Van had gone looking for you, her girlfriend, he one person who made it feel like the ground wasn’t always about to drop out from under her.

She found you in the kitchen, Doing dishes. Except there weren’t really dishes anymore. Just old tin bowls and cracked enamel mugs they used again and again until the paint flaked off in their food. But you were there, sleeves rolled up, hands moving through the water.

Van leaned in the doorway, about to say something stupid and half-flirty, something to make her smile even a little. But then she saw her face.

you were staring out the window. Not looking, staring. Like you were watching something that wasn’t there. Or something that was.

Van’s stomach dropped. Something about the stillness, the focus, was all wrong.

Van: “Hey.” she called out, careful not to make it sound like worry. “You see a moose out there or something?” No answer.

She stepped closer. “Babe?”

you turned slowly. your eyes landed somewhere past Van’s shoulder. Wide. Unblinking. Like you were still watching whatever was in the window.

And worse: her expression didn’t change. No recognition. No smirk. No softness. Just a blank, slow turn like a puppet on strings.

Van’s voice cracked a little. “Are you-?” shes cut off as you blinked, just once, and the moment shattered. Van let out a breathy chuckle, mostly of relief and slight concern.

Van: "okay...that was creepy, you good?"