Day 9: Unspoken Truths
The group moved through the city in a tight formation, James and Sarah leading the way with Cass hanging back, her eyes sharp as ever. Eli stayed close to her, though he could feel the tension rolling off her in waves. Something was wrong—something more than just the constant threat of Wraithkin. He could sense it in the way Cass's gaze darted between the shadows, like she knew something was coming but couldn't say it.
Luke walked beside Eli, his presence steady and reassuring. Eli couldn't shake the connection he felt with him, but the conversation from the night before still gnawed at him. Luke had hinted that the group wasn't as perfect as they seemed, but he hadn't given any specifics. And after the attack, Eli found it hard to trust anyone who was as calm as James's group had been.
As they wound through the narrow streets, Eli couldn't stop replaying the events of last night in his head. The way Cass had fought, the way she had seemed resigned when she was hit—it was like she had been expecting it. And her comment afterward, about having "died enough times," echoed in his mind.
What did she mean by that?
The more Eli thought about it, the more questions piled up in his mind. Cass had always been distant, cold even, but now it felt like she was carrying something far heavier than just the burden of survival. Something she couldn't share.
He wanted to ask her, to confront her about what she'd said, but every time he opened his mouth, the words died on his tongue. Cass had saved his life more times than he could count—he owed her more than he could ever repay. Pushing her for answers felt wrong, like it would break whatever fragile trust they had built. And yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that she knew more about this world, about the Wraithkin, than she was letting on.
"Lost in thought?" Luke's voice broke through Eli's reverie, pulling him back to the present.
Eli blinked, glancing at Luke, who had that easy smile on his face again, though his eyes were watchful. "Yeah, just… thinking about last night. About how close we came to—"
"Getting wiped out?" Luke finished, his smile fading into something more serious. "Yeah, I know. It's not the first time for us, though. We've been lucky, but luck runs out eventually."
Eli nodded, the weight of Luke's words sinking in. "Do you think we'll find somewhere safe?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
Luke's expression darkened for a moment, and he shrugged. "Safe's a relative term. Out here, you just take what you can get and hope it's enough. That's all any of us can do."
Eli felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He glanced over at James, who was walking ahead, seemingly at ease. "And what about James and the others? They seem… different. Like they aren't as worried as the rest of us."
Luke hesitated, his jaw tightening. "They've seen things," he said quietly. "Things that would make most people fall apart. They've learned how to survive, but that doesn't mean they aren't scared. They just hide it better."
Eli wasn't sure if he believed that. James didn't seem scared at all—he seemed confident. Too confident for someone in this world.
"What about you?" Eli asked, keeping his voice low. "You're not like them."
Luke's eyes flicked to Eli, and for a second, something vulnerable passed over his face. Then he sighed. "No, I'm not. I wasn't part of the original group. They found me, took me in after I lost my family. I owe them my life, but… there are things they don't talk about. Secrets."
Eli's heart skipped a beat. "Like what?"
Luke glanced ahead, making sure the others weren't listening, then lowered his voice. "I don't know all of it, but James has a way of finding things—supplies, weapons, even people—without ever running into trouble. He knows where the Wraithkin are going to be before they show up. And he's never scared of them, not like we are. There's something off about it."
Eli's mind raced. "You think they're hiding something about the Wraithkin?"
Luke nodded, his expression grim. "I think they know more than they're letting on. And I think whatever it is, it's not good for the rest of us."
Eli's pulse quickened. His thoughts immediately went to Cass—her strange behavior, her knowledge of the creatures, and the way she always seemed to know what was coming. Was she like James? Did she know more than she was telling him?
Before he could ask Luke any more questions, James called out from the front of the group. "We're almost there. Keep your eyes open."
Cass tensed beside Eli, her hand resting on the hilt of her knife. She hadn't said a word during their conversation, but Eli could feel her unease growing. She didn't trust James, and now, neither did Eli.
They arrived at an old, crumbling church at the edge of the city, its once-grand facade now covered in vines and debris. The stained glass windows were shattered, the bell tower leaning dangerously to one side. It looked like a place that had been abandoned long before the world ended, a relic of a forgotten time.
James motioned for the group to enter, his smile never wavering. "We've been using this place as a safehouse. It's quiet, out of the way, and the Wraithkin don't come here."
Eli followed the others inside, though his mind was racing. Why don't the Wraithkin come here? he wondered. Everywhere else they went, the creatures seemed to follow, their presence a constant shadow. What made this place different?
The inside of the church was as broken as the outside. Pews lay overturned, the altar covered in dust and cobwebs. But there was a strange sense of stillness here, an eerie calm that made Eli's skin crawl.
Cass stopped at the entrance, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the room. "Why here?" she asked, her voice low and suspicious.
James turned to face her, his smile faltering just a little. "Like I said, the Wraithkin don't come here. We don't know why, but we've been safe every time we've stayed."
Eli felt a cold chill creep up his spine. That's not an answer.
Cass didn't seem convinced either. She stepped forward, her eyes locked on James. "And you've never questioned it? Never wondered why they leave this place alone?"
James shrugged, his smile returning. "Maybe they just don't like holy ground. Maybe this place still has some kind of… protection. Who knows?"
Eli could see Cass's fingers twitching near her knife, her jaw set in a hard line. She didn't believe him. And neither did Eli.
But before anyone could say more, Luke stepped forward, trying to diffuse the tension. "Hey, it's better than being out in the open, right? Let's just take the win and rest."
Cass's eyes flicked to Luke, her gaze softening slightly, but she didn't relax. "Fine," she muttered. "But we don't stay here long."
Eli couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The air felt too still, the church too quiet. And the fact that the Wraithkin didn't come here—it wasn't right.
As the group settled in, Eli caught Luke's eye. He could tell that Luke felt the same unease, the same sense of danger lurking just beneath the surface. But for now, there was nothing they could do except wait.
That night, after the others had fallen asleep, Eli found himself lying awake, staring up at the cracked ceiling. The events of the day swirled in his mind—James's strange confidence, Luke's warnings, and the way Cass seemed to know more than she was letting on.
His thoughts kept drifting back to Cass's words from the night before: "I've died… enough times." The more he thought about it, the less it made sense. But it also explained so much about her—the way she fought, the way she carried herself, and the exhaustion in her eyes. It was like she had been through this over and over again, like she had experienced the end of the world more times than anyone should.
But how could that be possible?
As he lay there, turning the puzzle over in his mind, he noticed something strange. The air in the church felt heavier, the stillness more oppressive. And then, faintly, he heard it—a soft, rhythmic sound, like something crawling.
His heart leapt into his throat as he sat up, scanning the room. At first, he couldn't see anything, but then his eyes landed on a dark shape moving along the wall, its many legs clicking softly against the stone.
It was one of them. One of the eight-legged creatures, its body covered in those horrible, blinking eyes.
"Cass," Eli whispered, his voice barely audible. "Cass, wake up."
Cass stirred immediately, her hand already on her knife. She didn't need to ask what was wrong—she could sense it. Her eyes flicked to the creature on the wall, her expression hardening. But as she prepared to move, Eli saw something he hadn't noticed before: a flash of weariness in her eyes.