Minutes later, an unconscious Ashlee was lying on the couch, and Jason and I were sitting next to her. The three puppets were surrounding the couch and watched as I did everything that I could to wake her up. I massaged her hand and kissed the top of it. I whispered in her ear. I planted a kiss on her forehead. Nothing worked.

Skippy was rubbing his wooden chin and snapped his fingers. "That is it. I know how you can break her free from her slumber."

I faced him. "How?"

"Kiss her on the lips."

I probably am a complete idiot when I admit this to you fellow readers, but I did not expect him to suggest that. Now, some of you will make the argument that I should have because Ashlee and I were going to lock lips with each other during the wedding ceremony. The thing is that I was still preparing for that part. I imagined and practiced how I would kiss her. Soft or hard? Romantic or casual?

If Ashlee and I had been a couple before it was announced that she had to sacrifice herself, I would have no problem with us kissing. But we only knew a little about each other, and I had no clue if Ashlee had the same feelings for me that I did with her or was just marrying me because I wanted to rescue her in the first place.

"What are you waiting for?" Tippy said, breaking me free from my thoughts. "The wedding is going to begin in twenty minutes, and Ashlee still needs to get ready."

"But she is in her wedding dress," I pointed out.

"I meant that she needs to mentally prepare, Brandon. She is a nervous wreck because she is worried that you will refuse her hand in marriage at the last minute and leave her."

"No. No, I would not," I immediately responded. "I am not leaving her until she is gone from this world. I love her. I truly do."

"If you claim that you truly love her, why are you hesitant on kissing her?"

I could feel my cheeks getting hot. "Well, I...I do not want to do it wrong."

Tippy hopped onto the couch and was now standing between me and Jason. "That is it? You are afraid of kissing her the wrong way?"

I sighed. "I know that it sounds stupid, but the last thing that I want to do is make her uncomfortable."

"She is unconscious, so she will not care how you kiss her as long as your lips are touching hers."

"Yeah, but...should I not receive permission?"

"You have our permission to kiss her," Tappy stated. "Could you please kiss her now?"

"I was not talking about permission from you puppets. I was referring to her parents. I do not need them to think that I am not good enough for their daughter."

Silence filled the room. The puppets looked at one another, and it was easy to tell by the looks on their wooden faces that they were worried and sad.

"Why the long faces?" I finally said, breaking the eerie silence. "Did I say something wrong?"

"You would if you were told the truth," Skippy replied with sadness in his voice.

"What truth? Is it about Ashlee?"

"You cannot ask her parents or any member of her family if you can kiss her."

"Why not?" My eyes grew wide. "Are they...dead?"

He shook his wooden head. "How can they be dead when they do not exist?"

Now I was confused. I squinted at him. "What do you mean that they do not exist?"

Tippy, Skippy, and Tappy told me about Ashlee's past. Ashlee was not born like other babies. She was born from a single drop of liquid that was a mix of purple and black and transformed into a toddler who was curious about the world and had a desire to explore it.

She had lived in Territory of Terror from her birth to when she left and settled in a house in Forlot. That is why she was willing to give up her life for the abandoned park. It was the only place that she ever called home. Kobul and Winifred found her by accident and raised her as if she were one of their creations. That would explain why the puppets had a deep connection with her. They thought of her as their little sister.

Ashlee was never supposed to leave the park and wander into Forlot or the rest of the world. Kobul and Winifred were afraid that she would be harmed or even killed. It was not until last week that she convinced them to allow her to move in where there were people around her age. She got her own house, and the puppets had to check in on her every so often.

Little did any of them know that she was the Lubriem.

Tippy explained that only the Lubriem could restore the park back to its former glory, and when he and the others discovered this fact, they were devastated. However, none of them were as heartbroken as Ashlee. The puppets told her the sad news after she and I met, and Ashlee laid her body on the kitchen floor and sobbed. As soon as she receives her wish, it gets taken away.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to me. Tears blocked my vision as I fought to hold them back. None of us wanted to watch her die. Ashlee did not even want to participate.

"Does...does Territory of Terror have to be restored?" I asked them. "What is the point of laughing and having fun here when the only thing that it will really do is remind us of Ashlee? I am not willing to lose her. If she does not want to go through with it, she should not have to be forced to."