Lloyd and Pixel sit in Lloyd’s room, counting up money.“I have $100 right here!” Pixel shouts, waving a wad of money in the air. Lloyd takes it from herand places it in the safe. “Another $100!” She shouts handing it to him, adding, “And an extra $42.”“That totals to… $442,” Lloyd says, mildly surprised. Pixel breaks into a large grin.“Yes! Almost there!” She hollers.“Yeah! Have you figured anything else out yet?” Lloyd asks. To his shock, Pixels smile crumples,and she looks away. He suddenly wished he hadn’t said anything, wishing she would go back togrinning that smile of hers.“Well, maybe. I had another dream, about the boy, Val,” she begins tentatively, glancing at him. Henods, encouraging her to go on. “Val stands alone at the mouth of a cave. He glances around tryingto catch his breath. He doesn’t get the time. Shadows burst from the nearby forest, charging straightat him. Val starts running again, back into the forest. He knows the forest well, so he picks the mostdensely wooded path possible, hoping that he can loose the shadows. He hurdles a tree, and duckspast a low-hanging branch. His breath comes in short gasps as he races through the trees. But he’swearing out. These shadows have been chasing him for hours now, and despite his enhanced Feystamina, he can’t keep this up for much longer. He knows he has only one chance, and it’s risky, butif he stops, the shadows will tear him to shreds. So that’s why Val ducks off the path, and instead ofrunning towards the cave system where the rest of his village are hidden, he charges through theunderbrush in the opposite direction,” Pixel sucks in a great breath, preparing for the next part. “Valcrashes through the underbrush, making as much noise as he can and screaming random things.“I’m a *gasp* potato *gasp* you creepy *gasp* stalkers! *gasp* Eat potato *gasp* chips!” Hescreams, pushing himself to go faster.“Graahhhhgggg!” Is the only response he gets.“Yeah *gasp* hahaha. You’re *gasp* only Cheetos *gasp* which suck,” He tries to shout but itcomes out as a sort of strangled gasp. He can hear it now, the sweet sound of salvation. Yet Val isnot deceived. Though the roar of the waterfall is loud, it can be hundreds of meters away. Lungsburning and legs trembling, it’s all Val can do to keep running. He charges up a hill, leaps a log andducks a branch. Then he sees it. Glistening in front of him, laughing at him. The waterfall.Unfortunately, Val is at the top, not the bottom like he intended. As the shadow burst from the forestand begins to advance on him, he realizes he has no other choice; he needs to jump. Taunting themonster, Val backs away towards the edge. Suddenly, the shadow charges him, and Val ducks out ofthe way, causing the shadow to sail over his head and off the edge. Sighing, Val relaxes, but just ashe turns to go, something latches onto his foot, and drags him off the edge. The shadow falls withhim, towards the water down below. All too soon they hit the water. The cold sends sharp painsthrough him as he plunges in. He can’t feel his arms and legs, and his lungs are burning for air. Valstruggles towards the surface, but the water drags him back down. Stay with me. It whispers to him.Val gives one last feeble attempt to reach the surface as black eats at the corners of his vision. Thelast thought he has as the water wraps around him like a blanket is, I hope everyone is safe,” Pixelfinishes shakily.“What??? You can’t end a story like that! What happened to Val?” Lloyd yelps, leaping to his feet.Pixel shrugs helplessly and says, “I don’t know what happened to him. That was all I dreamed.And you’re right; that’s an evil way to end a story.”Lloyd glances back at the safe of money and says, “We better hurry. I think that there might besomething bigger happening, and I think your house is the key.”