The Beyond.

Chapter 13, Prairie.

I sighed as I stared out the window. The fog had lifted hours ago, and Noe still isn't back. I have gone from worrying too panicking. I almost called the cops. I dialed 91 before Cody stopped me.

"We can't risk our secret," he said.

"But what if the fog got her?" I whined.

"I don't think it did," Cody said. I stared coldly at him.

"How do you know, though?" I asked.

"Just trust me,"

I still had to take care of the triplets, but I couldn't focus. I ended up changing Ashleigh's diaper twice and feeding Nolan's diaper.

"I have to go look for her," I told Cody with a tone of certainty.

Cody sighed, "If you really want to,"

He walked across the room and opened a drawer. He took out a small metal bracelet. "Is that it?"

"This is the invention that will make it so you can interact like a human," he said, slipping it onto my wrist. The bracelet tightened harshly. I winced with pain, "It has to be tight to ensure it stays on, you'll get used to it I promise."

"Okay," I said. I bit my tongue, a metallic taste filling my mouth. Taste! I can taste! His invention is working so far! I jumped for joy, then realized I'm an adult, and blushed, sheepishly, "Sorry,"

"Don't be!" Cody smiled, "It's a big deal, you haven't been able to taste, touch, anything since you were sixteen. Six years ago."

"Wow," I said.

"What do you want to do first?" Cody asked.

"I want to hug my sister," I said confidently.

"Maya?" Cody asked.

"What? No, Alex," I said.

"Oh," Cody said.

"Who's Maya?" I asked.

"Oh, er, when your parents discovered both you and Alex were gone,"

"Wait, Alex is GONE?"

"No, no, she ran away,"

"Okay, continue,"

"They, well, there is no soft way to this. They had another child. They replaced you,"

"WHAT?!" I shrieked. A small cry sounded in the distance.

"Shh!" Cody hissed.

"Sorry," I whispered.

"Well? Do you want me to try to find her?"

"I can do it, thank you though. Please just take care of the triplets."

"Alright,"

"Although," I started, "I would like to know more about Maya, her age, she is still with her parents, that stuff."

"While you are gone, I'll get all the info on Maya I can,"

"Thank you,"

I left the room and headed up the stairs and packed all the stuff I would need for the road. I had packed my bag, but I paused in front of Noe's room. I sighed. I don't know what came over me, but before I knew it, I dropped my bag and started scavenging through Noe's room. Maybe she was hiding this whole time?

I had looked through almost the entire room. Only a small drawer in her bed table remained. Part of me, the logical part, knew there was no way Noe was in there. But the other part of me, the stupid part, just had to check. I inched closer and opened the drawer. Inside was a necklace, with a weird rock that gave me weird vibes. There was also a note, from Noe to Noe.

Dear Noe (me),

This is a magical rock. Of course, I didn't know that. Not until I had a feeling that Alex touched a rock like this one, this one glowed and I heard a weird voice whispering Alex's name over and over.

I got it from our crazy cat lady neighbor, her name escapes me when I had to go to her house to get fed. Mom and dad had completely forgotten about me when the triplets arrived. This note is so you never forget.

P.S. don't EVER let mom or dad find this note or this rock.

Love,

Noe (Me)

I groaned. Is it our fault Noe is gone? Did we really forget to feed her? I sobbed. I let her down. Suddenly, all my tears were gone. Something rushed through me, like some, thing, telling me to stop crying, to suck it up. I don't know why, but something told me to touch the necklace. Everything felt weird.

For a moment, I actually saw Alex. I was in a spooky forest. But soon, it was gone. I was alone in Noe's room.