Part One: Before the Call

Prologue

"Ahh, morning," I yawned as I woke up. I climbed out of the bed and straight into the bathroom, brushing my hair and putting it into a ponytail. I put on my gym clothes: a white and light blue T-shirt with light blue shorts with white trim, covered by a light blue jacket with white trim.

"Emmaline, breakfast is ready!" Mom yelled. I grabbed my purse and backpack and ran downstairs. Ty, my golden retriever, snuggled at my feet for a few seconds and then playfully ran upstairs.

"Can you stop calling me Emmaline?" I pleaded.

"Dear, I named you that becaused I liked the name," Mom said. That was her excuse all the time. Mom placed a plate in front of me with scrambled eggs, sun-kissed toast with strawberry jelly, and 3 strips of bacon with orange juice on the side.

"Hey Emily!" a familiar voice piped. It was my best friend, Kayla Smith in her green and yellow gym clothes and her long black hair in a ponytail. Washing her hands, she asked, "So, what's for breakfast Mrs. Jensen?"

"Do you want some of what I made for Emily?" Finally! I was thinking. She smiled at me and I smiled back.

"That looks yummy!" Kayla replied, looking at my plate. Mom put another plate down with grape jelly on the toast down next to me. Kayla sat down and began to eat.

"So why are you two in gym clothes?" Mom asked while I got a sip of orange juice.

Kayla swallowed so I guessed she was taking the question. "We've got a messed up schedule for the next few weeks. We've got about 20 minutes of Phys. Ed, English/Homeroom, and then another half hour of Phys. Ed."

"What a messed up schedule!"

"I know right?" When I finished my eggs, I turned on Poison Ivy for Kayla and I to watch.

"Is it seriously that episode again where they kill James?" Kayla complained. She really liked his character so it put a damper on his day when he was killed.

"Emily, time to brush your teeth," Mom told me. I ran upstairs, brushed my teeth, and was washing my face when Cody walked into the bathroom. I knew he was there because he called me "Emmy."

When Cody was younger, he called me Emmy because he couldn't pronounce or (when I tried to teach him) Emily, so he's called me that ever since. After I was done, I hugged Mom and Cody, said bye, and left. I never knew that this would be the last time I saw Mom for five months.

*Emily*

"Okay girls, I want you to finish your gym assessment and start on your 18 laps. Boys, finish your 18 laps and start your gym assessment," Coach Erikson's deep voice boomed.

Kayla and I had finished so we joined Luke during the lap. We were running along when I heard a piercing sound. It sounded like the bridge in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince's movie. Then, the roof was ripped off the gym. All the gym students ran like crazy into the locker rooms.

Luke's elbow jabbed me in the stomach and pushed me into the ground. "Don't look!" he ordered.

"Owww," I groaned. Through the chaos, I could make out a blurry picture of Ty and Cody. "Ty, Cody, what are you guys doing here?"

"Emmy we weav," Cody mumbled in his baby-like voice. Then, I began to hear loud roaring sounds.

"Stay back Em, we'll be back there for you!" Kayla yelled. I could barely make out anything except Cody and Ty. I just remember screaming before Cody, Ty, and I all blacked out.