Boyd and Kenny helped Kristi sit down on a couch in the living room. She looked pale, exhausted, but steady enough to talk.
Boyd crouched beside her. "Kristi, we need to know exactly what happened that night at the infirmary."
Kristi nodded shakily. "Kevin showed up out of nowhere, banging on the door, screaming. I let him in, afraid he might break the door. But, before I could close it..."
Her voice cracked. "A creature was already there. It stopped the door from shutting."
Her hands trembled. "Then… then I ran to get Gina and your dad, Kenny. When I got there..."
She stopped, her voice breaking completely. "Kenny… your dad…"
Kenny didn't hesitate. He pulled her into a hug, holding her tight. "I know," he whispered.
Kristi sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Kenny shook his head, his own voice raw. "It wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known."
Kristi clung to him, whispering in his embrace. "Thank you."
Kenny nodded faintly, rubbing her back until she calmed down.
Boyd cleared his throat softly, trying not to intrude. "I'm going to head up to Colony House," he said. "Donna needs to know what happened and about Kevin's sentence."
Kenny lifted his head. "You're really putting him in the box?"
Boyd's eyes were heavy. "Yeah. Tonight."
Kenny nodded, jaw tight. "I'll come with you."
Boyd shook his head. "No. Stay here. Keep an eye on things in town."
Kenny glanced toward Kristi, who was still shaking quietly. "Yeah… okay."
Boyd gave his shoulder a firm pat before heading for the door.
Boyd jogged until he caught up to Ellis and Fatima, who were walking just ahead.
"Hey," he called. "Thanks for coming down to help earlier."
Fatima smiled and immediately pulled him into a hug. "Don't mention it. You okay?"
Boyd exhaled slowly. "Trying to be."
Ellis stayed stiff beside them. "Why are you headed up to Colony House?"
Boyd replied, "Need to talk to Donna. Kevin's going in the box tonight."
The words made both of them go quiet.
Ellis looked at him sharply. "You're actually going to use it?"
Boyd nodded grimly. "If I don't, Kenny or Monte will take matters into their own hands."
Fatima sighed. "That's fair. I can see that happening." She hesitated. "That blood on Monte's hands earlier… that was Kevin's, wasn't it?"
Boyd didn't answer.
Ellis folded his arms. "You really trust that guy?"
Boyd took a moment before answering. "He hasn't given me a reason not to. He's rough, sure... but completely fearless. You should've seen him out there that night. Didn't even hesitate."
Fatima raised a brow. "He's not scared of them?"
Boyd shook his head. "Not even a little. He ran out at night and saved Kristi."
Ellis frowned. "That's not bravery, that's recklessness."
Boyd looked at him. "Maybe. But he got the job done."
Ellis went quiet after that, staring at the ground.
Fatima smiled faintly. "You should come up for dinner one night, Boyd. You could use a break."
Boyd caught the glance Ellis shot her way and replied carefully, "I'll think about it."
They walked the rest of the way in silence. At the gates, Fatima squeezed Boyd's arm gently.
"I know you want to give him space," she said softly, "but he's still your son. You decide if he sees you or not."
Boyd nodded slowly. "Yeah. I know."
Fatima hugged him once more before heading up the stairs after Ellis.
Boyd stepped inside and found Donna at the counter, pickling vegetables for storage. The sharp tang of vinegar filled the air.
He joined her wordlessly, grabbing a jar and helping her pack it.
"Kevin's going in the box tonight," he said finally.
Donna didn't look up. "Okay."
The silence that followed was thick and uneasy.
Boyd cleared his throat. "There's something else. Sara passed out earlier. Monte said something was trying to… corrupt her."
Donna froze mid-motion. "What? Is she okay?"
"She's fine now," Boyd said quickly. "Ethan woke her up somehow. But he said it wasn't him... it was the Boy in White. Whatever that means."
Victor, who had been quietly rummaging in the pantry, turned sharply.
His eyes widened, and without saying a word, he grabbed a can of peaches and hurried out of the room.
Donna frowned. "What the hell's going on in this town, Boyd?"
Boyd sighed, shaking his head. "I wish I knew. But it gets weirder."
Donna gave him a look. "Weirder than that?"
Boyd nodded. "Monte… He was in pain right after Sara woke up. Then he tore off his bandages. Every wound he's had since he got here was gone. Completely healed, just fading scars now."
Donna dropped the jar she was holding. It fell on the couter but didn't shatter, vinegar splashing across the surface.
She turned to him slowly, eyes wide. "What the fuck?"
