ELLIE'S POV

"BEN!"

"Ben!"

"BEN?"

"BEN!"

"Here's a thought." I grumble to myself. "Maybe we don't yell out our location."

We've been walking for forever. I kind of wish I'd gone with Uma, Mal, Celia, Evie and Sera. But, the groups had to be even, I guess. But right now we're in the middle of the woods, far from our rendezvous point at Evie's house. We've used up at least half if not more of our two hours, and I'm starting to wish I could shave Harry's head for how many times he flicks his hair out of his eyes.

"Dude." Carlos finally says, calling his dog back. "Nothing?"

"Nope." Dude says, sniffing the ground. "Nothing."

I groan. "Ben could be anywhere! And he's most likely asleep or stone, so we have no way of getting him to answer us!"

I hear munching sounds behind me, and I whirl around to see Gil picking blueberries off of a bush. "Really? More fruit?"

"What?" He asks defensively. "I'm hungry."

I sigh. "I'm sorry. It's fine. I just wish this could all be over." I run my fingers through my hair.

"Y'know, we should play that icebreaker." Gil suggests, tearing more berries off. "De-stress a little. Mmm...Jay, I like the way that you can bounce around, and jump off things."

Jay kind of laughs, but doesn't seem like he's taking it as a joke or an insult or anything. I wish Evie were here to see this.

Jay walks over to the bush. "Um... okay, I like the way you get a kick out of fruit."

"You can never have enough fruit." Gil agrees. "Brit says that fruit is one of the things she likes best about Auradon, 'cause her dad never let her have any." He considers his words, tilting his head to the side. "Also tourney. She likes watching you and Carlos play. She says it makes her smile, 'cause you used to only steal stuff."

Harry snorts, leaning against a tree. "Tourney? That's a wee boy's game!" he makes little sounds, like a baby chick. "You guys are killing me! Icebreaker? Really?"

"What, not feeling appreciated because nobody but Evie can compliment you?" I fake pout.

He growls at me for a minute before turning to Carlos. "P.S., your mutt went that way."

"CARLOS!" Dude yells, and we all turn that way.

"Dude, what do you see?" Carlos calls.

"This way!" He answers, trotting into our view before taking off again, with us hot on his heels.

Paws.

Would paws still be heels?

Whatever. We followed the dog.

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SERA'S POV BECAUSE ELLIE'S POV BY HERSELF IS TOO SHORT A CHAPTER ALSO BECAUSE I FEEL BAD THAT I DON'T UPDATE THAT OFTEN AND ALSO THIS CHAPTER WAS SUPER EMOTIONAL TO WRITE AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER

We search Audrey's candy-pink room for a few more minutes, but find nothing. Big whoop. I'm kinda tempted to take her diary with me and wave it in her face going "NYA-NYA" next time we see her, but... eh. Books. Icy would so make fun of me if she caught me holding a book. That wasn't PJO, KOTLC, or Fablehaven. Actually, anything by those authors. That should cover my bases.

And maybe Harry Potter. Sometimes.

"It's gettin' close to rendezvous time." I note, looking at Audrey's golden clock on her wall. Seriously, this girl lounges in fluff and stuff while Islers lounge in lumps of dump.

Mal sighs and puts down the picture of Audrey and Ben when they were wee little things. Even then, she looked ready to wear a crown. Yeesh.

"We'd better head to your house, E." Mal finally admits.

"Is it a far walk from here?" Uma asks.

"Not too far." I say. "Only about a few more miles on my already achin' feetsies."

"Shut up, Sera." Mal and Uma say together. They both kind of flinch at that, then go back to ignoring each other.

Hmmm... I tap my chin thoughtfully. Maybe with a scheme, I can get Shrimp and Green Queen to get along...

Nah. Too much trouble. Not enough pranky outcomes.

So, after we make sure Celia isn't smuggling sparkly stuff on her, we exit the dorms. I can't explain how eerie it is to look around and see every kid I know here either sound asleep or turned into a statue.

Hmmph. If only Audrey would turn herself into a statue. That'd solve so many problems.

Normally we would take the road to E's house/business place, but since we're in a hurry we cut through the woods. It gets us there about thirty seconds faster, counting all the time I stopped everyone because I needed to complain.

But I'm off topic.

We finally get to "Evie's 4 Hearts" and find it just as freakishly quiet as Auradon Prep. But for the annoying twittering of birds, and the crunch of branches underneath our feet... I don't hear anything.

Arson better just be playing hide and seek. There's no way the spell could've spread here... right?

RIGHT?

"I really hope they found Ben." Mal mutters under her breath.

"I hope Audrey gets punched in the nose." I grumble. "I'm pretty sure only one of us will get our wish."

We crest the final small hill to E's house and Uma's face practically slackens with shock. "Nice digs."

"I got a really good deal." Evie says proudly. She unlocks her house and we all enter, me a little bit more quiet than others for once.

"Ar?" I call hopefully. "Brit? Hector? Guys?"

Celia suddenly gasps, running into the movie room. Curled up on the couch, piled on top of one another, is Squeaky, Squirmy, Anya, and Dizzy. Well, Squeaky and Squirmy are piled. Dizzy is hugging her cousin like a teddy bear, which Anya looks pretty pleased about.

Dizzy starts mumbling in her sleep, looking distressed, but I've got bigger problems. I do a quick scan of the room, not seeing any sign of my brother or his buds. My throat lumps uncomfortably. "Ar?" I try quietly.

No answer.

"Ar!" I yell, spinning around the room. "Hector! Brit! AR! ARSON!"

Nothing.

Something inside the smart part of my brain breaks, and all sense of... well, sense, disappears. I lunge for the doorway, tearing through E's house, my heart pumping in a way I haven't felt in years. The last time I was scared, really scared, was when my dad used his fire-jumpy thing to escape, drawing life from Ar and I. I knew as I went under that I wouldn't be back for a long time, and that was the worst feeling in the world. But it broke my heart to think of Ar dying because of my dad.

Mal and Evie call after me, trying to get me to stop, but I can't. I can't. I need to find my brother.

I repeat it like a chant inside my head. I need to find my brother. I need to find my brother!

"ARSON!" I scream, sounding almost hysterical. I'll probably regret all of this later, but as of right now I don't care.

I finally burst outside again through the front door. I must've missed something. I had to've missed them. They have got to be here. I checked E's room, her studio, where someone was asleep that I didn't really pay any attention to, but I DO NOT SEE MY BROTHER!

Wait.

TAG! Arson loves to play tag!

I bolt around the house, looking in the backyard. My stomach drops a mile when I suspicions are confirmed. Brit is lying sprawled on the grass, curled up with a fearful expression on her sleeping face.

And behind her...

My knees hit the ground before I even realize I was falling. My vision blurs, and my cheek is suddenly really warm. It takes me a minute to realize I'm crying, because I haven't done this since I was really, really tiny.

Kneeling next to Brit, his fingers a few inches from her hand, is Arson. Frozen in stone.

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No joke, I teared up writing Sera's part.  :'(

I'm only on my third week of school, and I'm already so ready for summer to come back. I WANT MY SLEEP BACK. I AM SO TIRED. 

Here's a logical thing: WHAT IF? School was only Tuesday-Friday? That way we wouldn't have to go to school on Monday. I WOULD LOVE THAT. PLEASE. SOMEONE ON MY SCHOOL'S BOARD. I. NEED. MY. SLEEP. I BARELY GET TO SLEEP IN ON SATURDAYS, AND NEVER ON SUNDAYS. I NEED SLEEP!!!!!!!!

Sorry. Okay. I'm done. 

Hope you guys enjoyed! Byeeeeeeeeee!