The group moved briskly over the blinding sand—not necessarily by choice.

"How do you know Bogart isn't just staying with a friend?" Kay asked as they drew nearer to the edge of Eldritch.

Agnes hobbled out of breath beside her, doing everything to not pass out from the effort. Kay hadn't been joking about her affinity for a relaxed pace. The woman was practically gliding across the treacherous terrain and had barely broken a sweat.

"He... doesn't have... any friends," Agnes puffed out between breaths. "He has... me."

"Mmm, you'd be surprised by the secrets boys keep as they grow," Kay said cryptically, her eyes were still on the edge. "But for argument sake, let's say you're right. How do you know he wants to be found? Perhaps he's decided to start a new life and not tell you."

"Because I know," Agnes gritted out, hating everything Kay had to say on the topic. "I know him better than anyone. And I know he wouldn't leave."

Agnes finished the last part in her head: Not without taking me with him.

"Suit yourself." Kay shrugged; she didn't seem to care either way. "Like I said, if we find him, great. For your sake, I hope we do."

Agnes was quiet a moment longer before deciding she didn't feel like talking about Bogart anymore—not with Kay. Falling into a steadier pace to catch her breath, she tried out a new topic, shouting at Kay's back. "How do you check the snow?"

"Excuse me?" Kay asked distractedly. Then, under her breath, "Wow, it's really coming down."

Agnes didn't know what that meant, but she did have a similar thought about the snow: that's a lot. And so it was; the town of Eldritch was being blanketed by the oppressive white mess. Only ten feet away, she could make out the thin layer already coating the streets and covering the rooftops. It was so bright that Agnes felt the urge to cover her eyes. Kay still had her glasses, so her expression was impossible to read.

"You've come to check why the snow is happening, right? Well, how do you do that?"

"Very complex process, Four Eyes. Too much for a child's brain," Kay said simply, throwing the butt of her white stick into the passing sand.

Well, this was the first time Agnes had been told that. "Don't be insulting. I can understand complex processes just fine."

"Of course you would say that," Kay said, glancing back at Agnes briefly. "You've never been presented with a complex process. Trust me, Sugar Plum. You're best left in the dark."

Agnes's face flushed a mottled red. She was disliking this Kay woman more and more by the second, and secretly, she wished Bex had been the only adult in the trailer. At least they weren't so condescending.

In fact, Bex was practically patient by comparison, which was saying something considering who their travel buddy was. Margot had taken Bex at their word and was rambling about anything and everything that she could think of. Never once did the adult shush her or call her mean names. At some points, it almost appeared as if Bex was actually... listening?

"So, are you a mom or a dad?" Margot asked, kicking the sand as she went. Yvonne had yelled at her twice for it, but what did the shadow girl care about reprimands?

Bex shuddered. "Neither, thankfully. But if that's your naive way of asking if I'm a lady or not, all I'll say is, I'm definitely not a man."

"Me neither," Margot agreed, wrinkling her nose. "They are the most dreadful of adults. Never know how to keep their hands to themselves. I have a collection of hands I've taken as retribution. The ravens enjoy them."

Bex smirked. "That's right, Little Bits. Always give 'em Hell."

"What's Hell?" Margot asked, naturally.

"It's the place all men go once they're done here."

Margot's eyes went wide with astonishment. "Where do we get to go?"

At that, Bex pondered a moment. "Not sure. But if I find out, I'll let ya know."

"You are the very best person I've ever talked to, you know," Margot beamed, staring up at the intriguing Bex. "Even better than the ravens! At least I can tell you know what I'm saying."

A look of pity flashed briefly across Bex's face—at least, I think that's what it was. Darn those glasses. "Birds understand, Little Bits. Don't you ever worry about that. People are overrated anyway, myself included."

Margot had so many more questions and so many more topics she wanted to learn from Bex. They were all ready to spill off her tongue, but a shout from up front kept the shadow girl's tangent at bay—for now.

"Bex, get up here," Kay's voice demanded. Even all the way in the back, Margot could spot her pink hair shining in the sun still hanging over the desert. She was waiting just at the edge, her body stiff.

Bex, recognizing that tone, sighed and tugged Margot along. "C'mon, Bits, she gets worse the longer I make her wait. Usually there's some fun in that, but..."

Instead of finishing the thought, Bex only shrugged and kept on walking. They passed Yvonne and Hugo, who were huddled close as they tugged their shoes back on, and upon reaching Kay and Agnes, Bex let out a sigh of frustration. "So. How do you wanna do this?"

"Do what?" Agnes asked reflexively, but the question wasn't targeted at her.

"You were the one that was adamant about going into town," Kay bit back crossly, still staring at the scene before them. "You get to decide how we enter the filth."

