“The door is locked,” she tells me, her eyes fixed on the keyhole as if she has the power to unlock it with her mind. I think back to this morning, unable to remember if my Uncle said he’d be home or not. Clearly, he isn’t. Unless he’s asleep in bed. I check my watch: 23:01. It’s a possibility, I suppose.

“I’ll call him,” I tell her. “He might be asleep.” Waking him up wasn’t my intention when I left for town this morning but here we are. I’d rather bristle him and sleep in a proper bed tonight that have to kip in my truck, and I know the feeling is mutual in Kayla.

“Sound,” Kayla says. “I’ll check the back door.” I frown but don’t tell her to stop as she goes, it’s unlikely the back door will be unlocked if I remember rightly, but if there’s a chance... I wait in the nightly silence for her to reappear and she does so with a shrug. “Worth a shot.” I look through my phone contacts and select Uncle Charlie’s number. It rings a few times before he answers.

“Hello,” he grumbles.

“Hey Uncle Charlie,” I say, trying to sound more cheerful than I felt. It makes Kayla’s brows rise into her fringe. “Sorry for waking you up, um, but I just got to town and was wondering if you could...put me and a friend up for the night.” I hear him move before he replies.

“You’re in town?” He asks, “Why? Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” I lie. “Spontaneous decision, that’s all. I’d have called ahead...” but I didn’t know I’d definitely make it. “I’m outside.”

“Outside?” He asks, alarmed. “I’ll come down.” He ends the call and I put my phone away, feeling nervous. I hate to make assumptions of people, I was taught it’s rude to, but desperate measures.

“We staying?” Kayla asks. I nod. “Good. I don’t think we’ll be alone for long.” He looks up and down the street as she says this and I feel the hairs on my arms stand up. A minute later, Uncle Charlie throws the door open to reveal himself standing in pyjamas with messy hair. He looks exhausted and I feel guilty.

“Hey,” I say awkwardly as I approach. “I’m sorry to drop in like this.”

“Nonsense,” he says, his eyes looking over my truck which is filled to the brim with my things. “Come in.”

“Thanks,” Kayla says, moving before I do. I follow her inside and look back to my truck, worried it’ll be the last time I see it. They hadn’t gone as far to vandalise anything but I could feel their desperation in the air. If I didn’t make a choice soon, they’d make it for me. I close the door, lock it and put the latch on. At least, in here, we’re safe. Safe from Them.