"Hey... you awake?" Rita whispers to the sleeping man. His eyes peer slightly through, his vision blurry - the man slowly lowers his eyelids back down and turns his head to the side "Get up, come on." Rita says slapping him on the shoulder. "Huh..? What you want." Dustin answers.

"There's something off about Betty's body" she says to the man, making sure not to raise her voice.

This phrase seemingly jolted Dustin into an awake state, he pulled his body out of the chair and they both left the cabin and walked on to the "farm".

Rita had placed a black tarp over the cows body before alerting Dustin. The Cow's volume had shrunk considerably since it's collapse, it appeared as though the black tarp had sucked it of its life.

"It reeks." Dustin says, plugging his nose.

"Looks a lot worse than it smells." Rita relies, leaning over the wooden fence and pinching the top of the black tarp with her fingers - she was wearing a singular blue glove.

Before she pulled the tarp up, a deep dark black mass oozes gracefully from under the tarp - Dustin could see it peek through.

Rita glances around quickly checking the cabin's windows - and then pulls the tarp.

Upon seeing the image underneath, Dustin almost instinctually grasped at his bandaged hand. It was like from a nightmare, a disfugured cow's remains - coated in a dark grime. It's mass slowly sinking into the substance - its head or body no longer became recognisable, it was slowly turning into an amalgamation of flesh. Rita holds the tarp above the cow for a few moments, while dark blue mist bubbles up from the corpse. Its reach quickly stretches into the direction of Rita's hand - making contact with her glove. Upon contact, a dark blue particle of unknown matter forms on the palm of Rita's gloved hand. She immediately lets go of the tarp and jumps backwords, trying to waft her hand repeatedly. "Get this off me!" She shouts. But Dustin remained distant, Rita eventually grabbed the top of the glove and threw it on the ground.

The glove emits a sizzling noise as the both of them looked on at it. "Why the hell didn't you help" Rita asks Dustin.

"I'm sorry Rita. i just froze up." He tells her.

"Right. Losing your finger so clumsily must've dulled your sense." She replies sarcastically.

The brief commotion promted everyone to run out the cabin, Marand coming out first, followed shortly by Tifa.

"What's going on!?" Tifa questions. "It's nothing..." Rita says under her breath.

Tifa once again looks bewildered at what she's been kept in the dark on. While talking to one another, Marand gives a unsuspecting scowl to Dustin. He looks at her, trying to go after her but she immediately turns herself back to the cabin. Dustin tries to keep going but he is stopped by Tifa's speech. "Hey! Don't you move. I need you to tell me what's going on right now." Rita takes advantage of the attention away from her and moves her foot on top of the glove which had been laying on the ground.

Dustin looks at Tifa confidently and says, "What're you so mad for, Tiffy? Me and Rita were just going to go ahead and cut up Betty over here for tonight's dinner. haha." He let's out a deep laugh from his belly, clearly putting it on. "That's right, we can't be having Dustin losing another finger can we.." Rita interjects before Tifa could reply.

Tifa looks at them "Your scheming ends as soon as Angela regains conciousness - Don't think I've forgotten your sentence Dustin." She proclaims, walking out toward the hill which houses Mockley's grave.

Dustin and Rita let out a deep exhale and without looking at each other, Dustin walks a seperate way. Rita stays put for a few moments, unsure what to do - or when its safe to reach over for the glove. She remains still, carefully examining her surroundings - as soon as her eyes scanned the surrounding area, her hand leaped for the glove under her foot. Making sure to hide it inside her jacket pocket as quickly as possible. Rita then walks by the farm, holding the glove close to her body - she reaches a secluded area and pulls the glove out. Unravelling it slowly and carefully, "...huh?" She looks on at the glove - and through the hole which had been created, unbeknownst to her.

Panic set into her eyes as she slowly turned her palm to face her. "N-no..." she says under her breath, bewildered. A wound laid on her hand, dark circle surrounding it. "But how?" She stared at the circular wound, confused and scared. 'I didn't even feel any pain' she pondered.

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"You okay?" A high frequency voice reaches her ears. Rita scrambles nervously, trying to hide her hands inside her jacket. "Oh uh yeah.." she says nervously, her voice creaking.

The person behind her runs up and taps her on the shoulder, "you need any help Rita?" Rita looks over her shoulder, her gaze did not meet another - until she lowered her eyes down and saw Jimmy standing there with his stick.