And filth it was. Snow on its own in an untouched field is the most beautiful sight to behold. Snow mixed in with the grime of Eldritch, and the scene is not quite as pure. The outskirts had taken on a good amount of precipitation, the dumpsters tinting it a mildew green. Rat tracks broke up the blanket with muddy prints, while gray slush ran down the sides of buildings, the bricks melting the snow on impact. Electrical wires crackled overhead, their innards unprotected from the wetness. Above them, the birds of Eldritch hovered, searching for a patch of dry land to take cover from the onslaught. From what the motley crew could see, there wasn't a square inch untouched by snow.

"At least there's no one around," Bex said optimistically. "Makes it at least a smidge easier."

"Makes what easier?" Yvonne perked up, her and Hugo finally rejoining the conversation.

"You just had to saddle us with the most inquisitive children in Eldritch," Kay mumbled.

"You gotta admit, at least they're entertaining."

"I admit nothing," Kay said spitefully, turning her back on Bex and refocusing on the challenge at hand. Of course, none of the children understood what challenge to which they were referring.

"What's the big deal?" Agnes asked bluntly. "We went over the edge just fine. It can't be more than a foot off the sand, right?"

"More like three," Kay corrected. "But the height isn't the problem. We're not residents of Eldritch. That's the problem."

"What does that matter?" Margot asked, rushing ahead to get started on the climb up. "There's probably an old house you can take for yourselves. I know where you can find some rocks to break the windows."

"She's not talking about our living situation," Bex explained, watching the shadow girl scramble up the edge of Eldritch. "Kay here is referring to the sign."

"Sign?" But as she asked, Agnes spotted it just to her left, the same one from earlier that morning. It was just as overbearing as she remembered, towering over all of Eldritch:

THE TOWN OF ELDRITCH

POPULATION:

ALWAYS HAS

AND ALWAYS WILL BE

1 0 0 0

"They're not gonna like it," Kay said, almost to herself. If Agnes weren't standing so close, she might not have heard at all. "You and I both know there are other ways we could've done this."

"Listen, we'll be quick." Bex gestured for Yvonne to step in front of them. Hesitant, the pitiful girl obliged, only to be lifted into the air and plopped on the other side of the edge. "The sooner we get it over with, the sooner they get over it."

"Who is 'they'?" Agnes was getting annoyed with the two of them talking like no one else was there. "And what does that have to do with the sign?"

"The adults. We're two extra people." After a beat, Bex gestured to Agnes to do the same as Yvonne. "Just come here, Carrot Top. There's no better explanation than experience."

The young Agnes was not satisfied with that answer, but before she could fight back, Bex had her under the armpits and was lifting her high over their head. Faster than she could blink, her feet were back on the pavement of Eldritch.

Immediately, she could feel the difference. The snow was an altogether new texture for Agnes. It was similar to the sinking in the sand, but less relenting—crunchier. One tentative step to test it further and her feet were soaked, the frigid wetness working its way down to her bones. The young girl couldn't feel her toes at all; she surely regretted not taking the time to redress fully. Negating her socks, she quickly tugged her sneakers on, then stuffed the extra clothing in her pockets.

"Weird, right?' Yvonne said quietly, staring down at the ground. She lifted a sandaled foot, then let it crunch against the snow again. "I never imagined it would feel quite like this."

Bending down to run her fingers through the slush, Yvonne was surprised by the sting of the snow. She had never given snow much thought before, but even knowing it was meant to be cold, it was different experiencing the sensation for the first time. It was so different from the sizzling pavement she'd grown up on. Picking up a handful, she let the snow drip through the cracks between her fingers, enjoying the way it burned.

Agnes was less impressed. If anything, the snow was annoying, sticking to her glasses and making it difficult to see. Ripping them off her face, she used the hem of her sweater to wipe the lenses clean. When she replaced them back on the bridge of her nose, she found herself face to face with the shadow girl, who had just finished her climb.

"This has been the most delightful day!" she cackled, eyeing their surroundings like a child in a fig shop. Rushing over to an especially deep pile of snow, she dove in face first, squealing with delight.

Yvonne looked back down at the sand where her brother stood waiting. Laying on her belly, she ignored the chill and stuck her hand down to help Hugo up. With some assistance from Bex below, it wasn't long before the ugly boy was rolling onto the pavement, drenching his thin black tee in seconds.

Kay lifted not a finger during any of it.

Once all four children were settled back in Eldritch, Agnes peered down at the adults. "Well? Are you coming or what?"

"Sit tight, Four Eyes," Kay said brusquely, not bothering to acknowledge the young girl with a look. "Bex and I have some things to discuss first."

