Disclaimer: I do not own Goosebumps/The Cuckoo Clock of Doom or any of RL Stine's original characters. I do not own the original idea for this fic, I am writing this fic on a request for retro mania. I only own a few of my own original ideas that are in here. I also used the original book as a guide and put in a few episode references.

I hope you enjoy! (and reviews are always welcome!)

Chapter 21

"Nooo!" I wailed. "Nooo!"

That's it.

I'm doomed.

I failed.

But the shopkeeper never touched the button.

A bright white light flashed.

I felt dizzy. Stunned, I blinked. My eyes were still blurry, and I blinked again. Several seconds passed before I could see anything. I felt cool, damp air. I smelled a musty odor.

A garage smell.

"Michelle? Do you like it?" Fathers voice spoke.

I blinked again and my eyes adjusted. I saw my parents.

Looking older.

Looking normal.

We were standing in the garage, in front of the car that they gave me on my fifteenth birthday.

Mother frowned. "Michael, are you feeling alright?"

They were giving me the car. It was my birthday.

The clock worked!

I brought myself back to the present!

Almost to the present anyway. Up to my fifteenth birthday. Close enough.

I felt so happy, I thought I'd explode. I threw myself at my mother and hugged her hard. Then I hugged my father.

"Wow," Father gushed. "I guess you really do like the car!"

I grinned.

"I love it!" I exclaimed. "I love everything! I love the whole world!"

Mainly, I loved being fifteen again.

I could walk!

I could talk!

I could ride the bus by myself!

Whoa!

"Wait a minute", I thought. "It's my birthday. Don't tell me I have to live through it again."

I tensed my shoulders and steeled myself for the horrible day to come.

"It's worth it," I told myself. "It's worth it if it means time will go forward again, the way it's supposed to."

I knew too well what would happen next.

Tommy.

He was going to climb onto my car. Then he'd fall off and damage the car in the process.

"Okay, Tommy," I thought. "I'm ready. Come and do your worst."

I waited.

Tommy didn't come.

In fact, he didn't seem to be around at all. He wasn't in the garage. No sign of him.

I started getting a weird feeling in my stomach.

Mother and Father kept gushing over the car. They didn't act as if anything was wrong. Or that anyone was missing.

"Where's Tommy?" I asked them.

They looked up. "Who?"

They stared at me.

"Did you invite him to your party?" Mother asked. "I don't remember sending an invitation to a Tommy."

Father looked at me. "Tommy? Is that some boy that you have a crush on, Michelle?"

"No!" I answered, turning red.

It was as if they'd never heard of Tommy. Never heard of their own son.

"You'd better go upstairs and get ready for your party, Michelle," Mother suggested. "Your friends will be here soon."

"Okay." I stumbled into the house, dazed.

"Tommy?" I called.

Silence.

Could he be hiding somewhere?

I searched through the house. Then I checked his room. I threw open the door. I expected to see a messy, 11-year-old boy's room.

Instead, I saw two twin beds, neatly made with plaid covers, a chair., and an empty closet. No personal stuff.

Not Tommy's room. A guest room.

I felt chills run down my spine.

No Tommy. Tommy doesn't exist. How did that happen? I had been careful when I had reset the clock. I had followed Michael's instructions.

So how?

I wandered into the den, looking for the cuckoo clock. It wasn't there. For a second, I felt a shock of fear. Then I calmed down because I remembered. We didn't have the clock yet. Not on my birthday. Father bought it a couple of days later.

But I still didn't understand. What had happened to my little brother?

Where was Tommy?