It's been two days since we were stranded here. The trees are definitely getting closer, and they're similar to the trees around the Collections House. Maybe they're even the same trees... but maybe that's just hopeful thinking.

Last night, we were all scared half to death when a faint wail began. It sounded distant. After a few seconds, it turned into a cry, and that turned to screaming. Not human screaming, just a horrible, piercing noise. We were all running around, completely spooked. After a while, the screaming stopped. We all tried and failed to sleep that night, and while lying awake, Person shot me a knowing look. The roars. Whatever was making that noise, I didn't want to know what it was. But the roars/screams weren't the only things that happened.

In the morning, I wake up, and everything is white. I stand up and rub my eyes to clear the white, and yell in surprise when I can't feel my own hands. I slap myself in the face a few times, and there's only a faint buzzing feeling. I stop panicking when I realize I've been here before. I saw Ray here, and the Collections House, and that axe that I made appear. But why am I here this time? Maybe I should be asking, what has been the same all of those times? I just can't seem to find anything. So I need to ask a different question: Why am I here? Well, I think I can answer that one. Each time I've been here, I've seen something important. The Collections House led us to the riddles and the P.A.T.H. I saw Ray here, and he was fine, even though in the real world he'd been babbling nonsense. The axe was necessary to prevent any other accidents. So I'm here to see something, probably. I just have to find out what. I sit and start waiting.

While I wait, I look at my surroundings. There's not much to see. The ground is completely flat and a very light gray. The rest of the world is white. I look down at my skin. It still has its regular color, but a much paler version of that color. And then something moves. Rolly is walking towards me quickly, like he's doing something urgent. He keeps looking over his shoulder, but there's nothing behind him.

"Rolly," I call out. "Rolly, over here." But Rolly continues to walk, not even glancing at me. He doesn't seem quite solid like I am. He looks the same as the Collections House did, like an illusion. I stand up and follow Rolly. He seems nervous as he travels, and suddenly he stops. So do I. Because somewhere not too far away, I can hear wailing. Which turns into a cry. Which becomes a scream. Or maybe a roar. Rolly looks around and wrings his hands together. The roars get closer, but Rolly doesn't move. The roars are definitely steadily coming closer, and I try to talk to Rolly again.

"Rolly, we've got to get out of here." Rolly gives no sign that he heard me. The roars are extremely loud now, as if a hideous creature is standing right in front of me, screaming. But there's nothing but sound. Then I feel a bit dizzy, and the white world starts to sway. I fall to my knees as my legs give way. The roaring fills my ears as everything turns blurry. The world seems to spin around me. I reach out to Rolly, trying to help him in this sea of horrible sound, but he stays put, looking nervous but not really scared. He must be unaware of the roaring, that the roars are coming for him. The world turns black, completely black, and the roaring fades. Wait, no- the world isn't black! My eyes are closed. I open them, expecting to see Rolly being ripped to shreds by a terrible beast, or maybe an army of terrible beasts. But all that greets my eyes is a lot of grass. Green grass. I can feel the grass and the wind. I'm back in the real world. I scramble to my feet. Rolly! Where's Rolly? I sigh in relief when I see him sleeping, just like Person, Shawn and Cass. He's fine. But he might not be for long. These weird vision things have all come true. So Rolly still could be surrounded by that terrible sound. I wonder about sharing this vision with the others. I don't think it's a great idea. After all, the Collections House made a lot of trouble.

Everyone else wakes up, and we begin our daily trek toward the trees. The warm breeze and blue sky should be refreshing, but I feel like I'm in a cold sweat. All I can see, all I can hear is Rolly, surrounded by roars, completely unaware that he's surrounded. I've been asked three separate times if I'm okay, and each time I mumble a reply about how I'm fine. But I'm not. None of us are, as the roars close in on Rolly in my mind.

The sun starts to fade into the horizon, and we settle down for the night. Once everyone's found a spot to sleep in, Cass crawls closer to me.

"You okay?" she asks.

"What, did you think I was lying the five other times you asked me?" Cass shoots me a look. "Okay, maybe I was. The truth is, I'm not okay. I'm not okay at all."

"I figured that out already," Cass says, concern in her voice. "I want to know what's bothering you." I hesitate. Should I tell Cass about Nothing Land?

