Chesca and her friends took the familiar path to the place where they used to meet Isabel's group. They carried groceries—an alibi for their long absence.
They soon spotted the hut, not far from William's house. Its placement was no accident; it gave them a clear view of the two they needed to watch. Luckily, it stood empty.
Every step had to be measured. They knew there were eyes on them.
They reached the hut just before dusk, sighing in relief. The first thing they did was clean and prepare the place. Her father, older brother, and extended family—who always followed her—would later tidy up the rest. Mikaela, her sister, decided instead to head into their house.
"Hello," a voice called from outside.
Thalia turned toward the door, still in the middle of unpacking. Someone was speaking to her, but the feeling of being watched made her pause. She turned fully, while Ericka seemed lost in thought. Thalia remembered hearing once that when people stayed together long enough, they grew comfortable—until the unexpected happened.
Isabel entered with a bright smile, Tricia at her side. Thalia straightened, steeling herself. She knew she had to keep her resolve.
They also had another mission: to find the two items her mother and Fernan had buried. With Isabel present, moving freely would be difficult—but Thalia had prepared for that.
By nightfall, they had finished cooking. Thalia joined Ericka in the kitchen.
"What can I help with?" she asked.
"Just chop the ingredients for now," Ericka replied with a faint smile.
"Okay." Thalia immediately began.
They ate together, the table filled with laughter and light conversation. It almost felt like they'd known each other for years—though Thalia sensed the joy was only surface deep.
"I told you, Isabel, it's more fun with more people," Tricia said.
Isabel laughed. "Yeah, yeah. I thought Thalia wasn't the cheerful type, so I didn't expect this." Her teasing made Chesca wonder if there was more behind the words.
Thalia only smiled faintly and stayed quiet.
When the night wore them down, they retreated to their rooms. The three of them—Thalia, Chesca, and Ericka—shared one.
"There are still a few hours left. Let's rest," Ericka said after glancing at the clock.
Thalia and Chesca agreed.
Chesca closed her eyes—and heard her sister's voice.
She stood in a dense forest. Ellese was ahead of her, walking on air, beckoning her to follow.
The air was still, save for the whisper of wind through the leaves. In the distance, a woman knelt, digging into the earth.
"I need to hide this… I need to," the woman whispered.
A brown envelope.
Chesca's breath caught. Mommy?
The scene from her childhood replayed: her mother disappearing for days, returning distressed… the night she heard her pleading with her father… and the moment her life was taken. She understood now—her mother had met with a trusted police officer before her father killed her.
I need to see what's in that envelope.
But darkness swallowed the forest, making it impossible to see.
"In time, they will need this—it will help them," her mother's voice said before fading away.
Chesca pushed deeper into the forest, but her mother was gone.
Her thoughts snapped back. She was still in the forest—wide awake this time.
Panic welled in her chest. This was just like the camping trip… before her older twin sister had taken her… before they were killed.
She looked down. She was still in her pajamas.
I need to go back.
She dropped to her knees and began digging with her hands. A sudden light flashed nearby.
Hide!
She darted behind a tree, holding her breath.
"Where are they?" A woman's voice called.
Peeking out, she saw Isabel. Tricia swept her flashlight toward Chesca's position. Chesca dropped flat and crawled away.
"What the heck, Tricia?" Isabel snapped.
"Sorry, I thought I saw someone."
"Let's check."
They moved closer. A hand suddenly grabbed Chesca's and pulled her into deeper shadow.
"Shh," a low voice whispered.
From hiding, she watched Isabel and Tricia.
"I really thought there was someone here," Tricia muttered.
"Let's go," Isabel ordered, and they left.
When it was safe, Chesca stepped out—only to find Ericka watching her.
"Where are you going?" Ericka asked.
"I… don't know. I was following my sisters and ended up here," Chesca sighed.
Thalia's brow furrowed. "This is the third time you've done that."
Chesca just shook her head and stared back.