W.E. rushed to the Gatlin house, instructing Malachai and the others to prepare for the kill. As the boys left with him, Rachel stayed behind to inform Qiana.
Leaning against her bedroom door, Rachel listened to the rhythmic creaking of a chair and the soft strokes of Qiana brushing her hair.
"Some meat is coming down from the gas station. Make haste and be at the Hewitt home this evening."
"Thank you, Rachel. I'll be there soon."
Rachel rolled her eyes at the somber tone in Qiana's voice from the other side of the door.
As Qiana heard Rachel walk away to her room, she knelt beside her bed. The sky was still bright, but she knew the hunt would begin soon. She imagined what it would be like, comparing it to the time she and her friend Germs were trapped in the basement. If they had been human—without their people to protect them—Malachai would have surely killed them.
And now, here she was, still reeling from the despair she had felt earlier over a careless comment he had made about her parents—just moments after they had shared a passionate kiss. Qiana wondered if staying in this place, day in and day out, was truly driving her insane. Insane like the Hewitts, the Sawyers, and the Slaughters—forced to eat flesh to survive because it was kill or be killed. Out here, it felt like just another deranged pack.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to steady her breathing. Tonight, she and her friends had to help kill for this pack. Kill so she could one day see her family again.
"Dear lord, I pray my soul to keep..."
"Dear Lord, have you seen how low these gas prices are, Lynette?"
Richard, a father of three, called out to his wife as he pumped gas at the rundown station. Lynette, however, was too busy trying to get the drink machine to work.
"Damn it to hell, Richard, that machine ate my dollar!" she complained, walking back over. "Are Sarah and the boys back yet?"
"Ah, they're still stretching their legs. That nice blonde girl—I think she was going to show Sarah where the outhouse was."
She said, pointing towards the back of the building.
Sarah stepped out of the outhouse, wrinkling her nose in disgust. Her two younger brothers waited nearby.
"Watch out, it's disgusting in there, Evan."
"You mean you made it disgusting?" Evan teased before disappearing inside. Sarah rolled her eyes and stood with her youngest brother, Anthony.
As Anthony glanced around, his eyes landed on a man and a woman talking near the gas station's back door. His stomach twisted at what he saw.
"Psst, Sarah," he whispered. "That guy has a hook for a hand."
"Jeez, Ant, so what? Lots of people have disabilities. Stop staring."
"I would—if they would. They both keep looking over here."
Sarah took a few discreet side glances, her unease growing as she confirmed Anthony was right. The man and woman weren't just glancing—they were watching them. And Beatrice, the blonde woman, was nowhere in sight.
"It's probably just because we're out here alone," she reasoned. "Or maybe they work here and are just waiting to use the outhouse next." Still, she couldn't shake the unsettling feeling creeping up her spine. "Hey, did that blondie tell you where she was going?"
Anthony pointed toward the gas station. "Probably in there?"
Sarah's stomach sank. The way the man and woman stared made her uneasy. Something felt off.
As Evan stepped out of the outhouse, Anthony went in. Sarah grabbed Evan's arm and pulled him aside.
"Look, stay here with Anthony. I need to go talk to Mom and Dad."
Evan furrowed his brow. "You're leaving me here? Really?"
As Sarah walked away, she no longer felt eyes on her—but the two strangers were still staring at her brothers. A wave of unease settled over her. Just before rounding the corner, she glanced back one last time—only to collide with an older man with a foggy eye.
"Oof! Watch where ya goin', sugar dumpling! Ol' Alfredo's only got one good eye left!" he cackled, his laughter unsettling.
Sarah stiffened. "I-I'm just heading back to my dad," she muttered, stepping slightly to the side to get around him. But Alfredo shifted, blocking her path.
"Whoa now, no need to get all prissy with me, sweetheart. Heh, heh. We're just gettin' to know each other."
Her pulse quickened. The man's demeanor was off—dangerous. Just as panic set in, the bell above the gas station's front door jingled, momentarily drawing Alfredo's attention.