"I don't know," I reply after a moment. "I just don't feel right."

"You don't know?" Cass asks, raising an eyebrow. She knows I'm lying.

"No," I continue to lie. Cass sighs.

"Okay, Wrive. I know you're lying, but if you don't want to tell me, that's fine. It's your decision. But I can't help anything that I don't know about."

"Thanks, Cass," I reply, relieved. Cass smiles, but it's forced. I turn my eyes to the sky, hoping I won't have to lie again. Thankfully, Cass soon begins to rise and fall gently. She's asleep. I need to get some rest, too. It's another day of traveling tomorrow. We've estimated that we could get to the trees tomorrow. I wonder what we'll do. The distraction named Axle has really threw us off course. I guess we'll start by finding Ray, if he's not in a burning Odds And Ends right now. Maybe Axle missed him. I drift off to sleep, planning our return to the forest.

I open my eyes, and I'm in a room. It's a big room with lots of colors and chairs. I'm sitting in a chair, but otherwise, the room is empty. There's a stand in the front of the room, the kind of stand you'd be behind to give a speech. A door near the stand opens, and Shiran walks out. Wait- Shiran? Shiran is dead. And this room! I can't be here. I'm sleeping in a plain!

"This is a dream!" I moan, face-palming.

"Of course it's a dream," Shiran replies, sounding irritated. He stands behind the podium in the front of the room, and a stack of papers appear in his hands. He begins looking through them.

"I need to wake up," I say aloud.

"Not yet, Wrive Tacking," Shiran protests. I frown. No one uses my last name. Shiran clears his throat.

"I hereby call this court session to order," he announces. "We are here to discuss the fate of Wrive Tacking." I roll my eyes. "Wrive can defend himself. And the bearer of the case against him can be... oh, I don't know. How about a duck?" There's a flash of light in a seat near me, and a human-sized duck appears. It's wearing a fancy suit, but looks stupid.

"A duck?" I ask, folding my arms. "Really?" Shiran shrugs.

"Hey, this is your dream, not mine. I don't know why there's a duck. But anyway... Wrive, please bring forth your case."

"I'm not bringing forth anything," I reply. Shiran's eyes turn red, and he grows massive. The room bursts into flame.

"DO IT!!!" he roars.

"Okay!" I yell. Everything turns back to normal, and Shiran smooths his hair.

"Wonderful." I walk up to the stand and face the sea of chairs, only one of which is occupied. The duck's eyes begin to cross.

"Well, um..." I turn to Shiran. "What's my case?"

"You're pleading not guilty," he informs me. I nod.

"Right. Well, I'm not guilty because I didn't kill anyone. Or steal anything. Plus I've never- well, I have broken into a building with intent to ruin pretty much everything inside, but-" The duck points a wing accusingly.

"Guilty!" he booms in a deep, manly voice. I roll my eyes and continue.

"But that's not the point. The point is, I'm innocent." I smile. This is almost fun. Plus, it's a dream, so I might as well get into it.
"I believe in justice, people! I believe in rights, and equality! Come on, people! Would I really... do whatever it is that you think I did?" Shiran applauds politely.

"Very well done. What can Mr. Duck say to prove your guilt?" I sit down in my chair again, and the duck takes the stage.

"I believe," the duck begins in a deep voice. "I believe that Mr. Tacking didn't kill anyone. I believe that he didn't steal anything. But he has no defence against his own lies. He knows that Axle is his aunt. But he keeps it a secret. He thinks that one of his friends will be surrounded by monsters! But he tells no one. Wrive Tacking is therefore guilty." I bite my lip. Maybe the duck is right. But luckily, he's just part of a dream, so-

"Guilty, guilty, guilty!" the duck chants. "Guilty, guilty, guilty!" The chant continues, and images begin flashing through my head. Axle, Nothing Land, Fred.

"Guilty, guilty, guilty!" The world begins to spin. The duck laughs, but the chanting continues. All the lies I've told flash in front of me, and the truth makes me pale. Too many lies. I'm guilty.

"Guilty, guilty, guilty!"

I wake up, gasping. Shiran, the weird duck, all the lies, it was just a dream. I try to control my breathing. But I know that for the rest of the day, there will be a duck haunting me, telling me that I''m guilty. And what's worse- I know he's right. I'm guilty, guilty, guilty.