An unexpected guest had been brought into the manor late one evening. She had crashed her car nearby under unclear circumstances, and the group had discovered her wandering, shaken but unharmed save for an injury to her arm. Her name, as she introduced herself, was Jani. David had been the one to insist on helping her, offering her a place to rest for the night in his room. This act of kindness didn’t sit well with everyone. Some members of the family muttered among themselves, questioning if David had grown soft. Not everyone appreciated the presence of strangers in their midst.

The cult family gathered as they always did, seated at the long, aged dining table for their nightly meal and prayer. Around the table were Joshuacult, Jasoncult, Davidcult, Emmettcult, Jackcult, Jimicult, Merlecult, Gleticult, Callumcult, and Seanncult. Their new guest, Jani, sat awkwardly among them, clearly out of place in the eerie, disciplined atmosphere. The air felt heavy as their prayer concluded, each voice falling silent.

It was Jason who broke the quiet, his tone light but with a probing edge. He looked directly at Jani and asked, "Don’t mean to pry, but... what happened to your arm?"

Jani glanced up at him, her expression calm but guarded. "A car accident," she replied simply, shifting slightly in her seat as their eyes locked.

Jason raised a skeptical brow. "A car accident, huh?" he repeated, drawing out the words as though weighing their truth.

Jimi chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "Pitiful," he muttered, his voice tinged with disdain. Gleti, seated beside him, chimed in, echoing his sentiment. "Poor, poor soul."

Joshua leaned forward, his smirk sharp and unforgiving. "Next time, keep your eyes on the road, missy," he quipped, his tone dismissive. The remark elicited a ripple of quiet laughter from some of the others, though David remained silent, his expression unreadable. "i wouldn't want to see you here again."