The interminable hours of night slowly surrendered to the subdued blues and grays of dawn. Stars faded, drifting into morning’s burgeoning light. Towering hills and mountains drew nearer as Terrence and Nikki stole through endless fields. A stifling quiet weighed on them, punctuated at times with sniffles or tears. Nikki shed most of them.

  Terrence hardly made a sound. Even if he weren’t carrying the bag with his mouth, few words would’ve found voice. His mind was blank. He was a robot. Run… run… run some more… Go home. The only times he stopped was to peer back over his shoulder to make sure Nikki was still following.

  And if, maybe, Malcolm was there too.

  As the sun peeked over horizon behind them, Nikki stumbled.

  “Tewwy! I’m tiwed!” She complained, paws calloused and aching.

  “We have to go.” Terrence intoned, lowering the bag. Were his feet aching? He couldn’t tell; everything felt numb.

  “I can’ wun anymow!” She whimpered.

  Terrence instinctively narrowed his gaze deeper into the landscape they left behind. The glaring sun eclipsed a clear view… had to squint… hand above his eyes…

  Was that a silhouette?

  He squinted harder… rubbed extant gunk from his eyes… opened them again. Dancing phosphenes sparkled and taunted his restrained vision. Was that silhouette still there?

  A tiny, dark blotch wavered in the distance.

  Terrence darted towards it, a smile slowly formed on his muzzle. “Hey! Malcolm!”

  “Tewwy?” Nikki picked up the bag and went after him. What did her brother see?

  The object materialized in greater detail as he approached… something wasn’t right. The form… too wide, tall, brown… and so many arms?

  His steps slowed as the projection stood in full height over a hill…

  A lone cedar.

  Nikki joined him seconds later, panting. “Tewwy! What is it?” She scanned their surroundings. Just them and the tree.

  “… Nothing…” Terrence hung his head. His voice as devoid of energy as before. “Come on… let’s go.”

  They trekked into a shallow flower bed and turned in for the day. Terrence gauged they’d reach the mountains the coming night. Before Nikki shut her eyes, she asked him a question.

  “Is Mr. Malcolm coming?” Doleful optimism in her expression.

  Terrence turned and looked back from where they came, a shudder rattling his spine. “I-I… I hope so… maybe he’ll…” He sniffled. “He’ll be okay…”

  Malcolm was a hero, and heroes always found a way.

  He and Nikki sent clumsily-worded, yet earnest pleas to God that Malcolm would see his family again. Two measly foxes couldn’t do anything, but maybe the Almighty could.

  Nikki fell asleep first, swaddled in the gentle flow of morning warmth. Terrence watched to make sure she was comfortable before lying down. He clutched the flowers and vial to his chest and tried to sleep.

  -

  The elegant, glass table seated Rutger, his family, and advisors who’d been a major help in affirming all his decisions. Nothing but smiles and mirth as Revaria’s world-class chefs prepared a sumptuous, celebratory dinner. Aromas wafting in from the kitchen teased their senses. Most of the country broke into jubilation following Rutger’s victory speech. Revaria’s greatest criminal was behind bars, never to harm another soul. Justice was a reality. Good won. Evil lost.

  Rutger’s eyes shifted to the photo portraits lining the polished oak wall. The gleam of new finish accompanied the confident stares meeting his own. The president, vice president, heads of department, other government officials of high rank. The gap where Ohara’s portrait used to hang would be replaced with Rutger’s once officially appointed as head of the DVDC. At thirty-four, he would be the youngest one on that wall. The overflow of attention and success nudged him into considering a presidential run.

  Why not? His country loved him.

  The chefs marched out with the long-awaited entrees. The sublime aroma of seasoned prime rib summoned Rutger from his daydream. The side of chive-speckled cheesy mashed potatoes rivaled the mouth-watering ribs. A heavy, filling meal; only enjoyed when Rutger commemorated landmark success. That made it more special. He ate nothing else all day just to save room.

  When was the last time he had this? Must’ve been…

  Rutger tilted his head up in thought. His life was defined by success, but it had been years since eating this exact meal. He closed his eyes, memories relaying through his mind like a movie reel-

  “Psst!” An elbow nudged his side.

