Lizzie got Hannah's attention, and she teleported us to the spot next to the fence that we had agreed upon earlier.

We removed the land covering the bodies, and I wasted no time in changing to the new form. Barry wrapped up my gnome in a blanket, and I picked it up. Barry changed to his human as I watched the scenario coming into play beyond the fence.

There stood a group of early teens, each holding a roll of toilet paper in their hands, snickering at what they were about to do. They were going to step through when Barry took my hand.

"I don't want you to go," He pleaded desperately.

"Don't talk like that. I'm going to see you again. You can come out after me." I stared into his eyes as I smiled; knowing that we would be free soon.

"GO!" Lizzie interrupted as the people began to step through.

The gnomes began to be controlled, and thankfully the human bodies did not.

I stepped through the fence as I heard Barry say something to me, and I looked back at him as a bright flash blinded me.

✦✧✦✧

I blinked my eyes as my eyes grew accustomed to the normal light.

What happened?

Then I remembered, I was going to walk up to the Withertop house when my friends drove away. They were going to pay for that.

I looked back at the house when something caught my eye. A strange-looking gnome was up against the fence, staring at me.

Then it blinked.

I screamed as I ran away from that horrifying place, I no longer cared about the money Jacob promised.

I ran back to my house, my feet pounding on the concrete; glad to soon be home.

When I reached the door, I slammed it shut as fast as I could.

"How was your trip?" I my mother called from the other room before I saw her come around the corner.

"What?"

"Your trip to Tubou to visit your friend and get a break after the accident? How was it? I haven't seen you in forever!"

She came towards me with a deep embrace, and I hugged my mother, feeling like I hadn't seen her for a long time.

"It was good, I can't seem to remember how long has it been?" I lied, worried about the fact that I had forgotten so much time on a trip.

"Nearly two years. I loved the pictures you sent me, though. And thank you so much for keeping in touch with me. I can't believe you're almost eighteen!" She said excitedly.

Wait. What?

"Hey Mom, I love you. Could I go unpack?"

"Yes, but you don't have any bags..."

I ran upstairs to my room, and found it the same as I had left it.

What was going on? All I remembered was going to that party, and then going to the Withertop house. Then something happened to me, and I was getting up in the middle of the day.

Did I fall asleep for two years on a woman's sidewalk? And no one noticed? No, that didn't explain the images I sent mom. I was wearing the same clothes from that party.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket, and tried turning it on to find it was dead. I plugged it in as I sat down on my bed.

I rolled everything I could remember through my head, and it just didn't make sense. I was walking up to the house at night, when I woke up to find myself on her sidewalk, in the middle of the day.

I decided I couldn't wait for my phone to charge so I could call Clare. I just had to go to her.

I walked downstairs to be greeted by my mom.

"Do you want to go out to eat tonight? There is this new tai place I have been planning on visiting."

"Sure mom, but can I go say hi to Clare first? It's been a while since I've seen her."

My mother's face dropped, "Sure honey, let me just give you her address."

She went over to the table and wrote me a note with an address I didn't recognize. She must have moved when I was on that supposed trip.

I got in my car, and began to drive to the address. I came to a screeching halt as I found out where she lived now.

Well, where she now resided. I stared out at the lines of stones, engraved with the names of those long passed.

I ran out of the car and began searching for my friend. When I found her, I collapsed on the ground and began to cry. She had died today. Or rather, the day that I went to that house.

I looked at the neighboring graves, and my tears grew. Max, Jack, Ruby, Liam, and Zach were emblazoned on the neighboring tombstones.

I curled up into a ball and cried where I was for an eternity. They were the only ones with any answers about what happened, and they were gone.