At nine, when the last table was set, Doreen approached Mara.

“I owe you more than a window,” she said.

Mara pressed down the end of a strip of tape. “You don’t owe me a speech.”

“I wasn’t going to give one.”

“Good.”

“I was going to ask if you’d come tomorrow.”

Mara looked around the gym. “I think I already have.”

13. THE ACCOUNT POSTS AGAIN

At 10:18 Friday night, the Save Our Trail account posted a new message.

THEY’RE MOVING THE MACHINE AT DAWN WHILE EVERYONE IS ASLEEP. IF YOU CARE ABOUT THE BLUE TRAIL, BE AT THE EAST GATE AT SIX.

Jessa saw it first. She called Doreen, who called Mara. Within minutes, the three of them were sitting at Doreen’s kitchen table, staring at the screen.

“The move is suspended,” Mara said. “Priya confirmed it.”

“Could Owen ignore her?” Doreen asked.

“He could try. But he would need a crew willing to risk their jobs.”

Jessa scrolled through the comments. “People are already saying they’ll come.”

Doreen recognized names: neighbors who had not attended the church meeting, former mill workers, people from nearby streets who knew only that a corporation was closing a beloved path.

“We need to stop them,” she said.

“Don’t argue in the comments,” Jessa warned. “That account thrives on arguments.”

Mara considered the timing. Six in the morning was before the safety reviewer would return. It was also before most residents would be awake to correct a rumor. If a crowd gathered at the gate, the factory could face a confrontation even with the machinery stationary.

“Let’s get the city to issue a notice,” she said.

“At this hour?” Doreen asked.

“The emergency public works line is staffed. I’ll call.”

Jessa drafted a message for the official neighborhood page. It included Priya’s written confirmation that no movement was authorized before the safety review. Doreen posted it under her own name and asked everyone to share it.

Within minutes, the anonymous account replied: DON’T BELIEVE THEM. THEY LIED BEFORE.

Doreen felt the old urge to fight rise in her chest. She began typing a furious response, then stopped. She deleted it and wrote: I was at the site today. The equipment is not cleared to move. Please don’t bring children to the gate. We will meet at the school gym at ten.

Jessa nodded approvingly. “That’s better.”

Then a private message arrived on Doreen’s phone from an unfamiliar number.

You used to know how to stand up for this street. What happened to you?

Doreen stared at it. There was no name attached.

She typed: I learned the difference between standing up and swinging at the wrong thing.

She did not receive a reply.

14. SIX IN THE MORNING