Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
The house was quiet.
Adrian slowly opened his eyes.
"...Sarah?"
His hand instinctively reached toward the other side of the bed.
Cold.
Empty.
He frowned.
Maybe she had gone downstairs.
He stretched lazily before walking out of the room.
The smell of breakfast drifted through the hallway.
His father was already setting plates on the dining table.
"Oh, you're awake."
Adrian rubbed the back of his neck.
"Morning..."
He glanced around the living room.
"...Have you seen Sarah?"
His father looked up.
"No."
"I thought she was with you."
Adrian's heart skipped.
"...She wasn't in the room."
His father shrugged.
"Maybe she's upstairs."
"Tell everyone breakfast's ready when you find her."
Adrian nodded absentmindedly before heading back upstairs.
He knocked gently.
No answer.
"...Sarah?"
He slowly opened the bedroom door.
The sight that greeted him made his stomach sink.
Sarah knelt beside an open suitcase.
Neatly folded clothes disappeared into it one by one.
She didn't even look up.
"...Where are you going?"
Silence.
Finally...
"I'm going home."
Adrian blinked.
"...What?"
She continued packing.
"I'm going back."
"You didn't even tell me."
Sarah finally stopped.
"You heard what that woman said."
"The Scarecrow marked you because of me."
"It marked you."
"It wants to hurt everyone around me."
She swallowed.
"I can't let that happen."
"If I go back..."
"...maybe everything will go back to normal."
"Maybe it'll stop following us."
"Maybe your mark will disappear."
Adrian stared at her in disbelief.
"You actually believe that?"
Sarah lowered her eyes.
"I have to."
He walked closer.
"No."
"I'm not letting you go back there."
"You left that house for a reason."
"You don't need it's comfort anymore."
"You don't need it."
His voice softened.
"...And you don't have to face this alone."
Sarah's fingers tightened around one of her sweaters.
"You don't understand."
"I do."
"No, Adrian."
She finally looked at him.
Her eyes were red from lack of sleep.
"You think I want to leave?"
"I don't."
"I want to stay."
Her voice cracked.
"But every time I close my eyes..."
"...I see him."
"Every time I try to sleep..."
"I hear him."
A tear rolled silently down her cheek.
"I'm terrified."
"I don't know when he'll come."
"I don't know who he'll hurt next."
"I can't keep putting you and your family in danger."
Adrian stepped forward without another word.
He wrapped his arms around her.
For several long seconds...
Neither of them spoke.
Sarah buried her face against his shoulder.
"...I'm scared."
"So am I."
He whispered.
"But I'm not sending you back."
She slowly pulled away.
"I have to."
He sighed heavily.
"...Then what about our plan?"
"What about killing it?"
Sarah gave a weak smile.
"The plan stays."
"I'm just going back first."
"If it leaves you alone..."
"That's already a victory."
She looked away.
"...Besides..."
"I don't think we can kill it."
Adrian frowned.
"Don't say that."
"I've already given up trying to convince myself."
She whispered.
"I'm tired."
Silence settled between them once again.
Finally...
Adrian stepped aside.
"My dad wants us downstairs."
Breakfast passed in complete silence.
Even the younger children noticed.
They kept looking from Sarah...
...to Adrian...
...then back again.
Neither of them smiled.
Trying to lighten the mood, Adrian's father cleared his throat.
"So..."
"Sarah."
"How have you been?"
"You've been staying here for a while now."
"I hope Adrian hasn't been giving you too much trouble."
Normally...
Someone would've laughed.
Nobody did.
Sarah forced a tiny smile.
"I'm actually leaving today."
His father blinked.
"...Leaving?"
"So soon?"
"Did something happen?"
"If Adrian upset you, I'll—"
"No."
Sarah interrupted gently.
"He didn't."
"I just..."
"I think it's time I went home."
The dining table became quiet once again.
Adrian kept staring at his untouched breakfast.
Without lifting his head, he spoke.
"...She's made up her mind."
His father looked between them before sighing.
"If that's what you really want..."
"I can drive you."
Sarah immediately shook her head.
"No."
"Thank you."
"I'll manage."
Breakfast ended shortly afterward.
Everyone quietly returned to their rooms.
Sarah zipped her suitcase shut.
She reached for the handle.
Adrian appeared once more at the doorway.
"...You still have time to change your mind."
She smiled sadly.
"I know."
"But..."
"I have to do this."
She picked up her suitcase and walked toward the door.
As she stepped into the hallway...
A cold breeze drifted through the open window at the end of the corridor.
It shouldn't have been cold.
Not on a bright morning like this.
Sarah paused for only a second.
"...Weird."
She shook her head.
"It's probably nothing."
She continued walking.
Neither she...
Nor Adrian...
noticed the darkness outside the window.
For the briefest moment...
Two red blood shot eyes slowly opened within the shadows.
Then a whisper, so faint it was almost carried away by the wind...
"Sarah..."
The voice vanished.
As though it had never been there.