Everyone had already been to Aidens house a few times, but the red head still couldnt get over how big it was.

After we spent a few hours at the hospital, we decided it would be best to all stick together and figure out a plan. The doctors didnt let anyone stay in the hospital with Rylee, so she remained alone. Aiden's parents offered for everyone to crash at their place till we could figure it out.

"Alright, let's move the furniture around so we can all be comfortable." Aidens mother said as they walked into the spacious living room. All of the others followed, standing around. "Aiden, do you mind going to get some blankets and pillows from upstairs?"

"Sure!"

Ashlyn placed her bag down on the floor, near a drawer, before she stopped in her tracks. Before her was a picture, a picture of Aiden and his family. But the thing was... Aiden wasnt smiling. His hair was black, and his eyes werent their usual red colour. They almost seemed black.

"I don't like that picture."

The blonde stated as he stood next to the red head, his arms limply by his sides. He wasnt smiling while he looked at the picture, but after he turned his face around, he smiled at Ashlyn. "It was before I realized how much fun dying my hair was-"

"Anyway, should we swim or play games first?"

"What kind of games?"

". . ." Ashlyn glanced at the picture one more time, before deciding to go to the others. But on thing caught her eyes. It was a picture of the group swimming in the pool. Aiden was the one taking it, Ben had Logan sitting on his shoulders while Taylor sat on tylers shoulder. He took the pic in the middle of Rylee wanting to balance Ashlyn on her shoulders, ending up with falling in the water. It turned out pretty nice... 'I didn't notice him take this.'

'...It's a good photo.'



"Ashlyn, we're ordering food, What do you want?"

"Okay... I think everyone has the gist of the situation.. somewhat." Their mother Emma said as she scratched the back of her neck, a nervous look on her face. Meanwhile Aidens mother was holding a glass of wine in her hand. "...This is crazy. I haven't been this stressed since our publisher accidentaly printed an extra ten-thousand copies."

"Agreed."

Aidens father had his face resting on one hand, and seemed to be in deep thought. "So, the Rylee girl.. Has a tree stuck in her... And isn't dead. Atleast not here? Is she still.. alive in the other.. place?" Ashlyn sighed. She missed having the feeling of her younger sister sitting somewhere near her.. But she just wasnt here at the moment. "....We don't know."

"Maybe we just have dimension clones and if one dies, then another is made?" If the brunette girl was here, she would of had been already bickering with the blonde because of his 'ideas'. "Or, assuming souls are a thing, then we could be separated from our physical bodies? So we don't die from physical injuries there?" Logan had himself wrapped up in a blanket as he sat on the ground next to Taylor. He had half of his face covered with it. Taylor sat next to him, then Tyler. The girl twin was cuddled up to his brother, with a pillow in her arms, hugging it. "If that's the case then why are the phantoms chasing us?.." In reality, Taylor just wanted to hold the younger girl close. But she wasnt here at the moment, and she was for sure missing her. Tyler on the other side, hasnt spoken since they left the hospital. His eyes were kind of puffy from crying, and his twin had noticed that, but he just tried covering it with something.

"Let's just focus on the hard facts for now. We can figure out the hypotheticals later." Their father, Mike stated. The man was on the verge of crying. He missed his daughter. He knew she wasnt dead, and for now she was alright, but he still couldnt get used to the feeling of now having his little girl by his side. "If spiky hair has a really big splinter, dad can pull it out. He makes it not hurt! He uses a knife, so it's a little scary, but it's not painful at all!"

"Lily.. I said that you could only stay in here if you promised to listen to music."

"But I want to help!" The little girl sat up, hitting Ben in the crotch in the process. The poor boy seemed like he started choking, leaning to the side in pain. "The monsters scared me, bit i'm ready now! I'll beat them up, 'coz i'm strong like bubba!"

"You can take her to the play room if you want. We'll catch up later."

"Yeah, that's probably best... Thanks, Jess."

Emma sighed as she massaged her forehead. She just, couldnt process the things happening to their daughter.. "She was right though.. If my daughter is still alive and on the tree, then it will be extremely painful for the kids to get her off. They need something like sedative, just in case."

"..How are we going to get that?"

TAP TAP.

"We might be able to take care of it. I'll make a few phone calls. Where was the bag you dropped off for the kids?" Logans grandfather asked as he stood up from his seat. Mike furrowed his eyebrows at the man. "How are you going to get sedative?"

"That doesn't really matter. As long as they are acquired, the tree situatin can be resolved, right?"

". . ."

"I'll send you a screenshot of the location."

"While he does that, we need to figure out how to get the kids safe from the 'centipede-ish' monster."

"I.. Think I might have an idea for that."

MUNCH.

NOM.

"..So, that's the plan?" The brunette girl asked as she snacked away on some things the group had gotten her earlier. She was on a call with the others. "Yeah, for now." Ashlyn sighed as she watched her younger sister on the phone, before turning to Logan. "And you're sure the power will work?"

"..In theory. I mean, the generator for the graveyard works, so this should too."