Bex, who looked just as surprised by the impromptu meeting, reluctantly shrugged again. "I guess we have a meeting. Give us five."

"Ten." Kay dragged her associate a couple feet away. Agnes, growing ever more leery, gestured for Yvonne and Hugo to follow her across the street from the edge.

She stopped once she felt certain she could speak without consequence. "I'm beginning to think we shouldn't trust them."

Yvonne's jaw dropped. "You have got to be joking. You're the whole reason we went to the trailer in the first place!"

Agnes, never one to admit a misstep on her part, deflected. "If it were only Bex, then maybe, but Kay....I don't know. She rubs me the wrong way."

"You just don't like her because she's smarter than you," Margot teased from behind the group, still buried in the snow. Curiously, the cold didn't seem to affect her in the least.

Agnes ignored her.

"What is it that you propose we do, exactly? I'm pretty sure it's too late to pull out now," Yvonne said vehemently. "And in case you've forgotten, there are other people here who might want to pursue this further. It's clear they know more than us."

"That doesn't necessarily mean they deserve our trust." Peeking over Yvonne's annoyingly large head, Agnes double checked that the adults in question weren't secretly listening in. "There's something off about them. We knew it from the start, and all I'm saying is, maybe we shouldn't be so quick to ignore our instincts."

"Don't you mean your instincts? That's what this all really comes down to, doesn't it? You're unhappy that someone else is in charge. Admit it, you can't stand not being in control," Yvonne spat. "How ironic that you don't enjoy what you've inflicted on the rest of us for the last two days. Well, now I'm saying, no more. Perhaps you are finished with Bex and Kay, but I for one am not. There is still the chance they can help Hugo—"

"And what if there is no cure for your stupid brother?" Agnes cut in, disrupting the obvious thought in its tracks. "Maybe you should face the fact that he's stuck eating the Good Stuff for the rest of his life. Stop holding out for something that doesn't exist—a cure for his ignorance."

It was cruel, and Yvonne felt every word of it down to her core. Digging jagged nails into her palms, she fueled all the hurt into an insult of her own. "I will when you do. My, we are hypocritical, aren't we? Perhaps because it's just as Margot says—Bogart is never coming back, and you refuse to see the truth! No matter how far you search, or how many people you threaten, it won't change the fact that he's most likely dead in a ditch!"

Smack!

Agnes revelled in the feeling of her palm making contact with Yvonne's horridly pale cheek. It sent the other girl reeling back, slipping on a patch of black ice and landing hard on her bottom. Breathing hard to hold back from attacking Yvonne further, Agnes brushed past stupid Margot and stepped over to a low bearing fence. She gripped the rotted wood with the strength she wished to unleash on Yvonne, trying and failing to calm down.

She doesn't know anything, the young girl repeated over and over in her head. Bogart is perfectly fine.

Cradling her throbbing cheek, Yvonne stared in absolute shock. No, this was not the first instance she had been struck, and certainly not the hardest, but the shame she felt afterward was a new feeling altogether. Tears pricked her eyes, not out of pain, but disappointment. She hated herself for letting Agnes take her out of character. Despite Yvonne's anger, she knew what she'd said about Bogart was a line crossed.

Yet she made no move to apologize.

Instead, she stormed over to Hugo and pulled him none-too-patiently from the ground. Though he was shivering, he hadn't made a move to get out of the snowy mess.

"Listen close, sweet boy," Yvonne whispered hurriedly. "There isn't much time. We must leave Agnes and horrible Margot behind and convince the adults to help us instead."

Hugo searched his sister's face as her words bombarded his ears. His medicine hadn't quite kicked in yet. "Evie, please, too much."

"Hugo, it is important now that you listen." Glancing back toward the dreaded Agnes, Yvonne was relieved to see her still turned away. "I do not believe what she has said. I still hold onto hope that your life can be without pain. Bex and Kay shall make you well again, but not if we stay with Agnes. She does not have your best interest at heart. Only I can—"

All the breath left her lungs before her plea could be finished. It felt as if a bag had been slipped over her head, making it impossible to draw in air. Wide-eyed, she watched as Hugo clawed at his neck, clearly feeling the same sensation. Silent tears ran down Yvonne's cheeks when her body refused to respond, her arms unable to reach out toward her brother. Blood rushed in the siblings' ears, every atom in their bodies frozen in place.

And they weren't the only ones. A short distance away, Margot found herself trapped under a pile of snow, unable to climb out. Though buried deep beneath the slush, her airways were not restricted—and yet, the shadow girl could not breathe. Desperate yelps escaped her lips, squeezing their way through her vocal cords as she realized her complete paralyzation. For once, Margot was rooted in place, and the fear that came along with that fact was all-consuming.

