When you're not looking for something you find it, when you're actively looking for something then it never shows.

This fog isn't popping up like I want it to- meaning it's making my life inconvenient. I'm not a quitter, though, so I keep at it, wandering aimlessly through this dark, humid jungle.

Though I'm aware of how eerie this place is, I'm still not feeling the uneasiness everyone else was when we first entered. Maybe it's because I know what lurks in this place- maybe it's because my sixth sense is always plastered- but I'm not getting that hair-stands-up-on-the-back-of-my-neck kind of vibe, it's more like why-won't-this-fog-just-come-out-and-swallow-me-already feeling. Still, patience is a virtue and I need to see what might happen once I act like my guard's down.

I make sure and check that my vine rope is secure around my waist before continuing. I am genuinely curious to see where this fog stuff takes me and if my harebrained scheme will actually work. I mean, if it doesn't and in the end the fog turns out to be some Hunger Games type shit then I guess I can say I tried my hand at science for a change.

At long last, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and when I turn around, I can see a dark, misty matter materializing into a thick, inky fog. It's slow moving at first then starts to speed up as it approaches me, building up in mass as its dark fingers spread towards me.

Welp, either I'm a genius or an idiot, let's see which.

I don't flinch, I don't run, I remain firmly planted to the ground as the darkness overcomes me.

It's the weirdest sensation too. Although it resembles a fog like substance, it fills my nose like smoke- a thick, suffocating smell- that keeps overwhelming me until my eyes water and I feel like the air is being squeezed from me. I can only manage to withstand the scent for about thirty seconds before a lightheaded dizziness takes over and sends me plummeting to the ground.

°°°

"Seriously, Joan, another E?"

"Wha? It's another E that'll be brought up before the end of the quarter, relax, mom."

"Okay, no, we're not doing this-"

"Hey, I was watching-"

"-we need to talk about this."

"Do we really though?...okay, okay, fine."

"This is the third time you've pulled a stunt like this- the third time- and I'm not understanding why you're waiting the last minute to fix your grades. This is important, Joan."

"I'm being serious."

"Then wipe that smirk off your face. I just- I don't understand why you don't put forth the effort in anything other than track."

"Because let's be honest, no one's gonna care that I flunked eighth-grade math when I'm winnin' a medal."

"Is that what you think?"

"Mh, yeah, kinda."

"...Joan, what do you want to do with your life, with your dreams?"

"You already know this: be an Olympic champion."

"And..."

"And...what? That's it, be the fastest runner out there- I'd say that's some pretty good goals if you ask me. I mean, just look at some other people's kids, they want to be YouTubers or Instagram-"

"You want to know what my dreams were when I was younger?"

"As long as it's not some drawn out story then sure. What were your dreams, mom?"

"I wanted to escape this town, travel Europe, and fall in love with a fairytale-like man."

"So...your dreams failed?"

"They didn't fail, they just didn't play out like I expected. Well, as you can see, I never left this town, but I realized the problem was more with me than where I was. Secondly, I did visit Europe and I did it with, not my fantasy man, but with the man who was meant for me, your father."

"Well, I'm glad your dreams worked out, mom, I really am but...what does this have to do with me and sucky grades and being an Olympian...?"

"My whole life, for sixteen years was built around my dreams and how I could acquire them. Dreams aren't bad or detrimental, in fact, it's great that you have dreams, but it's so easy to get lost in them. Are you getting what I'm trying to-"

"You've lost me, I've been lost-"

"Who do you want to be, Joan?"

"An Olympian."

"And if that falls through somehow?"

"Then the fastest female to ever live."

"And if you somehow lose the ability to run, then what?"

"Then I'll just be Joan."

"And who's Joan? What's she like?"

"Okay, mom, I get it, I need to study more."

"This is not about the grades. This is about you and who you are. I love that you're so driven and passionate about running and obtaining your goals- I have complete faith in you on that- but everything else in your life is a joke to you."

"I mean..."

"See, there's a difference between your dad and you. Yes, your dad is apathetic about many things, but there are things that he does try at. You, you don't take anything- other than track- seriously and honestly, I don't know which is worse."

