Jake Saw It Too

She didn’t call for Jake right away. Instead, she stood frozen in the hallway, staring at the still image on her phone as though it might shift or explain itself. When she finally did speak, her voice barely carried. He came up from the basement, wiping his hands on a rag from the utility sink, still smelling faintly of wood stain.

When she showed him the screen, he didn’t speak at first. His brow tightened, and then his mouth parted slightly as recognition settled in. “That’s… Mia, that’s Nimbus.” She nodded once. “The windows are locked,” she said. “And the door hasn’t been opened since last night.”