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"You co?" he asked breathlessly

I took a deep breath and carefully composed myself "Where?"

"Dinner"

I rubbed my eyes and looked at the clock "Yeah," I said, htly than I felt I stood up and started to leave

Joseph stared atout"

I just wanted to go to sleep and wake up with Noah back in Mia better, and I needed to make them believe it Otherwise I’d be sent away for proble their pictures, passing their tests and it would all be for nothing if I was sent away now I couldn’t bear that Not when it would separate me from the one person who believed me The one person who knew the truth

I set the cup down I put on hed on the outside while I screamed on the inside My body was in the restaurant but my mind was in hell

And then ent back ho, and I felt a little better, until I entered my room I drank some more water froot ready for bed, trying not to be afraid Fear is just a feeling, and feelings aren’t real

But the disc I found under ers curled around it in the dark I began to hear the sirens of panic wail in my brain but I forced ht

The CD was plain and unuard, John, was outside

Maybe Iin the journal?

That had to be it I glanced at the clock: It was ht Noah would be on the plane My whole family was home and in their rooms, if not asleep I couldn’t vaporize the healthy nor it, so I drained the cup of water, gritted my teeth, and put the disc in my computer I could not panic Not yet

Ifor a flash of recognition, but it was just a series of numbers--31281 I double clicked, and a DVD application opened up I pressed play

The screen was grainy and black, and then a flash of light illuminated--

"It’s supposed to be in here, come on," said a voice from the computer

Rachel’s voice My mouth formed her na section?" Claire’s voice, from behind the video camera "I don’t know"

I leaned in close to the screen, the air vanishing fros as the asyluan to peel, curl, and flake off around me like filthy snow My bedroo up in their place The ceiling above me cracked and the floor beneath ht next to Rachel and Claire

"What if there’s no chalk?" Claire asked The light fro wildly over the hallway No focus No direction

Rachel sht"

Muffled footsteps kicked aside old insulation Another light flashed--it was Rachel, taking a picture My eyes brimmed with tears and I couldn’t look away