^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^
The tires crunched against the gravel as the car sped down the empty road.
"What the heck happened back there?" Mason broke the silence. His eyes fixed on the road.
"Don't talk about it." Nora voice came fast, her legs bouncing against the floor non-stop.
Mason let out a short laugh, there was no humor in it,"You don't just say that after—"
"I said drop it." Nora cut in immediately.
The speedometer dipped slightly as Mason grip tightened against the wheels.
"Something cracked the town's monument in half and you want me to just…"
"Mason." Nora snapped his name like a warning. Silence fell into place again.
Rain sat in the back seat, staring at the window. Her fingers curled tightly together.
The darkness outside stretched endlessly, broken only by the sweep of the headlights.
It felt still, like it was listening. For a split second, she thought she saw something move. Her breath hitched. But the car sped past, not enough for her to see.
Mason spoke again, quieter this time. "Did anyone else notice the phones? They weren't just glitching. it was like…"
"Stop." Nora's head turned sharply towards him. "Just stop." Her hands folded across her chest.
Mason snapped back "You don't just get to decide‐"
"Oh my God. Can't you let it go."
"Let it go?" Mason blinked. "That place is messed up. The glitching, the strange movements." He added. I knew coming here was a bad idea, but no…you insisted—"
"Enough." Rain said suddenly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was final. Her word cut through everything.
Mason swallowed, then stopped. His gaze fell fully on the road.
He was right, something about it felt wrong now. Nora didn't look at Rain immediately.
Her feet still shook. When she eventually turned to Rain, their eyes met. Nora's expression was calculating.
How much silence was safe? Before she turned towards the window.
She didn't say anything. Neither did anyone else.
The rest of the drive was completely quiet. Not the peaceful kind.
It just felt…heavy.
^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^
The car slowed to a stop in front of Rain's house.
Quickly she got out, not saying a word. The night air hitting her instantly.
Mason wasn't planning on turning the engine off, so Nora muttered quietly to Rain through the window.
"Listen to me." Her voice was urgent. Rain paused.
"Go inside. Sleep. And don't say anything to anyone tomorrow." She paused.
"If people ask, you weren't there." She leaned closer. "Don't forget. Just say it exactly like that."
Rain blinked at her, then gave a small nod. "Yeah, sure."
"Good." She leaned back. "Get some rest." Her voice softened.
Mason kept quiet. He didn't have anything to say, so he kept his eyes on the road.
For a moment she stood still, watching the car pull away. The sound of the engine fading into the distance.
And just like that, she was alone.
^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^^*^^^
She gently shut her bedroom door. Resting her back against it. The scent of flowers welcomed her. Safe and familiar, as she inhaled deeply and exhaled just the same.
"Finally…" Rain muttered quietly. Pushing herself off the door, and falling into her bed.
She didn't turn on the lights.
She didn't want to. Everything kept playing back. The music. The engine. The scream. The crack splitting through stone.
Her fingers tightened against the bedsheets. "Nothing happened." She forced the words out of her mouth.
But yet, her chest didn't agree. Rain pushed her self upright, her feet moving towards the vanity.
"Nora is right." She said. "I need to rest." Her fingers slipped under the table, pulling out some sleeping pill.
Without hesitation, she swallowed it dry, and felt it scrape its way down her throat.
Rain stood still, letting the taste settle in. She didn't count how many she took, she didn't have the strength to.
She walked back to the bed, each step heavier than the last, her feet catching faintly on the rug as though the room had thickened around her.
Her knees gave out slightly, and she slumped onto her bed. Her weight slowly sinking into the mattress like it was the only thing holding her.
"...nothing happened…" she repeated slowly. Over and over again, until the medications fully kicked in and she drifted off.