.
Before Zora could react, footsteps echoed softly down the hall.
Sia appeared, rounding the corner with a serene smile.
"Aww, look at you three," she cooed, her voice honeyed. "Isn't this just the sweetest thing?"
Zora opened her mouth to speak, but—
A wave of warmth swept over her.
It filled her chest. Her limbs. Her fingertips.
Like a summer night under the stars.
Marshmallows. Campfire. Laughter.
Safe.
So safe.
Her eyelids grew heavy. Her legs wobbled.
She blinked once.
Twice.
The world tilted around her, fading to black.