Against all odds

Worried about the girl

As Nova roused from slumber, her senses were immediately met with an uncanny hush that enveloped the entire cabin. The absence of sound was more than just an absence; it was a presence in itself, oppressive and pervasive.

Every nook and cranny seemed to be filled with this profound silence, so thick that it felt as though it could stifle any potential noise before it had a chance to materialize.

It was as if the very soul of sound had been expelled, leaving behind a disquieting void that seemed to exert a tangible pressure on the ears, making the silence almost suffocating.

Nova thought everyone was still asleep suddenly Startled by the sudden voice, Nova's initial tranquility was shattered as her body jolted in surprise.

Her wide eyes darted around the dimly lit room, desperately seeking the source of the unexpected sound. With her heart racing, every corner of the cabin seemed to echo with the piercing noise, leaving her feeling a sense of urgency and unease.

The silence that had once enveloped the environment was broken, replaced by a palpable tension that permeated the air as she struggled to comprehend the situation.

With a panicked expression etched across their face, Nova hurriedly descended the staircase, each thunderous footfall resounding through the narrow confines of the stairwell. Their arms vigorously pumped with each stride, and their breath came in ragged gasps, capturing the palpable urgency.

Ascending the final steps, Nova stepped into the living room and beheld a heartwarming scene. Her siblings were clustered together, their faces aglow with unbridled mirth, sharing in a moment of pure, unadulterated joy.

The air was filled with the resonance of their laughter, infusing the space with an aura of closeness and contentment. Overwhelmed by a sense of tranquility and belonging, Nova approached her siblings with a deep breath of relief, eager to join in their shared happiness.

"Hey you two," Nova said with bright eyes and a warm, welcoming tone, as she approached her siblings. With genuine affection, she enveloped each of them in tight, heartfelt hugs, conveying her excitement at being reunited with them.

Her beaming smile spoke volumes, radiating joy and love as she embraced them, cherishing the special moment of togetherness.

"Hey Nova," her sister Addylin greeted, her eyes lighting up with warmth as a gentle smile spread across her face, conveying a sense of genuine affection and happiness in seeing her.

"Are you alright? We heard you running downstairs," her brother Adan inquired, his brow furrowed with concern as he fixed his worried gaze upon her.

When Nova woke up, she found herself in an unusually quiet environment. Suddenly, she heard a voice that startled her, sending a shiver down her spine and leaving her feeling frightened.

Despite her own fear, she mustered the courage to reassure her siblings that it was indeed their voices she had heard, urging them not to worry about the unsettling sound.

Her words were laced with a mixture of anxiety and determination as she sought to comfort her concerned brothers and sisters, all while grappling with her own sense of unease.

Following that moment, a sense of tranquility settled in, well, as tranquil as circumstances could allow in the wake of an apocalypse. There had been no signs of the dreaded crawlers anywhere in the vicinity of the cabin.

However, she couldn't shake off the underlying unease—she was certain that their numbers had grown recently, though the reason eluded her. With winter fast approaching, the surge in crawler activity seemed inexplicable; traditionally, such creatures were expected to diminish as colder weather set in.