Across town, Monte groaned awake, the sunlight stabbing at his eyes like punishment.
His head pounded, his throat was dry, and the half-empty bottle of vodka sitting on the nightstand mocked him.
He reached for it anyway.
A quick swig burned its way down, taking the edge off the pounding in his skull.
"Still alive," he muttered, wiping his mouth.
He threw on his jacket and holstered his Glock, running a hand through his messy hair before pushing out into the hall.
Boyd was already up, a notebook in hand. He spotted Monte heading for the door and frowned.
"Monte," Boyd called.
Monte paused, mid-step. "Yeah, boss?"
Boyd gestured toward the bottle peeking out of Monte's pocket. "You might want to lay off the booze. It doesn't exactly set a good precedent for the folks around here."
Monte gave a lazy half-smile. "I'd argue it makes me relatable."
Boyd didn't return the smile. "I'm serious. You want people to trust you, you start by looking like you've got it together."
Monte nodded absently, clearly half-listening. "Sure thing, Sheriff."
Boyd sighed, already knowing he'd been ignored.
Monte waved a hand in goodbye as he pushed through the door, sunlight washing over him.
He squinted up the street, stretched, and muttered to himself with a grin, "Time to see my favorite waitress."
Hands in his pockets, jacket flapping in the breeze, Monte strolled toward the diner. The smell of coffee and frying bacon already drifting down the road.
...
The morning sun poured through the diner windows, painting the old wood floors in gold. The soft chime of the bell rang as Monte stepped through the door.
He paused a moment, letting the warmth of coffee, syrup, and frying eggs hit him. A smell that couldn't help but lift your spirit.
Then he spotted his favorite waitress.
Sara stood behind the counter in a white dress with tiny blue flowers. The sunlight caught in her hair, and for a second, Monte forgot about everything.
The creatures, the woods, the traps.
She leaned on the counter, laughing softly with Ethan, who was working on a mountain of pancakes like it was a personal challenge.
Jim sat beside his son, coffee in hand, eyes half-tired but content... at least for now.
Monte smiled and strolled over, dropping onto a stool one seat away from Ethan.
Sara's head lifted immediately. Her face brightened when she saw him. "Good morning, Monte."
Monte grinned. "Morning, Beautiful."
Jim's gaze flicked up from his coffee, catching the flirtation. He didn't say anything, but his jaw tightened slightly.
If Monte wanted to chase Sara, that was perfectly fine. Just as long as it meant he left Julie alone.
Monte leaned on the counter, watching Sara move behind it. Her movements easy, graceful, in her element.
Their quiet exchange was broken by Ethan's excited voice. "Hey, Monte!"
Monte turned with a smile. "What's up, kid? Pancakes still good?"
Ethan nodded enthusiastically, cheeks puffed full of syrup and batter. "Yeah! And even better, we're gonna go see Julie today!"
Monte nodded. "Oh yeah? That sounds like fun."
Sara glanced up from where she was pouring coffee, reading Monte's tone for any hint of something else. Jim was doing the same.
Ethan went on, grinning, "I'm gonna make her play tag with me."
Sara smiled softly. "That'll be fun. My brother Nathan and I used to play tag all the time when we were little."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "Really? You should play with us then!"
Sara hesitated, her expression dimming. "I wish I could, Ethan. But I've got to work today."
Ethan's smile faltered.
Sara quickly added, "Maybe next time, okay?"
Ethan nodded slowly, stabbing another pancake with his fork.
He looked over at Monte hopefully. "What about you, Monte?"
Jim's attention sharpened immediately.
Monte sighed, lifting his coffee. "Sorry, kid. Sheriff Boyd's got me running around today. Deputy life, you know."
Ethan blinked. "You're a deputy now?"
Monte smirked, leaning closer. "Yup. Sheriff Boyd's new left-hand man."
Ethan's face lit up again. "Whoa, that's awesome!"
Sara's eyebrows rose, pleasantly surprised. "Really? I didn't expect that."
Monte winked at her. "Kinda a demotion from where I started, but I'll take it."
Sara giggled quietly, remembering the truth of the matter. That he'd never been a cop at all.
Jim stayed quiet, his fingers drumming on his mug. Monte noticed but didn't comment.
He just turned back to Sara as she moved gracefully around the diner, refilling coffee cups, serving plates.
Smiling that soft, half-sad smile that only made her more magnetic.
Ethan was back to devouring his breakfast. Jim's guard stayed up.
And Monte... well, Monte watched Sara move with that easy sway, letting the warmth of the morning and the faint hum of diner chatter settle around him.
For a moment, everything was calm.
But in this town, calm never lasted long.
...
Julie jolted awake, her heart pounding.
Her skin was slick with cold sweat, her breath shallow and uneven.
For a long moment, she just sat there, trying to remember where she was.
She was trying to convince herself that the nightmare wasn't real. But the unease in her chest didn't fade.
She ran a hand through her hair, sighing softly.
Then, a shadow fell across her.
Julie looked up, startled. Only to find Trudy standing way too close, staring at her without blinking.
Julie's voice wavered. "Uh… can I help you?"
