The morning sun blinded Isabella's eyes as she woke up. Pain seared through every part of her body. She attempted to stand up, but immediately collapsed back onto the grass outside the Archfiend Manor. Her memory of the previous night was hazy, at best. All she recalled was entering the manor and the young boy's creepy message on the TV. Everything else was broken into puzzle pieces too complex to put together. A little off in the distance, Isabella could see two people walking towards her. Dylan and Miranda were talking to each other but stopped when they saw the scene before them. Their speed increased and they helped Isabella to her feet.

"Are you okay?" Dylan inquired.

"How did you end up here?" Miranda said.

The questions overwhelmed Isabella's senses and she did her best to form two coherent sentences, "I think so. My memory still feels fuzzy."

Miranda stared in horror at the huge bruises surrounding Isabella's shoulders and thighs.

"We need to get her to a hospital now. There's no telling how much internal bleeding she's already had."

Dylan carried Isabella in his arms and Miranda called an ambulance.

"Yes? We need medical attention at the Archfiend Manor immediately. My friend has been severely injured. Thank you."

She hung up the phone and told Dylan, "They'll be here in six minutes."

"Guys, I'm really fine."

Dylan stared at her in disbelief, "Are you kidding me? I'm surprised you're alive! There's no way you're going anywhere but the hospital, who did this to you?"

"Hellion."

She waited quietly for Miranda to say "I told you so." Fortunately, those words didn't come. The only expression that crossed her face was a pang of guilt.

"I should have never dared you to step foot in Archfiend Manor. This is all my fault," Miranda whispered. Guilt and sadness etched on her face.

"We aren't playing the blame game. I refuse to believe this is anyone's fault except Hellion."

Dylan was the voice of reason and foolishness.

"He's right," Isabella added.

"Good, now that we're in agreement, let's deal with this situation together."

On cue, a nearby ambulance siren loudly wailed and stopped across the street. Two paramedics opened the back doors as Dylan brought Isabella over. They loaded the girl on a stretcher carefully and drove away. Her friends went to Isabella's house to inform her Mom. The middle-aged woman's face shifted from unbelievably surprised to devastated in a matter of seconds. She began to cry uncontrollably. Tears that streamed down her cheeks. Miranda attempted to comfort her when the dining room phone rang. Dylan was closest and picked it up instantly.

"Hi, I'm calling to update on Isabella Silvertree's condition. I found this number in her medical record. May I please speak to her legal guardian?" Dr. Langston said.

Dylan handed the phone to Isabella's Mom, but stayed close enough to hear the conversation. "Yes, this is her mother. Okay. When do you think she would be able to come back? That's wonderful! Thanks for calling."

She dropped the phone back into its receiver and faced them. Her eyes wandered between both friends, trying to make sense of the news.

"Well? Spit it out," Miranda exclaimed impatiently.

"The doctor explained that Isabella is doing excellent and will be coming home tomorrow afternoon."

"And?"

"In his twenty years of being a doctor, he has never seen a situation like this. Are you sure you weren't there when Isabella got hurt?"

"I'm sorry, but we've told you everything we know. She was severely injured by the time we got to her," Dylan stated.

"This whole thing looks to be brought on by some type of mysterious magic, but I know better than to believe such fantasies."