  “What?” Rutger scowled at Dennis, sitting to his right.

  The Grumpig subtly gestured to the rest of the table with a glance. “Remember…?”

  Oh right, his speech. Have to toast everyone who helped make the hunt a success. All eyes beheld him expectantly. His wife to his left, nudged him too.

  “Alright, alright.” He mumbled and stood, his mind still sidetracked with the past. Absentmindedly, he picked up his glass of champagne. Everyone else stood, glasses in their hands or paws. A few raised eyebrows at his unprepared demeanor, but who could blame him? Working twenty-four-seven to ensure Revaria’s safety was exhausting; Rutger deserved to be tired.

  Rutger composed himself and started his toast. His wife, advisors, the soldiers who sacrificed their lives hunting Ohara, the soldiers who found him, the doctors who worked tirelessly to combat the virus, and President Banks for giving him the reins and trusting him. It was a shame the president couldn’t be here.

  Out of nowhere, he nearly toasted Ohara before fettering his slip. Extol him? Perhaps he was drunk.

  But a past speech replayed in his conscience. He remained standing, but said nothing as older words echoed in his memory.

  “To Dr. Ohara, whose endless research, tests, and most importantly, compassion, have led to the creation of Optizene. It was an honor helping with-”

  Raised eyebrows turned into concerned, awkward glances. The smile on Rutger’s face slowly faded. Slowly, he lowered his champagne onto the table. The dulled clink of glass against the gold coaster was the only sound he made.

  He left the room without another word.

  -

  The Thievul, Officer Bernard Cox, from the Pinta Valley Police Department, stood in silence in the station’s break room. Slouched against the wall, mostly-consumed cigarette in hand, staring blankly out the window at the starless night. The scant personnel present were mostly filling out paperwork. If there was a local emergency, they’d be enough to handle it. Most of the force was out celebrating Malcolm’s capture and being the media’s center of attention. Without them, that murderer would still be on the loose.

  One more prolonged draft of the cigarette and it became little more than a smoldering nub. He walked outside and stamped it out. Out came another cigarette from his coat pocket. The previous one was supposed to be his last for now, but decided one more wouldn’t hurt. There was too much on his mind.

  He’d stop for real once the chief of police arrived. Give him his letter of resignation and start a new job in a few weeks. Spineless cowards shouldn’t serve as enforcers of the law. He wouldn’t have been able to save Malcolm, but his unspoken sentiments the past couple of days would haunt him the rest of his life.

  Bernard was about to light his cigarette when an orange silhouette formed in the distance. The Thievul focused his stare at the muscular, broad-shouldered figure. Something was slung over his shoulder, but his identity was instantly recognizable.

  The fox walked towards him. “Reuben?”

  The Incineroar made eye contact but didn’t answer. As Reuben came closer, Bernard saw more detail in the bag. Folds and creases weighed the bottom.

  “What’s in there?” Bernard instinctively stood in his way despite being half his height. Reuben can’t just disappear for weeks and bring an unknown object to the station without probing.

  “Go back in; I’ll tell you.” Reuben kept his voice low. “And everything that happens; stay quiet about it, ‘kay?”

  Bernard frowned. He didn’t move, but his heart raced. Was it his last, whimpering resolve to show courage? “This is suspicious; what’s going on?”

  Reuben gave an annoyed grunt and knelt to Bernard’s level. Bag still slung over shoulder, he whispered into his ear.

  Bernard’s hairs stood on end.

  Into the station they walked. Good thing hardly anyone else was here.

  -

  Four hours of sleep later, Terrence’s eyes opened. Nikki was curled up beside him, steeped in a dream he would soon end. A sun partially eclipsed with gray clouds shone overhead, washing them in mild warmth. Terrence stretched his limbs and scanned his surroundings for Malcolm.

  Not there.

  The land was bereft of life, save for the Fennekins and occasional outlying bird.

  “Hey…” He nudged the side of her face with his paw. “We have to go…” His eyes shifted to the mountains. A few miles away, hook left to find the forest, then the cave.

