When Cindy imagined bopping to River's cottage, she had pictured herself crash-landing into a mound of snow, shivering through chattering teeth, her legs aching and stiff.

Instead, she found herself in a pristine room that felt impossibly luxurious.

She collapsed onto the large bed, the soft mattress hugging her tired body. The lights were off, but she stared up at the smooth white ceiling, almost afraid to move.

The room smelled faintly of pine. It was warm, and for the first time in what felt like forever, her body wasn't clenched against the cold. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

She rolled over, then sat up quickly, remembering why she was here.

Her eyes drifted toward the grey bathroom attached to the room. There was a shower—a real one. Clean, modern, not some makeshift bucket setup.

The realization hit her like a wave: the electricity still worked out here.

She stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. A quick flip of the switch flooded the space with blinding bright light. Cindy winced, blinking until her reflection came into focus in the mirror.

Her skin looked rough, streaked with grime and marked with scars. The face staring back wasn't the caring girl who helped in the infirmary. It looked like someone who had already walked through death and come back different.

Without hesitation, she stripped off her clothes and stepped beneath the shower. Hot water pounded against her shoulders, sizzling against the cold, exhausted skin like fire. She closed her eyes, letting the heat seep into every frozen corner of her body.

She scrubbed at her skin as if she could wash away the dirt, the blood, the scars—marks no amount of water could ever truly erase.

After washing her hair twice and lingering longer than she should, Cindy finally turned off the knob. She wrapped herself in a soft towel and rummaged through the drawers until she found a hairbrush. It tugged painfully through her tangled strands.

She grabbed a toothbrush. As she brushed, she winced—her gums were raw and bleeding. Spitting into the sink, she watched the pink-tinged foam swirl down the drain.

"Scarlett and Greyson live like this," she muttered. "While the rest of them rot in the dark?"

Cindy wrapped herself in the soft robe behind the door and left her clothes in a small pile on the bathroom floor. Someone would notice she was here eventually.

She bopped downstairs into the spacious kitchen, her bare feet gliding over the warm hardwood floors. The instant she stepped inside, the heat wrapped around her like a blanket. Her stomach growled in response.

Moving from cupboard to cupboard, she gawked at the sheer abundance of food—snacks, baking ingredients, cans and boxes with bright, colourful labels.

The thought of cooking crossed her mind—maybe she could stash something away to bring back—but the idea felt like too much effort. Instead, she grabbed a box of Cheerios, eating them dry by the handful as she crouched behind the kitchen island.

"So good," she whispered, tears prickling at her eyes.

The silence of the cottage crept in. Too still. Too quiet.

Her gaze caught on a pair of sunglasses resting on the windowsill, oddly out of place. She walked toward them, cereal box still in hand, and slid them on. Instantly, she felt like a movie star in a world of luxury.

Turning toward the sliding glass door, she stared into the darkness outside. People in Simcoe were barely surviving, while Greyson and Scarlett were living in content.

"Is that what they call irony?" she muttered.

She set the Cheerios down when a sharp cramp twisted in her stomach. Turning away, she froze. Preston stood there, casually munching on a peanut butter cookie.

"I don't remember you coming on the dream vacation," he said casually.

Cindy narrowed her eyes. "I don't recall needing an invitation."

"Are you on some secret mission?" Preston asked, brushing crumbs from his shirt. "Greyson doesn't have any secret plans in the works, if that's what you're trying to find out. Wait, do you know who stopped this storm? I'm not complaining, because it totally sucked."

"Some freak," Cindy said flatly, taking a stool. "I came for the luxury."

Preston nodded, though his gaze drifted over her robe. "You're cute," he said, sipping apple juice. "If you want to talk to Greyson or Scarlett, I'd wait."

Moments later, Tumbles entered, blinking several times. "Wait, did you come on the vacation too?"

"Just bopping around," Cindy replied.

Tumbles' face lit up instantly. "Oh! Do you want food?"

Cindy raised the cereal box. "Got it."

There were no worries here—no illness, no fear, no chaos. Even Luke's madness felt far away. The unfairness of it all burned inside her, but she bit down her anger.

Greyson strolled into the kitchen first, his eyebrows knitted. Before Cindy could react, her body lifted off the ground as an invisible force tightened around her.

