Hyan pedaled mechanically, his muscles moving almost reflexively while his mind still wavered between the events of the previous night. He had barely slept, and the exhaustion was etched on his pale face, reflected in the dark circles shadowing his half-closed eyes. His white hair, falling messily over his forehead, gave him an even more disheveled appearance, as if the weight of the night had tangled him up. The hood of his oversized dark blue jacket flapped in the cold morning wind, creating a visible sense of discomfort. Each pedal stroke felt like an effort, as if the physical movement were the only thing keeping him anchored to reality.

The sky above was covered in thick, heavy clouds, so dark they seemed to press down on the city, threatening to release their burden at any moment. The street was deserted, and the quiet enveloped the surroundings like a blanket, broken only by the distant hum of engines and the monotonous sound of wheels spinning on the asphalt. Tyler pedaled ahead, with a carefree confidence that contrasted with the clear irritation on his face. His relaxed posture was a facade for the tension bubbling beneath, his eyes darting quick, furtive glances, as if searching for something or trying to avoid facing something he didn’t want to see. His worn black jacket fit snugly against his body, revealing his familiarity with the fabric, like a remnant of the daily battles he faced, visible only to those who observed him closely.

Beside Hyan, Jake followed, more distant from the group than usual. His pace was slower, as if he were fighting against something heavier than the wind tousling his auburn hair. The irregular movement of his locks, dancing in the breeze, seemed to reflect the restlessness of his spirit. His faded red long-sleeved shirt, worn from repeated washings, was more a reminder of fatigue than a statement of style. But what stood out most were his green eyes, fixed on some distant point ahead, as if searching for answers that weren’t there. There was something absorbed in them, a constant worry consuming him silently, the absence of Amelia a visible weight on his shoulders. His hesitation, his lack of direction, were evident in the way he pedaled, almost as if he were trying to distance himself from the pain trailing behind him, even as the landscape around him continued to move.

— So... Amelia’s really not coming today? — Hyan asked, his voice low and cautious, his eyes quickly turning to Jake, as if trying to decipher something in his tense expression.

Jake blinked a few times, as if snapping out of a trance, and replied with a hesitant voice, trying to force a casual tone that couldn’t quite hide the unease pulsing beneath the surface.

— Yeah... I think she might have some family issues... maybe.

Hyan frowned, sensing there was more to Jake’s answer. Earlier, Jake had mentioned that Amelia hadn’t met him on the way, and there was a chance she might not even go to school. The nervousness in his voice, however, made Hyan doubt the simplistic explanation. Something didn’t add up.

Up ahead, Tyler pedaled at a steady pace, but upon hearing the conversation, he slowed down and glanced over his shoulder, giving Jake a penetrating look. The expression on his face, though masked by a casual facade, carried a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

— What exactly did she say? — Tyler asked, his voice laced with a suspicion he couldn’t hide, even as he tried to keep his tone light. His eyes didn’t leave Jake, analyzing every movement, as if searching for something beyond the words.

Jake hesitated, a blush creeping up his neck, making his auburn hair seem to glow in the morning light. He averted his gaze from Tyler, his fingers gripping the handlebars tightly, as if trying to anchor himself to avoid being consumed by shame.

— She... kind of blocked me — he admitted, his voice low and embarrassed, not daring to look at his friends.

Tyler narrowed his eyes, watching him for a moment. The expression on his face hardened briefly, and a wave of discomfort passed through his posture before he looked away with an almost imperceptible disdain.

— Weird... — he murmured, his voice carrying a hint of skepticism, before turning his gaze forward again, the tension in his body evident. — Hope she’s okay.

Jake, seemingly uncomfortable with the silence that followed, forced a smile, trying to lighten the emotional load with a casual comment, as if trying to convince himself more than the others.

— You’re up early today... That’s the weird part.

Hyan let out a short, humorless laugh, an instinctive reaction that didn’t come close to reaching the depths of his mind. It was Tyler who responded, but his words carried a heavy weight, the frustration still embedded in his voice.

— It’s just... we didn’t even sleep.

Tyler’s words hit Hyan like a cold wave. A shiver ran down his spine, and for a moment, he felt the void of the early morning stretching over them, heavy and suffocating. Hyan didn’t want to revisit the events of that night; he knew the weight still hung over everyone, even if no one dared to address it. The silence that followed seemed to carry the unspoken memories, the ones no one dared to expose.