  Her muzzle twitched and she weakly batted at his paw. She opened her eyes and yawned. The beleaguered foxes craved another few hours of sleep, but home couldn’t wait. Fight through the aches and exhaustion. Hibernate when you’re back in your own beds.

  After chomping on some flowers, hardly satisfying their appetites, they pressed on. One mile. Two miles. Three miles…

  The land blended together in a hazy blur. The rocks, trees, vegetation, rivulets, streams, ponds… a homogeneous mosaic Terrence hated more and more with every step. To never see it again. Never again suffer a sleepless day here. Never again tread through a land where evil triumphed over good. Whoever concocted this backwards, nightmare hellscape deserved to be incinerated. Terrence didn’t stop looking over his shoulder intermittently, convinced Malcolm would catch up any moment. This nightmare had to have been only that… a nightmare.

  The hero would make it out somehow.

  Early evening swaddled the landscape and the siblings stopped to rest. A pond tucked into a pine grove nestled against the mountain base provided their oasis. Quiet, save for the chirping of crickets and scuttling of tiny critters giving the foxes space.

  Nikki went to lap up the fresh water while her brother waded through tall weeds into the trees. “Whew aw you going?” She asked, water dripping from her nose.

  “Not far… don’t worry.” Terrence barely looked back before continuing. He disappeared behind a tree. Nikki resumed drinking.

  Terrence was cloaked in the trees’ shadows. Cool, dry grass crunched under his calloused feet as he trudged towards a different pond. Minuscule streaks of waning sunlight glinted into his eyes. Another endless night crawled upon them. This pond was smaller than the other one, but just as clear. He stopped at its edge and looked into it, shoulders hunched.

  It was the first time he saw himself this clearly since trapped in Revaria.

  The Fennekin peering back at him didn’t look like Terrence. Face was thinner. Fur unkempt. A tuft of hair grew on his chin. He was gaunt… were those outlines his ribs? He felt his chest with his paw and quietly gasped. The curved protrusions were unmistakable. Come to think of it… Nikki changed too. He didn’t realize it due to seeing her every day, but the journey thinned her out too.

  His mouth watered thinking about gorging on walleye tacos, but the thought quickly perished. The disheveled face glaring at him scowled with bared fangs.

  What comfort did he deserve?

  With extended claws, he yelled and swiped at his reflection, splashing water everywhere. Tears welled up in his eyes and Nikki scurried in.

  “Tewwy! Aw you okay?”

  He looked away, trying not to cry.

  She surrounded him with a hug. “You going be okay, Tewwy.”

  The two remained a while longer as night crawled upon them. Terrence brushed away the last bit of moisture and managed normal breaths again. He gently removed himself from Nikki’s hug.

  “… Thank you.” He intoned. He gathered the flowers and vial, and off they went.

  -

  Reuben, Bernard, and two others convened in the research lab. A row of empty seats lined a row of blank monitors. Reuben let the bag down and positioned himself before the door to dissuade anyone from leaving until allowed. Bernard took a seat before one of the computers, careful not to let the chair squeak, and turned it on.

  “Should I-?” Bernard started, but Reuben interrupted.

  “I’ll use my credentials.” The towering feline reoriented the keyboard and entered his name and password. “If this goes wrong, I’ll take the blame.”

  The bag stirred, startling the other two. They were here more as hostages, as they happened to be present when Reuben entered. They were not to disclose anything they were about to see. No one wanted to be the object of Reuben’s anger.

  “You can come out of the bag now.” Reuben said as the display loaded.

  All eyes except his turned. Reuben told the others who it was, but it was jarring seeing her before their very eyes.

  A pale, scrawny Umbreon slunk from the sack like a cat summoned by her disapproving owner. The weight of the others’ stares made Leticia want to dissolve into the ground, but she promised to help. That Reuben didn’t snap her like a twig back in the hovel was a miracle of mercy itself. Would these other three try something though?

  Reuben swiveled the chair around to let her climb onto it. The Umbreon did so, mumbling an enervated ‘thank you.’