Trudy tilted her head slightly. "That's my pillow. I want to take a nap."
Julie blinked. "Oh, I'm sorry. Someone handed it to me last night, I didn't know it was yours."
Trudy smiled faintly, though her eyes didn't match it. "It's no problem. Can I have it back?"
Julie nodded quickly, handing it over. "Sure… sorry again."
Trudy accepted it, then added cheerfully, "Hey, I like your shirt."
Julie forced a small smile. "Thanks. I actually have one just like yours..."
Trudy interrupted, "Yeah, I found this in your suitcase."
Julie froze. "Wait… what?"
Trudy shrugged casually. "We share everything here. You don't mind, right?"
Before Julie could answer, Trudy walked off down the hall humming to herself.
Julie sat there a second longer, staring after her in disbelief. Then she muttered under her breath, "I guess not…"
Her thoughts turned bitter. 'This must be why Monte chose the town. No way he'd want people rifling through his stuff.'
That thought brought another. Monte and Sara, laughing as they walked to the diner together yesterday. The way Sara leaned in close. The way Monte smiled back.
Julie sighed, the sting sharper than she expected.
She needed some space to be alone.
Quietly, she slipped out of the crowded common area and found a small room near the back. The morning light filtered through the window, casting a dim, peaceful glow.
Julie sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a shaky breath. Everything was catching up to her now. The nightmare that was this town, the funeral yesterday, the loneliness she felt.
Her chest tightened. 'What have I done' she thought. 'I left my family. Ethan must be so sad.'
Tears slipped down her cheeks, silent and steady. She covered her mouth to muffle the sound.
That's how Fatima found her. She looked through the small crack in the door, drawn by the sound of her soft sobbing.
Fatima stepped inside slowly. "Hey," she said gently.
Julie quickly wiped her face. "Hey, Fatima."
Fatima looked at her puffy eyes asked gently, "Are you alright?"
Julie's voice cracked as she sniffled. "I'm fine."
Fatima sat beside her without a word, placing a warm hand on her back. "Are you sure?"
Julie tried to nod but her throat tightened. "I think I made a mistake coming here," she whispered.
Fatima smiled softly. "It was hard for me at first too. I cried every night for weeks. But it gets better once you figure out how to get your clothes back from Trudy."
Julie blinked, caught off guard. "Wait... how did you know?"
Fatima grinned. "I saw her wearing a new shirt earlier. And I know for a fact she didn't order it online."
Julie laughed through her tears, the tension in her chest loosening. Fatima laughed too, her bright energy contagious.
When their laughter faded, Fatima squeezed her hand. "Listen… if you ever feel like this again, or you just want to talk... I'm here. Always."
Julie nodded, managing a small, genuine smile. "Thanks, Fatima."
Fatima stood and tugged on her hand. "Come on. Breakfast's better when you eat it with friends."
Julie let herself be pulled up. "Yeah… I'd like that."
Together they walked down the hall, Fatima chatting about the garden, Julie listening quietly.
For the first time since arriving at Colony House, Julie didn't feel completely alone.
The Colony House kitchen smelled faintly of coffee and warm oats. Morning light filtered through the tall windows, cutting through the dust that hung lazily in the air.
Julie sat at the long wooden table with Fatima, a bowl of oatmeal steaming in front of her. Thin slices of apple were arranged on top. Fatima's idea of a "garnish."
Julie stirred her bowl idly. "It's not bad," she admitted after a bite.
Fatima grinned. "I told you. The trick's the apples. Makes it taste less like survival food and more like something your mom would actually make."
Julie smiled faintly, though the mention of her mom stirred a pang in her chest. "Yeah. She'd probably burn it, though."
Fatima laughed, nearly spilling her coffee. "Mine too."
They were still smiling when a voice drifted from the far side of the room.
Kevin.
He was leaning over the counter, talking quietly to one of the residents, his tone urgent but polite. "Hey, have you seen a guy named Monte around?"
Julie's spoon froze mid-stir.
The woman he was talking to frowned. "Monte? Don't think so. Who's that?"
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. "New guy, I think. Just wondering where he's staying."
Julie's eyes narrowed slightly. She didn't remember Kevin ever being in town. In fact, she was sure he hadn't been. So how the hell did he even know Monte's name?
She leaned closer to Fatima and whispered, "Did Kevin ever meet Monte?"
Fatima looked up from her oatmeal, confused. "I don't think so. Why?"
Julie hesitated, watching Kevin as he continued his quiet questioning. A strange tension in his posture, the same she'd noticed the night before.
"He just asked about him," Julie murmured. "Like he knows him."
Fatima frowned, following her gaze. "That's weird."
Kevin turned briefly, scanning the room. His eyes swept past them, expression unreadable.
Julie looked down quickly, pretending to focus on her food.
When he finally left the kitchen, Fatima said quietly, "Maybe he heard about Monte from Donna or Boyd. News travels fast here."
Julie nodded slowly, though the explanation didn't sit right. Monte had only been in town for a few days and Kevin didn't strike her as the social type.
She took another spoonful of oatmeal, her stomach twisting slightly. The feeling if unease refusing to go away.