Nodding, Ashlyn turned back to the phone, but not before Taylor snatched the phone away from her. She smiled into the phone as she put it close to her face, causing the girl in the hospital to laugh, holding her stomach in a little pain. Ashlyn frowned at Taylor, put a hand on her head, and pushed her away before taking the phone out of her hand, and looking at her sister. "What do you think?"

"In my opinion, i still think you guys should leave me behind first. I mean, I'm basically almost dead there, what worse could happen?-" Rylee stated with her voice barely above a whisper, looking away from the camera. Her sister srunched her nose up. "And I said we aren't going to do that! We don't know what the phantoms are trying to do and I don't think it's as simple as them trying to kill us. We aren't going to risk anything until we know more information. Not to mention the stroke from shock could've killed you!-"

"Ash, chill out.. I get it, stop yelling." The brunette sighed as she massaged her temple. She looked back at her sister and the others behind her with a small smile. "Anyway, none of you have slept yet, so for the love of god stop talking to me and try to get some rest before midnight."

"..Right."

". . ."

"Your sister is right, trooper." Mike put a hand on his older daughters head and gave a small smile. "Listen to her, you kinds need to sleep. I bought some melatonin gummies if you need them. We'll stay awake so if anything happens, we'll be here when you wake up."

"..Thanks, dad."

"No problem, kiddo."

The group was now settled on the floor with pillows and blankets. Ben had Lily on one side of him, then Taylor on the other holding her hand, then Ty on the other side of her also gripping his hand. Logan was next to Ty, curled up into a ball. Then came Aiden and Ashlyn.

"..It's almost time. I still can't wrap my head around all of this. I just- I wish there was more we could do." All the parents were now sitting at the dining table, drinking coffee to keep themselves awake. "There isn't much we can do for now, but once the kids make it to a safe place, we can start helping them research and look for ways out of whatever this is."

SNIFF.

HIC.

The girl twin gripped the hand of her sibling, sobbing quietly as she tried falling asleep. Her twin wanted to do the same; cry. But he knew Tay needed comforting, so he pushed his feelings away and hugged his twin, letting her cry it out.

"..I miss her Ty.."

"I know.."

"-I do too.."



SHIFT.

TWITCH.

COUGH.

GASP.

Pain.

'Fuck.. Fuck- Fuck!'

GAG.

HEAVE-

COUGH.

'I.. I can feel- it scraping me everytime I breath-'

GASP.

GASP.

'...How am I not dead yet?'

TAP.

'Oh god- That's a branch, right-' Her feet settled down on the branch she found, as she tried pushing herself up. But with everymove, the girl let out a pained sound. She could, fell it move inside of her. Scraping her insides, making her let out a gagging sound. Her eyes were wide, and filled with tears as her vision began getting blurry. Blood dripped down from the side of her mouth as she cried out once again. '..If I push up, can I get myself off?'

RUSTLE.

She whipped her head around, and her eyes only widened, if it was even possible. It was a phantom, standing tall and looking right back at her. As it began charging at her, baring his white teeth at the struggling girl.

I NEED TO GET DOWN!

GET ME OFF-



AHHHG!

GASP.

GASP.

Hearing a yelp coming from somewhere the forest, the redhead immediately bolted that way. Her eyes were wide, full of panic.

That was her, right?

She needed to get there.

TAP.

She continued running, before her eyes locked with a phantoms. Gritting her teeth, she kicked it down.

WHAM.

NGH!

"RYLEE, ARE YOU-"

FREEZE.

The red head couldnt move. She was frozen down as she watched her sister.. with a tree through her stomach. Blood dropped down from the brunettes wound, landing right on the green eyed girls cheek. She still couldnt move- "Ash! Where are you?? Oh, there you are-" The blonde walked around the bush, stopping only when he looked at Ashlyn. The redhead turned around quickly, and ran to him, to the bag he was holding. "Where's the syringe?!"

"Woah, what's wrong?"

The group froze down as they looked up. The girls body was laying limply with the tree top through her stomach, her arms hanging limply in the air. Logan began gagging as he had to turn away with tears in his eye, meanwhile Taylor fell to her knees, crying. Ben was next to Taylor, trying to comfort her as he, himself felt tears in his eyes. But Tyler was looking straight at the girl. Tears were visible in the corner of his eyes, as he put a hand infront of his mouth.

"Ash, you steady?" The slightly trembling Aiden asked the redhead as she stood on a ladder, standing next to the half awake half unconscious body of her sister. "We're going to get you down.. Okay?"

"...Please.."



GASP.

GASP.

Ashlyn was trembling as she looked down at her hands. Aiden stood by her side, as he himself was shaking. The brunette was finally down from the tree, and was now placed on Tylers back. The boy twin couldnt face the girl, but he just had to help somehow.. I mean, he was the one who caused it. He adjusted the girl on his back, who whinced at the movement, feeling her insides burning with pain. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry.." Tyler mumbled, well mostly to himself as the brunette seemed like she couldnt get back to her senses.

"You got her?.. "

NOD.

"..Another phantom."

PSSH!

"Alright, let's hurry. More phantoms are showing up."

"We need to get to the school."