The silence in the car was unnerving. We all had things to say, questions to ask, but none of us had spoken. It had been an hour already—an hour of being lost in our thoughts. Though we remained quiet, our silence alone told Dad that we needed an explanation for why we had left so suddenly.
"Brigder," I whispered as our town's signboard flashed past, disappearing like everything else outside the car. Though it wasn't late, the number of cars on the road was sparse. Some drove toward town, while others—like us—were moving farther away.
A sigh of relief escaped Dad's lips, pulling us from our clouded thoughts. He glanced over to Mum, who met his gaze with a worried expression, then at Michael and me through the rearview mirror, finally acknowledging our presence—something he had failed to do earlier.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he took in the sight of us, as if reassured that we were all still here. Finally, he spoke, answering the unspoken questions written on our faces. "I'm sorry for scaring you all, especially you, Mira. You just got home, and now we're leaving again—without a proper explanation."
Mum reached over, resting a hand on his shoulder. Her soft smile told him that we would be okay. "We've already left town, Angelo. Now, can you tell us what's going on?"
"Of course. Thanks for understanding." He returned Mum's smile. "If this were something that could be handled by just one person taking the fall, I'd have left alone. But it's not that simple." He sighed. "I stumbled upon something at work—something no one is supposed to know. And now, they're after me.
Dad exhaled sharply. "I worked there for years and never noticed a thing. But they're not... normal. I saw them kill someone, Mira. No hesitation, no remorse. I got out the first chance I had."
"I brought everyone with me because I know they'd use you to get to me. If they think I shared what I know, they won't hesitate to harm you. They'll do anything to keep their secrets buried."
Mum's face tightened. "You mean the people you've worked with all this time?"
Dad gave a small nod. "I should have seen the signs. Looking back, I don't know how I made it this long without realizing the kind of people I was surrounded by." He gripped the wheel tighter. "Maybe I was better off not knowing."
"So where are we going now, Dad?" I asked, still trying to process everything he had said.
"As far from Brigder as possible," he replied. "A friend of mine is helping with our passports. They'll be ready by tomorrow."
Michael leaned forward. "What do we do until then? Won't they catch up to us before we get them?"
Dad shook his head, as if reassuring both himself and us. "The airport is a day's drive from here. We'll rest in crowded hotels and pick it up along the way."
Mum hesitated, "And this friend of yours... is he trustworthy?"
"Yes, Joan," Dad said. "He's in the same situation. He needs to leave the country just as badly as we do." He glanced at all of us through the rearview mirror. "Get some sleep. We have a long day ahead."
A question that had been lingering for a while now threatened to escape my lips. I glanced out the window at the moon, guiding our path, as I asked myself questions—questions I had no answers to.
What could have made Dad so frightened that he'd decide we had to leave not just town, but the country? Just yesterday, he was his usual cheerful self. Now, it looked like he was forcing the smile on his lips just to keep us from worrying. What kind of secret was dangerous enough for people to die over? And who were these people, willing to kill to protect something others weren't meant to know?
I closed my eyes in frustration as the questions piled up. Sleep seemed impossible with my mind racing. "Dad?" I called, my voice breaking the silence and catching everyone's attention. When I opened my eyes, I saw Mum watching me, worry written all over her face, and Michael waiting patiently for me to speak.
"Who are these people—and what did you find out?"
"Mira—" Mum began, but Dad cut her off with a quick pat on her hand.
"They aren't like us, people you wouldn't believe exist..." His words carried an underlying mystery, but his voice was laced with something deeper—fear. "I found out about their grand plan. A sort of invasion, you could say. They don't want chaos, at least not yet. They want control." He paused, his grip tightening on the wheel. "And the worst part?" He exhaled slowly. "They're turning people into monsters. Rogues, they call them. Humans twisted into something else—obedient, violent... no longer themselves. I saw it, Mira."
"And who are they?" I asked, my curiosity growing.
Dad chuckled softly, as if what he was about to say sounded absurd even to him. "You won't believe me when I say this, but..." He paused, letting the tension hang. "They're vampires."
Epilogue
Joann, who had run to the room in search of her husband, stopped abruptly when she saw him hurriedly packing money from their safe. He looked like he was racing against time, his movements frantic and uneven.
"Williams?" she called out. "What's going on? Why are you packing stuff—where do we need to go at this hour?"
"Joann, there's a big problem. I promise I'll explain later, but right now just help me. We have to leave immediately," he blurted out in one breath.
"Later?" she repeated. "I won't be able to help if I don't know why and what we're running from. Just tell me something... anything, at least."
Her husband stopped what he was doing, hastily making his way to her. Grabbing both her shoulders, he looked her in the eye. "They're after us," he breathed. "Those I once told you about. What I suspected seems true, and now we have to leave. Just trust me on this. I'll try my best to keep our family safe. So please, trust me. I promise to explain in detail later."
Joann, who had calmed a bit at her husband's words, nodded in response. Whatever was happening, she just needed to trust him. "Okay... what can I help with?" she looked around herself.
"I'm done already. Just need a few more cash," he said, walking back to the safe.
"Let me help, then. The quicker we leave, the better." With that, Joann stepped beside him, ready to do whatever she could.