Cold crept into every cell of Hope's body. She opened her eyes. Darkness enveloped her. When she tried to raise her hands, she could not. They pressed against subzero ice. She felt around, but it encased her. Her instinct to flee took over, and she flailed her body to break free. Nothing moved.

Where was she?

How did she get here?

She tried to breathe, but the air in her frozen tomb had no oxygen. Despair and isolation overwhelmed her.

Footsteps vibrated on the ground above her and her survival instincts took over again. She must get that person's attention to escape. Both hands punched repeatedly against the ice, slowly breaking through and inching up toward a faint light at the top. Every blow ached, bloodied her knuckles, and sapped her desire to fight, but she still moved closer to the light. Now, running out of oxygen, she struck a final blow against the frost, and she broke through, stuck her head out of the opening, breathed in fresh arctic air, exhaled hot steam, and shouted weakly, "Help!" The person did not hear, so she continued fighting, pulled herself out of her prison, and crawled toward the footsteps. She glanced down at her reflection on the ice but did not see her own face looking back at her.

A frail, anorexic, unshaven young man stared at her, looking into his hazel eyes. She recognized it was Cole. He cried out to her breathlessly, "Hope, Help Me,". Then fell unconscious.

Hope woke up shivering and announced, "Send Cole a video message.". A light shined over her, and she said, "Call me back immediately. I need to see you and know you're OK."

"End video." Then she sent Cole a text message.

"Your video has been sent," said the female voice on her viewer.

Hope BFF: Cole! Where are you? Answer me!

Her parent's bedroom door opened with a quiet click, then her mom exited, closed the door, tiptoed to Hope, and sat down on her bed. She embraced Hope and caressed her back. That usually helped soothe her, but she was far too stressed out to be calmed.

"Are you ok?" her mom asked. She felt her temperature ad pulled her closer, and said, "Get over here Hope, you are freezing and shivering." Then she rubbed her shoulders. She welcomed her warm body against her frigid skin.

"No. I keep having these terrible nightmares..."

"... like when you were a kid?"

"Kind of, but these feel so real and the last one was of Cole begging me to help him. I sent hm a message to him, but there is nothing I can do except wait. He was so sad and lonely."

She watched the clock and counted down the four minutes it would take for him to receive the messages, and then another four minutes for the time it would take a return message. Then she followed that up with another text message.

Hope BFF: Are you OK?

She still shivered, and the image of Cole pleading with her to help repeated in her mind. She did not recognize his body because he usually wore clothes in his videos. If that was him, he had lost all his muscles that he built up over the last three years. Now, he appeared fragile. Since Cole had not called her back, she did not have a choice. She must contact the enemy.

She announced, "Send Timothy a video message." A light shined over her, and she said, "Hello, Tim." She did not know how to address him because they rarely spoke, and Cole usually called him Uncle Timmy. "I hate to bother you, but I have not heard from Cole in quite some time, and I am worried that something happened to him. Have you seen him recently? Please respond as soon as possible." She paused. "Even a text is fine. Thank you again."

"End video."

"Your video message has been sent."

Ten minutes later.

Her viewer announced, "You received a video message from Timothy."

"Play Message."

Holographic images of Uncle Timmy and his distressed young girlfriend appeared. They stood in his kitchen and his face was red with sweat dripping down his face. A police officer waited next to him.

Uncle Timmy spoke, "Hello, Hope. I'm glad you contacted me. Cole went to his first day of school, but his principal informed us he had left, in the middle of one of his classes, and has not been seen since. The police are also looking for him. Have you heard from him? Did he tell where he was going? Please message us. now." The video ended.

She sent Cole another text message.

Hope BFF: Where are you? Text me back now!

She announced, "Send Timothy a video message." A light shined over her, and she asked, "What did you think was going to happen when you sent to a real school?" She had a laundry list of complaints ready for their first encounter since GLT day, but now was not the time. "Look, he did not message me today, so I do not know where he went. Can you please contact us if you find out anything?"

"End video."

"Your video message has been sent."

"Where do you think he went?" asked her mom.

"I am not sure. He is in a new town. He could be anywhere."

She would have called the police too, but she did not trust anyone teaming with Uncle Timmy, so she called her only other friend.

She announced, "Send Maria a video message."

A light shined over her. "Hey Maria, sorry to bother you, but I need your help. I had this horrifying nightmare that Cole was in trouble. So, I messaged him hours ago, but no response. I also called his uncle, and he can't find him either. They have the police looking for him. I pray it is nothing. Please call me."