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“The graphic novels,” Nick murmurs.

“Yeah.” Another piece slides into place. “They’d made that TV series, and some of the cast were doing a panel and a meet-and-greet a couple of states away. We got tickets and stayed through Sunday, even though we knew we'd be pulling an all-nighter to get back.”

Nick frowns, concentrating. “I had a test.”

“Monday morning.” I point at him. “You were studying in the backseat while Granger and I took turns driving.”

Granger presses both hands to the sides of his head. “I’m getting bits and pieces.”

“We offered to keep driving,” I continue, following the memory as it unfolds. “But you said you needed a break anyway.”

Nick nods slowly. “So we stopped.”

Another flash.

Darkness. Music. Hundreds of people.

Orange lights strung across a town square.

“It was Halloween,” I say.

Granger looks up sharply. “We were starving and still hours from campus. We passed through a town called Stream in the Woods.”

Dr. Karloff makes a small sound beside us, but I barely hear him.

I can see it now. “There was a huge party in the town square. Nobody cared that we were strangers. It was just…” I shake my head. “The more, the merrier.”

"You guys drank the punch?" Toto asks.

All three of us nod.

“Yeah.” Nick’s expression becomes distant. "We drank the punch and—"

He stops.

I remember the same moment he does.

The woods.

“We went for a walk,” Nick whispers. His eyes fly to mine. "Vera!"

My stomach drops. “Vera took us that night.”

Granger screws up his face, fighting for the memory. "She dragged us into the woods."

I suddenly remember the rest. “She cast a spell.” I remember the pain tearing through my body and my knees hitting the ground. “We all went down. I think she thought she’d killed us.”

Then I remember her crouching in front of me, her cold fingers closing around my jaw as she peered into my eyes.

Well, what do we have here?

A chill runs through me. That was the first time I heard her cackle. The sound that still haunts my dreams.

"That's why she took us to Oz."

Nick shudders.

Toto immediately reaches for him, patting his back and squeezing his good arm. He stiffens, closing his eyes at her touch.