A new cross protruded from the ground, in front of the most recent grave. Coden's carving read 'Troy Normand' and it was the fanciest cross in the whole over-filled graveyard. The place still sunk in the long morning shadows. Still, the humid air with the smell of dew and resin evened out the atmosphere. In the end, there was nothing more but peace.

Layne smiled when looking at it. It was the right memorial. The one Troy deserved. The one he was worth, being the person that he was.

It's been a few weeks since they started taking turns in watching the well. So far, they have been unsuccessful. Layne, however, kept his hopes high. For the first time, he had a whole group of people on his side and that could only mean good.

"You rest in peace," he whispered. "We got everyone working together, now. We'll figure out what's up with that stranger and if they're really as dangerous as Victor says. And won't forget about you, either. I'll make sure of it."

He spent a good amount of time by the grave before he turned around and navigated through the crosses, careful not to knock them over.

Even so early in the morning, the village was already alive. People working or just hanging out together, having fun. Victor was explaining something to a few newcomers, all with his signature smile and proud posture. Layne had the urge to go over there and call him out for his shit. That, of course, would have gotten him into trouble again. Not very good for their plan. So, he turned towards the cabin instead.

Only Coden was inside. Laying on his pallet, he was staring at a piece of paper with an empty expression. Didn't look like he even noticed Layne entering.

"Who's on watch?" he asked.

Coden startled and his the paper under his pillow. "Remy and Iker."

"Good." Layne sat on Remy's pallet, right in front of Coden. "So what were you looking that?"

"Nothing. It's ugh... It's nothing."

He didn't have the time to do anything as Layne slid his hand under his pillow and grabbed the thick paper piece.

"Hey, privacy!" Coden protested.

"Nah, you're not getting that here. Be glad, I have Malia to deal with."

It was a photograph. A pale, freckled boy with light blue eyes and red hair was standing right beside a girl. With her dark complexion, eyes that appeared as if they were black and massive, charcoal coloured hair, the contrast between them was striking. Even the lighting of the photo was set up in a way to enlarge the difference between these two children.

"Is that you?" Layne frowned as he examined the little boy in the photo. "You were... Rounder, back then."

Coden burst out laughing. "Yeah, I was. Got the photo from Roxie, the first time we got packages from Eumain. It's the from the day that we've met."

"What, really?"

"Yeah. Roxie had this professional photographer relative who loved taking her photos but then she had a photoshoot idea that involved another child. You know, someone as pale as possible. For contrast. So, they posted an ad, looking for one," he explained. "I had no friends. Only self-esteem problems. So, my grandma saw it as an opportunity to help me. So, we met. And it turned out she was an orphan, like me. We kinda immediately hit it off."

As soon as Coden was done with his story, Malia burst into the cabin. She froze at the doorstep, looked at the two men, then, her eyes wandered to the photo.

"What are you two doing?" she wondered.

"I'm just checking out an old photo of Coden and his girlfriend," said Layne. "Take a look, they're adorable."

"Hey, she's not my girlfriend," Coden protested. Then, his voice turned quiet. "She was like a sister, more of."

No one paid attention to him. Malia sat beside Layne and grabbed the photograph from his grip. For a few minutes straight, the girl simply looked at it. Rotating it around and squinting her eyes. She examined it like a detective, looking for a clue.

"That. Is an adorable photo," she said. "How'd you two know each other?"

Coden repeated his story with Malia smiling ear to ear, all the way through it.

"Oh my gosh, that's so cute!" the girl exclaimed. "So untraditional, too!"

"Yeah, I know. In my teenage years, I was bullied a lot. On my bad days, Roxie would get us a huge pizza and my grandma would make everyone hot chocolate. We'd spend the afternoon watching movies." Coden grinned. Clear liquid appeared on the corners of his eyes, which he brushed off with the back of his hand. "But every single morning, she broke into my house – well, I mean, my grandma would let her in – but she'd break into my room and drag me out of bed. She'd then drag me out jogging with her."

"I'm sure she's a great friend." Malia gave him back the photograph. "Hey, Layne?"

