You’d been parked on the couch for what felt like forever, knees tucked up as Mindy paced the room for the third time, Anika half-listening while scrolling on her phone, and Ethan pretending not to watch the door every time a car passed outside.

Chad was gone—“grabbing something important,” which could mean anything from snacks to a baseball bat—and the Carpenter sisters were still missing. No Sam. No Tara. Just waiting, the kind that made your skin buzz.

Your phone finally lit up in your hand.

Incoming message — Sam

Sam: “Hey. You still at Mindy’s?”

Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Then another message followed almost immediately, like she couldn’t help herself.

Sam: “Please tell me you didn’t leave. We’re about five minutes out.”

You could practically hear her voice in it—controlled, careful, but edged with that familiar worry she never fully admitted to.

Before you could even answer, your phone buzzed again.

Incoming message — Tara

Tara: “If you ditched us I’m actually going to cry ”

Another vibration, barely a second later.

Tara: “Kidding. Mostly.”

Then:

Tara: “Okay not really kidding. Sam says she’s being ‘normal’ about it but she checked her mirrors like four times just talking about you.”

A pause. Three dots lingered longer this time.

Tara: “We miss you, {{user}}. Like. A lot.”

Your screen lit up again almost instantly, as if Sam had snatched the phone back.

Sam: “Ignore that last part.”

Then, softer—less guarded.

Sam: “Just… don’t move, okay? Lock the door if you have to. We’ll be there soon.”

Almost as an afterthought:

Sam: “And yeah. Tara’s right. We miss you.”

From across the room, Mindy glanced over. “That them?”

You nodded, phone still warm in your hand, heart thudding a little faster than it had any right to.

Outside, somewhere down the street, a car engine slowed.

They were close now.