*Elle's PoV*

In hindsight, I really should have expected this.

My parents grounded me 'indefinitely' which was their way of saying that I would be their eternal prisoner. The only valid reason to leave the house, they said, was to go to school. And they took away my Xbox, which I think constitutes as cruel and unusual punishment. I would have asked Marcus, because he's a cop and should know those things, but no matter how many times I tried in the two weeks since I'd been home from California, I couldn't get a hold of him.

I was actually in a pretty good mood when Marcus and I exited the plane that had brought us home from California. Sure Jared had pretty much been a dead end, but he did promise to email me if he learned anything else about Maggie's situation.

"If you'd excuse me for a second," Marcus said.

"Sure," I replied and sat down on a bench to wait for him as he walked off in the direction of the restrooms. I hummed the Shadows of Light theme song and tapped my foot. At this point, I really just wanted to get home and end this whole thing. I made a vow that after this, I was never lying to my parents again. It was way too stressful.

I had been sitting there for about five minutes when my parents— my very angry parents— came storming towards me. I don't know what tipped me off, but I was pretty sure they'd figured out my trip wasn't school related. I jumped to my feet quickly, a shaky smile on my lips. "Hi Mommy," I chirped, "Hi Daddy, I thought you were going to wait outside for me?"

"Why did you lie to us?" My dad snapped, not beating around the bush. I don't think I've ever seen him that upset, and the fact that he's that angry over something I did made me feel absolutely horrible.

"I-I... I um... well..." I didn't have an answer. Well, I did, but not one that I could possibly explain to my parents.

"We called the school you know," My mother said, her arms crossed and voice tight. "We wanted to get the email address of your teacher."

Oh llamas, I hadn't even thought of that.

"Well, imagine our surprise when the secretary informed us that there was no teacher at your school even named 'Mr. Shoesenheimer' but that she could give us the email address of your actual Biology teacher, Mrs. Morrison." My mother raised her eyebrows as she finished the sentence, waiting for me to respond with something; a defense, an excuse, anything.

I stood there, silently opening and closing my mouth like a brain-dead fish. Suddenly I felt like a child again, being scolded for breaking my mother's crystal angel statue. I had thought that was the pinnacle of I-feel-like-a-piece-of-crap moments, but this current moment topped it ten times over.

"So we gave you the benefit of the doubt," My father chimed in, his eyes full of hurt, "We foolishly believed that you couldn't be lying to us, and that maybe this Mr. Shoesenheimer was just the chaperone for the trip. We emailed Mrs. Morrison. She informed us that there was no field trip, nor had she ever even heard of a Mr. Shoesenheimer."

"What's the real story then, Estelle?" My mother used my full name for the first time in as long as I could remember. "Why was it so important for you to go to California that you had to make up this story to get us to let you leave? Is it something to do with Maggie's disappearance? Was that detective right, do you know something? Who was the man you had posing as your teacher?"

My head was spinning with the rate and quantity of questions she threw at me as guilty tears sprung to my eyes.

"Well?" My mom cried, "Answer me!"

I shook my head, my throat too tight to speak. I couldn't answer her.

"We're going home now, Estelle." My father said. "And you're grounded indefinitely, whenever you're ready to tell the truth, we're ready to listen."

I followed silently behind my parents, my eyes glued to the tiled floor of the airport. I looked up as we passed the restrooms, and actually caught sight of Marcus. He was leaned up against the wall, watching as I walked by. He caught my eye and shrugged apologetically. There was nothing he could do anyway.

My phone— the only electronic device my parents had allowed me to keep in my time of confinement— buzzed, and I all but threw myself across my bed to grab it from my nightstand. It wasn't a call, as I was hoping, it was an email from Jared. 

Elle,

Is there any way at all you can get a message to your friend?

I rolled my eyes, but typed back quickly.

No, I have no way of getting in contact with her, that's why I came to you. Why, did you learn something?

I sat patiently, hoping Jared was a quick replier. Luckily, he was.

Yes, and I fear something very bad will happen to her if you don't find some way to warn her!

My heart beat faster. What could he mean? My fingers shook as I typed back.

Tell me what it is I have to warn her about. I will force my way back through the door if I have to. 

Jared's next response took longer, and I worried that he may have left his computer.

The most recent dream I had showed two possible outcomes, and only two. Maggie will be presented with a choice, a choice between Flame and Ocean. The choice is inevitable, but the outcome changes depending on which she picks. If she picks Ocean, the lands will prosper, but she will die. If she picks Flame she will survive, but war will ravage all, kingdoms will fall, and those close to her will perish under the fist of a powerful queen. You must warn her to make her choice wisely! I'm sorry, that's all I know, my dreams are nothing more than brief flashes of images or scenes. I don't usually know if they've already happened or it they're yet to happen... this is the first time I've dreamt up multiple outcomes.

I read over his last email again and again, but it made no sense. Maggie had to pick between Flame and Ocean? What was that even supposed to mean? Red and blue, like good and evil? Or was Flame and Ocean the names of two people? All I knew was that I had to find a way to warn her, and quick. I didn't know when she'd have to make this choice, but I knew I had to get to her as soon as possible.

I was going to tell her to choose Flame. It may be selfish, as Jared said people would die and war would start, but I didn't care about the fate of a different world if it meant my best friend would still be alive. I couldn't tell her about the prophecy. (Jared hadn't called it a prophecy but it might as well be.) I knew Maggie, and with the length of time she'd been in the Shadow Realm she must have made friends. She would put those friends before herself and choose Ocean just to save them, even if it meat her death. I couldn't be selfless like that. And I was not going to lose my best friend any more than I already had. Maggie was going to pick Flame, and then I was going to bring her home. 

Okay, I'll find a way to warn her. I promise. Is that all you had to say?

After messaging Jared, I heard a sound out my window. I went to my bedroom window and looked out. Marcus stood below it in his officer uniform, throwing rocks just like in the sappy teen movies. I smiled and waved to him so he would stop. The window stuck a little, but I was able to force it open. "Where have you been?" I shout-whispered, scowling at him. 

"Sorry, I do have a job you know." Marcus shrugged, pointing to his shiny badge.

"You could have answered your phone!" I pointed out.

"No service where I live." Marcus smiled, "Why are you whispering? Your parents aren't even home."

I tilted my head in confusion. "They're not? How do you know?"

"Because when I drove over here their car was gone?" Marcus said, his eyebrow raised and his tone condescending. "Why don't you come out here so we can talk for real."

"I'll be right out. We have to go to the Door, it's important." I said before closing my window again.

My phone buzzed again, but it was probably just Jared saying goodbye and reminding me to warn Maggie, which of course I was on my way to do, so I left the phone behind without checking the message. I grabbed my jacket and ran from my room. Hopefully my parents would take a while to get back, or this would end up bad.

"So why do we need to go see your Door?" Marcus asked when I joined him in the backyard.

"You need to help me get in." I informed him, "Maggie's life depends on it."

Finally, I was going to get through the door. I was going to save Maggie.