"Yeah?"

"Where's that package you hid for me? I think I might be ready to see it now."

"Oh. It's behind your pallet."

"Wait, what?" She scooted over to her own bed and searched around it.

"In the front. Right next to the wall."

Malia fished out a brown package and rotated it in her hands. "Wow, Layne. I'm impressed."

He smiled. "Well, you didn't find it, did you?"

"Haven't really looked."

She held the box. Didn't move an inch. Her hands began shaking and colour drained from her face. Layne wondered whether he should do something about that – but came to understand that he wouldn't have known what to do in the first place.

"You're okay, Malia?" asked Coden. Layne wished he would have thought of that himself.

"Yeah. It's just. Lots of memories. Not great ones, too."

"What's that all about?"

She shook her head. Thin fingers started running through the paper but in the end, she simply ripped it off.

Malia opened the box and it fell out of her hands and dropped on the ground. "Firecrackers," she whispered. "Fucking firecrackers."

Layne picked up the package and looked inside. Indeed, all its contents were just a few tiny firecrackers on the bottom of the box. "What the hell is that about?"

"He probably thought he was being funny." She clenched her fists. "Damn asshole."

"What do firecrackers have to do with anything?" Coden inquired.

"What's what the dipshit used to call me. He knew I hated all of his stupid nicknames but of course-" Her words turned into continuous sobs. Soon enough, she couldn't speak anymore at all, didn't even make a word. Her mouth kept bobbing open in a silent cry.

Lost, Layne sat there and avoided looking at her. He didn't know how to handle someone else's emotions – hell, he didn't always know how to handle his own. He remembered when they had just arrived at the Land and Malia was crying. That time, they went exploring together. And that worked. He had a feeling this time wouldn't be so easy.

Not thinking much, he sat closer to her and wrapped her in a hug. That's how he'd handle Rissa being upset – although the little girl's troubles were easy to soothe in comparison to what Malia was going through. She pressed her face into his shoulder and her sobs regained a sound.

Layne looked over at Coden who just watched the scene wide-eyed. Without a sound, Layne mouthed "call Alana", but Coden only frowned.

"A-la-na," Layne whispered so silent, he hoped Malia wouldn't have heard it through her cries.

Coden nodded and slinked out of the cabin.

* * *

They raced through the forest.

Coden ran first, jumping over the natural obstacle with ease. Layne, however, wasn't far behind. His own heartbeat, heavy breaths and loud footsteps all merged into one sound, his field of vision had narrowed into a small path right up front.

Iker's words still echoed in his mind. "We found her," he said when he showed up red and out of breath. "Remy's with her, near the well."

Remy wasn't quite the person Layne would have trusted to hold someone down for too long. That's why they had to hurry. Even if they didn't, tho, he still would have run until his legs tangled up and he was dropped on his face. The news were just too exciting for that.

Just as they were about to reach their destination, Coden slipped onto some wet leaves and slammed himself into a tree with a loud thud. Layne made a sudden stop and laughed.

"Careful," he teased between his breaths. "You won't be much use if you squash your brain."

He was in a good mood. Rightfully so, too. Even Coden responded with nothing else but a chuckle and gestured him to keep moving. Like that, they ran again.

From that point, it didn't take very long until they reached the well. Just as expected, two people were right beside it. Remy stood straight and stared at a woman, who was sitting on the ground, hugging her knees. Her face was all covered up with black, long hair, her back twitched. A leather container laid next to her, with long straps attached to it.

Layne allowed himself a little time to catch his breath and approached. The stranger's grip around her legs tightened, a few muffled sobs came through. It was hard to believe that she could be dangerous. Then again, Layne knew better than to trust people who appear to be helpless and scared.

Sometimes, they can act.

"Hey." He tried his best to make his voice sound friendly. It didn't work as well as he would have hoped for. "Can you tell me who are you?"

She shivered and didn't say a word. Layne waited for a good minute before he tried again.

"We're not the bad guys or anything. We just want to... Know some things. Like, your name would be a great start."