  “R-reuben,” a Heliolisk hostage, stammered. “Wh-why’s she here? I mean-”

  “Found her while hunting for Ohara.” Reuben answered. “Claims the virus is Rutger’s doing, so I’m making her prove it.”

  Leticia said nothing as she pulled up BioComp’s server page. Despite the destruction of the building and execution of most of the employees, it was still up. No one was running it anymore, but as long as Leticia’s credential’s worked…

  All the emails should still be there.

  Not even Rutger had the authority to tamper with them.

  “One momeent… should be soon…” Leticia’s voice trembled. A spinning gray circle occupied the center of the screen as the site loaded. Reuben drummed his fingers against the top of the chair as he stood behind her. Her heart beat faster.

  He could snap her neck right now.

  Seconds later, a litany of email correspondences materialized on the display. She released a sigh of relief.

  Everything was there.

  “Everyone… look at thees…” She toggled the brightness to make sure the others could see them. “I open one at time, and you see Rutger iss gueelty.”

  She opened the first one, the incipient exchange between Finley and Rutger. Slowly and incredulously, their eyes pored over each word. Another email… then another… and another…

  Reuben clenched his fists and pictured caving in Rutger’s skull with them. Some anger was directed at himself. He would’ve soaked his hands in innocent blood had he found Malcolm instead of Leticia.

  -

  Along the mountain the foxes traversed. Bumpy, rocky, minute pebbles occasionally pricked their exposed feet. Terrence slogged through them, stopping only because Nikki complained every time something pierced her soles.

  A vexed growl seeped through his teeth. He was about to snap at her, but a different thought found purchase in his mind.

  “Hey… how 'bout… I race you to that tree?” Terrence gestured at a lone baobab several hundred feet away. “… bet you can’t beat me.” The left corner of his mouth was upturned ever so slightly. “If you win, uh… then I have to be Riley for Halloween.”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  An excited grin formed on Nikki’s muzzle. She needed no further convincing. They could both be Riley on Halloween! “Okay!” She trotted to him and awaited the starter’s pistol.

  Determined gazes fastened to the tree. The two poised themselves to sprint. Sideways glances were exchanged. Nikki returned his subtle smirk; she was totally going to win this one.

  Three…

  Two…

  One…

  Go!

  The siblings darted across the stone-festooned ground. Terrence took the lead; he’d turn his head and stick his tongue out at her if not for the bag in his mouth.

  She scowled, picking up speed. The pebbles suddenly didn’t hurt anymore.

  Terrence slowed himself down just enough to let her slip past. She garnered more speed, flinging granules in her wake.

  As Nikki neared the tree, Terrence gathered just enough speed to finish a split second behind her.

  “Aw shucks! You win! Guess I have to be Riley now.” He shrugged.

  “YAY!” Nikki squealed, not noticing the pebble-pricks and teeny trickles of blood in her soles until they took a bath in a nearby stream. Afterward followed a meal of those large grapes they ate the last time they were in the baobab forest.

  Home was near.

  -

  As promised, Reuben escorted Leticia back to secluded wilderness after she delivered what she promised. The evidence was squarely in the hands of the Pinta Valley Police Department. How quickly remorse took place of euphoria among the force; thinking themselves heroes while dancing with the villain. Knowing how easily Rutger could silence them added trepidation to sorrow. How would a small town force manage to use the evidence to convict a tyrant?

  Reuben would plan a solution soon. For now, he wanted to get rid of Leticia. He reached the hovel he found her in and let her out.

  “Thank you…”

  Reuben crossed his arms and scowled. “Only reason you’re alive is because you helped us find out the guilty party…” He shook his head and looked down. “But you still played a part in killing my daughter… and who knows how many other children... I can’t forgive that.”

  He shot a glare her direction. She looked down and sniffled. “I am sorry, sir… I never meant for that...”

  Reuben was silent for a few seconds before talking. “… I’ll let you live and won’t turn you in but… I swear…” He stooped enough so there’d be no way she’d mishear his next promise. He kept his tone level, but absent of mercy.

