Boyd and Kenny strode into Reggie's abode, only to stumble upon Paula, her body grotesquely mutilated on the bed. Reggie, with a strained expression, explained that Paula had been talking in her sleep, and then an inexplicable crack had rent the air within her. Boyd promptly dismissed Ethan, instructing Julie and Kenny to canvass the neighborhood, warning each household to remain vigilant and avoid slumber. Julie, her face etched with concern, revealed that Jim was at the RV.
Deep in the woods, Randall recounted to Jim the ghastly sight he had witnessed outside the clinic. When Jim attempted to lend aid to Donna, Randall shoved him to the ground. Boyd's arrival soon after diffused the tense situation, compelling Randall to relinquish his knife. In a fit of desperation, Randall hurled the van keys into the dense foliage, effectively trapping them inside the RV.
Julie and Ethan fretted over Jim's safety in the wilderness. Meanwhile, Sara and Kenny lingered at the post office, Sara confessing that the atmosphere felt strangely altered, as if the fears of those who had perished in the town had somehow permeated the forest, taking root within its depths.
At Colony House, Reggie recounted the ghastly discovery to the gathered crowd, and soon they realized that Donna was nowhere to be found. A decision was made to pair off, ensuring none would succumb to slumber unguarded.
Inside the RV, Boyd handcuffed Randall after he and Jim managed to gain entry. Elsewhere, Ellis ushered Kristi and Marielle into a secluded chamber at Colony House. As they gathered the necessary supplies, Ellis confided in Kristi his anxiety over Fatima's pregnancy, his voice betraying his nervousness.
Tabitha unfolded the pictures she and Victor had uncovered for Jade, describing the image of the tower and her recurring dream of ascending its stairs. As the monsters encircled the RV, Boyd prepared the bile bullets, readying for the inevitable confrontation. Donna suggested releasing Randall to confront the creatures outside, and Boyd reluctantly offered him the choice. However, as the monsters inexplicably halted their advance towards the RV, a haunting melody from the music box filled the air, silencing all.
At Colony House, Marielle's panic escalated, believing something sinister lurked within the room. With Kristi's calming words and assistance, she eventually calmed down, requesting to be strapped to the bed for safekeeping.
Sara attempted to apologize to Kenny, but he was unrelenting, his voice harsh as he commanded her to silence. She confessed her exhaustion, declaring she no longer wished to be his monster. Unmoved, he informed her of the location where Boyd stored his spare gun.
Reggie's incessant screams echo through Colony House, urging the occupants to stay vigilant, their hearts pounding in fear. Inside the RV, the music abruptly fades, replaced by a rhythmic thumping beneath the vehicle's chassis. As Randall darts out the rear, Jim and Donna scramble towards the van for safety. Boyd hesitates briefly inside the RV, until Abby appears, her voice urgent, calling him back to her side. He emerges, firing shots at the unseen monsters, and eventually reaches the van. Meanwhile, in the dense woods, Randall finds himself the target of a swarm of cicadas.
Kenny discovers Sara, gun in hand, seated at Boyd's desk. She confesses her desire to end the suffering, playing a game of Russian roulette. She pulls the trigger once, but the gun remains silent, until Kenny seizes it from her grasp.
At Colony House, Tillie, knitting alongside Elgin, reveals to Fatima that she knows of her pregnancy, a revelation that triggers a memory in Elgin's mind. He recalls a dream: a boy dressed in pristine white, repeating a mysterious phrase. Alone, Marielle hears the cicadas approaching and is overcome by them. Kristi arrives but cannot detect the insects that have enveloped her friend.
Boyd and Donna return to Colony House, striving to maintain a sense of calm. Jim attempts to flee, but Boyd's drawn gun halts his progress. Kristi's voice cuts through the tension, calling Jim upstairs. With Marielle unconscious but still breathing, Boyd offers comfort to Kristi before Ellis summons him to speak with Elgin. Elgin shares that upon learning of Fatima's pregnancy, he recalled his dream. Bakta reveals that the phrase whispered by the boy is actually a snippet from a nursery rhyme.
At Tian Chen's, Julies' screams pierce the silence, as if she is being assaulted by the cicadas, though none can see the source of her terror.
