Thirty minutes later, Vera and Wilson exited their cab at a safe distance from Maranda's and Ronnie's house. It was dark by now, and the street before them lay empty and quiet. Neither of them said anything as they slowly started making their way towards their destination. The only sound breaking the silence was their echoing footsteps on the pavement. There was something eerie and foreboding about this silence, Vera thought as they walked, but she wasn't sure if it was just her already tense mind playing tricks on her. She grabbed her husband's hand and held it tight, trying to focus on the safe feeling of his presence instead.
It took them about three minutes to walk the short distance. The house, which was more reminiscent of a cabin to Vera, was well hidden among trees and shrubbery. Under different circumstances, she would have thought it cozy and homey. Now it seemed unwelcoming and desolate where it was standing, isolated from the other houses on the street.
It didn't take long for them to notice that something was off with the quiet scene before them. Someone had crashed a car into the stairs leading up to the cabin, and the front door stood slightly ajar, but not quite enough to give a clear view inside. Vera squeezed Wilson's hand as they stood there, looking for any signs of life. But everything was still and quiet. Too quiet, Vera thought.
"The door is open," Wilson whispered. "Should we just...?"
"I guess so..." She whispered back, even though she wanted nothing more than to turn and leave this place far behind.
They quietly started making their way towards the cabin. By the time they were ascending the stairs leading up to the porch, Vera was barely breathing; the tension weighed so heavily on her. As they finally reached the door, she forced herself to take a deep breath and carefully lay her hand on the wooden surface, glancing at Wilson, who gave her a short nod. She pushed the door open, and the sudden creaking sound made them both jump.
"Shit," Wilson exclaimed, way too loudly. "Sorry," he then muttered quietly. Vera stood very still for a moment, listening and trying to calm her racing pulse. When there was no sign of movement inside, she stepped into the darkness.
It took a few seconds for her eyes to get well enough adjusted to make out details in the small hallway, but the smells were there instantly: a combination of wood, smoke, earth, and something faintly metallic.
"Are you smelling this, too?" Wilson breathed. "It smells like..."
Blood, she finished his sentence in her mind. She wasn't sure where that assumption came from, but that's where her mind went.
"Vera, I don't think we should..."
But she wasn't listening; she had noticed the bags standing in the hallway.
"She was planning on leaving him," she quietly mumbled to herself, remembering what Maranda had said. She also remembered what he had done to her after she'd revealed her intention to him. Vera's feet somehow carried her forward, further into the cabin. She moved despite being scared of what she might find, because to her, not knowing was even more terrifying. She had to know.
Please, let her be okay, she thought as she took another step. She had never given much thought to the existence of a Watcher before, but in this moment she hoped that something or someone out there was hearing her pleading. Please, let it not be too late.
"Vera," Wilson hissed behind her. "We should leave. We should-"
A few steps further into the cabin, her eyes fell on the living room, and she let out an involuntary gasp. Wilson was there in an instant, his hand protectively on her waist, as he peeked over her shoulder.
"What the fuck..." he whispered.