"Why did the storm stop?" he demanded.

Scarlett appeared beside him.

"Some freak," Cindy said quickly. "That's what Divina called it."

Greyson's powers released her, and she bopped away from the stool.

"What then?" Greyson seemed amused as she stood in the large living room.

"I came to see if anyone had developed new abilities," she said, trying to sound casual.

"All of us still have the same powers," Greyson replied.

"I need to talk to Scarlett about something," Cindy added, locking eyes with her.

Scarlett raised an eyebrow but motioned Cindy to follow her. The two headed upstairs into a bedroom nearly identical to Cindy's, except clothes were scattered across the floor and beauty products cluttered the white dressers.

"Social media doesn't work here," Scarlett said smugly.

"Are you pregnant?" Cindy blurted.

Scarlett's smirk vanished. She grabbed Cindy's wrist and dragged her into the bathroom, locking the door behind them.

Before Cindy could speak again, Scarlett lurched toward the toilet and vomited.

Cindy froze, wide-eyed. It was unmistakably one of the first signs.

"There's a test," Scarlett gasped, pointing toward the trash can.

Cindy reached into the trash with shaking hands and pulled it out.

"Two weeks?" she whispered, stunned.

Scarlett flushed the toilet and sank against the wall, eyes closed. "He's the only one I slept with," she said. "And that's not the worst of it, but it's a medium rank."

"Are you sure you are reading it right?" Cindy asked.

"It's faint, but it's there," Scarlett replied.

The pieces slowly started fitting together. No one else reported new abilities. Divina couldn't locate whoever stopped the storm. The truth hit Cindy like lightning.

"The baby stopped the storm," she breathed.

"Don't tell anyone," Scarlett warned. "Not even the father knows."

"Your baby is saving us as a fetus," Cindy said, still in disbelief. "Can you imagine what it'll be like as a child?"

Scarlett crossed her arms. "It'll either save us or kill us."

Goosebumps rose along Cindy's arms. Divina had warned them that something might destroy them all.

"Do you only get morning sickness?" Cindy asked carefully.

"Every symptom you can name," Scarlett said, gulping down water. "My body feels like something's growing inside, and this mutant isn't even a day old."

Cindy's mind reeled. She didn't know much about pregnancy, but even she knew symptoms don't start that fast.

Scarlett stood, brushing past her. "Keep it quiet," she said before leaving the room.

Cindy remained frozen in the bathroom, her thoughts racing. It wasn't someone inside The Bubble who stopped the storm, but Scarlett and Greyson's unborn child.

Of all people, they were having a baby? The world was already breaking apart, and now they were bringing a child into it. One that could destroy them or save them all.

Nevaeh would surely enjoy the gossip, and most people would be shocked or in disbelief. From what she remembered from the infirmary, there had been bits and pieces of information about childbirth. The thought of having to help deliver the baby herself was overwhelming—she didn't want to do it.

Cindy teleported back into the kitchen, leaning against the island like nothing had happened.

"Anything else new?" Greyson asked.

She popped a few Cheerios into her mouth. "Jason left town, and Zane got sick. He came back for that freak business, but now he's healed," she said flatly. "Half the town's dead, and Luke's turned into one of Ashley's psycho followers."

"One of those purple illusions?" Scarlett asked from across the room.

"Hydro's not back on, but other than that, not much is happening," Cindy replied.

"It still sounds like a mess," Greyson said, almost sounding proud.

Cindy bit her tongue, resisting the urge to snap. Her real worry wasn't Greyson, but it was the baby.

Scarlett didn't want her to spread the secret, but Jason might need to know.

"Somewhat," she muttered, then bopped upstairs and collapsed onto the bedroom.

A heavy sigh escaped her. Even though she wasn't the mother, something in her chest ached for the baby, like a quiet instinct to protect it.

She hated that she thought this way. She hadn't, before everything broke.

She could only hope it wouldn't turn into some killer baby.

It would take years for the baby to grow. She didn't even want to imagine what its power could become.

Her thoughts spiralled: What abilities does it have already? Could it control the matter inside The Bubble or something even bigger?

The guilt pressed on her chest. It wasn't just Scarlett's secret she was keeping, the secret of something that might change everything.

