Had I heard him right? Our mother had visited him again.

"What do you mean?" All of the blood drained from my face and I knew my skin probably looked even more ghostly white.

"I talked to her again," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Where did you talk to her?"

"I was asleep. Suddenly, there was a light above me, like the one we just saw in the hallway. It caused me to blink several times. It scared me at first, but then there was something about the light that was very calming. After what seemed like an eternity a figure appeared. She had long white hair that cascaded down her back. Her eyes were piercing blue, even more blue then mine. I felt like I could see the entire world in them. Esa, there was no doubt it was Mom. Our mom." His voice began to quiver. "She looked amazing."

"Do you think you saw her ghost, or is she alive?" Everything inside of me hoped Samuel would say she was alive, but for some reason, I knew there was more to this story. There was something in his voice. I couldn't put my finger on it right now, but something wasn't adding up.

"No. I don't think she was a ghost. I definitely think she is alive. In fact, the more I think about it, I know she's alive."

"What did she say this time?"

He let out a soft laugh. "Esa, look at me," Samuel said, his voice even more serious. "You need to remember one thing." The creases at the edge of his mouth pulled his lips into an odd-looking smile.

"What?" I asked, glancing around at the rest of the group. All of them were still staring blankly ahead. "What do I need to remember, Samuel? Tell me."

"Things are not always as they seem."

His body began to twitch. His perfect, ivory skin suddenly showed signs of imperfection, almost as if he were a distorted picture on a computer screen. Small blocks of his skin slowly disappeared and he seemed almost pixelated.

I spun toward Audrina, seeking reassurance. She stood stoically in the middle of the room. She, too, didn't look my way. Her body began to twitch.

"No!" I yelled, running over to Audrina, shaking her lean frame, causing her head to flop back and forth with the forceful movement. Finally, her body began to disappear in my hands.

I ran to Gave. Surely he was normal. I looked into his eyes, but they seemed cold...dead. "Gave." I frantically grabbed his face with both my hands. "Please look at me. Please tell me everything is going to be okay," I pleaded.

What was happening? Where were they going?

Gave blankly stared forward. I'd hoped he would give me some sort of answer, but he stood there quietly.

I looked around the rest of the room. Everything began to spin, and my legs grew numb from all the movement. I reached out and tried to grab ahold of something to stabilize me, but it seemed like everything I reached for was inches from my grasp. It was pointless.

"Theo, where are you?" I silently whispered as I tried to slow my breathing and regain my composure. Something was happening. There was no way I was in 2105 right now, but we hadn't made a jump into a different time. We had simply been pulled into the bright light.

As I peered around the swirling room, the windows suddenly changed. Gone was the scene of the beautiful ocean lapping against the glass. Instead, the windows looked out upon thick layers of ice.

Ice was everywhere.

I ran over to Samuel and put my hand on what was left of his shoulder. Normally, a bolt of electricity would release, but this time there was nothing.

Samuel looked into my eyes. "Nice try, Esa, but you aren't strong enough to do anything to me. You are weak."

"I'm not weak!" I yelled as I shoved him. I wanted him to feel some sort of pain, to acknowledge that this was all a dream and that we would soon wake.

He didn't flinch. He just stared back at me. "You are weak, Esa. Weak," he said as his body disappeared completely.

"You are weak, little Miss Esa. Ha ha. You're the weak link. We tried to make you tougher, but it was pointless. You'll never be like the old Esa. She's gone, and now we have you," I heard Audrina's voice mock.

Her body also faded into thin air.

Gave approached and put his hand awkwardly on my shoulder. "Be strong."

"I'm trying, Gave. Help me."

"I can't help you this time. I've tried repeatedly. Now it's time for you to take control."

"No, no, no. I can't do that." I shook my head violently, like a five-year-old in the middle of a temper tantrum. The air in the room had suddenly turned cold. My body trembled from the drop in the heat.

"Gave, help me," I pleaded again. Everything was so confusing right now. I wanted someone to provide me with information.

"I've tried, but it's no use."

"Please, please, please...help me."

"I'm sorry. I can't this time," he said as he slowly disappeared before my eyes.

Gave was gone. Everyone was gone. I was alone again. I wished Theo were here with me. He would tell me what to do. But he wasn't. The entire team had abandoned me.