"Y—yeah, I, uh—" His voice breaks a little. "I might need to go away for a while."

"… Do– uh, do you know how long?"

"...no, I'm sorry. I'll—I promise I'll do my best to not be long."

"Ok," he responds. "… Will you be able to phone us?"

"I—" He looks up at his wife.

"… If you, ah, if you can do it safely?"

He looks at Alexandre. "I promise."

"Do you have to go now?"

"Y—yeah, I'm afraid so."

"See you… soon? Or, phone." He looks down.

"Yeah. I love you, champion."

"I love you too."

He stands up straighter, looks like he wants to walk in, then sighs. "I'm sorry."

Away he goes.

"How about we go back in," suggests Clarice, shutting the door.

Alexandre doesn't object.

So she sets him up… watching a movie, again, because it's probably not totally calm outside, and she gets back to trying to prepare some weapons and such.

It's fortunate they have some food in the house.

Yeah.

It's quiet outside.

… That probably bodes badly, not well, unfortunately.

After a few minutes, she looks out the window to check. Just how badly or well it bodes.

There are no scavenger animals picking the bodies, but otherwise it's dark enough she cannot see much.

… No creepy probably-vampires hanging around?

None visible, no.

She moves away from the window, then.

She – pauses, realizing she's been stupid, and picks up the phone to call her aunt, out of state, see what she knows about the situation.

Line's dead.

… Of course it is.

Well, she gets back to making her preparations. She has hacked part of the table to bits and has a convenient stake now.

She starts sharpening it, out of view of Alexandre.