The traffic light ahead turned red, forcing them to stop. Tyler rubbed his head with one hand, his face closed off and his shoulders tense, as if every second were a battle against his own frustration. Hyan and Jake pulled up beside him, and the silence that settled between them seemed to swallow the environment, an uncomfortable weight none of the three knew how to dispel.

— Don’t even start — Tyler grumbled, looking away at the ground, as if trying to push away the irritation by not facing the others.

Jake, attempting to lighten the tension with a joke, risked a comment, but his voice betrayed his insecurity, each word seeming to waver in the air.

— Oh, yeah... You guys had something to deal with last night...

Tyler turned abruptly, the movement so sharp it seemed like an involuntary reflex of his frustration. He let out an exasperated sigh, and his voice filled with deep exhaustion before he responded.

— Yeah... and I hope we never...

He didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence. The environment around them seemed to shift suddenly, as if the air had become dense and oppressive. Before they could react to the growing weight of tension, Monica appeared across the street, interrupting any attempt to escape their thoughts. Her mischievous smile stood out against the gray morning backdrop, a contrast that made her presence even more imposing.

Her ruby-red eyes glowed intensely under the dim light, and the mocking smile on her lips exuded a disconcerting confidence. Monica was dressed in a light denim jacket, its sleeves casually rolled up, paired with tight black pants and simple shoes that, despite their simplicity, didn’t make her arrogant and carefree posture go unnoticed. She seemed to float in space, her energy vibrating with every movement, as if she were completely at ease in that moment, knowing exactly the impact she was causing.

— Oh, no... — Hyan muttered, running a hand over his face, feeling a growing sense of unease in his chest, as if something bad was about to happen.

Monica crossed the street with firm, calculated steps, her expression as impassive as her confident posture. When she positioned herself directly in front of Tyler, he had to stop to avoid bumping into her. Before he could react, she grabbed him by the shirt, a provocative smile stretching even wider across her face.

— Good morning, Rat Brothers... — she teased, dragging out the words exaggeratedly, almost as if she were enjoying their reaction.

Tyler, visibly irritated, tried to pull away, huffing in frustration. His tense muscles and hands flailing in the air around him betrayed his discomfort.

— Oh, come on! Are you gonna stalk us now? — he grumbled, his voice dripping with impatience.

Monica pouted exaggeratedly, the sarcasm overflowing in her expression.

— I just wanted a ride to school... — she said, forcing an air of innocence that was nothing more than a facade.

Jake, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke up. His tone was more curious than cautious, and the sincerity of his question cut through the tension in the air unexpectedly.

— Who is this? — he asked, looking from one to the other, trying to understand what was happening.

Hyan sighed, feeling the pressure mounting, and gave a quick glance at Monica, his expression closed off.

— Our cousin — he replied, trying to stay calm but not hiding the discomfort in his tone.

Jake furrowed his brow, his face reflecting confusion.

— Didn’t know you guys had a cousin... — he said, now more intrigued.

Tyler, finally freeing himself from Monica’s grip, looked at her with a mix of anger and resignation. His voice was short, laden with frustration, as if he already knew what was coming.

— If it were up to me, we wouldn’t — he grumbled, glaring at Monica with a threatening look. He let go of her shirt, annoyed, and took a step back. — What do you want, Monica?

Monica’s smile widened even further, and an enigmatic glint appeared in her eyes, as if she knew something the others couldn’t even begin to understand.

— Well, what if, in exchange, I saved your lives? — she said, her voice sweet but with something dangerous underneath, as if the words were both a promise and a threat.

Hyan’s skin prickled instantly, a sense of foreboding taking over his body. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and before he could react or ask what she meant by that, the environment around them changed drastically. The air, once fresh and light, became heavy and suffocating, as if something evil were approaching. The wind stopped abruptly, and the shadows on the walls and ground began to twist and take on distorted shapes.

Suddenly, the creatures began to emerge from the darkness, like tangible nightmares. Hyan felt his stomach churn at the sight of them. They were humanoid, but everything about them was wrong. Their skeletal bodies seemed fragile, but their gaping mouths, sharp as blades, opened and closed in a frenzied motion, emitting guttural sounds that seemed to pierce the mind. Long, silver claws gleamed sinisterly under the dim daylight, and their disproportionate legs moved with supernatural speed, as if designed to hunt and devour.

— Tyler...! — Hyan managed to murmur, his voice faltering at the sight of the same horrible monsters he had seen the night before. His heart raced, and his eyes couldn’t look away from the terrifying spectacle unfolding before them. — Look at this... — he tried to warn, his mind in panic as reality warped around him.