Sarah seized the opportunity. Without hesitation, she slipped past him and hurried toward her mother, forcing herself to walk naturally despite the ever-growing fear.
Tex strolled out, adjusting his cowboy hat with a grin. "Hope that there pump ain't givin' ya too much trouble, mister. Outta the four, that's the only one workin' right now."
Richard chuckled, still gripping the janky pump handle. "No problem at all, sir. But I hope you take card here."
Tex sighed, shaking his head. "Oh no, sorry—cash only. Our card reader's been busted all day. Got my wife and her sister inside tryin' to fix that damn thing. But tell ya what—gas and anything inside is on the house." He pointed back toward the station.
Lynette glanced at her husband. "Guess it's our lucky day. Sarah and I are going to grab a drink. Want anything?"
Richard shook his head as she headed inside.
Evan and Anthony wandered up to the front.
"Thought you two fell into the toilet," Richard teased. "That gentleman said gas and anything inside is free. Go on and git."
Evan hesitated, lowering his voice. "Pa, these people are weird. The workers in the back kept staring at us."
Richard scoffed. "Son, these folks are as country as country gets. Now hurry up so we can get goin'."
Evan sighed and pulled Anthony toward the station. Inside, the place looked run-down, at the register stood a striking woman with long hair, tanned skin, and big brown eyes.
Evan did his best not to stare, but she noticed him, offering a polite smile and a small wave. His face flushed, and he quickly looked away, pretending to examine the worn-out labels on the shelves.
Lynette reached into an old, yellowed freezer and pulled out a couple of drinks. As she turned, something caught her eye. Beatrice was digging around in the supply closet, her movements hurried. The closet itself was cluttered with trash—an unusual amount. Among the mess, scraps of plastic and stuffing paper were smeared with dark, mysterious stains.
As the back door opened, Sarah immediately recognized the man and woman.
"Howdy, name's Tinker. Where you folks headin'?" he asked, catching Lynette's attention.
"Oh, nowhere in particular," she answered confidently. "Just taking a cross-state trip with the family. The kids go back to school next month, and our oldest is starting college." She glanced at Sarah beside her, who offered a polite smile.
"Well, ain't that impressive. You and yer fella must be proud," Tinker said. "There's a backroad that opened up recently—finna replace the main road down here 'cause of new paving. I can give your husband directions if y'all are interested."
Lynette nodded. "Oh, sure, we had no idea."
"It's alright," Tinker replied. "Me and my family are locals 'round these parts—don't get a lot of travelers out here." With that, he stepped outside to talk to Richard, who was still pumping gas. Meanwhile, Tex walked behind the counter and quietly instructed Freddy how to further tend to the smoker.
As the family placed their items on the counter, Tex bagged them one by one. Sarah was the last to step up. Seeing that she was momentarily alone, Tex seized the chance for some small talk.
"So, what college you attendin'?" he asked, laying on his smoothest Texan accent, flashing a charming smile.
Sarah relaxed a little. "Texas A&M. My parents went there, so it's kinda traditional."
"No kiddin'! My great-great-grandparents attended there—some of my elders even worked as professors."
Sarah's face lit up. "No way! You're part of the alumni too?"
Tex chuckled. "Who, me? Oh, naw. They were part of the agriculture committee way back in the day. Eventually, they got into the meat packin' business. Owned a few plants, actually. I used to work at the one back in Muerto County. I ain't never been book smart, so the fact you got accepted tells me you somethin' special."
Flattered, Sarah became a little shy. "You're way different than that creep who tried talking to me earlier."
Tex smirked. "Sorry 'bout that. That's my brother, Alfredo. He's got a lotta screws loose up there. But I guess he ain't too sick in the head—he sure knows a beautiful lady when he sees one."
Freddy, standing nearby, grew visibly irritated as Tex continued to flirt with the young girl. Before Sarah could respond, a sharp foreign voice cut in.
Putting her hands on her hips, the brunette behind the counter stepped up next to Tex, staring him down. "I think she's ready tah check out, babe," she said pointedly.
