Sheriff Steven looked around the station, his thick eyebrows knitting together.
"Why are there kids in my station?"
Steven was an older man, somewhere between fifty and sixty years old. Years of law enforcement had left him with a permanent scowl, and he wasn't known for being friendly.
"I'll ask again," he said, his voice firm. "Why are there children here?"
Sheriff Angie met his gaze.
"This is part of a case I'm working on."
Steven crossed his arms.
"Fine. Catch me up. I want everything—from the beginning."
Angie and Sheriff Johnson exchanged a glance before Angie began explaining everything: Allen's encounter in the woods, the missing children, Kyler's return, and the impossible truth that none of them had aged.
As the story unfolded, Allen sat silently in the corner.
He didn't say a word.
Jack, Jeff, Mimi, and Kyler kept glancing at him, wondering why he looked so frightened.
Then Angie reached the part where Allen had found Mimi near the gas station.
Allen's breathing suddenly became uneven.
Sweat rolled down the side of his face.
His stomach twisted into knots.
The air felt impossibly heavy, as though something invisible were pressing down on his chest.
He couldn't catch his breath.
Then he heard Steven's voice.
"Allen."
Allen slowly looked up.
"What are you doing here?"
Steven's expression softened just enough to seem almost kind.
"Your dad's been looking all over town for you. You've been gone for hours. Your little buddy said you went to the store, and everyone started searching."
Allen swallowed hard.
"I'm… I'm sorry."
His voice trembled.
"I just wanted to know what was happening."
He looked over at Kyler, Mimi, and the twins.
"This can't be easy for them… if it's true."
He hesitated before quietly adding,
"…Grandpa."
For a brief moment, the station was silent.
No one noticed that Allen's hands were shaking.
No one noticed that he couldn't bring himself to look his grandfather in the eyes.