She didn't want to tell Emma either. Emma was still healing after being used, and this was different. This wasn't some trinket you could buy on sale at Walmart.

Cindy closed her eyes, letting out a shaky sigh. Maybe it was smarter to stay here. Greyson couldn't exactly throw her out, and here, there was warmth, power and food.

She knew she was acting older than her age, but survival had a way of forcing that.

Wasn't that a greater gift than struggling for survival in the dark?

That's what she'd do—for herself, and maybe for the baby too.

Melany had warned her that someone might get pregnant. Cindy had brushed it off back then, but now...

"Melany, if you're listening," she whispered into the silence. "You were right."

Still, her mind wouldn't rest. If someone was going to drag Greyson back into this chaos, it wouldn't be Jason alone—they'd need someone who could actually lead, who could think beyond survival.

And if Ashley came for them—if that powerful baby became something neither side could control—what then?

Stick stared out the window as darkness swallowed everything around them. He'd been listening to two girls argue for what felt like hours, and he still didn't know where they were.

If he wanted to be forgiven, he knew it would start with redemption. Somehow. Though he wasn't sure what that even looked like anymore.

"We should follow our hearts, which always leads to Jesus," Eden declared brightly.

"Not always," Bella snapped, shooting Eden a glare.

Eden kept her eyes closed. "It's important we always reflect on what we're thankful for," she continued.

Stick couldn't help but wonder if Bella was about to completely snap. Eden had been going on about religious scripture for the entirely drive.

Bella had been visibly annoyed, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel and shooting Eden sharp glares.

Suddenly, Bella's hands slipped from the wheel. Eden lunged across Bella to grab it, sending the car veering off course before slamming into an old mailbox.

"We're going to Sunny's," Eden announced cheerfully, pushing Bella out of her seat.

"Screw you," Bella mumbled, her voice barely audible.

Stick sat in the backseat, trying to process what was going on. He didn't know why he had gotten involved with this—maybe it was just to get away from Henry while he'd been helping Greyson. It could have always been all the deep remorse and guilt buried inside.

He stared at the ceiling of the car. Lying there on the brown leather seats, a sudden craving for beer washed over him. Not just something to take the edge off. He needed it—needed to drown the chaos in his head. It felt like a craving for food or drugs. He just wanted relief. Something to kill the guilt of killing Vickie.

"Is that it?" Eden asked, pointing at a half-buried sign that was almost invisible under a layer of snow.

"Yeah," he mumbled.

The car struggled against the icy ground, its tires spinning uselessly as Eden hit the gas. It wasn't really driving anymore—it was sliding. Stick kept slipping off the seat with each jolt. It was hard to stay upright.

Despite the chaotic movements, Eden appeared unfazed by the actions as she slowly stepped out of the car.

"We've arrived," she said.

Snow surrounded them in massive, uneven mounds. Even in the darkness, Stick could see tents torn open and half buried in snow. It appeared that half of the campsite had been cleared of snow, providing space for setting up a camp.

"God gifted us with a new place to stay," Eden beamed, smiling.

Bella remained motionless in her seat. Stick wondered if Eden's unwavering faith and charismatic energy were somehow numbing her thoughts and actions.

"We're staying here?" Stick asked.

"Psalm says that whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty," Eden preached passionately.

Stick didn't understand it. How did people just remember verses like that? He wondered if this ability came from deep-seated faith or a transformative experience—like discovering redemption after being forgiven by God.

Eden continued, "dwelling in the shelter of the Most High symbolizes finding refuge and safety within a relationship with God, while resting in His shadow implies peace and security within life's storms."

"Is Jason there?" Bella mumbled, stumbling like a drunk.

Stick looked around. Trailers. Snowbanks. Ruins. But no people. He saw what might've been tents tone open, or maybe trailers that had been flipped and broken. It was hard to tell. Either way, there was no Jason.

"I don't see him," Stick murmured.

"I guess he got involved in some other plan," Eden said.

"Did you know that?" Bella snapped.

"Proverbs said that you should listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise," Eden preached.

"I don't want to hear any more Bible verses," Bella muttered.

Eden stepped toward one of the only RVs still standing. She pulled open the door with both hands, and it gave a low creak. Stick followed her inside, but the darkness made it hard to see. There were no lights, and the placed smelled old and stale. Cold crept in through the cracks.