  “If I ever see you again…”

  The crack of his knuckles as he flexed them made her bristle with dread. She merely nodded and crawled back behind the hay. Reuben walked back to the station.

  -

  Terrence bolted up from a deep sleep.

  A voice calling his and Nikki’s names.

  The young Fennekin scrammed out from the hole under the baobab and into the night-saddled forest. “Malcolm! Over here!” His voice reverberated into the easterly wind. He stopped and listened.

  No reply.

  Just the rustling of leaves and snapping of loose twigs from their branches.

  “MALCOLM!” Even louder.

  One… two… three seconds…

  Nothing.

  A trick of the wind? Sleight of hand from his dreams? An agonized yell erupted from his throat and he turned to go back to the burrow. May as well rouse Nikki and-

  He stopped dead in his tracks.

  Something moved along the ground several feet ahead. Curving, serpentine motions slithering towards the den. Opaque moonlight glinted off its scales.

  “Tewwy?” Nikki’s little head popped up from the hole. She screamed when she realized the adder and scampered to her brother.

  Except he bounded after the snake.

  A violent hiss escaped its muzzle as the fox bore his fangs into its neck. It thrashed vehemently, blood seeped from its mouth and dripped over its head as the vulpine beast tore into it. Terrence didn’t relent. His fangs and claws continued shredding away. No mercy. Make it suffer. Reduce it to ribbons.

  “Tewwy?!” All the color drained from Nikki’s face. She timidly tapped him on the shoulder; maybe they should leave now-

  He didn’t stop, decimating what little remained. It was impossible to tell it used to be a snake, let alone a living thing. He could’ve incinerated the reptile, but instant disintegration didn’t have the cathartic satisfaction tearing it to ribbons did. Nothing he just did made sense to him, but that didn’t stop him from beholding the massacre with grim contentment. He hated that snake more than anything. It had to die.

  Horribly.

  Nikki stared at him with widened eyes. His deadpan expression, emotionless eyes staring back at her, snout caked in slimy, reptilian ichor. She couldn’t comprehend the pain in his face, but knew it was there.

  “We’w be okay, Tewwy… thank you.” She hugged him, not minding the fragments of adder sticking to her.

  Terrence’s mind and body numb, he stood there. Minutes passed without a word. Sunlight began seeping through the forest, bathing them in silk-like warmth. They ate quietly, then set off for the cave. At the next stream, Terrence gathered water into his vial. A bath would be good, but this close to home, it was not urgent.

  The adder was already shrouded in a distant dream.

  -

  It was mid-afternoon when Terrence’s ears perked up. In the middle of the baobab forest… trees for miles…

  “Hey!” He bounded to a particular-shaped crevasse in the crook of two roots. “This’s where we hid! Remember? We’re close!” To the best of his recollection, he retraced the same steps Malcolm strode days ago. Nikki’s tail wagged excitedly as she skipped after him. The sights… sounds… smells… It all came back.

  Minutes later, the top of a massive blue hill rose over the canopy. The ground hardened with the texture of stone, dried mud, and dead grass. No footprints left their mark, but the area was unmistakable. A gaping hole awaited them at the end of a path overlain with weeds and crabgrass.

  Shebaton Caverns.

  The foxes picked up speed. A frenzied amalgamation of emotions whirled about in their spirits. After all these harrowing days and obstacles…

  They’d be at Lake Dorson in just over an hour.

  They scampered through the short, stony vestibule into the mammoth chamber. The Gothic architecture and forest of fragmented obsidian pillars dwarfed the foxes into submission. The statues stood as Terrence remembered. A rusted, marble effigy of a Blastoise gazed upon them from his throne atop an endless flight of stairs. Robed, wielding a scepter with an iron grip, eyes stoic with unwavering authority, commanding respect from his subjects-

  “Tewwy?” Nikki broke him from his trance. “What aw you wooking at?”

  “Uh, nothing… Come on, let’s go.”

  The soil was a little tough, but Terrence managed a shallow rut sufficient for the seed. Carefully, he opened the bag and took one of the flowers. The seeds were where Malcolm said they’d be. He plucked one, plopped it into the groove, and swept the mound of dirt over it. Next, he twisted the cap off the vial with a shaky paw and let the water tumble onto the mound. Down it seeped.

