Layne waited for the late evening before he left the cabin. That way he knew everyone would most likely be inside. He sneaked around the village but Victor was nowhere to be found. Good. If he was lucky, the old asshole wouldn't return too soon.

He knocked at the door of his old cabin but only silence followed. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door. The inside was lit up by the flames crackling in the furnace, just like it used to before. Almost nostalgic, in a way. He used to hate staying in there all night, yet, it was so cosy inside – unlike in Victor's cabin.

Just as he had hoped, all four of them were inside. It was weird to think that eight people used to live there. Even weirder that no newbies were moved in after the number of residents dropped in half.

"Layne?" Malia sat on two pallets pushed together.

Layne smiled when he noticed that all of them were like that now. His old cabin-mates were getting comfy living in a smaller number. "Hey. I see you've redecorated. When did that happen?"

"Yesterday. We decided there was no point to keep them empty."

Alana only looked at him and so did the brothers. Layne nodded at them, hoping it'd get a reaction – but he didn't.

"Why'd you come, now?" Malia asked. "It's almost night-time."

Layne pulled out a stool from under the table and sat. He missed the way it squeaked whenever someone would sit on it – or even moved around. He even missed how wobbly and unstable if felt. "I need to tell you everything."

Alana frowned. "Now?"

He nodded. The women exchanged looks and moved closer. Iker and Zander, however, looked at him with mistrust. Layne raised an eyebrow at them. "It applies to both of you, too. You want to know about this, trust me."

They hesitated, but eventually left their pallets and came to sit next to Layne. He smiled and, just to be sure, opened the door a little. Not a living spirit was around and the 'animals' didn't howl. Layne had learned that Victor wouldn't turn on the speakers if he was hanging out in the forest that night. There was nothing in his way.

He returned to his seat and looked over anyone. There was something in each of their faces. Curiosity, mostly, but mixed with something else. Layne could swear they didn't trust him. Couldn't blame them, either. Malia probably told everyone about the day before. He was certain he was doing the right thing, though, so it was ok.

Like that, he started whispering his story. He told them everything: about the second settlement, the speakers and the lies, Rose, Adan, Mary and the children, about Coden's parents and about the wish they had, the one about them bringing their friends to this newfound place. The place of fluffy unicorns and fucking butterflies racing through rainbows.

He told them how Adan had given him up to Victor and how he became a prisoner. He told them how he gave in and lied to everyone in the gathering. He told them how he wasn't allowed to talk to them, or anyone, really. He told them how much he wanted to.

They listened to his story without a sound. Their expressions told enough. They keep flinching and frowning, their mouths would drop and Malia spent most of the time with her hand pressed over her mouth.

Even after he had stopped talking, they didn't speak. He waited for them to, but they just didn't. They looked at him frozen. Only after what seemed like forever, Malia let out a barely audible "Remy..."

"So," Layne whispered, "we're in deep shit. I am, at least."

"I'm so sorry." Alana came at him and gave him a hug. It was quite a hug. He almost fell off the lousy stool.

"What for?" he asked, but then he shook his head. "None of that matters. We have to figure out what to do. Fast. I think Victor is only keeping me alive until it's not so suspicious anymore to kill me off."

Iker and Zander exchanged looks. "I'm not sure what we could possibly do," said Iker. "But if there's any way we can help, we'll do that."

Layne smiled at them. "Plan first."

Malia rubbed her forehead. "We need more time, Layne. I'm sure we can come up with something, just, not in five minutes."

"Yeah, I know. We have a little. I think. But I can't risk coming here anymore, being watched and all."

"We need to figure out where else can we meet."

"Well, my options are limited on that front. Especially when talking about places where we wouldn't be overheard or seen together."

"Well!" Alana exclaimed.

Layne frowned. "Well? Well what?"

"The well. It still technically belongs to the village but people don't go there often. You think you could go there?"

Iker and Zander snorted but Layne's expression didn't shift. "No offence, Alana, I wouldn't go near wells with you."

By the way everyone looked at him, he realised he shouldn't have said it. It was too late to take it back anyway, tho, so he just went with it. Alana's lips started shivering.

"That's not funny," she whispered. "That is not funny, Layne."

He bit down on his lip. Hard. "You just never looked too phased when talking about it," he tried to explain himself. He did realise how shitty the excuse was. Especially since he only heard Alana talking of the subject once.

The brothers moved away from the scene and Malia put her hand on Alana's shoulder. The woman took a deep breath, then looked Layne dead in the eyes.

"Just so you know, I'm not bothered talking about it because I don't regret what I did in the slightest," she said. Her tone sounded scary. It was too... Fluid for that moment. "That man was an abusive shithead and one day, he would have ended up killing either me or our children. When it happened, I didn't even overthink it. Because it was to protect my kids. And it was the right choice."

He tried to come up with the response but his brain betrayed him. So, he only sat there, looking at her like an idiot.

"That still doesn't make it funny," she added.

Layne nodded. That's all he could think of. "What I meant to say is that... I don't think I'm allowed to go near the well."

"We'll find a way to get back to you," said Malia. From her voice alone, Layne could tell she wanted him to leave – and so did he. Besides, he's been there for too long, anyway.

"Ok. I'll go. Before someone tracked me down or something."

No one replied, so he took it as a positive response. He rushed out of the cabin and took in a deep breath of the cold air. It has grown completely dark already and not a single person was left outside. Which was for the better.

He didn't rush too much to get back to the cabin. Inside, he'd always feel like he was being held hostage, which he was. That small room always lacked fresh air so much, it pressed on his lungs. Besides, Victor shouldn't be there yet, anyway, and now that he had learned the animals weren't real, being outside at night had become relaxing, almost freeing.

Step after step, he finally stood just outside the cabin's door. He raised his head and filled his lungs with fresh air for the last time. A smile crept on his face and he pressed on the handle.

Instead of it being dark inside, however, the room was lit by a single lantern on the table. Layne didn't need to look to know what that meant and his heart dropped. Victor stood and crossed his arms on his chest.

"And where have you been for so long?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Layne gulped. "Outside. Since, you know, there are no nightmarish beasts there trying to kill me and all that."

"Outside? With no one to watch over you?"

"It's not my problem they all left, is it, tho?"

Victor shook his head. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to keep you here. You're just incapable of staying put and not causing anything."

"I didn't cause anything."

"Do you think I am stupid?" Victor stepped forward and grabbed Layne's upper arm. He didn't pull away and just stood there, staring the old man in the eyes. "You're just gonna go do whatever it is you did and I'm gonna believe your bad excuse anyway, is that right?"

"No."

"You're not leaving this cabin from now on. Can't risk it with you."

Layne frowned. "Seriously? I stayed outside for longer than I was supposed to, not killed someone. Like you have. Lots, I'm guessing."

Victor narrowed his eyes and made Layne regret his choice of words, just like that. At least he let go of his arm – it was starting to hurt with how much he had been pressing on it. Layne backed away, his breathing became irregular. This wasn't going to end well, he knew it.

Victor lowered his shoulders. "Go to sleep. It's late."

Layne thought that it wasn't even that late – it was dark outside, for sure, but days were getting shorter anyway. Still, he decided to keep the observation to himself and do as told. If they were going to do anything, it wouldn't have been a great idea to make Victor even more suspicious than he already was.

"It's so hard to figure you out sometimes," Victor noted when Layne was already laying on his mattress.

"Likewise."

Layne closed his eyes but of course, sleep just wouldn't come. He trying to make plans and thinking of how he'd get in contact with his old cabin-mates. He'd have to sneak out of the cabin and just hope that Victor wouldn't find out, he concluded.

That had to be easy enough.