TRAPPED IN HORRORLAND

CHAPTER SIX

"I don't believe it," Andy whispered to me. "Does this mean that Sheena was actually missing?"

All I can do is nod.

Mondo couldn't stop gaping at Sheena.

"I...I don't understand," he muttered. He wiped a sheen of sweat off of his bald head. "How did you—? I mean—where—?"

I knew for a fact that this wasn't part of the act. Somehow, in a very short amount of time, Sheena had disappeared and came back. The very thought baffled me. Was Billy right about HorrorLand all along?

Mondo looks at the audience with wide eyes, almost as if he just remembered we were there. "Thank you! Thank you!" he cried. He runs off of stage without even taking a final bow.

The theater doors swung open, and everyone left, leaving my siblings, Andy, and I behind, along with Billy and Matt. Carly Beth is eager to leave, but from what I overhear, Sabrina wants to stay.

I stand, making my way down the aisle as Billy and Matt rush onstage to greet Sheena. Billy engulfs her in a hug. "You're back! I can see you!"

I walked onstage, my siblings and boyfriend not far behind me. Sheena still seemed to be in a daze. Matt stared at her like she was an apparition that could disappear at any moment.

"Did something happen?" I asked the young teens.

Billy nods. I knew he would explain it later since he was clearly eager to ask Sheena all sorts of questions. "Where were you?" he demanded. "Do you know where you were? Did you see Britney and Molly? Were they okay? Did you talk to them? How did you get back?"

"Whoa, slow down," I said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Let her take some time to process this."

"I'm fine," Sheena answers in a shaky voice. She sits down on the edge of the stage and twirls a dark strand of hair between her fingers. "It's...hard to remember everything," she admitted softly.

"Well, try!" Billy insisted. He and Matt sit beside her. Angie slowly makes her way over to sit beside Matt. He smiles at her, and her cheeks turn bright pink. Andy, Tommy, and I continue to stand. I have my arms crossed over my chest as I wait for Sheena to speak.

I glance back at the audience to see that Sabrina and Carly Beth stood in the front row of seats, listening to our conversation.

"At first, everything was green, like a thick green fog," Sheena began. "Then I realized it was the Monster Blood. Remember? I got vacuumed up with all that Monster Blood?"

"Monster Blood?" I asked. I had heard of it before. Some kid talked about it on a television show that my dad liked to watch, called The Strange Report. I thought it was a made-up story, a script he was made to recite, but it seems like I was wrong all along.

"I was covered in that sticky goo," Sheena continued. "I...pulled it away from my eyes. And finally, I could see clearly."

"Where were you?" Billy demanded once more.