They made their way to a quiet river deep in the woods, the sunlight peeking through the canopy above. The air was crisp, and the gentle sound of flowing water brought a rare sense of peace.
Julian knelt near the riverbank, pulling a small device from his inventory. He dipped it into the water, watching the readout carefully. After a few seconds, the screen blinked green.
"The water's safe," he announced. "You can wash up here."
Veronica immediately brightened. "Finally. I need a real soak."
Clarissa sighed in agreement, already undoing her jacket. "After what we just went through, I feel like that place left something crawling on my skin."
Emma shivered. "Don't remind me. That whole village was… wrong."
The girls waded into the river, relaxing as the cool, clean water washed over them, washing away not just the blood and dirt, but the memories they didn't want to carry.
