On the bus ride home, the survivors groaned loudly. Trevor sat pressed against the window, pale and defeated. Malik muttered oaths never to eat again. Others looked shaken, lips clamped tight as they breathed shallow. Their classmates snapped more videos, sharing them with captions like “The Nightcrows will soon need diapers.”
By evening, the neighborhood buzzed with stories. Children reenacted bathroom sprints on front lawns, and neighbors exchanged chuckles. “Those hooligans finally got what they deserved,” Mr. Jensen laughed. Mrs. Phelps declared with glee, “Serves them right.” Meanwhile, Magnolia weeded her garden bed, humming softly, serene.