Headlights finally washed the far end of the street. A compact car turned the corner too fast, tires squealing lightly before it corrected, then pulled up with a quick, worried stop.
The driver's door flew open. Evelyn stepped out, her cardigan thrown hastily over rumpled pajamas, hair half-pinned, and her eyes wide with alarm.
"June!" she called, crossing the pavement in quick strides. "Why on earth didn't you wait until morning? Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Her voice wasn't angry—it was anxious, sharp with that kind of panic only someone who cares too much carries. She reached June, immediately scanning her niece's face like she expected to see bruises or tears. "It's past eleven. This isn't safe. You should have told me you were coming tonight."
June opened her mouth, then closed it. The excuses sat somewhere on her tongue but refused to form. The truth—that she'd seen something that made her skin crawl and had no words for it—was impossible to say. So she just held onto the strap of her duffel and stared at her shoes.
"I just… I just wanted to leave," she murmured finally. Her voice sounded thin, even to herself. "I couldn't stay in Bel-Air any longer."
Evelyn's expression softened at that, though worry still pinched her brow. She let out a long sigh, then shook her head, pulling June into her arms. "Sweetheart, you could've told me. I would've arranged something. You didn't have to come alone, not in the middle of the night like this."
June stayed silent, letting herself sink into the hug but not answering. What could she say? That she'd seen two figures moving faster than her eyes could follow? That one of them had looked at her with eyes that weren't human? No. Evelyn didn't need to know. Evelyn couldn't know.
"Come on," Evelyn said gently, pulling back. "Let's get you home."
June nodded wordlessly. She slid into the passenger seat, clutching her bag tight against her legs. Evelyn started the car, her muttering filling the silence—about the danger of late buses, about how the town went quiet after ten, about how June had scared her half to death.
But June didn't answer. She pressed her forehead to the cool window and watched the diner's neon sign fade behind them. Her aunt thought she'd come here just to escape grief and family chaos. Evelyn didn't know—would never know—what else had greeted her the moment she arrived in Blackstone.
And June intended to keep it that way.
*************************
The smell of frying eggs and buttered toast drifted into the room. Sunlight slanted through half-drawn curtains, laying golden stripes across June's face. For the first time in months, she hadn't woken up screaming or choking on tears—she had simply slept. Heavy, deep, uninterrupted.
When her eyes blinked open, she needed a moment to remember where she was. The quiet room. The neat desk. The framed family photo on the dresser that didn't belong to her. She was at Aunt Evelyn's.
"Finally awake?"
The voice startled her. June turned her head to see a girl leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes bright with a mischievous smile. She had thick curls pulled into a messy bun, a loose T-shirt slipping off one shoulder, and the kind of energy that filled the air without permission.
"I'm Grace," she announced, like June should already know. "Mom told me you were coming, but I didn't think it'd be this soon. Or at, like, midnight."
June sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. "Uh… yeah. Sorry about that."
Grace waved it off with dramatic flair. "It's cool. Honestly, it's kinda exciting. I mean—new cousin in the house, tragedy backstory and all…" She froze, realizing what she'd said, and winced. "Oh God, that came out wrong. I didn't mean it like—ugh, ignore me. I talk too much."
June stared at her for a second. Then, unexpectedly, a small smile tugged at her lips. "You… definitely talk a lot."
Grace grinned, relief flooding her face. "See? You get it! You're gonna fit in just fine. Oh my gosh, you're even prettier than Mom said," Grace gasped, her voice a mixture of awe and delight. "How is it even fair? You just woke up, and you still look like—like a painting or something. I can't compete!"
June blinked, her voice low and scratchy from sleep. "Are you always this loud in the morning, or is this your way of trying to kill me early?"
Grace gasped, then broke into laughter that filled the room. "Oh, you're fun. I like you already." She plopped herself onto the edge of the bed without hesitation. "Sorry, but I've been waiting forever to meet you, and I'm not wasting another second. You're my cousin, which means we're officially besties now. No take-backs."
June ran her hand over her messy yet annoyingly perfect hair, framing her face in waves. Her skin caught the morning light, smooth and glowing. Grace tilted her head, still marveling.
June narrowed her eyes at her. "What? Why are you staring at me like that?"
"Because," Grace leaned in with a mischievous grin, "you're so pretty, it's actually offensive."
Before June could protest, Grace bounded over and tugged at her arm. "Come on. Breakfast's ready. Mom made her famous scrambled eggs. If you don't eat them hot, she'll get all sad about it, and trust me, you don't want that guilt on your conscience."
June laughed softly under her breath, letting herself be pulled out of bed. The sound felt strange in her chest—like something she hadn't used in a long while.
Downstairs, the kitchen was warm and alive. Plates clinked, the radio hummed low in the background, and Evelyn fussed with toast like it was a delicate science. Grace pulled out a chair for June with exaggerated courtesy, then immediately launched into chatter about school, friends, and how boring this town could be sometimes—though she swore she'd make sure June didn't "rot away in boredom."
June mostly listened, the words washing over her like a river she wasn't ready to step into yet. But there was something comforting about Grace's energy, her unfiltered honesty.
For the first time since her parents died, June felt… not okay, but maybe like she could breathe.
The table was already laid with scrambled eggs, toast, and a jug of orange juice when June sat down. Grace dropped into the chair opposite her, already chattering about everything from the school's lacrosse team to how boring math class was, to which teacher had the weirdest haircut.
Evelyn, graceful in her quiet way, slid a plate in front of June. "Eat, sweetheart. You'll need your strength. Blackstone's not half as sleepy as it looks."
Grace made a face. "She means the walk to school is uphill."
"I mean it's a small town with more going on than meets the eye," Evelyn corrected mildly, then reached for the folded newspaper at the end of the table. She slipped it open, scanning the front page.
Grace leaned forward with her juice. "Anything interesting?"
Her mother hesitated just a fraction too long. Grace's sharp eyes caught it. "What? What is it?"
Evelyn sighed, turned the paper so both girls could see. "Another one. Nancy Hall. Went missing last night after her shift at Sunnyside Diner."
Grace nearly choked on her juice. "Wait—Nancy? As in Nancy with the perfect eyeliner? She goes to Blackstone High! I had History with her last semester."
June's fork hovered in the air. The black-and-white picture of a smiling blonde girl stared up from the paper, her eyes alive in a way that suddenly felt haunting.
"They're saying she closed up late," Evelyn murmured, her brow creased. "She never made it home."
Grace slumped back in her chair, frowning. "Ugh. See? This town can be so… weird sometimes. People just—" She caught the sharp look her mom gave her, then flicked her eyes toward June.
June was still staring at the picture.
Grace's words faltered. "…I mean… you know… it's probably just… she ran away or something. Happens all the time, right? It's not—" She gave an awkward laugh, scratching the back of her neck. "Not like, creepy or anything."
Evelyn folded the paper closed, her tone final. "Enough, Grace."
Silence fell for a moment, broken only by the scrape of June's fork as she pushed her eggs around her plate.
Nancy's smiling face burned behind her eyes. Missing. Gone. And June had only been in Blackstone for a single night, already feeling like the shadows here whispered secrets she wasn't meant to hear.