"I just like living in the moment and not sweating about small stuff like assignments and quizzes and all that."

"I know, and I was kind of the same in school, but that's just because I wasn't the brightest- still, I tried my hardest. You think you have everything figured out and you don't have a single clue about who you are. You're not just the fastest girl in Cauldron, you're not just a future Olympian, you're not even just Joan."

"...well, that doesn't leave a lot of options for me now does it?"

"No, and that's for you to fill in the blank."

"Alright...cool talk, mom, I felt we connected there on an even deeper level, and if you don't mind I have another season of Gravity Falls that won't finish itself."

"Guess it's going to have to until that E turns into a B or higher."

"Okay, but just one epi-"

"I will change the WiFi password, don't tempt me."

"Love you too, mom."

"You know I always do."

°°°

Waking up, I realize one of two things. One, first and foremost, I'm not dead! That's some pretty good news because I swear, when I was taking in those fumes I thought I was history. The second thing I notice is that my surroundings really haven't changed much, if at all. I'm still in this same dark, humid jungle, just minus the creepy fog.

I get up and brush myself off as I take a closer look at my surroundings. Although I noted that I was in the same place, it seems that some of the scenery has changed, just subtly. This place isn't as dark and cluttered with leafy, overbearing trees as before, and if I look a little further then I can see some brightness up ahead. One of the biggest differences I notice, though, is the sound of birds calling. Yeah, I know, stupid to pick up on, but it's major considering the other jungle was completely void of any wildlife; it's like all the wildlife from the other jungle got taken here.

"Alright," I brush the dirt off my hands. "Time to get to the bottom of this mystery."

Just as I take a step forward, I suddenly remember the rope tied around my waist. Immediately, my hand flies to my waist to check and see if I'm still secure. Thankfully, the rope is still there, but as I turn around to the rest of it, that's when my heart feels like it's been struck with a cannonball.

Yeah, excellent plan, Joan. You managed to secure yourself to a rope but now it's snapped. Screw me.

The damn thing is broken. It must have snapped when I was shifting between worlds because I swear I had enough. Now, I'm here with some vine tied around my waist and Rhene's probably confused since there's no pressure on the other end; I just hope she doesn't go to try and retrieve it.

"Fuckin' awesome," I mutter.

Well, there's no point crying over spilled milk. I need to go find the others- I can figure out this mess later.

Turns out, the reason the opening is so bright is because there's a beach. It's a nice, big open beach with pristine white sand and crystal blue water that stretches out into a dark, infinite blue ocean; there are even palm trees with coconuts and bananas littered around the place. If this is where that fog takes people then I'd have no problem with it. This is paradise!

I need to focus, though, so ignoring the tropical splendor, I march along the beach in search of a feline female, a Pisces, and a walking-talking douchebag- they should stick out like a sore thumb here.

But as I search along the beachside, I run into a different group. They don't notice me until I'm only a few feet from them. There are four of them, two females and two males, all adult looking (but then again, everyone is an adult compared to me).

"Are you the new one here?" One of the guys calls out to me.

Frowning, I call back slightly mystified, "New one?"

"A new person here," The female with a gap between her front teeth answers.

"Did the dark mist bring you here?" The first guy asks.

"The fog? Yeah. I came because I'm looking for some people."

"You came here willingly?" The second, more dark-skinned female questions in shock.

"Yeah, I gotta find my peeps. There are three of them, they should have come here together. Two guys and a cat girl. Seen 'em around?"

They exchange looks with each other, thinking it over before the gap-tooth chick pipes up.

"I have seen a young woman with cat-like features. She, and her companions, are probably in the village."

"Where's that?"

The second guy, who's been quiet this entire time, answers me. "Keep following this beach and you ought to stumble across it."

"Bet." I hurry off to find this village, but remembering to be a decent human being today, I turn around and yell back. "Thanks!"

So, continuing onward, I admire the Instagram worthy scenery before spotting some huts coming into view.