"Please- please, don't," she whispered. Her head started shaking and wouldn't stop.

Coden pushed Layne away and knelt next to the woman. "Don't do what?"

"Don't- don't kill me, please. Please. I didn't- I didn't mean to steal from you. We really- we-we really needed it."

Layne and Coden exchanged looks. The woman started hyperventilating so bad, she didn't have the time left to cry. It would have been humane to just leave her be. They knew that wasn't an option, tho. They worked hard to get some answers and she was their only source.

"I'll uh... I'll go make sure no one comes from the village," offered Remy.

"Yeah, good idea," Coden agreed while Layne only nodded. He then turned back at the woman. "I'm not sure what you mean, I'm sorry. We definitely don't plan on hurting you."

"And we won't tell the others we even met you," added Layne with a sudden realisation. She might have been scared of the people in the village. Rightfully so. Victor was a great leader, after all.

They waited. Hoped that the woman would calm down with time. She didn't. Although her breathing stabilised, she kept shaking and sobbing. It was hard to watch.

"We're just curious about where you come from," said Coden. Layne noted that his 'friendly voice' was way better. "See, we've been told that people can't survive outside the village."

And that everyone who does is dangerous, Layne added in his head. The woman gave a slight nod but didn't say a word.

"So, my name's Coden. He's Layne. How should we call you?"

"Ro- Rose," she whispered.

"It's nice to meet you, Rose." Layne stretched out his hand in an offer of a handshake. Rose parted her hair and looked at him for a single second before crawling further away from them.

Layne leant towards Coden and whispered, "she's one of the dangerous people Victor warned us about?"

"Her? Come on."

Rose used the moment. Jumping back on her feet, she sprinted into the forest.

"Hey, wait!" Layne called to no avail.

The men exchanged quick looks and ran after. Lucky enough for them – perhaps, not so much for the poor woman – she wasn't nearly as fast as them. Even without a clear path to guide them through the forest, it didn't take long before Coden snatched her upper arm.

"Wait," he said. "Please don't run."

Rose didn't listen. She squirmed in his hold, yelling. "No! Let go of me! Please."

Layne looked around, almost expecting someone to hear her and come out of the bushes. Victor would be the perfect fit – the old man always appeared to be nearby at the worst moment. When Rose stopped shouting, they waited around just to be sure.

"We're really not going to hurt you," Coden explained. "I promise. We just need your help."

Rose fell to her knees, crying once again.

"It's hopeless," Coden commented.

Layne shook his head and came closer to Rose. Her skinny face was red from years, eyes swollen up. "Why are you so scared of us?" he asked. Finally, his voice sounded just like he wanted it to.

Something cracked nearby. From the sound, it could only have been something heavy – like a person – stepping onto a stick. Layne's head shot up, both men froze. Even Rose stopped crying and just looked at the direction the noise came from.

Steps approached them. It wasn't one person, neither. Not even coming from one direction. They were busted. Whoever was there would inform Victor of their find. They'd take Rose, too – and she did have a reason to be afraid.

Dark figures appeared from the depths. "Don't move!" a masculine voice yelled. "Stay right where you are."

Finally, he could make out the individual people. Four of them. Layne didn't remember seeing them in the village, then again, he wouldn't have recognised most of those he's seen, in the first place. His eyes widened when he realised each of them were armed with a bow. Aimed directly into him and Coden.

With the weapons directed at him, Layne didn't dare to disobey their command. Rose stood and ran to one of the strangers – a man who looked about the same age as Victor and just as tall and fit. Just like that of the elder of their village, this one's face was partly covered with a full beard. When the woman got close enough, he lowered his bow and wrapped her in a hug.

"On your knees, now!" commanded another man, a younger one. "Hands above your heads!"

Coden did what he was told immediately.Layne grunted – but what could one do against three weapons pointing right at their chest or head.

"Those fucking animals again." The third, archer, a red-haired woman, spat on the ground.

The elderly man and Rose whispered something between each other. The other people wouldn't take their eyes away from their hostages.

Hateful eyes.

Victor might have been right.