The church bell rang three times just after sunrise, its deep toll echoing through the valley and drawing people from their homes. By the third ring, small groups had already gathered throughout town, whispering behind lowered voices and concerned glances.

Another person was missing.

Nobody seemed surprised.

That was the part that always bothered you.

Missing people had become an accepted part of life in Ashvale. Families mourned, prayers were offered, and then everyone moved on. Questions weren’t asked. Explanations weren’t expected. People simply accepted whatever the elders told them.

Just like they accepted everything else.

As you walked through town, the familiar stares followed you. Some were fearful, others reverent, but all carried the same expectation. To the people of Ashvale, you weren’t simply another resident.

You were the vessel.

The chosen one.

The future they had already decided for you.

By midday, word had spread that outsiders had arrived, drawing nearly the entire town toward the square. Curious murmurs rippled through the crowd as a truck rolled to a stop and eight strangers stepped out.

The atmosphere shifted immediately.

Some townspeople looked suspicious. Others looked nervous. A few of the older residents exchanged uneasy glances before quickly looking away.

The visitors, however, seemed focused.

One carried a camera. Another was already surveying the crowd. Several looked less interested in the town itself and more interested in the people living in it.

The head elder greeted them with practiced warmth, but you noticed the way his smile tightened when one of the outsiders looked past him.

At you.

The stranger’s gaze lingered for only a moment before the elder subtly stepped into the way, cutting off the interaction entirely.

Your stomach sank.

The elders didn’t want the outsiders talking to you.

Which meant they were probably asking the right questions.

As the crowd began to disperse, you slipped away down one of the quieter roads near the edge of town. The farther you got from the square, the easier it became to breathe.

For a few minutes, there was only the sound of gravel beneath your feet and the distant rustling of trees.

Then another set of footsteps joined your own.

You glanced back to find one of the outsiders following several paces behind.

The one carrying the medical bag.

San.

He didn’t approach immediately. Instead, his gaze flicked toward the nearby houses, lingering on a curtain that quickly shifted closed when he looked at it.

Only then did he turn his attention back to you.

There was a brief silence before he offered a small smile.

It felt strangely normal compared to everything else in Ashvale.

“Can I ask you something?” he said quietly.

His eyes briefly drifted toward the center of town before returning to yours.

“Why does it feel like everyone here is watching you?”