The Nightmare Gateway and Beyond (II)

As Dennis and Dj headed to do their own thing. They went to pay a visit to Sara at her house.

Inside the forested area, they walked upon a pathway of maple leaves and stopped behind a rock. They saw animal footprints surrounding the housing.

"Okay... I hate to say this, but I think we may have an animal ns targeting an innocent..."

Dennis said next to Dj while looking around.

"Or Flora had a nightmare and it manifested."

Dj said. He then grabbed a rock and was ready to use it at any moment.

"If you're correct... Why hasn't your eyes or my left eye triggered by a ns?"

When Dennis made the question. Dj was aware of what was going on. They then peaked over by the rock they were standing behind and saw a black mist coming from the nearest window.

"Small place for you to use a sword... We doing this the old-fashioned way?"

Dj asked Dennis. He then turned over to Dennis and saw him putting on a pair of gloves.

"Old fashioned way seems good to me. Now let's go. We I have a few things to settle before we leave."

Dennis said to Dj. He then snapped his fingers and made an ice bridge out of black ice. They both crossed over to take a look at the window. From a first glance from their eyesight. The only thing that they saw was that the room was pitch black.

"We bust in on the count of three?"

Dj asked. He was waiting on Dennis's signal so that he can break the window.

"Hold it."

Dennis said to Dj. He then pressed a button on his belt and it gave him a flash bang.

"Now we can go in."

Dennis said. Dj then took that Dennis word as in breaking the window. He punched a hole in the window and Dennis tossed in the flash bang. A few seconds passed by and the flash bang went off. It released an intense light that was strong enough to get rid of the black mist.

"I'm going in. If I don't get out in 5 minutes. Blow the place up and make an apology letter to Sara and everyone else. Also, carry out my will pass it to my son."

"You're exaggerating Dennis. I give you ten minutes to grab Flora if she is there."

"Got it."

Dennis then went in through the front door and saw that everything was intact. The couch, table, chairs. Nothing got damaged from the flash bang. Dennis then proceeded towards the kitchen and saw some stairs to his right.

"Let's see... No markings, no tracks. Last thing I would expect is a hostage situation but that would be a mistake..."

Dennis said to himself. He then went upstairs to the next floor and saw 4 doors around him. Two to his left, one to his right, and one in front of him.

"That one."

Dennis said to himself while pointing at the door in front of him. He then placed his right ear on the door to hear out if there was someone on the other side, but it was too quiet.

"Five more minutes before this place goes bye-bye..."

Dennis said to himself. He looked at his left hand and had a spell readied up just in case he needs to fight something. Then he opened the door with his right hand and entered. From left to right, there was nothing that could be a threat. There was only furniture to the wall, and a bed centered to his left. It was the only thing leading to finding a clue.

"Sara is not home. Flora should have been out of the house... Then who is staying here?"

As soon as Dennis asked himself. He took another look at the bed and saw slight movements. Without thinking, Dennis grabbed the bedsheet and pulled it away.

"You got to be kidding."

Dennis said to himself and immediately called off the spell, but what he saw surprised him. He saw a girl around 13 to 14 and they looked a lot like Vanessa. They had orange hair with a frontal curve, cream-colored skin and they were using a light blue pajama.

"Hmm... Is it morning already...?"

The girl asked in a soothing voice that made Dennis take one step back.

"It is about to be nine a clock in the morning and excuse me for this..."

Dennis said to the girl. He then opened the window, prepared a sock ball and threw it at Dj.

"Dude!!"

"Hurry and get in!"

Dennis said to Dj. Before Dennis could get out of the room. He was grabbed from the left end of his coat, and as he turned around. He saw the girl clinging on to him.

"Mister... Do you know where my friend is...?"

The girl asked. Dennis then turned around to have a better look. He raised an eyebrow while staring into the girl's bright blue eyes.

"Wait... I know that innocent look... Lota?"

"Dennis?"

Lota asked after recognizing Dennis. Then her eyes widened and jumped on his back in content.

"Dennis! I thought I would never get the chance to see you again!"

Lota said out loud that even Dj could overhear it from downstairs.

"This better be good."

Dj said to himself, and he was hearing hard, fast footsteps from the stairs.

"Dj! You will not believe who I just found!"

Dennis said while shouting. When he made it downstairs. Dj saw Lota on Dennis's back and it surprised him.

"Dennis, what have you done?"

"Finding an old friend and family member."

"Brother Dj!"

Lota then jumped off Dennis and on to Dj. Dj quickly stood up and catches Lota to only fall down again on the couch.

"We need to contact your mom and tell her the news."

Dj said. Dennis then heard Dj and called Vanessa, but she didn't respond.

"No response... I think we should keep going and try calling later."

Dennis said. He then sat down and waited for Lota to get changed.

"Dennis, we got to take her back to her mother."

"I know... But something is telling me she will not go back."

"How can you tell?"

Dj asked. He then leaned forward and looked at Dennis.

"I know she is young, and she needs to be at their parent's side, but it is their choice to go back, not ours. You and I know that, and we have to do our part in both worlds."

Dennis said to Dj. He then stood up and looked at the time.

"Alright, count me in, but if she joins us. You better take responsibility."

"I know, I will let nothing happen to her until I die."