Sensing the awkward tension, Sarah quickly gathered her things and hurried out the door, heading straight for the RV.
Tinker pointed to a spot on the map, then gestured toward the road as he gave Richard directions.
"'Bout half a mile that way, you're gonna see this dirt path right here. It got cleared not too long ago, so it'll be smooth sailin', boss."
Richard shook his hand in thanks before climbing back into the truck and driving off.
Seeing this, Alfredo grabbed his radio and sent a loud, clear message back home.
"I hope y'all are ready to celebrate 'cause we got fresh meat comin' home! Vilmer, be ready down that road, son!"
Katerina and Beatrice watched as Tex and Freddy started arguing behind the counter. Alarmed but knowing better than to interfere, they chose to stay out of it.
"Nah, you listen to me," Tex growled. "I don't care what kind of jealousy problem you got, heifer, but you don't ever interrupt me when I'm conductin' business!"
"You call that conductin' business?! Ya weah keen on that cunt! Girls—y'all heahrin' this oaf?!" Freddy yelled, looking at Katerina and Beatrice, who quickly averted their gazes.
"It don't matter!" Tex snapped, stepping closer, his anger rising. "A cow ain't supposed to see the sledgehammer comin' down on 'em, and that cunt ain't supposed to suspect a damn thing! You tryin' to spook away my family's next meal? I won't take too kindly to that. Now shut the hell up!"
Freddy, seeing red, smacked Tex across the face. In the blink of an eye, he retaliated, backhanding her so hard she toppled over the counter.
Katerina rushed in, shoving herself between them before the fight could escalate, while Beatrice hurried to pull her sister away.
"Stop it! This isn't the bloody time!" Katerina snapped. "We gottah heahr from Vilmah once he gets those people 'n then head back ta the house."
The room fell into tense silence.
"Fine," Freddy growled, "This isn't ovah, that cunt will be cactus by my teeth end of tonight."
Richard followed the directions and turned onto the entrance of the back road. Marking it at about five miles from the gas station, he figured he was on the right track. As they continued, the road became rougher, and the truck and RV shook violently over the uneven terrain.
"Damn road didn't get all its rocks leveled out—Jesus Christ," Richard muttered, gripping the wheel as Lynette peered out the window. The brush around them grew thicker and more unruly.
"That guy said the roads are getting paved," she reminded him. "Should just be temporary."
After a few more minutes of rough driving, they spotted a clearing up ahead when suddenly, loud pops shattered the air. The truck jerked violently as Richard lost control of the wheel. As he slammed on the brakes, the hill they were crossing sent the vehicle plunging into a steep dip.
Cursing, Richard threw the truck into park and jumped out. The two front tires were completely blown, and the truck's grill was buried nose-first in the dirt.
The three kids stepped out, staring at the aftermath in stunned silence.
Evan was the first to speak. "Damn rocks everywhere must've done the tires in."
Lynette shook her head. "Your dad bought brand-new ones for this trip. Ain't no way."
Richard sank onto a boulder, running a hand over his face in frustration. "It don't make sense. This truck's built for off-roading—how the hell did they just collapse like that?"
A few minutes passed as Sarah and Anthony wandered around the clearing, surveying the road. Then, Sarah spotted something on the horizon.
"Mom! Dad! Look!" she called, pointing at a tow truck that was approaching.
Lynette frowned. "Huh. First, the free gas and snacks, and now a tow truck? What are the odds?"
"I don't care. I'll take the help," Richard said, standing up and waving his arms and hat to get the driver's attention. "Ain't no way I'm getting this thing out by myself."
The tow truck honked in response and pulled onto the scene. The driver stepped out—a tall man with a robotic brace on his leg, dressed in a gray jumpsuit with his hair slicked back. He walked up to Richard with an easy smile.
"Howdy. Name's Vilmer. Looks like I came at the right time. I was headin' over to the gas station down thataway."
"Well, thank God you did," Richard said. "We were just coming from there and didn't see how steep that dip was."
Vilmer nodded, subtly scanning the number of family members around. "Yeah, been happenin' a lot these days. More folks comin' through here. Hold tight—I got chains in the truck to hoist y'all up."
