Jim looked at Daniel, his expression split between despair and anger as if he wanted to blame someone but didn't know who.
While they talked, Tabitha began to stir, letting out a low groan. Her eyes opened slowly, unfocused.
"What happened?" Her voice was weak. Jim and Julie quickly supported her and helped her sit up.
"We were in an accident, but everyone's okay." Jim's voice trembled slightly with relief. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. I just feel a slight pain where I hit my head."
With Jim's and Julie's help, she stood up despite their protests that she stay seated.
She began checking everyone, scanning each face, then went straight to Ethan, making sure he was really okay. Her hands trembled as they touched her son's face.
"My arm hurts, Mom." Now that the adrenaline had faded and he had seen his mother was fine, Ethan finally felt the pain in his arm.
"We need to go to a hospital and check if it's broken." Tabitha examined his arm, worry plain on her face.
"That's what we were talking about. There's no way out of the town, but there might be a doctor there." Daniel filled her in on the conversation, earning a disapproving look from Jim when he mentioned being trapped.
Only then did she remember the weight of that reality, hitting her like a brick. Deep down, she still hoped Daniel was wrong. After agreeing they should go to town, she went to check on Julie. She needed to be sure everyone was all right.
After watching her for a while and realizing that Tabitha was truly fine, everyone finally relaxed.
"Let's see how the people in the car are doing."
Jim opened the door forcefully, irritation clear in his voice.
Daniel put on a black shirt from his bag and followed Jim across the road. He saw the black sedan overturned, wedged between two thick trees. Twisted metal and shattered glass reflected the afternoon light.
He assessed the scene with the eyes of someone who had seen accidents before. "It's going to be hard to get them out."
"And we don't have tools that can do it quickly. Do you have any in your motorhome?" Jim remembered how close they were to it.
"Sadly, no. We can check the back seat, since the front is blocked by the trees."
They began to hear groaning from inside the vehicle, muffled but clear.
They moved closer and saw someone trying to crawl out of the back seat, movements clumsy and unfocused. Working together, they forced the crushed door open, metal screeching in protest.
They pulled out a man, disoriented but apparently unhurt. Daniel recognized him instantly. Jade. The arrogant rich guy who saw symbols and spirits. Lucky bastard, a crash like that and he only got a few scratches.
"What happened?" Jade asked, his voice slurred. His dilated pupils barely focused, and he swayed even with Jim supporting him.
"You caused an accident. What were you thinking, driving like maniacs?" Jim held his arm to keep him from falling.
"Tobey... where's Tobey?"
"If that's the idiot who was driving, he's stuck in the car." Daniel pointed at the wreck, tone indifferent.
"Tobey... we need to save him. Help me save him." Jade's voice turned almost pleading.
"We don't have the right tools to get him out. He's wedged between two trees. There's a town nearby. We can get help there." Daniel kept his voice steady.
Jade shook his head, eyes unfocused. "You... you're real?" He tried to touch Jim's face, movements slow and clumsy.
"Wow... you're really handsome." He lunged at Jim with a goofy grin.
Jim pulled back quickly, still trying to keep him from falling. "What's wrong with you?"
"He's high. And the driver probably was too." Daniel shook his head, half amused, half disdainful.
"Bunch of idiots." Jim let go of Jade, who almost fell but managed to lean against a nearby tree.
They decided to take Jade back to the trailer while he rambled nonstop, nothing making sense. When they arrived, they explained the situation. That gave them another reason to go to town for help to free the idiot in the car.
Jim went to inspect the trailer, checking the damage to see if it could still run. Tabitha focused on comforting Ethan, who held his arm carefully. Daniel stayed outside babysitting Jade, who now sat on the ground laughing to himself.
Julie approached slowly, arms crossed in a way that looked casual, but the tension in her shoulders gave her away. Her eyes dropped to the improvised bandage on Daniel's forehead, stained red.
"You... are you sure you're okay, Daniel?"
Her voice was low, trying to sound unconcerned. It didn't convince even herself.
He tilted his head, a half smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"I am. I've been through worse. This is just a scratch."
She let out the breath she'd been holding, as if finally allowing herself to believe it.
"Thank you... for calming Ethan down." The gratitude was genuine, without the usual teenage filter. "He gets really scared when something happens to us."
"He's smart. He just needed someone who wasn't freaking out at the moment."
Julie uncrossed her arms, lifting her chin with mock indignation that didn't hide the smile threatening to break free.
"Are you calling me freaked out?"
"I'm calling you human." He shrugged lightly. Which, considering how screwed up this place is, is already a compliment.
She opened her mouth to reply, but the comeback died before it came out. Her focus shifted completely, locking onto his arm.
