Laughter echoed through the quiet streets as the family of three walked home, the little girl clutching a stuffed rabbit tightly in her arms. Her face still glowed with excitement from the celebration earlier that night. Pink balloons were tied to her wrist, bouncing with each step she took.
“Did you have fun, sweetheart?” her mother asked, smiling warmly.
The girl beamed. “Yes! It was the best birthday ever!”
Her father chuckled, ruffling her hair. “Well, you’re another year older now. Maybe next year, we’ll have an even bigger party.”
The girl’s eyes sparkled at the idea, but before she could say anything, her father’s expression subtly shifted. A flicker of tension crossed his face as his trained senses picked up something unnatural lingering in the air.
His wife stiffened beside h
