Several days after the strange ordeal at the Thompson farm, Richard and Joy strolled down the quiet main street, the late afternoon sun painting long shadows on the pavement. News of Samuel Thompson’s rescue had spread quickly, making them minor celebrities in town for a few days. Now, things were settling back into the comfortable rhythms of small-town life, with children playing hopscotch near the diner and neighbors tending their lawns in the gentle light.

  Richard sipped a fresh cup of tea he’d picked up from Sally’s and took in a deep breath of the mild autumn air. Joy trotted happily at his side, her harness jingling, her nose hunting for stray scents on the breeze. Nothing seemed out of place, and yet…

  A distant, muffled rumble caught Joy’s attention. Her ears perked, and she glanced at Richard with a tilt of her head. It was a familiar sound—something faintly mechanical, like a low hum carried over the rooftops. Richard paused, heart skipping a beat as he recognized the tone. It reminded him, just barely, of the vibrations beneath the barn floor.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  He shrugged it off, telling himself it was probably just an old generator at the hardware store or a delivery truck in the alley. Still, as he continued walking, his mind drifted to the old man’s notebook, now safely tucked away at his home. There were pages he hadn’t fully deciphered—odd symbols and half-finished diagrams that might lead somewhere new.

  Joy nudged his leg, and he looked down at her shining eyes. He knew that look. Tomorrow, perhaps, he’d revisit those cryptic notes. After all, he and Joy were never ones to turn away from a good mystery.