"Ah its just you." Rita tells him, while turning around - still hiding her hands.

"Just me? What are you hiding there?" He asks. "Oh nothing my hands are just cold" she tries to laugh but it comes out hollow, devoid of joy. "Anyway i got to go." She says to Jimmy and walks off - he looks on at her as she walks to the cabin.

A few moments later, Jimmy is seen playing around near some bushes as Dustin walks by him towards the cabin - he could be seen carrying something on his back. A long object, covered up by his hoodie. Walking by, Dustin notices Jimmy looking at him - "You curious about this thing?" He asks the child with an upward inflection. "I saw" Jimmy replies "I saw what you and Rita were doing."

Dustin immediately walks toward Jimmy at a hightened pace - "what are you talking about, boy." Dustin grabs him by the arm.

Jimmy turns his head away, "I'll tell Marand... If you hurt me." Dustin's hand loosened its grip on the boy - which caused him to free himself and run away down a hill.

"He can't know. That little runt. If he rats me out he's dead."

A few hours later....

Mike and Rita stand around Angela's body, staying by her side until she can awaken. "You've barely been with us and you've done so much already.. Thank you Mike, we are grateful to have you." Rita explains to Mike - who was now sat beside Angela.

"I have no choice. Or else I'd go insane." Mike answers blankly, staring at the wall opposite him. "Hah.. yeah.. everyone needs to do their part to stay sane." She answers, following a brief silence.

Mike coughs into his hand "i think its about time you get going... I'm gonna need to - replace her bandage." He exclaims, making odd pauses in between words to cough. "You sure..? I won't be a bother" Rita answers. "Please." Mike pleads.

Without a word, Rita walks out Mike's room. She then leaves the cabin and sneaks around the corner - she stands with her body pressed against the wood, trying to peek through the window of the room she was just in. 'I can't leave this weird fuck alone in there with Angela - who knows what he's been doing to her.' She thinks to herself. The man inside did not seem to be changing Angela's bandages as he claimed. He sat around for a moment, before patting himself down and pulling himself out of his chair. Rita leans in closer, her face almost pressing against the glass. Mike starts to rumage through his pockets - checking each one recklessly. His body freezes up for a moment 'what's he doing...' she keeps staring intensely at the man in the room.

Until.. in one swift motion, Mike turns his head toward the glass window. Rita inhales deeply and turns her body just in the nick of time. 'Oh god that was close.' She thinks to herself, eyes closed. She could feel her heart beat through her chest for a few seconds - she placed her hand on her chest feeling the hearts rhythm.

"Hey." Tifa says to the shaken Rita. Which once again startles her, but she withheld her scream. "Don't scare me like that" Rita says. "You're the one creeping around, you'll end up scaring someone yourself." Tifa replies. "Ah yeah. Sorry.." Rita answers, trying to walk away from the conversation.

"Wait." Tifa grabs ahold of Rita's arm, impeding her leave. "I'm going to check the gas station, want to come with me? I could use your expertise with a rifle" Tifa says, still holding her arm. "Why does everyone need me at all times, go alone Tifa" Rita replies, trying to breakout of her hold. Tifa looks her in the eyes and says, "I'm not your enemy Rita, i hope you know that."

Rita takes a moment, no longer resisting Tifa's hold. She takes her eyes off Tifa and toward the glass window she was peering through - "If you have to take someone with you - take Mike." Rita says, foregoing any residual defiance. "Mike?" Tifa questions. "Yes. He can't be trusted. Especially not around Angela." Rita replies, giving Tifa a face of puzzlement.

"I know it's been hard.. I'm sorry for this weight thats been placed on you. It must be difficult" Rita says, looking saddened. "I know its been difficult." Rita corrects herself, she squeezes her hand while Tifa slowly lets go of her arm. "Right.. I'll speak to him". Moments go by with Rita still by the window, she glances to and from her hands and to Mike's room multiple times - Tifa could be seen talking to Mike for a few moments before walking back to the outside in fast motion.

Rita stands outside, looking at the dark wound on her hand, she hears the cabin doors swing wide open smacking the wall. Her gaze immediately darts to the person standing at the doors. Its Tifa, her face lit up she says "It's Angela, she's awake".