"Let's just go back to town," Bella called from behind them, stumbling her way to the car.

Eden stood inside the RV, her cheerful tone softening into a near whisper as she leaned slightly toward Stick. "The Lord is blessing us with his goodness," she said. "This could start a road to redemption. You have to start reading the Bible."

Stick shifted awkwardly. He didn't even know the basic stories from the Bible. Creation. The ark. The whale story. He'd probably gotten all of it wrong. He didn't get the verses, the meaning, the whole wide Eden was constantly preaching.

Did she expect him to memorize the whole Bible?

"And then you'd pray for your forgiveness," she added, lacing her hands together in front of her chest. "You don't want to be Matthew the murderer."

"What about Bella?" Stick asked.

"She needs time to herself with God," Eden said with a smile.

Eden had called Bella a bad influence more than once. Stick wondered if there was more behind her words. She always seemed to have some odd personality that didn't match how someone should truly act, especially when trying to change Bella.

"Are we going to ditch her?" Stick asked.

Eden turned sharply. "We'll drop her somewhere no one can find her," she said coldly. "It's not kidnapping because we're doing a favour."

"What is she learning?" Stick questioned.

Eden leaned closer to one of the windows, staring into the darkness. Her innocent smile slowly twisted to into something darker. It wasn't happiness or anger. It was something far more sinister.

"That you don't make selfish excuses and that she's a bitch."

That must be why Eden sees Bella as a bad influence. Bella always expects Jason to listen to her rules, but he's been running off lately.

"We're going to drug her so she doesn't retaliate," Eden blurted, holding up a bag of two pills.

"Did you steal those from the infirmary?" he whispered.

Eden shook her head firmly. "I wouldn't steal from the infirmary. Bryce is there, and he'd know what I'd be after," she replied. "Mia gave them to me. Technically, I asked, but she knew what I was doing."

"Why does she have sleeping pills?"

"Mia's a drug dealer."

Stick stuttered at the thought. It was hard to picture Mia—who never seemed particularly bright—as a drug dealer. No, she was his age, which made it worse.

"Why not just use your own power?" Stick asked.

Eden shook her head and sat down on a small chair. "No, Mia said it should work for longer," she explained. "I just need something to put it in."

Stick's desire to make amends had never included watching someone being dragged. His heart hammered as he weighed whether to stop her—or if Eden might turn her scheme on him next.

All he knew for certain was that he wanted to be forgiven, to somehow erase the guilt gnawing at him since Vickie.

Eden's voice cut through his spiralling thoughts. "Peter said that His divine power has granted us all things pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us to His own glory and excellence."

"Have you memorized the entire Bible?" Stick asked, voice tight.

Eden's lips curved into a serene smile. She dug through a mini fridge tucked under the RV counter, pulling out several chocolate pudding cups. She peeled back one foil lid and banged it against the side of the counter. The pudding inside remained frozen, but she ignored it, scooping clumps with her fingers.

"Memorize, and you hold a choice," she said casually, sliding two pills into the next pudding cup. "Use it for good or evil."

"Do you even know how to drug someone?" Stick asked.

Eden's expression slowly broke into a devious grin. It was clear that this girl wasn't the innocent Catholic her facade appeared to be; something deep inside was dangerous. He had a feeling he wasn't the only killer in the room anymore.

"I've drugged people before, so don't worry. It's easy for someone like Mia to figure it out," Eden said slowly. "Drugging Bella is the only way."

Bella stumbled through the RV door, her boots thumping against the floor. "What's that?" she asked, eyes darting between the two of them.

"Pudding," Eden said, smiling sweetly.

She extended the cup, and Bella took it without hesitation, shoving the cold chocolate into her mouth with her hands.

Stick's stomach churned as he watched.

Bella's chewing slowed.

Her gaze unfocused.

Panic tightened in his chest. He knew he should stop this, but his legs felt like lead. Every instinct screamed at him to move, and yet he remained frozen, fingers tightening into fists.

"What's happening?" Bella whispered, swaying, before the pudding cup dropped from her hands.

Eden crouched beside her, her eyes cold and predatory. "Colossians say we must put to death our earthly desires... impurity, greed, sin." She tapped the fallen pudding cup lightly."The Lord's wrath for those who resist."

