Chapter 6 of All the Colors of the Dark opens with Saint filled with anxiety as she spends an entire hour searching the woods around her home. She hopes, with all her heart, that her missing bees have merely relocated and are not harmed or lost. The peaceful, quiet woods offer no answers, and her worry deepens. As she emerges onto Main Street, her face flushed and her braid slightly undone from the effort, sweat drips from her forehead, evidence of her restless search. With a sense of urgency in her steps, she heads toward the small police station, intent on confronting the authorities and demanding action against Mr. Lewis, whom she suspects of stealing the bees. Just as she is about to enter the station, her attention is pulled in a different direction—Misty Meyer stands before an officer, visibly trembling and shaken.

Misty looks much younger than her years, pale and out of breath, a sign that she’s been through something traumatic. The scraped skin on her knees only adds to the sense that something awful has happened to her. As she collapses into a chair, the officer, a calm figure amidst the growing tension, gently helps her sit down and urges her to catch her breath. Misty is too caught up in her own fear to respond, her wide eyes glued to the street outside. With a voice barely above a whisper, she mutters that someone “saved” her, though she cannot seem to describe who or what that person might be. The officer tries to offer some reassurance, attempting to comfort her, but Misty insists that there was someone who helped her—a figure who intervened when she needed it most.

As the conversation unfolds, Misty’s distress only grows stronger, and she begins to recount her harrowing experience. She describes a “pirate kid” who faced off with a much larger man, further deepening the mystery surrounding her ordeal. The tension in the room rises as Saint, unable to remain a passive observer, feels a rising sense of dread that tightens in her chest. Her heart begins to race as Misty continues her story, describing in more detail the actions of the young boy who came to her aid. Saint’s mind starts to connect the dots as Misty mentions that the boy who intervened was none other than Joseph Macauley—this name instantly grabs Saint’s attention.

Saint’s instinct kicks in, and her small frame seems to contrast sharply with the gravity of the situation. She steps closer to Misty, her concern palpable, and presses for more information about Joseph’s involvement. The officer, aware of the weight of the conversation, also leans in, paying close attention to Misty’s words. Saint’s mind begins to whirl as she recalls the sudden death of her grandfather, a loss that had left her grappling with confusion and shock. Now, standing in this tense moment, Saint feels the same bewildering emotions, realizing that the crisis unfolding in front of her is connected to something far bigger than just her missing bees. Her need for clarity grows as she tries to make sense of everything that’s happening.

Misty, still shaken, remains quiet, her eyes distant and unfocused, as the officer wraps a jacket around her shoulders for warmth and comfort. Saint, however, cannot quell her growing anxiety. The need for answers gnaws at her, and she presses harder, desperate to know if Joseph is in danger and if there is something she should be doing. Finally, after a long pause, Misty, her voice barely a whisper, mentions a clearing near the old railroad. This piece of information sends a jolt of realization through Saint. She knows that the clearing could hold the key to understanding everything that has been happening—and the thought of Joseph being in harm’s way fills her with urgency.

Without a second thought, Saint bolts out of the police station, her determination pushing her forward. The moment she hears about the clearing, everything shifts for her. No longer is this about her missing bees or the frustrations of the day—this is something far more pressing, and her focus is entirely on finding Joseph. She rushes toward the woods, the knowledge that danger is close propelling her forward with a sense of urgency. As she makes her way toward the clearing, Saint is fully aware that something crucial is unfolding, and her once peaceful world is now caught in the turmoil of uncertainty and fear. She doesn’t know what lies ahead, but one thing is certain—everything has changed. The pursuit of the truth and the desire to find Joseph becomes her only focus now, a need to protect those she cares about driving her through the unknown.

The chapter closes with a heightened sense of anticipation, as Saint races toward the woods, the weight of the revelations she has just uncovered beginning to sink in. The disappearance of the bees, Misty’s encounter, and the involvement of Joseph Macauley are all pieces of a much larger puzzle that Saint is determined to solve. The intensity of her emotions, the fear for Joseph’s safety, and the knowledge that something dangerous looms just ahead push Saint into action. The chapter leaves readers on the edge of their seats, wondering what Saint will uncover next and whether she can make it to Joseph in time to prevent whatever threat may be lurking. Through the course of this chapter, the tension between the characters and the growing mystery continues to build, setting the stage for even more intense confrontations and revelations.