April 10th, 2018
Southern Kentucky
3:15 a.m.  

Scarlett clenched her teeth, silently debating if it was worth it. On one hand, her thoughts were nagging her so much that she couldn't drift off to sleep no matter how hard she'd tried. But on the other hand, waking her cousin just to talk seemed cruel, especially since she planned on waking her again at a decent time tomorrow. 

Scarlett shuddered. Just the thought of tomorrow sent a new wave of nausea over her. She shook it off and with a swinging-like motion, Scarlett was off the bed and leaning on her elbow, staring right into the glowing eyes of the alarm clock. She squinted at the harshly displayed letters, 3:17. It was really too late to wake her cousin now, she should just lay down and wait out the dark.

Scarlett reluctantly snuggled back down under the warm blankets and drew them up to her chin, which caused the blanket to slide off her feet. She took a deep breath to calm down and gently searched the foot of her bed with her now exposed toes, only stopping when she felt the soft fur of her dog. She caressed the fur with her bare toes since she was too lazy to sit up and use her hands. 

One more quick glance down to the floor told Scarlett that her cousin's form was still moving up and down in rhythmic slumber. Scarlett really wanted to get her mind off the vexing feeling in her bones, but she couldn't bring herself to wake Chrissy.

I need to sleep! Scarlett told herself, growling quietly and flipping over to her side. With one last sigh of frustration, she forced her eyes closed and relaxed against the plushy bed.

**********************************

April 10th, 2018
Trofors, Norway
12:00 a.m.  

"Today was so much fun!" Martinus enthused, practically jumping up and down with excitement. "I'm so happy, I don't think I'll be able to sleep!"

"You'd better sleep, we have a rehearsal tomorrow," Marcus replied, but his matching smile showed that he had enjoyed the day just as much as his twin.

The way the two boys happily pranced through the door, it was almost like they were dancing into their house. They quickly made their way right to the living room with their father following close behind them, shutting the door. 

"I think your energy is from all that candy you ate at the interview," their father said.

"If that is it, then I definitely will not sleep tonight!" Martinus said.

"You will if you ate enough. You'd crash," Marcus piped up.

"It takes a lot of sugar to crash that hard. I don't think you two ate that much," their father said, pulling off his heavy coat and joining the boys in the living room. Their silence prompted him to ask, "Did you?"

Marcus let his gaze wander away, breaking eye contact. Martinus gave him an "oops" smile, accompanied with a shrug. Their father chuckled and shook his head.

"Alright, off to bed you two."

Marcus laughed and Martinus shrugged again. The two of them bid goodnight to their father and thundered around the corner to head off to their beds.

"You know, I almost wish we had a free day tomorrow," Martinus said over his shoulder as he led the way. "That way I wouldn't have to worry about how long it might take to sleep tonight, you know? But, of course, it's the price we pay for being famous singers."

Martinus stopped suddenly when he realized his brother was no longer following him. He swiveled around and faced Marcus, who was standing still, staring at the floor with an odd look on his face. 

"Marcus? Are you okay?" Martinus asked, his eyes searching his brother with concern.

Marcus shook his head slightly and lifted his eyes to meet Martinus'.

"I just got a weird feeling, like a thought snuck up on me," he replied. He looked sickly.

"Oh? What do you mean?"

"Like, my stomach sunk. I felt cold when you started talking about tomorrow."

Martinus gave him an odd look like he didn't quite understand. Marcus shook his head and resumed walking, telling his brother as he passed, "Nevermind, I am sure it is nothing."

"Uh, okay, then," Martinus said slowly, following his brother the rest of the way.

Before Marcus passed the threshold of the bedroom door, Martinus decided to make sure he was alright. He rested his hand on Marcus' shoulder, causing Marcus to turn his rich brown eyes to meet his brother's. They shared a silent gaze before the younger twin asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

Marcus sighed and replied with, "No,"

  **********************************  

April 9th, 2018
Los Angeles, California
11:33 p.m.  

"Haha! We won again!  Whatcha got to say about that, Sage?"

Sage watched his sister approach him, a cell phone in her hand. It was obvious she was recording a close up of his displeased face. It could've been for their Youtube channel or it could've been for some other form of social media, who knows. Sage didn't know, and frankly, he didn't care. But what he did know was that he was not happy about this family game night's outcome. How come his team never won any of their games? Ever?!

"The game's rigged," Sage replied, turning away from the camera. 

"You're just a sore loser!" his sister bugged, following him with the phone lens. 

"Maybe," 

"Definitely!"

Sage glanced at her ridiculously wide smile and then back at the cell phone.

"Okay, that's enough," he said, covering the camera with his palm. 

With a short tug of war and a dark glare from Sage, the cell phone was his to record with. He watched his sister wander off before flipping the camera and recording a quick clip himself, containing a fraction of footage of him breaking out in a smile, proving he actually enjoyed the night a bit. But mostly it was complaints from him mixed with his siblings screams of protest and denial in the background. 