Hate to say it, but even the village seems worth abandoning real life and living in. It's so idealistic and has that mellow, island vibe that you'd expect here. Though I wouldn't live here just out of preference for WiFi and modern amenities, it wouldn't kill me to spend a week or so here.

Nimu and Lan's village continues to look more and more like the asscrack of Pyranaleath'tai compared to this.

Speaking of which, it's not that hard to spot these guys down- which makes my life easier. Of all people, I notice Chasan first then Nimu and Lan. The three of them are sitting around this huge community fire with some other people. It reminds me of the time I went to summer camp and we all gathered around the bonfire and sang SpongeBob songs at the top of our lungs (good times).

Being casual, I creep up behind them for a nice jumpscare, but they're not as fun to mess with as Oslen was, they don't even screech.

"What are you doing here?" Nimu asks, recovering from her slight spook.

"You know, I was expecting more 'Oh, Joan, you're our hero, you're such a saint' but it's cool."

Chasan's done giving me the evil eye from my scare. "How did you get here? You didn't transport here with us the first time."

"Yeah, it's called a rescue mission. I figured out how to get here to rescue you guys. You're welcome, by the way."

He practically rolls his eyes at me. "Yes, thank you for abandoning us then coming back later to play hero. Oh, Joan, you're our hero, you're such a saint."

Not one to have my sarcasm overshadowed, I reply. "Forgive me for not being swallowed by the evil fog and listening to my instincts. God forbid I actually saved myself so I could later save you."

Sensing this might turn out into an all-out sarcasm war, Nimu makes herself known again.

"Okay, so you came here to save us, now how are you planning to get back?"

Chuckling, I flash them a smile. "Well, you see, I had a solid plan then this thing called karma came to redeem its tokens against me and it won the screw-you prize."

Judging from their facial expressions, I would have had better luck signing my answer than explaining it how I just did. Sighing, I clear up their confusion.

"I had a plan but it fell through."

"So we haven't been rescued," Lan says with slow realization.

"Eh, yes and no. I'mma figure something out, don't sweat it."

"There is no way out," Chasan growls. "We've tried- no one has ever escaped this place because it's impossible."

"With an attitude like that I see why."

That only leaves him simmering. But honestly, these people need to take action. Yeah, okay, you've just been sucked into a paradise, separated from your friends and family, but it's not time to sit around and twiddle your thumbs, it's time to search every possible avenue for a way out.

"You don't understand, Joan," Nimu reasons. "There is no way out of here. The people have been trying for years to-"

"And that ends today. Now, we're going to find a way out of here because I have no time to waste. My brother is still in danger and we are under a tight time constraint."

They all wear different expressions after I say this. Nimu wears a face of bewilderment, clearly questioning how I'm not understanding the situation, Lan has this budding hopefully shine in his eyes (he's my favorite), and Chasan looks exactly how I envisioned he would: like someone pissed in his cereal.

Getting up, I clap my hands, unintentionally get everyone's attention that's around the fire.

"Okay, come with me."

The three look up at me, blinking like I just spoke Mandarin or something to them.

"Uh, rise," I motion for them to get up. "That entails getting to your feet and using those feet to follow me."

After exchanging a round of looks between each other, probably debating whether they want to go through with this or not, they slowly stand.

"Where are you taking us?" Chasan grumbles as I begin to lead them back to the spot I first appeared in.

"I'm sorry, I can't understand you when you mumble."

Though he's done dealing with me (I've been done dealing with him), Nimu still wants answers.

"Where are you taking us?"

Glancing over at her, I give her a coy grin before replying-

"Have you ever lost something or mixed something up?"

The question is so plain in her voice it might as well visibly pop out of her mouth.

"Yes? What does this have-"

"Where's the first place you go to figure out what went wrong?"

When I receive no response, I turn around to look at their confused, muddled faces, before continuing to walk on.

"As my fifth-grade math teacher put it, if you want to find your mistake, start at the beginning."

"But what's our beginning?" Lan asks.

"Maybe not your beginning, but mine."

Though they're still acting slow, I don't answer any more questions until we finally arrive back in the dark jungle section I was first poofed to.