Agnes, who had been using the fence for support, now found herself unable to let go. She tried crying out, only to find a sock stuffed down her throat. Her lungs were clogged up with cotton, a horrendous sensation I wouldn't recommend to anyone. As was the case, Agnes had no choice in the matter; hard as she tried, she could not breathe. The edges of her vision began to go fuzzy, the snow melting into a grayish haze.

Then a loud crack split through the sky—and the strange moment passed.

All four children gasped at once as the air suddenly returned. Margot ripped her way from under the snow, screaming at the top of her lungs. Agnes flailed backward as her fingers finally pulled free, landing hard on the icy ground. Rivulets of snot ran from Hugo's nose; the boy could wail like no other. Yvonne gulped in air as fast as she could, all the while fighting to wrap her head around what had happened. Instinctively, she looked to Agnes and found her still sprawled out on the snowy asphalt. From where she stood, Yvonne could tell the young girl was shaking. It was as if their fight had never occurred; when the two girls' eyes met, a silent understanding passed between them.

There was something way bigger going on here.

"Sorry about that, kids."

Bex's voice broke the bubble around the gang, slamming them back into the present moment. Agnes nearly snapped her own neck in her haste to face the adults. Both stood on the opposite sidewalk, staring back at the children. Kay in mild disinterest; Bex in distanced intrigue.

"Y-You." The young girl felt her heart kicking up a fit, which only made talking all the more difficult. "You did that to us?"

"Did what?" Kay asked, annoyed.

Agnes blinked back. She hadn't a clue what.

"You took the air away." Margot was meeker than ever before, tucked far behind a nearby dumpster. "You hurt us."

"The air?" Bex searched the sky through the flurries still falling. "What's wrong with the air?"

"Nothing now, but...." Yvonne was so very confused, made worse by the obvious miscommunication going on here. "What were you apologizing for if not for that?"

"I was just trying to be nice about taking so long." Bex tucked their hands deep in their pockets, searching the frightened children's ghastly expressions. "Jeez, you guys look like you've been on an all-night bender. What did we miss?"

"Never mind that," Kay interrupted, clearly done with the ordeal. It seemed the emotional state of the children was of little interest to her. "As we said, this will be a quick investigation. We've got limited time on our hands, so let's not dawdle," grimacing, the woman gestured to the ugly boy Hugo, "and can someone please make him stop crying?"

He was indeed still wailing on the ground, clutching his sides in an effort to recenter. This was no easy task on the best of his days, and today did not fit into that category by any means. Just as tremors began to shake him at his core, he felt Yvonne's arms around his back, tight and secure.

"Q-quiet, sweet boy," she choked out through her own fear. The dismissal of Kay slapped harder than Agnes's hand, simply because of the callousness behind it. Stealing her resolve, Yvonne chanced a glance up at the shielded woman, her eyes still guarded by opaque lenses. As she studied the slender profile of the terrifying Kay, the pitiful girl regretted not listening to Agnes before.

"Well, nothing's becoming clearer this far out," Kay said pensively, scanning the empty outskirts. "Chances are the severity of the problem will increase the closer we get to the source. I'm not stupid enough to assume this is the worst of it. So, we'll start in the center, work our way back to the outskirts, resolve the issue, then we're out of here."

Then, without a word of agreement from anyone else in the group, Kay strutted down an adjacent street leading toward the heart of town.

"She expects us all to follow, just so you're aware. Not one to ask for compliance, that Kay. She always expects it." Bex eyed each child with what came across as concern. It even appeared genuine as they lifted their shades, the emeralds underneath shining with curiosity. "You lot are really upset, huh?"

Not one of them knew what to say, how to explain, and so none of them said a word. All were still caught in their own traumatic loop, reliving those terribly long moments without oxygen. Agnes couldn't help but hyperfocus on her breathing, if only to be sure she in fact still was. Never had the young girl thought about the functions her body did naturally—not until after they had been momentarily stripped away.

When their question was met with silence, Bex drew closer to the frightened gang. To intimidate or comfort, who's to say? I'm inclined to bet on the latter, but I've been informed that I'm no longer allowed to sway your perception of the events. Blame the higher ups, not me.

So all I will say is what Bex said to the group, their tone much softer than the woman Kay. "Our comments before about the sign and the adults....they weren't meant to frighten you, children. Sometimes Kay and I can get carried away when it comes to keeping things under wraps. Yes, this has been a risk for us to take, but not at the expense of your safety. The children of Eldritch will experience little effects from our presence, you lot included. Have no fear, Little Ones. Nothing will harm you—not while I'm around, anyway. You can be very certain of that."