Boyd gave a humorless laugh. "Yeah. What the fuck is right."
They stood there in silence for a long moment as the weight of the situation pressed down on them both.
Realizing just how much stranger and darker their reality had become.
...
The entire settlement had gathered, townsfolk from below.
Residents from Colony House standing on the ridge above... all there to witness Kevin's fate.
The air was tense and still, heavy with the kind of silence that comes before something final.
Two men dragged Kevin forward. His body was a ruin. His face swollen, fingers twisted at odd angles, one eye nearly shut.
He stumbled, half-conscious, muttering incoherently under his breath.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even those who had wanted justice weren't prepared for the sight.
Donna's stomach turned.
Her eyes drifted toward Monte, standing a few paces back with Boyd and Kenny.
He looked calm, almost detached. Showing no guilt, no pride, just quiet inevitability. That somehow made it worse.
Fatima and Ellis stood off to the side among the Colony House crowd, their faces pale as they took in Kevin's condition.
Fatima whispered, "Oh my God…"
Ellis shook his head. "What the hell did they do to him?"
Before Fatima could stop him, Julie... standing nearby turned, hearing the question. "What are you talking about?"
Ellis hesitated, but Fatima grabbed his arm, murmuring, "Ellis, don't..."
He ignored her. "It was Monte. He did that to him."
Julie's eyes widened, a soft gasp leaving her lips. She looked across the crowd and found Monte instantly.
He seemed to sense her gaze.
He turned, his expression unreadable for a second before he offered her a small, almost tender smile… and a subtle wave.
Julie froze. The fear that had crept into her chest melted just as quickly.
She raised her hand in return, giving him a faint smile back.
Fatima caught the exchange and leaned toward Ellis, whispering, "She likes bad boys. We already know this."
Ellis blinked, glancing between them. "Right…" He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
The Mathews family stood together farther down the hill... Jim, Tabitha, Ethan, and Miranda.
Jim's jaw was clenched tight.
Tabitha's eyes flicked to Monte, remembering the blood she'd seen him washing from his hands earlier that day.
She didn't need anyone to confirm it. She already knew.
"God help him," she whispered.
Ethan, holding her hand, whispered, "Is he really gonna stay in there all night?"
Tabitha nodded faintly. "That's the rule."
Ethan looked up at Monte with a strange kind of awe instead of fear. "Monte looks sad."
Tabitha didn't answer, her throat too tight.
...
Boyd gave Kenny a silent nod.
Kenny didn't hesitate, he moved toward Tom and Jerry. He grabbed Kevin by the collar, dragging him toward the box.
The harshest punishment that existed in the town. A terrible wooden coffin standing like a monument at the edge of town.
Kevin's voice broke into pleading. "Please! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to...please! The voices made me..."
No one moved.
Boyd's face stayed stone still. Donna looked away.
Kenny hauled Kevin forward and shoved him inside. The door slammed with a hollow, echoing thud that made several people flinch.
He latched the metal lock shut and the click echoed louder than any word could.
For a moment, everything was silent.
Then, the banging started.
Kevin pounded the inside of the box, screaming for mercy. "Please! Don't leave me! Please, no!"
A few people stepped forward instinctively, horrified at the tragic pleas of the broken man.
But they stopped when they saw Kenny standing guard, his hand resting on the butt of his revolver.
No one else moved.
The light was fading fast now, the shadows stretching longer across the field.
Monte didn't look away from the box. He stood still, unreadable, as the sun dipped behind the trees.
The last thing anyone heard before the curfew bell began to ring was Kevin's muffled voice, breaking apart in the dark:
"Please… don't leave me in…"
Kevin's screams echoed long after the crowd began to scatter.
One by one, the townsfolk turned away... some with tears in their eyes, others stone-faced.
Each step homeward was marked by the hollow thudding of fists against wood.
Boyd lingered last, his gaze locked on the box, before he too turned toward town.
...
Monte walked beside the Mathews family, the fading light washing the street in gold and gray.
Sara hadn't come to the sentencing as she was still recovering from her seizure and Miranda's house was just up ahead.
Tabitha and Jim walked on either side of Monte, their faces guarded.
Neither had said much since leaving the square.
Only Ethan, perched comfortably in Monte's arms, spoke. His curiosity unfiltered and pure.
"What did it feel like?" Ethan asked quietly, looking up at him.
Monte glanced down. "What did what feel like?"
"When you got healed. Did it hurt?"
