Side Story 4.88 - Pulse in the Earth

Johanis’ POV

The first thing I noticed was the chickens.

They used to cluck and strut and puff their feathers up at one another like they were ready to wage war over a breadcrumb. Now, they huddled in the far corner of their coop, beady eyes fixed on nothing—or maybe something I couldn’t see. One of them had pecked a hole clean through the wooden wall during the night. Another refused to eat.

Papa said it was the weather. Mama didn’t say anything at all.

And I… I knew better. Or perhaps my parents just did not want to scare me or my little sister regarding it. But we all knew everyone noticed this strange occurrence. Even five and a half year old Lily. Well, especially her..

The elder’s words hadn’t stopped echoing since we left her home. Not even for a second.