Arthur stepped forward, his presence alone enough to send a bone-chilling wave of fear through the remaining men. But he paid them no mind—his focus was on the girls.
The moment he was close enough, they threw themselves at him.
"Waaaah!"
"Sniff… sniff…"
"Waah… waah…!"
Their cries echoed through the dimly lit room, raw and unrestrained. Their bodies trembled violently as they clung to him with a grip so desperate they resembled baby koalas clutching their mother.
Arthur felt the shivers racking through Alicia's small frame as he gently patted her back, his touch firm yet reassuring.
"You're okay now."
The words were soft yet carried a weight that anchored them, pulling them back from the edge of terror.
Alicia's grip on his neck tightened as she buried her face into his chest, her fingers clutching at him as if afraid he would vanish if she let go. Eveline was no different, her entire body pressed against him, her sobs muffled against his warmth.