Across the table, Fatima kept talking about garden work, but Julie wasn't listening anymore. Her thoughts were circling one question.
'Why does Kevin care where Monte is?'
...
The air was alive with the lazy hum of summer.
Birds sang somewhere in the treeline, and the faint chatter of Colony House carried on the breeze.
Kevin wandered through the hallways, his eyes hollow, his mind loud.
The voices were back again, stronger this time.
"Find him."
"Monte."
"He doesn't belong here."
Kevin rubbed his temples, stumbling into the main hall. Every sound of laughter, footsteps, or the clinking of dishes felt too sharp, too close.
He grabbed one of the residents by the shoulder. "Hey, have you seen Monte?"
The man frowned, startled. "Monte? Who's that?"
Kevin's fingers twitched. "You know. The new guy."
The resident shook his head, uneasy. "No, sorry."
Kevin moved on, muttering under his breath. He asked everyone he passed, in the kitchen, on the stairs, outside the garden...
He grew more frantic each time he came up empty handed. The name Monte hissed through his thoughts, looping endlessly.
By the time he stepped outside, his hands were shaking.
...
Out by the flower beds, Julie and Fatima were kneeling in the grass, pulling up weeds from between neat rows of wildflowers.
Julie's hair was tied back loosely, her hands covered in dirt, but there was a rare peace on her face.
For the first time since she'd arrived at Colony House, she felt... almost normal.
Then she heard it... a small voice shouting her name.
"Julie!"
She turned just in time to see Ethan running full speed toward her.
Before she could even stand, he crashed into her with a fierce hug.
Julie laughed, tears stinging her eyes as she hugged him tight. "I missed you too, little guy."
Fatima smiled softly at the reunion, brushing her hands off on her jeans.
Ethan pulled back, talking a mile a minute. "We went to the diner! Sara made pancakes, they were the best pancakes ever! Even better than Auntie Chen's. And Monte was there, but he couldn't come with us today because Sheriff Boyd gave him work."
Julie raised an eyebrow, "Working with the Sheriff?"
Jim nodded, "Apparently, Boyd made him a deputy."
Julie blinked, surprised. "Monte's the sheriff's deputy now?"
Ethan nodded proudly. "Yup! Isn't that cool?"
Julie smiled faintly. "Yeah… that's really cool."
From behind them, Jim watched, his jaw tightening slightly at the tone of Julie's voice.
Fatima's eyes widened too. Remembering the whispered rumors Julie had told her about his past. "That's… unexpected," she said carefully.
Ethan didn't notice, too caught up in his excitement. "He said next time he'll play tag with me!"
Julie chuckled. "Then I guess you'll have to settle for me."
Ethan grinned wide. "You mean it?"
Julie smirked, tapping his shoulder lightly. "Tag... you're it."
Ethan squealed, "Hey!" and darted after her, laughter echoing through the field.
Jim's expression softened for a moment... then stiffened again when the Colony House doors banged open.
Kevin came stumbling out, dishevled and wild-eyed.
He froze when he heard Ethan shouting Monte's name between laughs. His head snapped toward them.
In an instant, Kevin rushed forward.
"Where is he?!" he demanded, his voice sharp. "Where's Monte?"
Ethan froze mid-step, startled by the man's tone.
Jim stepped forward immediately, protective instinct flaring. "Back off!"
Kevin didn't even seem to hear him. "Just tell me where he is!"
Julie moved between them, eyes narrowed. "Why do you want to know?"
For a heartbeat, Kevin looked cornered
... his lips twitching as if he might say something real.
Then his eyes landed on Fatima, watching him with quiet suspicion.
He took a shuddering breath and forced a smile. "Donna told me to find him. Said she needed him for something."
Fatima crossed her arms. "What kind of something?"
Kevin hesitated. "I don't know. She didn't tell me."
Jim studied him for a long moment, then sighed. "He's at the diner. Or… he was, last I saw."
Before anyone could stop him, Kevin turned and ran. His footsteps pounding down the dirt road toward town.
Julie spun on her father, furious. "Why would you tell him that?"
Jim blinked. "What?"
"He's not okay, Dad! You saw how he was acting... something's wrong with him."
Jim rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Donna told him to find Monte. That's all. And Monte's a big boy. He can handle himself."
Julie huffed, biting back her frustration. She turned toward Ethan, who was still clutching her sleeve, confused by the tension.
Julie forced a smile and tapped his arm. "You're still it."
Ethan blinked then grinned wide and took off after her again.
Jim watched them go, exhaling slowly.
Fatima walked up beside him, shaking her head. "She's having a hard time. Don't take it personally."
Jim nodded, still staring down the road where Kevin had disappeared. "Yeah… maybe."
But seeing how Julie acted before, his gut told him something wasn't right with Kevin.
Sighing softly, he broke out of his thoughts. He said, "Have fun with your worms, Fatima. I'm going back to town."
Fatima smiled, "Take care. I'll keep an eye on Ethan for you, so don't worry."
Jim nodded, "Thanks.." Then, he turned back toward the path to town, deciding to check on Tabitha. She had been having a hard time adjusting to life in this strange town.