The RV rolled past them, kicking up dust behind it. Dean's eyes stayed on it. Victor and Tabitha sat up front, while their kids, Ethan and Julie, pressed their faces to the windows, looking around with curious eyes.
Dean smiled inwardly when he spotted little Ethan. 'Well, at least Maegan's got some new company,' he thought.
The RV soon disappeared into the trees, though its arrival had already drawn plenty of attention. Several people had stepped out of their houses to watch, curiosity written on their faces.
Dean turned toward Donna. "People… come around here often?"
Donna blinked, caught off guard. Two new arrivals in one day was rare. She shook her head. "Nah… it's been dead quiet for months before you showed up." Then, almost under her breath, she muttered, "Is this… some kind of sign? Things are about to change, I can feel it."
Dean raised an eyebrow. He was a bit surprised by how intuitive this woman was.
They started walking again toward Boyd's place. In the distance, they could see Boyd already outside, Kenny and Father Khatri beside him. Looked like they'd been having some kind of gathering before the RV rolled in.
Now, Boyd was busy telling the folks who had come out of their houses to head back inside. "Don't stand around staring," he warned them, reminding everyone how hard their first time had been for each of them. One by one, the curious faces disappeared, shutters and doors closing again.
By the time Dean and Donna reached Boyd, the street had grown quiet. Donna stepped forward first. "It's not long before sunrise," she said firmly. "We have to get them out of that RV before it's too late."
Boyd gave her a short nod, as he was thinking about doing the same thing. Dean greeted Boyd, Kenny, and Father Khatri, who returned the gesture.
Dean looked at the group and then voiced his doubt,"How are you planning on getting them out of that thing? From where I'm standing, it looks like some random townsfolk trying to hustle new arrivals. If it were me… I'd think scam first, apocalypse second."
Kenny sighed, shoulders dropping. "Yeah, you're not wrong. That's happened more times than I'd like...Folks see strangers knocking, warning about 'stay inside before dark,' and they think it's a setup. By the time they get it's real, it's too damn late."
Dean smiled smugly, "Guess both you and me should be thankful that I didn't need any convincing. Saw enough with my own eyes to get the picture."
Kenny gave a tired smile. "That's the only reason we didn't waste breath on you. Most people… we've gotta drag them out kicking and screaming before they believe us. Some never believe at all."
Father Khatri folded his arms, voice calm but heavy. "And every time someone refuses, it costs lives. Not just theirs." He looked at Boyd. "We can't afford hesitation."
Boyd sighed and spoke, his voice sharp and clear. "Kenny. Let them drive around two more times. They'll see soon enough that every road comes back here. After that, we're done wasting time." He paused, then added, "Bring out the car spikes. Same as always. If they won't stop on their own, we'll make sure that RV doesn't keep looping around until sundown."
Kenny gave a quick nod and rushed off to bring the spikes.
Boyd's voice lowered, but it stayed firm. "Better to wreck some tires than watch another family get ripped apart on their first night."
Father Khatri made the sign of the cross, whispering under his breath, while Donna glanced at the trees, already thinking about how close the shadows were getting.
Dean looked at the group, then muttered, "Hell of a welcome wagon."
As Kenny hurried off to fetch the spikes, the RV showed up again, rolling out from the far end of town. This time, instead of speeding past, it slowed as it reached them. The door creaked open, and a man stepped down—tall, wiry, with tired eyes that still carried a spark of authority. He walked up cautiously, glancing at Boyd and the others before speaking.
"Excuse me," the man said carefully, his tone polite. "Could you help me out?" He continued after a pause,"I think I've been driving in circles. I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the highway."
Boyd spoke after a second or so,"Uh… just keep following the road up to that hill… and you'll see."
The man frowned slightly, puzzled by the vague directions, but still gave a small nod. "Alright… thank you." He offered a quick, appreciative smile before heading back to the RV.
Meanwhile, Dean's mind was racing. He knew what was coming. After one more loop, the Matthews family was bound to get into an accident because of Jade's car. The thought pressed on him. Should he step in? Maybe warn them to slow down? That way, the accident could be avoided. It would definitely count as a major change in the story. It might even boost his progress percentage.
But the other side of it hit him just as fast. If the crash didn't happen, convincing the Matthews about the truth of this cursed town would be twice as hard. Jim only trusted Boyd in the show because Boyd had helped them after the wreck—and Ethan had needed patching up. Without that, they might think it was all just another scam.
Dean hesitated for a few seconds, weighing it in his head. Then, as Jim was climbing back into the RV, Dean made his choice.
"Hey man," Dean called out. "One piece of advice before you head off. These roads out here… they've got sharp bends. Real nasty ones. You'll wanna ease up on the gas, or you'll end up in a ditch—no shit."
Jim paused, gave him a polite nod, and said, "Appreciate it. Thanks." Then he stepped inside the RV, shut the door and drove off.
Dean looked at the others, wondering if anyone thought his warning sounded strange. No one reacted. Their faces stayed calm and focused, like nothing was unusual. If anything, they seemed relieved. A slower RV meant that when it rolled over the spikes, the tires would burst, but the vehicle wouldn't spin out of control. It would slow down and come to a stop instead of crashing hard.
Not long after Jim drove off, Kenny came jogging back with the spikes. The group fell into step, silent and heavy with expectation, waiting for the RV to swing back around. Sure enough, the RV showed up again, dust kicking behind it—faster this time, like the driver was spooked.
Donna clicked her tongue. She knew that look—newbies flooring it, desperate to beat the loop that never let anyone out. The RV didn't stop. It drove straight ahead.
Once the RV was out of sight, Kenny dropped the spikes across the far side of the road, quick and careful, then sprinted back. Everyone waited, tense, ready for the hit.
But nothing happened. Minutes went by, and the RV still didn't show up.
Dean frowned, a knot forming in his chest. Had his warning changed nothing? Did the crash still happen somewhere out of sight? He didn't have time to puzzle it out. The sound of an engine rose again, but this time from another direction.
The RV came back into view—not from the road it had first shown up on in the earlier loops. This time it rolled out of the same road it had gone down before. Dean's brow furrowed. That wasn't supposed to happen.
The vehicle slowed, then stopped near them. The driver's window slid down, and Jim leaned out, voice sharp and urgent.
"There's been an accident!" he shouted. "We need your help—please!"
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