Bela travels by car with Ursula, Russ, and Lois Anthony toward Lake Michigan, a trip Russ warns will feel long. Before leaving, Russ arranges for trainers to take the dogs, and Lois explains why she wants to go: the family has never tried putting real distance between Bela and the entity, and a beach with open sand may give the haunting fewer places to hide. Ursula objects that Other Mommy can hide anywhere, but Lois offers the first practical hope the family has had.

Outside the house, Lois presents more of her theory. She says Ruth told her everything when they spoke alone at the motel, and that Bela may need to lose her innocence by learning hard truths about the world. Ursula reacts angrily enough that Lois steps back and Russ has to calm Ursula while neighbors watch, but neither parent has a better plan. Bela avoids looking at the house, afraid Other Mommy might be watching, and still feels the creature's presence there.

During the drive, Lois says she knows places near Sleeping Bear Dunes where they can stay out on the beach. Ursula calls the whole idea insane, but the family keeps going. Russ, shaken by the night's violence, suddenly fixates on the fact that he and Ursula tried to stab the entity, which underscores how desperate and unstable the situation has become.

Lois then gives her clearest explanation yet: the entity is drawn to Bela either to corrupt her or because Bela is young enough to be tricked, and everything that has happened has been part of an attempt to get inside her. After a quiet stretch, Ursula concludes that if they are really going to follow Lois's plan, they must tell Bela the truth. Russ silently resists, Bela asks what they mean, and Lois postpones the answer by insisting that distance comes first and the difficult conversation will come after.