He got to work, attaching his equipment and hauling the truck out of the ditch. Once it was back on solid ground, he glanced at the blown-out tires.
"Tell ya what," Vilmer offered. "I got a collection of spares in my junkyard. Why don't y'all come back to my place? Just have the missus and the kids ride in the RV—you can sit up front with me."
Relieved, Richard nodded. "Sounds good to me."
Without hesitation, the family climbed into the RV as Richard hopped into the front seat.
As Vilmer changed gears, he turned towards Richard, "I gotta ask you something. You know that old saying folks used to say when they coming home from work?"
Confused, Richard replied, "What?"
Vilmer's grin spread wide as in a flash, his straight razor made its way across the man's neck, causing a fan of blood to erupt from the deep gash.
Turning the volume up, Vilmer howled with laughter as he sped off, "I'm bringing home the bacon!"
Sarah felt the mood shift the moment the tow truck sped off down the rough, unruly road, sending her and her family tumbling inside the RV.
Gripping the kitchenette counter for support, she braced herself between it and the bed. Her youngest brother, Anthony, did the same beside her. The trailer whipped violently from side to side, jerking them in every direction.
Lynette lost her balance, slamming her head against the counter with a sickening thud. Blood immediately began trickling down her forehead.
"Mom!" Sarah screamed.
Evan scrambled over, trying to steady her, his hands pressing into the wound while staying on the ground as the truck continued to rock.
"Is she okay?" Sarah cried out to Evan
"She's knocked out cold; it's a gash on the side of her head. What the fuck is the drivers problem?!"
Sarah clung tightly to Anthony, her heart pounding in panic. The RV lurched and rattled as the tow truck sped recklessly down the road. She couldn't understand why her father wasn't doing anything—why he wasn't stopping this. Her fear deepened with every passing second. How long had they been driving?
The truck suddenly revved onto a smoother road but showed no sign of slowing down. Suddenly, the brakes screeched violently, sending everyone in the RV flying forward. Sarah barely caught herself before crashing into the kitchenette counter.
Before she could process what was happening, the RV door swung open with force. A man stood in the doorway, his short-cropped blonde hair neat, his mustache thin, his glasses reflecting the dimming light. In his hand, he gripped a cattle prod.
Evan, still holding Lynette's unconscious head in his hands, looked up desperately.
"Sir, please—my mom's hurt. Can you help me?" he pleaded.
The man—W.E.—sniffed dismissively, showing no sign of concern. Then, in an eerily calm voice, he mused, "Sometimes, you can only find heaven by slowly backing away from hell." Now that's from Carrie Fisher."
Before Evan could react, W.E. jammed the cattle prod into his chest as electricity shot through his body. Evan convulsed in agony as W.E. struck him over and over again.
Sarah shot up, adrenaline taking over. She lunged at W.E., landing frantic punches, trying to pry him off her brother. But before she could do any real damage, Vilmer yanked her off his brother's back and threw her down, his fists coming down hard.
Anthony, eyes wide with terror, saw his chance and bolted out of the RV.
Evan and Sarah, still fighting back, managed to slip free in the chaos, all three of them scrambling desperately for escape.
"Don't just stand there, you idiots go on n get 'em!" W.E. shouted outside to the twins as they set off and chased the three. Chop Top tackles Sarah to the ground and hog ties her while Nubbins chases Evan into the field, slashing his back with a knife. As he collapses, they both bring them back to the house, along with Vilmer bringing over the tied-up mother, Lynette.
As Thomas and Hoyt help bring in the abductees and the slain father, Vilmer realizes a grave error.
"Ah you shitheads! You forgot the boy! Where is he?!"
Looking around, they notice the youngest was out of sight. Brutus looked over to Drayton, awaiting his command.
"Go fetch, boy."
Following this, Brutus shifts into his black panther form, sniffing out the air, catching the boy's scent, and launching off into the woods.
Everyone gathered in the living room as the youngest of the family, Babbi, sang her voice filling the space. Qianna stood beside Katerina and Freddy, waiting for further instructions.
