When they arrived at Maylin’s place, which was a condo not too far from where Katherine lived, Abgail and Rekka were watching a horror movie, of course. They turned on their knees, leaning against the back of the couch as Katherine and Maylin entered.

“What happened to you two?” Rekka eyed Maylin more than Katherine, as if she knew she was hiding something. “And, why are you back so late?”

Abigail nodded and folded her arms, giving them an interrogative look as well.

Maylin shrugged. “We just ended up staying after and talking.”  

“Riiight,” Rekka said, her eyes moving to Katherine as she was not done. “What do you have to say about that?”

Katherine stepped back as she had forgotten how forward Rekka could be. “Nothing. Maylin just told you.”

“Okayyyy,” Rekka said, squinting at them. “You two are hiding something.”

Abigail copied Rekka’s look, squinting just like her.  

Katherine wondered if she should tell them the truth, feeling a bit guilty about it. But the mention of dogs might frighten Abigail, and she wanted to keep her protected, so… “We just lost track of time, okay? It’s not a big deal.” She yawned. “But I’m really tired and want to get ready for bed.”

Rekka continued eyeing Maylin. “I think you’re lying.” She hoped over the couch and stepped to Katherine, which gave her a start. “What are you two not saying, hmm?”

Maylin stepped in front of Katherine, a defensive movement to protect her friend. “Nothing. We told you the truth, so back off and finish your dumb little horror movie.”

“Defensiveness does not play in your favor, nor does insulting us.” Rekka pointed the remote at Maylin. “We’re gonna find out your little secret, just you wait.” And then she spun around, hopped back over the couch, and re-started the movie.

Katherine and Maylin had both showered and were drying their hair, Katherine wearing a pair of pajamas lent to her by Maylin—a teal color with little flying pigs all over it. Maylin’s was pink with tiny stuffed bears.

Katherine rubbed the towel down strands of wet hair and stared out the window.

Maylin had just finished blow drying and combing her hair. She hugged a pillow and looked at Katherine.

“What a strange night, right?” she chuckled, feeling weird asking as if she wasn’t sure what to think about it. “Those dogs came out of nowhere and just attacked us.” She tilted her hair. “They were… big dogs, right?? She hugged her pillow tighter. “I don’t really remember as I hit my head pretty hard.” 

“Yeah,” Katherine said, continuing to stare out the window while wiping a towel through her hair. Her thoughts were on that Demi woman and about that Corrupted monster, and her mother. Was she also killed by a Corrupted? She needed answers. Maylin said something else, and Katherine just said “yeah” absentmindedly.

A pillow hit her, and she spun to Maylin. “Hey, what’d you do that for?”

“You weren’t listening to me,” Maylin said with puffed cheeks. She let out a sigh, seeing that she had Katherine’s attention, deciding to drop it with the questions about the… dogs. She had a weird feeling that it wasn’t a pack of dogs that had attacked them. She blinked, and tilted her head. “Are you all right?”

Katherine smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just tired.”

“Well,” Maylin said, extending the hair dryer to her. “Best to avoid any crazy bedhead after a night’s sleep.”