I retrieved this from an email that I had sent to a friend/character submitter. My iPod has been showing signs of life, so that's good.

For those of you just jumping on the band wagon, the iPod I write on froze up. It was all explained in an A/n I deleted and replaced with this.

And now, on with the story!

*THIS LINE BREAK IS TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD*

After the hamburger taco dinner, I went home to do my homework. I didn't really feel comfortable with leaving an unwired Shay with Britta, but she assured me that she could take care of it. Whatever it was.

The next day I slept in till noon. My mom kicked me out of bed, which was pretty typical of her. She usually wanted me to do one chore or another.

"Go to Taylor's," my mom said unexpectedly.

"Why?" I asked, stretching.

"His mom said he's been acting weird all day," confessed my mom, snapping open the blinds. My eyes screamed in protest.

"Mmm," I agreed, rolling over.

"Take him to the movies or something," my mom said. I barely heard her, and she must have noticed, because the next second I was on the floor.

All the air in my lungs huffed out. "Fine," I wheezed. Your mom pulling on your sheets hard? Not a good way to wake up.

After I made myself decent (taking a three minute shower and throwing in shorts and a shirt), my phone vibrated. It was a text from Taylor.

My mom wants us to hang.

Um, sure. I'll be there to pick you up in like ten minutes or so. We'll go to the movies or something.

I sent my reply, and shuffled down the stairs. "Mom, can I have ten bucks?"

My mom looked up from behind the computer. "Why?" She eyed my dripping hair skeptically.

"I'm going to the movies."

She pulled out her wallet and handed me the money. "Are you-"

"Yes!" I yelled, already sprinting up the stairs for the keys and my phone. I had no idea what she was going to ask, and didn't really care.

It only took two minutes to get to Taylors house. Indigo Valley wasn't that far from the Heights, where me and my wonderful family of three lived. But the houses in the Indi were bigger, and Taylor's parents had a houseful.

Example number one: When I drove up an epic sword fight was going on in the street in front of the house with about six kids between the ages of eight and twelve, all of them siblings.

Example number two: I can't even count how many toys I tripped over on my way into the house, which had an open door policy. You knew them, you didn't knock. Four kids stopped and asked me why I was there, too.

Example number three: Have you ever almost been trampled by a herd of Hannah Montana crazed young girls? Yeah, it hurts. Especially when you have to jump onto the outside edge of the banister and hold on until they passed. And that one wasn't even a good example.

He had a big family. And by big, I meant that if you gave them a few more years they would beat out the Duggers.

Eventually I maneuvered my way safely up to Taylor's room. He was just lying on his bed. Not like a sleepy lying, but a someone just died kind of lying. Taylor was a well of never ending energy, so it was odd to see him so, well, lazy.

"Come on, bud. Let's go to the movies," I said, nudging him. His eyes swung over to look at me, and they were empty. Like, all of his lights were off, kind of like Shay was when we brought her home from the hospital.

He stood up and followed me like a, well, robot. No, that's not the right word. It was like he wasn't there. He was going through the motions until his train got back.

And that made no sense.

"What movie?" I asked as I kick started my car. He just shrugged and looked out the window. Several of his siblings chased us as I drove away.

"Dude, what is wrong?" I said, angrily gripping the wheel. "You and Shay are acting like your dead or something." And it was really pissing me off.

He just shrugged.

But then that weird mood swing I saw Shay have came over him too, only it wasn't anger. He laughed, and his face was really bright. "I'll be fine," he reassured me. At least, I think it was me, considering that I was the only person in the car.

"I didn't ask that!" I swear, if I wasn't driving I would have slammed my head on something. "I asked what's wrong."

But if Taylor heard, he didn't anoledge it. He was back in his own little emo corner.

*LIVE LIKE YOUR DYING! ~KRIS ALLEN*

The movie we ended up seeing was Avatar, at one of those corny dollar theaters that you only go to see the old movies. I was surprised they were still playing it, since it was on DVD, but whatever floats their boat.