"This is where we arrived," Lan states, staring around.

"What's the point of this?" Chasan groans.

"Again, sorry, I can't make out mumble, sweetie."

There is a point to being here at the start of this vortex. Though my rope has been broken, I'm not convinced that all is lost. If I could think my way into this portal then I could think my way out of it.

"You wanna know how I got to you guys?" I ask them as I move around, searching for the right place to stand.

"How?" Lan and Nimu ask in sync.

"Through the power of thought."

"Huh?"

Looking at them, I grin.

"I just used my mystical powers and bam, the portal opened up again."

"So you expect the same to occur here?" Nimu questions cynically.

"Yeah, I don't think it's too far of a stretch. But you guys are going to need to join in if it's going to work."

This may or may not work, I don't know. Maybe it doesn't matter if they participate or not, maybe this won't even work in the first place, I don't know, but you never know until you try so try I will.

"Okay, now close your eyes," I instruct them.

"Close our eyes for what?" Chasan challenges.

Safe to say they aren't as blindly obedient as Rhene, and that sucks.

"People, just close your eyes, work with me here."

At last, they begrudgingly close their eyes (some more begrudgingly than others) and we begin. Closing my eyes as well, I start my hypnotic spiel.

"Okay, now with your eyes closed, empty your mind. Don't think of anything, don't envision anything, just leave your mind blank. Listen to nothing but my-"

"What is this supposed to accomplish," Nimu interrupts.

Keeping my voice soft and flowy but adding some annoyance in my tone, I continue. "Empty your minds of all the clutter in it and simply listen to my voice without feedback. Listen."

Taking a deep breath, I continue. "Make sure your thoughts are void and your mind a blank slate with nothing grabbing your attention but the sound of my-oof!"

I've just been slapped in the face by something from above that swung down. Snapping open my eyes, I stare at the vine that hangs in front of me for several seconds before I realize what it is.

"Hell yeah!" I pump my fist in victory.

By now, the others have opened their eyes and are questioning my newfound energy.

"What?" Nimu asks. "What happened?"

"The answer to our prayer," I explain as I glance up at where the vine came from. Tracing the vine with my eyes, I follow it from the top branches of the tree where it got tangled to along the ground where it snakes to its final resting place, which is where I find the escape I've been looking for. "Now we're cooking with fire."

Unlike what I previously thought, the rope must have somehow got tangled in that tree when I traveled to this place. I didn't even go through some crazy, turbulent teleportation like I did when falling into Edalirwen (this was as big a mystery as earbuds tangling in the pocket).

The three of them join me by my side as I study the entrance of the portal.

"Is this it?" Lan breathes in awe.

"Yup. Don't worry, it's a pretty easy, safe journey," I turn to look at them. "Now in you go, I'll be right behind you."

They're always so slow to act, like everything I say is some different, foreign language or something that they have to translate. Thankfully, Chasan starts to make his way into the foliage, ready to be transported back, followed by Nimu, but Lan causes a holdup.

"Wait."

We all look around at him.

Biting his lip, he shrugs, looking so uncertain of himself.

"We can't just leave, not without them."

"Them?" My brow furrows in confusion.

"The people stranded here. Some people have been stranded here for decades, some don't even know what it's like back in the real world."

Lan's such a sweetheart, dammit, he at least had a conscious and thought about the poor souls that have been trapped here for ages or their whole lives. In fact, it's him bringing this up that I remember my promise to Rhene about finding her sister. So even though I'm not looking to be Oskar Schindler, I go along with this full island rescue mission for the sake of finding this Phili girl.

"Okay, alright, gather up everyone and tell them to wait here but not to enter the portal yet. In fact," I whirl around and point at Chasan. "You stay here and keep order, okay. And whatever happens, just make sure no one pulls on the rope."

All I receive is an annoyed glare that would come with a snarky comment if I didn't look away.

"Let's make this quick, okay? I'm not trying to add to the permanent population here."

