Nathan woke up. Panic gripped his body and he whipped his head around to determine his surroundings. He was in a bed, that much he knew. The room came into focus and a familiar voice spoke to him.
“Oh, Nathan.” It was his mom’s voice. “Oh my god. You’re awake.”
He was in his room, in his house. Not the woods. Where were the grays? Where was Susan Carpenter? Where was Jane? Had it all been some outrageous dream?
Thirsty. Nathan was thirsty. His mother sat next to him on his bed and cupped his face. Her worried expression startled him. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days.
“Are you okay, sweetie? Oh my god.” Her voice trembled with emotion as she cried out for Nathan’s father. “Alan!”
“What’s going on?” Nathan asked. “What happened?”
“We found you passed out in the woods. Archie was playing and said he saw some kind of light.” Nathan’s father rushed into the room and it was then Nathan saw Archie standing by the doorway. Archie’s eyes were wide, but Nathan couldn’t tell if Archie was scared or just overwhelmed.
Nathan spotted a glass of water on his nightstand. He gulped the water down and it soothed his dry, scratchy throat.
“What happened to you out there?” asked his dad. “You’ve been out for over 24 hours.”
Nathan wasn’t sure what to tell them. How could he share what really occurred? He chose instead to ask a question of his own.
“Where’s Jane?”
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