I don't remember falling asleep last night, but when I stood up, something was...different. Everything in my room seemed to have shrunken over night. The pile of clothes was smaller, my bed was lower, and I could see out the window more easily. I ran out of my room and down the hallway.

"Leah!" I threw open her bedroom door, and she was asleep. This was the first time she'd slept in weeks. I watched my mirror image sleep for a minute. Her russet skin was stained with mud and her hair as black as night was wet with melted snow. I shook her shoulder gently.

"Leah...? Leah, wake up.... This is really important..."

"Seth...? Seth! Oh man! I have to go! Sam's going to have a fit!"

"Leah! Wait a sec! I - ...Hold it. Sam?"

"It's nothing!" she said in a hurry. She threw the blankets off of her, and her clothes were still on from the night before, dirty and torn. "I have to go." She stood up and was about to shove me out of the way when she realized she was only up to my stomach. She paused and looked up at me. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was gaping slightly. She backed up a few inches.

"Leah," I said, thinking the worst. I was in a slight panic. "What's going on? What's happening to me?"

"Oh no... Oh no... Not you too..." She paced about the room and slammed her fists on the dresser. "How do you feel right now?" The question was rushed, which made it sound less random, like she had a motive.

"Really freaked out," I said, with my heart starting to quicken.

"Any pains, anger, fever...?"

"Not really. I grew about a foot overnight, and I was warm out in the snow last night, but that's it... Oh man! That is weird!"

"Easy, Seth..." she said too cautiously. She held up her hands in front of her. "I don't want to make you angry."

"I'm not!" For the first time in my life, she flinched at the sound of my voice. I took a deep breath. "I'm just scared. Leah, help me!"

She started pacing again, in deep thought. She paused. "Come with me." She took my hand, but I winced at the touch. Her hand felt like fire on mine. I took it nevertheless and bit down hard on my lip to keep from yelling out loud. She led me outside as we headed into the woods. Slightly into the forest, I stopped walking and Leah was jerked to a stop too.

"Leah, where are we going? You need to tell me what's going on right now." She stared into my face for a minute and sighed.

"I know you want to know what's going on, but I'm not the one who can explain..." She paused for a minute, thinking aloud. "Maybe... It's worth a shot. Stay right here. I'll be right back." Leah dropped my hand and took off into the vast sea of green.

I stood there for what felt like hours when something strange started to happen.

Suddenly, my stomach did a back flip and my legs started to crumble beneath me. I let out a weak groan and clutched my head which seemed as if a bomb had just exploded inside it. My heart began to race and blood rushed to my face and pressed up against my cheeks as if trying to break free of my face. As the burning sensation intensified, I hit the ground with a thud when I saw Leah.

"Seth!" She rushed over and tried to help me, but nothing she did stopped the agony. After a few minutes, it seemed, she helped me to my feet again.

"You need..." I started to demand, but the effectiveness of my voice was zero, "to tell me..." I continued panting, "what... is ... going ...on!" A sharp stabbing shot straight into my lungs. I gasped for air.

"Okay, I'll tell you..." she said, sitting me down on a fallen tree trunk, "but you have to promise me that you'll just listen to me."