Dream Warriors

Chapter Four: Meeting the Others

Kara stepped into the common room, her nerves on edge. The old wooden floor creaked beneath her feet as she glanced around, taking in the unfamiliar faces. She hadn't been in the group home long enough to get to know anyone, and her mind was still racing with what Mr. Mason had said about the house.

"Hey," a voice called out. It was Trey, standing by the wall, his arms crossed and eyes locked on her. "You must be the new girl."

Kara hesitated, feeling the weight of the room's attention shift toward her. She gave a small nod, unsure of how to respond. "Yeah, I'm Kara."

Trey's expression softened slightly. "I'm Trey. You met the old man already?"

Kara nodded again. "Yeah. He's... different."

"You have no idea," a voice chimed in from the couch. It was Jess, who had removed her headphones, but her eyes were still distant. She gave Kara a quick once-over, then went back to staring at her phone. "Just wait till midnight. That's when things get... interesting."

The words sent a chill through Kara. "Midnight?"

Before anyone could explain, Sasha, the girl pacing the room with restless energy, smirked. "Yeah, you'll see soon enough. This place isn't your average group home. Let's just say the Masons have some... special rules."

Elijah, who was sitting by the window, added quietly, "Don't break them. Trust me."

Kara's head was spinning. She'd just arrived, and already she could feel the weight of something strange lurking beneath the surface. "What kind of rules?"

Luis, the quiet boy in the corner, finally looked up from his comic book, his dark eyes meeting Kara's. "You'll find out tonight. Just don't freak out when it happens."

The cryptic responses only made Kara more anxious, but she was determined not to show it. She sat down on an empty chair, trying to calm her racing thoughts.

"What do you mean by 'don't freak out'?" Kara asked cautiously.

Jess finally looked up again, this time with a knowing glance. "The house... it's not like anywhere else. You'll see what we mean when the clock strikes twelve. Things... change."

Kara swallowed, feeling a knot of unease form in her stomach. The more they talked, the more mysterious this place seemed. But there was no turning back now. She was here, and she was going to have to figure out what they were all talking about.