Well, this was another shot at acting - something I'd always wanted to do as a career.

I cleared my throat.

I tried to make my voice sound frightened.

"Gabby?" I let my voice shake a little and get higher. I spoke fast, slurring the words together, "Gabby, is that you? I don't know what's going on! I was just texting you - last night - ? - and then I got lost and then there was the guy and he took my stuff and then I was just walking and I just woke up and I'm still lost, I've got no idea where I am and - and," I paused, gasping, and making it sound like I was about to get hysteric or hyperventilate (That wasn't that hard, considering the hysterics I'd gone through last night), "-and I don't what happened! I'm sore and achy and bruised and bleeding - it's like I was thrown onto the cement where I woke up! Gabby! I don't know what's happening!" I paused, "Gabby?" There was still no answer, "Gabby! Gabby, are you there?!?" I tried to sound panicked.

"Yes..." I barely made out the whisper. The whisper shook. It said nothing else.

"Well - listen - I - Gabby! you'll never believe this either! I didn't mention - I went home - I found my way there and some little boy answered! Gabby, I'm really freaking out! I ran away and that's why I'm lost again, I'm on - on - " I peered at the street sign, "E 1st Street. Gabby, do you think you could pick me up? Please? I need somewhere to go someone to talk to - I need to figure out what happened!"

"I - I - " said Gabby. It sounded like she was choking, "Sasha?"

I let my voice sound immensly relived, "Yes!"

"You - you're - I mean - I thought - but - no - you - oh! - I - you..." the whispered murmers sounded breathless.

"What?"

"You - you're alive."

"Yeah. Duh!"

"Where are you?" she was still whispering.

"E 1st Street. Between S 1st Avenue and S 2nd Street. It's not that far from my - my - where I thought my house was."

"I'll be right there. Don't move. If this is a joke-"

"A joke? A JOKE!?! Are you kidding me?" I swore.

This was the farthest thing from my mind. Why would she think it was a joke? Oh. I guess she probably thought that I'd been dead for the last two years or tortured or something.

The phone went dead. I hung it up.

I was glad that was over.

Hopefully Gabby could help me; she'd always been my best friend.

I'd really missed her while I was in - Kyrria. I was not going to think about anyplace or people in particular in Kyrria. Not right now. I might not me strong enough not to lose it again. Of course, that might be better. I could make it look like I was freaking about not knowing anything - when I was really freaking about - other stuff.

So maybe I would.

I stepped out of the phone booth and leaned against it.

I slid down the side until I was sitting on the ground.

I put my face in my hands.

This was it.

No turning back now.

Of course, there was no turning back ten minutes ago either.

The call just made it seem more - final. So, I couldn't hold back a few more tears. I didn't sob, they just spilled over the edges of my watering eyes. I couldn't hold them in.

After a few minutes, I was close to sobbing - and I could not afford to lose it again!

So I lifted my head up and I watched the passing traffic. A green truck, a silver car, a blue station-wagon a rusty pick-up truck, a red convertable...

The convertable was driving very slowly.

A blonde girl that looked about my age was examining the people on the street.

Her eyes moved slowly from one person to the next.

Finally her eyes got to me.

The car stopped.

She stared at me.

The car pulled over.

Her hair was an impossible blonde and it made her look very different from what I'd been expecting.

She hesitated and then got out of the car.

She started to walk towards me, but stopped when she got to the front of her hood.

She wore designer jeans with an expensive-looking T-shirt. She had loops in her ears and rings on every finger. She was wearing flip-flops. Her hair was pulled up into a messy-bun. She had bangs now. The expression on her face was disbelieving. Unsure. Intrigued. Curious. And... (was it possible?) a little angry.

I jumped up.

"Gabby?!?"

She jumped.

She cleared her throat.

"Sasha?" Her voice was a weak whisper still.

"Yeah! What - your hair! Wow! When did you do that?"

She stared at me in disbelief.

"Oh. Um, I dunno," She shook her head, "How - what happened to you? Where have you been?" She wasn't whispering anymore, but she was talking very quietly. Almost like she was scared that I would fade away or disappear.

I bit back a smile.

Instead, I let the image of Nathaniel flash in front of my eyes. The action triggered the response that I knew it would; fresh tears started running down my cheeks again.

"Sasha!" She said. She shook her head, "I can't believe it. It can't be true. But - you're here!"

"What you mean? Of course I'm here."

Suddenly a bright smile lit up her face.

"Sasha! It's really you! You're really here!"

"Yeah..."

The next thing I knew, she was hugging me.