Madison whispered, “We should go look.”
Lilly’s eyes widened. “Madison! No! We can’t just—”
“Why not?” Madison said. “Jamie’s our friend. And the police won’t tell us anything.”
Lillie hesitated.
She knew Madison was reckless. She knew Lilly was scared. She knew Bear was already on edge.
But she also knew something else:
If they didn’t look, no one would.
“After school,” Lillie said quietly. “We go to Jamie’s house.”
Madison grinned. “Knew you’d say that.”
Lilly sighed. “I hate that I knew she’d say that.”
Bear barked once — sharp, urgent.
The girls turned.
2 boys stood at the edge of the schoolyard, staring at them.
Theo Grant and mason clarke
Tall. Serious. Always alone. He walked over slowly, eyes locked on Lillie.
“You three,” he said. “You saw it last night, didn’t you?”
Lillie stiffened. “Saw what?”
Theo lowered his voice. “The thing in the woods.”
Lilly gasped. “You saw it too?”
Theo nodded. “And I heard the pulse. Everyone else slept through it. But I didn’t.”
Madison crossed her arms. “Why are you telling us?”
Theo looked at Bear — who was staring right back at him, ears flat.
“Because,” Theo said, “whatever’s happening… it’s not over.”
Lillie felt a chill run down her spine.
Theo leaned closer.
“And Jamie Carter didn’t just disappear.”
Lillie swallowed. “Then what happened?”
Theo’s voice dropped to a whisper.
“He was taken”
7Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBwZJcdZct
and then Add to home screen.