She opened her eyes slowly, then narrowed them.

"Something was gifted to us from God," she said.

"The storm stopping?" Stick asked.

Eden didn't say anything but stood. She moved towards Bella, who lay unconscious on the floor. She grabbed Bella by the hood and started dragging her toward the door.

"God, we must teach this girl to repent for her actions," Eden said.

When they returned to town, they stopped at the infirmary. Zane had miraculously survived Inflammatory Death—the brutal illness that had swept through The Bubble and claimed dozens of lives during the storm.

"You might get vomit on you," Hanna warned, wiping someone's mouth.

"Yes, that was exactly my intention," Jason replied dryly.

Hanna slightly smirked. "Esme already came by here looking for that mutant freak," she added, eyeing the group suspiciously.

Jason exchanged a look with James and Jade. They had no leads—just more unanswered questions. They might as well start checking the houses where people could be holed up.

Finding someone who had suddenly developed one of these new powers was like searching for glass in a snowstorm.

"Thanks," Jason said.

The three of them bolted from the church, their boots crunching over the frozen ground as they tried to figure out their next move.

"Cindy and Esme have probably already been to most of the places," Jade said.

"I think it's smarter if we check the houses," Jason said, trying to sound more certain than he felt.

"Where do we look after houses?" James asked, scanning the quiet streets.

Jason didn't have an answer. Esme was faster than them and Cindy had the ability to bop place to place. She and Esme had probably already checked Uden's Academy.

This was one of those moments where he really wished they had working cellphones. Just a text. A ping. Anything. It would save them hours.

"Cindy might have gone to the island," James speculated.

Greyson was gone. It was supposed to make things better, but it didn't.

The streets were full of people running through the darkness, lit only by flashlights and candles. It was easy for someone to get lost in the confusion.

"It can't be anyone from there," Jade interjected, her arms crossed. "They all have powers. Whoever did this has to be human."

"But stronger," Jason said, turning the thought over in his head. "They bring light, right?"

"It's supposed to bring light and terror," James clarified.

It wasn't Divina or the strange purple substance called God. This new force—or person—was unknown and dangerous. Ashley and Divina didn't even seem to understand it, and that made it worse.

"Okay. Let's start looking," Jason said.

They rushed down the snow-covered streets. Each house only built frustration—either abandoned or crowded with frightened groups who had no new powers and nothing suspicious to report.

"What could make Divina scared?" James wondered aloud. "That thing wouldn't hesitate to rip Ashley's eyeball out."

Jade grimaced.

"Did it have to be an eyeball?" she said bitterly.

"People have gained powers this chaos," James added. "Not just before. If there's any info, Cindy or Esme might have."

Inside a house coated in mustard-yellow wallpaper, Jason felt a wave of doubt. They weren't going to find this person. They might not find anything at all.

"I should probably check on Bella while we're out," Jason said. "She's probably back by now."

He hadn't been around for days; there had been no opportunities to see how Bella was holding up or whether anyone else had reached out when he was gone.

"She's probably in the house right now, just sitting against the wall, waiting," he said.

He paused.

"Well... maybe not."

"Your girlfriend went bananas like someone at Uden." Jason gawked at Jade's line.

"It's just grief," Jason said. "She lost her best friend."

"Cindy didn't turn out that way," James interjected pointedly, pressing his lips into a line.

Both Cindy and Bella had lost someone because of Luke's.

Cindy hadn't broken like this. Bella had.

Was the difference due to the person they lost—or how they died?

One lost her best friend, and the other lost her sister.

"Well..." Jason trailed off.

Suddenly, a loud thud echoed through the house as something hit the floor.

Jason turned, expecting someone to have slipped on the icy ground.

Instead, a boy stood the kitchen doorway, watching them with narrowed eyes and an expression of mild annoyance.

"Aren't you supposed to knock?" he asked, smirking.

"We're looking for a mutant freak that has developed new powers," Jason explained.

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Not anyone I recall seeing. Go ask Mark or Zane," he said dismissively.

The situation had turned into confusion and panic; it seemed like every question led to dead ends or vague directions. They had been met with the same response every time: no one knew, or ask someone else.