  The thud of Terrence’s heart reverberated in his ears as he waited. His eyes were transfixed to the dirt. Thankfully, little waiting was needed. A blue bud no larger than a centimeter pushed the dirt aside and rose quickly into the air. The stem followed suit at a rate resembling those short, sped-up videos showing flowers growing over several days.

  … Except it was happening in real time. The siblings were dumbfounded, afraid of what’d happen if they touched it, but also amazed. Only grass-type Pokemon could enact rapid vegetative growth; a mere seed accomplishing this was something they’d probably never see again.

  Not five minutes later, the flower stood slightly taller than Terrence and started glowing. Not bright enough to blind them, but enough to make them squint. The petals unfurled and a pale blue beam shone from the center, disappearing into the infinite ceiling. The familiar, monotone hum accompanied it.

  A white, secondary beam arose from the center, much smaller and wider. It propagated itself as would a film projector. An image of Earth formed at the widest part, like a screen.

  Terrence reached tentatively at the stem to pull the image towards him, as he wouldn’t be able to reach it otherwise.

  “Nikki, hold the stem there so I can make the portal.”

  She did and her brother began to look for Lake Dorson. His finger went to touch the screen, but went through it. A quick gasp. Was it not going to work? He shook his head and gulped the incipient panic down, trying again. He met the image with the tip of the same finger, stopped, then tried to toggle the image.

  It worked.

  A swipe to the right rotated the Earth right. Left swipe took it left. Contrary finger motions zoomed in and out of various geographic locations. Mountains, oceans, cities, all a finger-breadth apart.

  “Okay… okay…” He mumbled, finding California and zooming in to the southern part of it. Freeways… hills… mountain ranges… bile simmered up as he realized there were no written labels for these landmarks.

  What did Lake Dorson look like from above?

  “It’s okay… we’ll… we’ll get it.” He gulped again. “Maybe… if I find um, that…”

  THERE! The twisting freeway wending its way through that mountain! He recalled looking at this exact thing with his dad the night before the drive. He traced a tremulous finger upward…

  Forest…

  More forest…

  Lake!

  He zoomed in further… another gasp. Tents! Small, ant-like figures milling about near the lake and other parts of the campground! The lighting suggested the sun was about to set.

  Perfect. By the time the portal formed, everyone should be in bed. Away from the forest.

  Hurriedly, he swiped to a clearing a short distance into the forest, uttered a quick prayer, and held his finger in that spot. After a few seconds, concentric blue rings radiated from the spot his finger touched, like ripples in a pond. Eventually, the entire screen filled with blue, veiling the image. The humming shifted pitch a quarter-tone higher.

  The portal started to form.

  “You can let go now, thank you.” He said. Nikki released the stem and the flower resumed an upright position.

  “Aw we going soon?”

  “Yeah…” A weak smile crossed his face and he looked back at the entrance. “We’ll be out of here in an hour… So… guess we’ll hang out or something…”

  With time to kill, they went to look around at all the different curios. This vast museum of a chamber begged weeks and months of appreciation; Terrence was grateful for an hour.

  -

  Two panting Fennekins stood atop the stairs before the giant Blastoise. They had to stand several feet away just to avoid needing to crane their necks to see his face. The cannoned behemoth harbored cracks and minute gaps, but it seemed no length of age could completely mar his majesty. He sat on his throne, but would’ve been over twenty feet tall were he built standing on two legs. Despite not living, the aggrandized tortoise was enough to command silence from the children. Terrence made sure his claws were retracted as much as was possible, not wishing to scratch the floor and anger him.

  Something was inscribed on the pedestal the king’s feet were planted on. The centuries, possibly millennia, weren’t sufficient to obscure the mounted gold plate.

  Head lowered, Terrence stepped lightly towards it. Nikki scampered after.

  “What dat?” Nikki whispered.

  Terrence didn’t answer. He reached the pedestal, brushed the dust off the plate, and tried to read it. Despite the grime caked into the letters and numbers, they were legible… sort of.