Lan happily goes off to spread awareness of this golden opportunity, with a neutral Nimu in tow. I, on the other hand, go off to canvas the west side of the island while Nimu takes the south and Lan the village on the east end. This island isn't very big so it's pretty quick to get from one side to the other. There aren't too many people on the west side other than a few fishermen who eagerly pull in when I tell them the news. As I continue on my scavenging, I soon hear a loud trumpet sound echoing through the air; one of the fishermen explain it to be the village call that summons all the villagers together, which is great as it makes rounding up everyone easier. I spend a few more minutes pacing the west side before heading back to center where the entire population has already gathered, excitement buzzing through the air at the thought of finally escaping. I'm hoping Phili is in the crowd somewhere but I'd rather not leave that to chance- I mean, she's the reason I'm approving this mass Exodus.

Squeezing my way through the crowd, I stand before the portal and survey the faces before climbing up slightly on a nearby tree to get a higher vantage point. Cupping my hands, I call out, causing a hush to fall over the crowd.

"Hey," I scan the crowd while I wait for them to quiet down. "Is there someone named Phili here?"

At first, all I get in response is a few murmurs and some coughing, but the weak noise is broken by a light, flowery voice from the back.

"That would be me!"

I look over the heads of other people and see a garnet-haired female making her way through the crowd. Hopping down from the tree, I meet her as she arrives at the front before me.

"I am Philiasei," She says. "I am Phili."

"Good to put a face to the name. Your sister's been looking for you and I promised her I'd bring you back."

Her eyes shimmer with hope. "Rhene? She's safe?"

"Yeah, she's waiting on the other side of this portal."

She's so overwhelmed with joy I can sense she wants to hug me, but seeing as I'm not in the mood for free hugs right now, I climb back up in the tree again and cup my hands.

"Okay, people, listen up! You're going to enter through the portal in these bushes and keep going until everyone has made their way out. There are some rules for this. Rule number one, whatever you do, keep walking. I don't care if you dropped your favorite blanket, keep the line moving in an orderly fashion. Rule two, do not, I repeat, do not touch the rope, just walk over it. Rule number three, when you get to the other side don't be a dick and block the path, kay. Easy enough? Let's go."

So begins this process which I wasn't looking to be a project. I send Phili through first that way she can reunite with Rhene and explain things.

Since the population here isn't too large, they make pretty good timing walking through the portal. I'm planning to be the last one out of here, that way I can collect the end of the rope; Nimu and the guys hang back with me as well, but I can tell they're itching to get out of here. The crowd is almost through before Lan notices something alarming.

"Is the entrance shrinking?" He points out.

It doesn't take a keen eye to figure out that his observation is right on, the portal is shrinking- and at an alarming rate. In hindsight, I guess it was kind of dumb of me to think this thing would stay open forever.

Still, I brush him off with a nonchalant shrug. "Just calm down, it's almost our turn."

But I'm starting to feel the heat when the door-size opening is being reduced to nothing bigger than an attic crawl space size entrance.

"Joan..." Lan's looking a little on edge as are the other two.

Impatiently pacing, I watch as the final few people squat their way into the portal.

"Just go," I tell them.

Of course, Chasan happily obliges, one of the rare times he doesn't give me lip. Nimu and Lan, on the other hand, are more considerate.

"Joan, there's not much time left before it shuts completely," Nimu says, glancing at the ever-shrinking opening.

"Yeah, I know, that's why you better start now."

"But you-"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be right behind you."

Lan turns to head into the opening, turning around to pull a reluctant Nimu along. I watch them duck in, disappearing as the rest of the population make their way in.

Yeah, I'm sweating bullets as I watch my chance to escape dwindle, but I'm not one to reveal my inner thoughts of worry and panic. I'll make it through, somehow.

Finally, the last person squeezes their way in, leaving me to figure out how to make my way through the opening the size of a manhole. No time to think, though, just do.

Dropping to my knees, I pick up the rope and give it a good yank before belly-crawling into the quickly shrinking portal.

As I worry about whether my lower half of me will be disconnected from the upper half, I have to mutter mockingly to myself, "Oh, yeah, Joan, you're a real hero, you're such a saint."