The night pressed down like a weight, heavy and suffocating. Somewhere beyond the motel walls, the highway murmured faintly — a distant reminder of a world that seemed both close and impossibly far.
Orla lay curled beneath the thin blanket, Stanley’s arms wrapped around her like a shield. His breath was steady, rhythmic, and somehow grounding. But her mind was anything but still.
Jakob was missing.
The second she woke and the bed beside her was empty, panic clawed up her throat. She scrambled from the mattress, heart pounding.
Stanley was already up, standing by the cracked window, staring out into the dark with clenched fists.
“Jakob,” Orla whispered, voice trembling. “He’s gone.”
Stanley didn’t turn.
“He’s probably just out exploring,” he said, though his voice was tight with fear
