Friends and foes

A while later, Liam and David watied for Caleb to react. They didn't really know how he would react and what he would decide to do with the knwoledge this time around, they had changed the way he would know about it.

The Caleb they knew of discovered the obsession after the crawlers saved him many times, so he lets them be. Rigth now, they were the one who saved him, that's a drastic change.

________________

The weight of their words settled over Caleb like a dark cloud. He thought about his friends, the laughter they shared, and the plans they made. Where are they now? Panic threatened to overtake him.

"But what if they're… what if they've changed? What if they're crawlers now?"

David nodded grimly. "That's a strong possibility. And if they are, they'll stop at nothing to get to you."

Liam shifted uncertainly. "We have to come up with a plan, but first, we need you to stay calm. If you draw too much attention to yourself, it'll be harder for us to handle them. You can't let them know you're their obsession. But really, what we will do is more up to you than us."

Caleb swallowed hard, nodding slowly.

"Okay. What can we do, until I know what to do?"

"Keep quiet until nightfall, until we are certain they're not in the area," David instructed. "We're going to need to set traps and find ways to hide the scent. The more we prepare, the better chance we have of surviving until you know what you want—"

A sudden rustle outside interrupted him. All three froze, voices dying on their lips.

Caleb's heart raced as he glanced between the pair, the reality of their situation sinking in. They were in the mountains, amidst a terrifying new world where friends could become foes in an instant.

Liam and David moved silently toward the window, peering outside to see what lurked in the shadows. Caleb followed cautiously, his stomach twisting with dread. The moonlight illuminated the dark treeline, revealing strange, shuffling shapes that seemed to loom closer.

"Stay quiet," David ordered, taking a deep breath. "Remember, if they can't find you, they'll move on."

Caleb's fingers tightened around the edge of the chair, the weight of the situation crashing down around him. Out there, in the dark, his friends might be hunting him. But what was left of their lives now?

The air was thick with tension, and Caleb's breath hitched in his throat. He felt like a fish out of water, trapped in a situation he never signed up for.

Liam edged closer to the window, the pale light casting eerie shadows on his face, making him look almost ghostly.

"They're getting closer," he whispered, his eyes narrowing. "We need to make sure we're hidden and that they can't get in."

David moved quickly to lock the door while Caleb watched, helpless. " I locked the door, the cabin is frotified, my contract is on the wall. Let's go to the basement" he muttered.

A loud thud against the cabin let itself be heard, and Caleb jumped, his heart pounding a rapid beat of dread.

David shot a glance over his shoulder, glaring. "They're probing. They know we're in here."

"The basement, now!" Liam whispered urgently, opening the unconspiscious trap door. Caleb's thoughts raced: fight or flight? But before he could answer the question, a familiar, echoing voice called from outside.

"Caleb! Are you in there?" It was a voice he had known all his life, now drenched in an otherworldly tone that sent shivers down his spine. "We're here to help you! Come out!"

Caleb's stomach sank as he recognized it. It was Daniel, his best friend—the very possibility that had sent him spiraling into fear. "What do I do? What do I say?"

"Come here," Liam murmured, dragging him to the trap door, as David's eyes shined a familiar gold, looking at the door. "They're trying to lure you out."

Silence fell over the room as tension seeped into it, with Liam helping Caleb get into the basement. Caleb's heart raced in sync with the heavy footsteps nearing the door. He closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to reconcile everything. He wanted to believe that Daniel was still in there, that he was still the same friend who would tease him about his hair or make wildly unrealistic plans for the summer.