Monte thought for a second, then said softly, "Kinda. Like… fire. But not the bad kind. It burned, but it also felt like… it was fixing something."
Ethan's eyes went wide. "Like magic?"
Monte smiled faintly. "Maybe? Something like that."
That small exchange softened the air.
By the time they reached Miranda's porch, even Jim and Tabitha weren't looking at Monte like he was something to fear.
Monte set Ethan gently onto the couch, ruffling his hair. "I'm gonna check on Sara, alright?"
Tabitha and Jim both nodded.
Ethan grabbed his sleeve before he could go. "Can you and Sara come out for dinner?"
Monte crouched down to eye level. "We'll see how she's feeling, okay?"
Ethan nodded, smiling. "Okay."
Monte gave his shoulder a squeeze, then turned and walked down the hall toward Sara's room.
Tabitha exhaled heavily once the door closed behind him. "I'll start dinner," she said quietly.
Miranda nodded. "Let me check on Meghan first, then I'll help."
"Thanks, Mira."
Miranda headed upstairs, her steps soft.
Jim sank down beside Ethan, running a hand through his hair, the weariness of the day finally settling on him.
The house was quiet for a moment until Ethan broke the silence.
"Dad, can you read me another chapter? From The Flight of the Cromenockle?"
Jim hesitated, then smiled. "Sure, buddy."
Ethan handed him the book, flipping to the page he'd marked with a tiny folded corner. "And do the voice this time. The Cromenockle voice."
Jim groaned theatrically. "The voice again?"
Ethan nodded eagerly. "Please!"
Jim stood up, flapping his hands dramatically. "Whoooosh! Beware the mighty Cromenockle!" he roared, circling the room like a wild bird.
Ethan laughed so hard he almost fell off the couch.
In the kitchen doorway, Tabitha looked on, a smile tugging at her lips despite everything.
Miranda came back down just in time to see Jim "fly" past the sofa, arms outstretched.
She smiled softly. "He's a good dad."
Tabitha nodded, her voice quiet, wistful. "Yeah… he really is."
For a few precious moments, the house was filled with nothing but laughter.
The kind of laughter that reminded them all what they were still fighting for.
...
The soft glow of lamplight filled the quiet room. Sara lay beneath a thin blanket, her breathing steady.
The door creaked open.
Monte stepped inside quietly, his shirt still unbuttoned at the top, hair damp from washing away the day.
He crossed the room and sat down beside her.
Sara stirred at the sound of his boots. When her eyes opened, she smiled faintly. "Hey…"
Monte leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Hey yourself."
He brushed a strand of hair from her face. "You feeling okay?"
Sara nodded weakly. "Better. Just tired."
Monte studied her for a moment. The faint color returning to her cheeks, the calm in her breathing. He finally exhaled.
"Ethan asked if we'd come out for dinner," he said softly. "You think you're up for it?"
Sara smiled, her eyes glimmering in the low light. "Okay… but only on one condition."
Monte arched a brow. "What's that?"
She grinned. "Carry me."
Monte chuckled under his breath. "You got it."
He slid an arm under her knees and another around her back, lifting her effortlessly. Sara let out a surprised laugh, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck.
Monte leaned down and kissed her once more. It was slow, gentle, a promise.
Then he turned toward the door.
When Monte stepped into the hall, the sound of quiet conversation and clinking dishes drifted from the kitchen.
Ethan spotted them first. His face lit up. "You came!"
Sara smiled, waving from Monte's arms. "Wouldn't miss it."
Monte carried her into the kitchen, setting her carefully into a chair.
Meghan, her hair still tousled from her nap, stared at them in awe. "You're like an actual princess… but with a prince this time."
Sara giggled softly. "Glad for the upgrade from frog?"
Monte laughed, "I'll take it."
Even Jim cracked a small smile at that, the tension that had hung between them easing just a little.
The table was simple... stew, cornbread, and whatever vegetables Miranda had managed to preserve. But the laughter made it feel like a feast.
They talked about everything but Kevin... The garden Tabitha had seen behind Colony House the last time she visited Julie.
Miranda's endless list of books she had read since arriving.
How Ethan's "Cromenockle" impression could probably scare off the creatures if he tried hard enough.
Every so often, Monte glanced at Sara. She was laughing... really laughing and her eyes were bright again.
He leaned back in his chair, letting the sound of it wash over him. For the first time in what felt like forever, the night felt… normal.
Outside, the wind whispered against the shutters... a reminder that the peace they clung to was fragile.
But for now, they had warmth, food, and each other. And that was enough.