The final two hours of the drive passed in a blur of music and changing scenery. As the Brabus crossed the provincial boundary line, the rugged landscape smoothed out, welcoming them with a well-maintained, tarred main road.
Jake looked out the window, taking in the sights of Darmin. While it was classified as a village, it felt much closer to a bustling, established town. Sleek streetlights lined the main strip, and they passed a sprawling, modern high school complex with neat brick buildings and paved sports fields. This is definitely not the isolated outpost I pictured, Jake thought, feeling a wave of relief. The area felt peaceful, developed, and alive under the afternoon sun.
"Take the next right after the supermarket, Jake," Catharine said, pointing toward a neatly paved side street that eventually transitioned into a smooth dirt road as they neared the residential plots.
