Jake's POV
The streets were way too quiet for a college town. I mean, this was supposed to be a place full of life, right? Students, bars, traffic, drunk laughter, the usual. Instead, it looked like someone had hit "pause" on reality. The buildings were old—like, really old—stonework worn down by time and neglect. Signs were faded. Curtains in windows were drawn. Doors creaked. Creaked. In broad daylight.
Even the sky looked duller here. I didn’t even know that was possible.
Susan walked beside me, her steps a little slower than usual. "Is it just me," she whispered, "or does this place feel... weird?"
"Oh good," I said. "I thought I was the only one expecting a zombie to lurch out of an alley."
She chuckled, but it was more nervous than amused. "It’s like the town’s watching us."
"