"Dude," I said, waving my hand in front of Taylor's face. He was finishing the popcorn while just sitting on a bench outside. Nothing I did could convince him to move. "I give up." I flopped down on the bench next to Taylor and took some popcorn.

"You too?" asked a quiet voice. I looked up to see someone vaguely familiar looking at Taylor.

I nodded. "Nothing I do can get him to 'come alive'," I said, using air quotes.

The girl blushed. "That's just like my friend Ash. She won't talk. Not that she did it that much before." A nervous laugh escaped her. She nodded across the lobby to a girl who was looking blankly at a cutout of some Twilight characters.

"Mhm," I said. "Where do I know you from?"

"School." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Clair Sage. You're Thomas or something, right? From the baseball team?"

"Tyler," I said, shaking her hand, "but you got it close enough. Taylor here isn't the only one, eh?" We both looked over at Taylor, who was still munching his popcorn.

"No," she said, worried.

"Well, I already knew that." I frowned. "My girlfriend, Shay, she's like this too. Or she was yesterday." I shrugged. "Bring your friend over here, we'll see what they're like."

She nodded, and dragged her friend over. Now that I saw this girl next to Taylor, I could see the resemblance. Blankness. It was the only work that could describe them. They were just gone.

"Question," I said, scratching my ear. "Has, um..."

"Ashton," Clair confirmed.

"Yeah," I rushed out. "Has she ever changed? Like, said anything weird?"

Clair's face twisted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Like, has she-"

"To the death?" screeched Ashton. Her face drained of blood, and her hands formed claws against her shirt. "You're kidding, right?" Then, like a switch flipping of, she returned to blank. People gave us some strange looks.

"-ever done that," I finished. That helped.

"Not until now," said Clair, looking to her friend.

I was getting frustrated. "You know, I'll see you at school. If she says anything more, tell me, okay?" Taylor stood up as if he knew what was happening, and walked to the door. "I'm going to figure this out." I jogged after him, leaving an opened mouth girl behind me.

So it wasn't just me. Other kids were acting strange.

Was Mikayla?

The idea struck me hard. I pulled out my cell phone and speed dialed her house.

"Sizer residence," said Kay's mom on the other end.

"Mrs. Sizer?"

"Tyler? How are you?"

"Good," I replied, nearly tripping over a huge rock as I pulled out my keys and unlocked my car. "Listen, something weird is happening. Has Mikayla been different?"

"Well..." She hesitated. "You know how normally we can't get her to calm down and shut up?" she asked in a rush. "The only thing she's said since the accident was yelling 'Me!' at breakfast. She almost smacked her father when her hand flew into the air."

"Huh." I bit my cheek. "Call you later." Rude, I know, but I hung up. I had to call Britta.

"Hello?" she picked up in a peppy tone.

"Has Shay made any improvement?"

"Oh! Tyler!" I could hear her bite her lip. "No. She hasn't said a word since last night, when she spoke about a witch Talya."

"Yeah, well, Taylor is the same way, and so is a girl from school. I just spoke with a friend of hers, with her standing right next to us like we weren't there." Britta sucked in a breath. "There's more. By the sounds of things, Mikayla is the same. Do you have any idea-"

"No." Britta sighed. "Let's just hope it goes away." With a click, I knew she was gone. I flipped my phone closed angrily and looked over at Taylor. He looked like he had heard nothing.

What was going on?

That's it. I was getting Mikayla and going over to Shay's.

*THIS LINE BREAK IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MY LOVE OF POPCORN*

M'kay, this was a weird chapter to write. I really can't wait for you guys to read the chariot scene. Tiz mcawesomene!

Clair Sage is a character submitted by calypso3266. She had this awesome character who fit nowhere in my plot at all. I really wanted to use her, though, so this is the result. Do you like it? She's more important then you would think. I most defiantly will be using her more.

Review!