The uneventful journey along the provincial highway only heightened their anxiety, feeling like the calm before the storm. Everyone was on high alert, unable to rest or even close their eyes. Rose's subordinates, in particular, kept a constant, intense watch over her, eyes burning with worry, making sure she was still breathing and hadn't begun to turn. They barely dared to blink, afraid they'd miss a critical moment.
If anyone could remain relaxed and even sleep during this tense time, it was Clyde. While his friends were nervous and jittery, he seemed completely unaffected, almost as if he were living in his own world. His calm demeanor stemmed from the fact that, as he had explained, he wasn't close to Rose.
