"You're saying she helped you???"
Aubrey's voice came out sharper than she probably meant it to, disbelief bleeding through every word. She stood half-turned toward Terri, eyes wide, one hand still clutching the strap of her pack like she needed something solid to hold onto.
Terri nodded quickly.
"Yes— I think. I don't know," she whispered, lowering her voice instinctively. "It was so strange. I didn't even know what to say— she just… stepped in."
Her fingers worried at the hem of her sleeve as she spoke, twisting fabric between them. The memory still sat wrong in her chest. Cherie's voice. Calm. Certain. The way the man had backed off like something real had suddenly entered the room.
Around them, the camp felt… off.
Not loud. Not chaotic.
Tight.