  “What it say?” Nikki asked.

  Terrence grunted. It resembled English, but the words were all funny. Wilt? Thou? Shalt? He shrugged. Should’ve expected the archaic talk. He tried reading from the top.

  “For… for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt th… thou… then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and th… thou sh-shalt have praise of the same… oh, there’s more…” His eyes drifted under the block of text. “Romans thirteen three… Oh… wait, this is the Bible?”

  At least it sounded like it? Church was that time every Sunday he got to doodle on the back of his papers and occasionally absorb part of a verse. Romans sounded like a Bible thing.

  “What dat mean?” Nikki tilted her head.

  Terrence tilted his too. “I don’t know…”

  He could ask his parents about it later. Must’ve been important enough for this ancient monarch to have it embossed on a gold plate and nailed to this pedestal. And it was from the Bible, a book about God, an infinitely powerful Being Terrence at least knew was good and punished evil. He paid enough attention to get that.

  The dim ember in his soul told him Malcolm would make it, somehow. Sunday school, regular school, movies, video games…

  They told him Malcolm was the kind of man who deserved good.

  It was going to happen.

  Down the stairs the siblings went. An hour must have nearly passed and they needed to be there when the portal formed.

  -

  Terrence and Nikki waited before the glowing flower. The humming persisted. Anxiety mounted, tightening the nerves in Terrence’s chest. Minutes always dragged slower and slower relative to how much you anticipated their end.

  The ground began shaking, making the siblings step backwards. Nikki squealed and hid behind Terrence, who stood his ground. The blue shaft of light shooting up into the ceiling widened. The humming waxed greater in volume, almost having to make them cover their ears. The newly-formed hole where the flower once stood beckoned them in. A wistful smile formed on Terrence’s face and he turned to face the cave entrance.

  “Tewwy, is Mr. Malcolm coming?” Nikki tugged at his arm.

  Terrence took a hesitant step toward the portal, keeping his eyes on the entrance.

  “… Yes.” Terrence held a longing gaze on the unoccupied entrance before turning to the portal. He wiped a tear from his eye. “… Let’s go.”

  They held hands and, on the count of three, jumped through the cosmic threshold.

  Galaxies… stars… nebulae… everything whizzed by. Terrence and Nikki held hands the whole way. The further they traveled, the more Revaria became a dream...

  The portal faded minutes later.

  The brown, wilted flower lay crumpled beside the vial and unused flowers.

  -

  A Lilligant, Yolanda Nolan, tidied the front desk of Lake Dorson’s camp office. Two minutes to eight, it was time to turn in. Pens clattered into a cup holder and forms were filed chronologically into drawers and dividers. Notes to return calls were stuck to the computer monitor’s lower frame. Yolanda looked once more at the corkboard where the notices for the missing Fennekin children were posted.

  “Poor things…” She muttered to herself, remembering the raw distress of their parents when they rushed into her office several days ago. Gerald doing his best to relate what he knew while trying to comfort his inconsolable wife. Yolanda did everything she could to wrangle as much of a search party as possible to sleuth the campgrounds for their little ones. Rumors circulated about a portal because of the characteristic blue light, but no one could explain why it and the Fennekins vanished without a trace.

  Yolanda feared the worst, but that wouldn’t stop her from praying for them each night. She sighed and walked over to shut off the light.

  Something caught her eye outside the window.

  Two small, yellow figures limping towards the office. Scraggly, anemic, filthy…

  “You poor babies!” She gasped, flinging the door open and running out to gather them. The foxes took a wary step back, not knowing this plant lady. They relaxed when it became apparent she was there to help them.

  Terrence and Nikki waited on a cushioned chair in the office while Yolanda placed calls. First, their parents. They were in a motel a few miles down the road, having stayed in the area since losing their children. She called the police next and informed them the missing children had been found alive.