"Where are the others?" she whispered to Katerina, who was watching Hoyt and Drayton join in, entertaining Babbi.
"Beatrice is at the servo with Al. Brutus is chasin' down the last boy. Thomas is chooin' up the bloody othah one downstairs. Tinkah 'n tex ahah dealin' with the two sheilas in the bloody kitchen. As fawr Julibee? I saw hah go upstairs eahrliah with those boys wo've been showin' hah ahround the basement. I reckon they'ah gettin' mawah knives."
Qianna glanced toward Freddy, who stood with her arms crossed, staring off into space.
"What's wrong with Freddy? She looks pissed."
Katerina rolled her eyes. "She's on a jealous streak. Can ya believe she's actually gobsmacked that the fahkin' hot blonde is a flirt? She's young—she'll av ta come ta terms with the bloody fact that yah only one is garn ta be everyone's." She chuckled, then took note of Qianna's tense expression.
"And wat about ya? Lookin' glum. The bloody shaggy-haired cunt still givin' ya problems?"
Vilmer and W.E. started dancing with Babbi in the middle of the room, while the elders watched on, smiling at the family togetherness. Rachel emerged from the kitchen, setting down a tray of iced tea for everyone.
"No, it's not her this time," Qianna muttered. "Malachai just says stupid things. And... I'm feeling really down about missing my folks back home."
Katerina gave her an assuring side hug. "Boys ahah always stupid, ahren't they? just 'ang in theah. Ya'll see them somedee soon."
As Tex finished tightening down the arms of the young girl behind the chair she sat on, Tinker called out to Michael and Ian into the kitchen.
"I got the mother here tied and passed out under the table, the other girl gonna sit tight on the chair here. Keep eyes on boff them? You know how the family likes to have a little fun around here." Tinker said, handing off one of his knives to Ian.
Tex walked over and gave a hammer to Michael. "And don't get carried away. Luda Mae wants to sit for a spell, so you two be watchin' them, got it? I'd like to spend some time here with my niece." Smiling, both men turned their attention to Vilmer and Babbi dancing in the middle of the living room.
Michael and Ian grabbed chairs as they sat and watched the girl going in and out of consciousness, blood caking the side of her head and clothes, and gags over her and her mother's mouths.
"You notice those two sweethearts out there ain't even looking at each other?" Ian whispered to Michael as he peeked into the living room. Malachai stood beside Rachel, the two of them speaking quietly.
"Yeah, lovers' quarrel. Typical shit. They'll get over it. I know Rachel's eating it up, though," Michael replied with a chuckle.
Ian's gaze shifted to the girl bound to the kitchen chair. Her eyes fluttered open more steadily now, awareness returning. A sense of unease settled over him as he considered the dangers ahead.
"You've seen how they change—how they turn into beasts. I'll never forget the first time. I couldn't even sleep, knowing she was in our house. I kept wondering… what if she just ripped our throats out in the middle of the night? And what if Malachai says something too stupid, y'know? What if she just decides, 'fuck it,' and kills us?"
Michael went silent, the weight of the thought settling between them.
"Something to bring up to Malachai later," he said finally. "For now, let's just do what we're told.""
He then pointed over to the girl, fully awake now, who started to sob. Luda Mae walked in, noticing the muffled cries.
"Well looky here, not playing dead no mo ain't ya?" She said as the girl continued to cry out.
"She seems happy." Ian joked as Luda Mae grinned wider.
"Now, don't you fret none. Bless all yer hearts tonight. Y'all have been a true salvation. My large family gonna have enough to eat again, and I got no one but to thank you. Don't worry, it'll be quick for you." As she finished, Thomas appeared, having the passed-out boy slung over his shoulder with his arms and legs perfectly bound as well as gagged.
Sarah's eyes widened, terrified at the giant man wearing a human skin mask as he held onto a mallet. Hearing the excitement from the kitchen, Monty raised his voice to upstairs
"Chop top! Nubbins! Get grandpa down here now!"