"Sage, put that up and help us put this game back," one of his four sisters shouted while he was engrossed in recording his displeasure.

"No way!" he shouted back after finishing his video and sliding the phone onto a nearby table. 

His sister whipped her light ponytail around and gave him a scowl, "Come on, I'm not kidding."

"Me neither!" he replied, sauntering out of the room.

"Boy, you better get your butt back in here and help us."

 "Adios!" Sage called loudly, leaving them behind and heading for his bedroom. 

He began to pull his own cell phone out of his pocket and scroll around. That's when he felt one of his sisters grab him from behind and try to drag him back into the room.

"No!" Sage half-screamed, half-laughed as he tried to pull away. "Let go!"

He had barely managed to wriggle out of her grasp before taking off down the hallway. He heard his oldest sister shout from behind him as he darted for his room, "Don't forget, we have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow, Sage!"

Suddenly Sage felt sick. He finished the trip to his bedroom and sunk down onto the bed. After letting his phone slide out of his hand onto the mattress, he lifted his hand to his head and shivered in discomfort. 

"Weird," he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment to recollect himself. 

He wasn't sure what was going on, but it only took him another moment or so to decide he was going to rest for the night. After he'd turned out the lights and pulled the blankets over himself, he took a glance at the alarm clock on his bedside table, 11:45. He shook his head and closed his eyes, hoping his ill feeling would fade with the moonlight.

    **********************************    

April 10th, 2018
Southern Kentucky
3:35 a.m.  

She couldn't stand it any longer, she had to talk to someone, get her mind off this feeling.

"Chrissy, you still up?"

Scarlett listened in anticipation as her cousin groaned. 

"I am now," her cousin, Chrissy, replied with a yawn.

Scarlett was slightly relieved with the sound of a voice that wasn't her conscience. 

"Did I wake you?" Scarlett asked, watching her cousin stretch out on the pallet. 

"Yeah," came the soft reply.

"Sorry," Scarlett apologized, feeling slightly guilty. "I just needed to get something off my chest."

"Well? What is it so I can get back to sleep," Chrissy asked.

"I-I just haven't been able to sleep," Scarlett told her, frowning and crossing her arms. "I have this sickening feeling in my core that's driving me mad. It gets worse every time I think about tomorrow."

Her cousin's silence caused Scarlett to lean over the edge of the bed momentarily. She managed to meet Chrissy's eyes in the shadows, but it wasn't that hard because Chrissy was watching her with an intense searching face. 

"Are you alright?" Chrissy asked. Scarlett really wasn't sure why her cousin seemed so worried all the sudden. She was about to reply when Chrissy clarified, "You sound awful."

"Well, thanks," Scarlett replied, flopping back down on her pillow. 

"I'm serious, Scarlett Grace," Chrissy insisted. "You sound sick and upset and scared."

"I am," Scarlett shrugged. 

She watched out of the corner of her eye as Chrissy sat up. Her cousin came closer and rested her hand on Scarlett's arm, staring into her eyes with distress written on her face. Scarlett slowly turned her eyes to meet her cousin.

"I'm not sure what's up with you, but you'll be just fine, okay? Let's get some rest and hope you feel better in the morning." 

"Alright, Chrissy," Scarlett nodded and smiled slightly. 

  ----------------------------------------------- 

Scarlett woke with a start. She grasped her head as she felt a pulsing pain rise in her brain. A shrieking ringing filled the air and eventually was accompanied by her own whining breaths. It took her clouded mind a moment to realize she wasn't in her bedroom, at the fun sleepover that she last remembered. 

A spiraling panic filled her when an odd thought sprouted out from the depths of her mind. She wasn't sure where she was and she wasn't sure where this unexpected realization had come from, but somehow, someway, she suddenly knew that several people she cared for were very scared and definitely in danger.

 ~(Author's Note)~

1. I am aware that the three groups I wrote about here are in very different times zones. I'm not sure how to explain the times I put accurately, so go ahead and fill in that "plothole" on your own, I know y'all are smart enough to. ;)

2. I'm aware that Marcus and Martinus would probably be speaking Norsk (Norwegian) for the scene in this chapter, but I don't know Norsk, and you probably don't either so yeah. . .

3. I can not honestly say that I know all the Rosen's names because I absolutely don't. That's why they're referred to in broad terms relating to Sage. I swear I tried so hard to find their names because I actually want to know, but I couldn't find anything. I think they all start with "S" but that's all that I (think that I) know. If anybody out there knows, please be kind enough to inform me via the comment section, thank you.

4. I am lastly aware (even if you aren't) that the Rosen family pretty much cuss their pretty little heads off, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the rating and getting mauled just for such accuracy. (Shout out to all little chirrens that are probably not even reading this)

❤️ Thanks for reading, please vote! ❤️