The tattoo.
The black, leafless tree stood stark on his skin, roots seeming to sink into bone.
"I..." She took half a step forward without noticing. "I hadn't noticed that before."
Curiosity won.
"That tattoo... is it a tree?"
Daniel lowered his arm slowly, turning his forearm so she could see it better. He spent a few seconds just looking at it, as if visiting an old memory.
"Yeah. I got it after an accident on a trail." He paused. "Long story."
I can't say it's a representation of the system, he thought, keeping his expression neutral.
She leaned a little closer. Not enough to invade his space, but close enough to catch the details. The twisted branches, the lack of leaves, the sense of permanence.
"Pretty." Her voice came out softer. In the very next second, she seemed to realize what she had said and quickly added, "The tattoo, I mean..."
Her cheeks warmed. She took half a step back, turning her face quickly to the side, as if something interesting had suddenly appeared among the trees.
[If this were Everybody Hates Chris, I'd say: Dude, you are so in there!]
Daniel almost laughed at the system's comment, but held it back. He raised an eyebrow, amused by her reaction. "Thanks. You've got a good eye for details."
Julie bit her lower lip, embarrassed, trying to regain control of the situation.
She looks kind of cute when she's embarrassed, Daniel thought, but kept the observation to himself.
Julie took a deep breath, forcing a casual tone back into her voice.
"You have a strange way of staying calm after an accident. It's like nothing shakes you."
"I think panicking doesn't solve anything." Daniel crossed his arms, leaning lightly against a tree. "But it's easier said than done, especially when someone in your family is at risk."
Something tightened in Julie's chest. He understood. He wasn't judging or minimizing. He just... understood.
"I..." Her voice came out softer than she meant. "I'm glad you're okay."
Daniel held her gaze for a second longer than would be considered casual. "I'm glad you are too."
Julie blinked, caught off guard by the directness. She hadn't expected that. Then a small, genuine smile formed on her lips.
[And here we go. Ten minutes stuck in an accident, and the girl's already looking at you like you're the lead in an indie movie. Impressive. Even by my standards.]
Daniel rolled his eyes mentally.
"You don't know anything. This is called natural charm. Learn from it."
Before they could keep talking, the trailer door opened with a loud noise.
Julie spun around as if caught doing something forbidden. The blush, which had started to fade, came back full force.
Daniel stayed where he was and chuckled at how startled she looked.
Break time's over. Back to hell. He thought as he saw Jim step out of the vehicle.
"The trailer isn't going to work. There's mechanical damage from the crash. It won't start." Jim's voice sounded tense and exhausted.
"So we're stuck here?" Julie was already exhausted by everything strange that had happened that day.
"Jim, what do we do?" Tabitha's question made Jim consider their options.
Jade, still half high, let out an awkward laugh. "Dude... this is like... a prank, right? Is someone filming? Like... Jackass?" He looked around, confused. "Where are the cameras?"
Daniel did the math quickly. In at most two hours, it would be dark, and the monsters would come out. He wasn't too worried. He had seven hundred silver coins. Each talisman costs one hundred in the supernatural shop. He could buy one and spend the night in his motorhome, which wasn't far.
But that would reveal too much about him. And Jade would make a scene once the drugs wore off and he realized they'd left Tobey trapped in the car.
He could also repair his motorhome with fifty coins, but again, that would be a problem. Jim had already checked and seen it was a time-consuming job. How would he explain an instant fix?
No. The best option was to get help.
"I'll run to the town and ask for help."
He remembered that, in the original series, Tobey had run for help and made it to town in time, injured but alive. Daniel didn't know exactly where the crash had happened. But he figured if he ran, he could get help before nightfall.
"It's really far, Daniel." Julie was worried.
Jim frowned. "It's not that far, but you're injured."
"This is just a small cut. I'm used to exercising." He flexed his arm with a confident smile. Muscles tightened under his skin, defined and firm. "I think I can bring help back before nightfall."
Julie shyly looked away.
Jim watched Daniel with a mix of reluctant respect and suspicion. The kid's strong, I'll give him that. But I still don't know if I trust him.
"Then it's decided. The sooner I go, the better." Daniel went to his bag and took out a bottle of water. As he did, he discreetly put the Glock into the inventory.
He removed the shirt from his forehead and asked Julie if the cut was still bleeding. She nodded. "A little."
He tore the shirt and used the clean part to make a strip. It was less bulky than before.
Ethan approached, hesitating. "Daniel, are you really going to bring help?"
"Of course. You can bet I'll be back before nightfall." He tapped his chest confidently.
Tabitha crossed her arms, evaluating him. He really thinks he can do it. Too confident... or too brave. I don't know which is worse.