  “Are you hungry or hurt?” She asked, approaching them to inspect their conditions. Nikki was dirty and paws red, but otherwise healthy. Terrence was a mess. She asked him about the blood on his muzzle and scabs around his claws. He hung his head and sniffled. She patted him on the back; if he didn’t want to talk about it, that was okay. She offered food from the miniature fridge in the back room, a couple of ham sandwiches and bottled water (of which she poured into a bowl so they could drink it easier). The food was barely set before them before being reduced to crumbs. Their wagging tails and expectant expressions suggested they wanted more. “I have chips too-” She started, turning to fetch them when headlight beams shone through the window. The timbre of the engine was familiar.

  Nikki squealed and darted out the door. Terrence scampered after. Gerald and Michelle barely had time to open their doors before their children leapt into their arms.

  “Nikki!” Her father clutched his crying daughter, hand over the back of her head as she soaked the tuft of hair on his chest. He gently rocked her back and forth as he let his own tears drip down.

  Michelle cradled her son, tightly holding him as though warding off anything else that would wrest him from her arms. “My baby… my baby…” She managed through intermittent sobs. “Never again… never again…” She wiped her eyes and continued holding him.

  No words came to Terrence’s mind as he shed his share of tears. All that happened over the last several days; all his emotions, all the danger, Malcolm’s absence… Let Mom smother him with hugs. He didn’t want it to end.

  Soon, police arrived to take statements. The two officers found the family in their car; either parent quietly embracing their child. One officer, a Raichu, went into the office to take a statement from Yolanda. Gerald noticed the other officer, a uniformed Cinderace approach them. He lowered Nikki while still holding her. The tall rabbit apologized for interrupting and asked if either child wished to make a statement. Nikki faced the stranger with curious eyes.

  “It’s alright,” Gerald answered. “You want to tell the nice policeman what happened?”

  Nikki’s ears drooped and she moaned.

  “It’s okay, sweetie,” The fire rabbit said, his stance relaxed. “Just do your best. If you don’t want to talk, that’s okay.”

  Nikki tried her best to relate everything she could remember. The portal, the scary robot-lion-bird thing, Mr. Malcolm, the backpack, all the walking. Her paws were upturned in a way that made the minor callouses and cuts visible to the officer. The Cinderace thanked her for her time, then made his way around to Terrence.

  “You did good, Nikki.” Gerald whispered. Knowing his son’s imagination, he was apprehensive hearing about how Terrence would describe their experiences. Knowing about the portal and monster wracked his nerves enough. The dark red coating his son’s snout made him shudder. He held Nikki a little tighter.

  The Cinderace stood before Michelle and Terrence. Michelle wiped her eyes and faced him. “Sorry… I’m such a mess.”

  “No worries, ma’am.” He smiled warmly. “Just wanted to see if your son wanted to talk about what happened.” His notepad was out, partially filled with Nikki’s testimony. Plenty of room remained for her brother’s.

  Terrence turned his head slightly so the officer was in his periphery. The tall rabbit waited, meeting the fox’s sideways gaze. The bloodied muzzle ignited questions in his mind, but better to let the child speak. Seconds passed before Terrence buried his face into his mom’s hair tuft and sobbed.

  Michelle patted his back. “It’s okay… it’s okay…” She faced the officer again and apologized.

  “I understand... We’re just glad your children are back safe and sound.” He reached into one of his coat pockets and produced a card. He gave it to Michelle.

  A list of local child therapists with their names and numbers.

  “They’re good people,” the Cinderace added, resting a hand on the open door. “Reach out to any of them, you know, if you need.”

  “Thank you.” Michelle gazed at the card a little longer before pocketing it into the center cup holder. “I think… we should just go home, unless you need anything else.”

  He shook his head and removed his hand. “You’re good to go. An officer’ll visit in the next couple of weeks to check in on you, but we’re done here. Thank you for your time and drive safely.”

  “Thanks. Goodnight.” Gerald gave a cursory wave and shut his door. Michelle closed hers and her husband instructed his kids to buckle up before starting the engine. Belts buckled, headlights on, doors locked, they left for home.

  Gerald remembered his promise to let Terrence pick a song on the way home. He asked him, peering at him through the rearview mirror.

  Terrence stared without response out the window.

  As if searching.