The sand creaked with the new weight of the door-frame, although it didn’t give enough for it to topple. Amity dropped the rocks and stared into the frame. It seemed to open directly into Himiko’s room, where the portal was placed originally.

“Is that… just… home?”

The words echoed in all 5 minds, but nobody was able to speak. It took so long before anyone started stepping forwards. Katie, taking shaky, slow first steps, reaching her hand inside. It felt just the same. Just the same as their last taste of Earth.

She put her foot inside, and so too did the rest of them. Amity was the last to enter. The rocks needed to be picked up first.

On her knee, facing away from the portal and solemnly gazing into the sand, she uttered a thanks to the world for what it had done, and in spirit to Cornet, for as much as he seemed evil, it ended up being his assistance that saved them.

She stepped into the portal, and finally met up with the rest of the group as the portal shut near immediately behind her. “Oh my god… this is…”

Amity fell onto Himiko’s bed, taking it all in. The familiar scents, the quiet bustle of the late-night drivers, and the everlasting longing into the witch’s eyes really sealed the deal.“This is home.”

Everyone else sat on the bed, giving a pause before bursting out with their own exclamations. All of them were the same gist though. They’re back.

The mood did shift a tiny bit, as Raleigh plugged his phone back into a charger, eager to see what was going on since it died in their first week there. Unfortunately, they noticed something that would devastate them. All huddled around his phone, they watched as the screen turned on, showing logo after logo before finally, the time on the lock screen showed.

It was 4:45 AM. On the 18th, of September.

Nearly exactly one month later.

“It’s… September?”

“What- Oh, my god. It is.”

Himiko, with her hat set on the bedpost, started to cry. Not her first tears related to the incidents that led to this point. Amity sat beside her, reeled back from the screen.

“How did we spend a whole month there?”

“I don’t know! It really felt like less.”

“This is-” Amity sighed. “This isn’t the the time to bicker like this. We need to get to our families. They all surely think we’re dead by now.”

Himiko, Katie, and Raleigh agreed, but Kaiya had an objection.

“I… don’t know if I can do that.”

Raleigh questioned, when he was reminded of her origin. “I’d been there for months by the time you guys came, and another atop that. My family probably isn’t even here anymore; we were only here for the school.”

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“If I’m dead in their minds, why would they still be here?”

Everyone was shocked, the realization being pretty clear in their mind, but only one person stepped up to help. “Wanna stay with me, Kaiya?”

“Hm?”

Wiping tears from her eyes, and donning the hat again, Himiko offered for her to stay in her room for the time being. Until they can find Kaiya’s parents, and reunite them.

“I… seriously don’t know what to say. Thanks, really.”

***

A lighthearted chat and 15 minutes later, a bit after 5 in the morning, everyone besides Himiko and the newly-reintroduced-to-Earth girl hopped out of the window, making their way back home.

On the sidewalk directly outside the house, everyone made a solemn farewell, even if more-than-likely it was just for the night.

The window to Amity’s room still remained open, never having shut it when she leapt from it that one night. Even though it was a second-floor room, the wooden lattice she’d insisted on having under the guise of style (really, it was to help her sneak in and out) managed to come in clutch yet again to guide her back in.

Having never really seen the front of the house, Amity didn’t yet realize that her parents had made it home, but luckily, when she opened the door and made her way to the kitchen, the ever-morning-woman she knew as Mom didn’t begin to freak out, as she expected.

“Oh, hello Amity! Nice to see you back.”

“… Hi, Mom.”

A cup of coffee reached its end in her mouth, and she exhaled.

“So, where have you been?”

“I… uh..” She took a seat at the table. “I’m going to need you to believe me, alright?”

“Of course, sweetie.”

“I found…” Amity took a deep breath, rummaging through her pocket to find one of the active mediums. “I discovered magic. See?”

The quick example she put on, holding the rock in one hand and spitting fire from the other, was enough to make that believable (especially since there was a lack of any ways for her to fake it) but that didn’t quite answer the question.

“That’s amazing Amity,” she proclaimed, “but that doesn’t tell me where you were.”

“Sorry. I showed my friends, since you were on vacation still when I found it, and they managed to make some… magical portal.”

“I see. How did you get back?”

“We had to make it across basically an ocean on our own, but we found someone who gave us a portal to get back home, and we went through.”

There was a short pause. “That was nice of them. Are you alright from that whole trip?”

“I… think so.”

She didn’t tell her mom about the time she nearly died.

“Are all of your friends alright?”

“… mostly.”

She didn’t tell her mom about one of them dying. Or the injuries they had all sustained.

“Mostly?”

“We got a couple bumps and bruises, but we survived.”

Half truth.

“Well, I think you should take a nap in your room. You don’t look like you’ve slept in ages.”

Amity obliged, still thinking about some stuff.

Walking towards the stairs.

Why did she not freak out? I’ve been gone for a month, and she didn’t even blink when I showed up.

Are they okay at their homes?

Taking the first steps up.

I hope Himiko gets the chance to talk to Cynthia…

I hope she didn’t do it.

On the second floor.

Is Kaiya alright with Himiko? They seemed to at least be fine with each-other. Hopefully they’re fine.

Raleigh… He really seemed the least perturbed by the whole situation. He’s the only one I never saw cry.

The door creaks open, slowly.

Why does my room look so… off? Is it because I haven’t been here in a month? Maybe it got rummaged through as a part of the investigation.

No… the pile of laundry hasn’t been moved… but it looks weird to me. My computer is still set where it always was, guts half spilled out. I need to order that new card for it, so it can stop collecting dust.

Glancing around.

The toy I was printing with my 3D printer finished ages ago, but it looks like it came out well.

But it looks… somehow, the least manufactured.

Laid down.

My bed is soft, but unnervingly firm. It’s cold, I haven’t been here to warm it, but it somehow doesn’t feel like it ever missed a day of my touch.

Didn’t we paint these walls a bit lighter than that gray?

It doesn’t matter. I’m tired.

Eyes falling.

I’ll fall asleep.