"We should probably go back to Sunny's," Jade stated.

Jason wouldn't have to worry about leadership even if he sucked at being a leader. The question loomed over him: should they really set up camp at Sunny's, especially given the fires that had caused damage to houses?

No one wanted to sleep in a trench—a makeshift solution that some had resorted to. The trenches were narrow and miserable, offering little protection from the storm.

"We could look out on the outskirts while we drive there," Jason suggested.

On the outskirts, there were about three houses that may not have been blown over. These ones were located near Sunny's, right across from Wasaga Beach.

"Okay, then," Jade replied dryly. "We drive there, maybe find some dangerous freak, and finish building Sunny's."

Finding someone who possessed terrifying abilities was no easy task.

Better yet, they were constructing Sunny's because the town was in ruins. Many homes had collapsed or been crushed under the heavy high piles of snow.

"That should work," Jason remarked. "And when we finish, do we tell those in Simcoe to live there? This could take us weeks."

He didn't want to think about it at all. He wanted to distract himself from leading or fighting someone around here. Every time he tried to breathe for a second, something new appeared to throw the town into chaos.

"First, let's find Bella," he implied.

He pushed open the door and climbed onto the snow. The snow was steep and slippery, but harmless.

Unlike the storm that had Emma healing burns—injuries she'd sometimes refuse to heal because they made her sick—this snow felt different. It was soft and inviting, offering some actual joy to play in.

He walked down the street, his eyebrows knitted together, and opened the door to their house.

"Bella?" he called.

No response.

His stomach tightened.

"Where would she even go?"

Since Teagan's death, Bella had hardly left their home. In fact, she hadn't gone to many places at all—certainly not out of town or even Wasaga Beach. The most outing she'd gone on was probably to the plaza, and that had been it.

"Maybe she's still searching for you," James suggested quietly.

Bella could be anywhere. Darkness surrounded the town, broken by scattered flashlights, flickering candles, and lanterns that barely pierced through it.

"She'd be anywhere," Jason groaned, running a hand over his face.

"It would be worse if she ran into someone," Jade interjected.

There were people she could run into. Ashley. Nevaeh. Even Stick, who was still wrecked over what happened to Vickie.

James hesitated. "Eden."

Eden is the Catholic freak who can numb everything with movements. She can slow down thoughts and actions in those who engage in conversations with her, often using religious verses.

"Eden has been saying she's a bad influence and was going to change someone. She's done jobs for her own benefit before fully isolating people to fix themselves," Jade said. "She's smart enough to convince people by using threats."

"What has she done to people?" Jason asked.

"She locks people in rooms," Jade said flatly. "Sometimes she drugs them."

He knew drugging someone for doing something wrong wasn't normal behaviour. He wondered whether Eden even had access to drugs now; after all, most of the supplies had been transferred to the infirmary for safety reasons.

"She criticizes people she thinks are bad believers," Jade said. "Eden gets the drugs from Mia or Will, but probably Mia."

"We have to talk to Mia, don't we?" Jason groaned.

Jade remarked, "Unless you want to get lost and find the housewife."

Jason didn't imagine this. Greyson was one problem to deal with, but now another Uden Academy student? At least it wasn't Luke or Scarlett he had to deal with.

"I guess we're going to Uden," Jason grumbled.

James hesitated before speaking.

"Mia... flashes people," he said nervously, his face turning red.

"We've already experienced that," Jade said nonchalantly.

Mia had been the one who playfully flashed him her bra, as if it were a reward or gift for something he had done. The memory of that moment crossed his mind, making him press his lips together and groan.

"Just to warn you, she'll play with your hair," James said, miming a hair-ruffling action.

"You haven't told Bella you got flashed," Jade stated.

Jason rubbed his hands over his face as he climbed into the CRV.

Was it okay not to tell her?

Was seeing another girl in her bra something you were supposed to mention.

"Just drive," Jason said.

Mia had placed his hand on her chest when he met her. It was like Scarlett's seductive actions, but this girl's intentions felt odd, like there was no plan behind it.

"If Eden had help," Jade said. "Bella wouldn't wake up for hours."

She turned the key, and the engine rumbled to life.

It seems Eden has some plans... this isn't looking good for Stick or Bella.
-Lexi