"So let me get this straight," James Barnhill said. "You're telling me that I'm a character in the book your aunt wrote and it has an unfinished ending and YOU were sucked inside of it?"
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying," Nora replied with a slight tilt to the head.
James pounded his fist on the table they were sitting at outside the Happy Sunshine Cafe. "That's absurd!"
"Well, your story about your wife turning into a witch and transporting you and your daughter's here is a little far fetched, too." Nora smirked.
James was at a loss for words.
Nora took a sip of her lemonade then a serious expression came upon her face. "Sir, I really do know how to help you find your daughters, but you have to trust me. And we must hurry! Time may be running out!"
James sighed and stood up. "Alright...I guess if you really are serious it'd be pretty foolish of me to not listen. I'll pay the bill then we'll head out."
Nora grinned. "Great! I'll be waiting for you outside!"
******
Ten minutes later, Nora and James arrived at the place the book described where the ground had unexpectedly opened up and swallowed the three Barnhill sisters, Peggy, Martha and Bridget, and their new friends, the Martins.
"How do you expect this to help at all?" James cried as he stared at the perfect ground. "There's not a stone out of place!"
"I'm telling you this is where they disappeared!" Nora exclaimed. "We'll just have to wait and see what happens!"
"There's no time to wait and see what happens!" James shouted. "My daughter's are missing and we're just standing here staring at the ground!"
Nora sighed and said nothing for even she did not know what to say.
"I'm going to find my daughter's on my own!" James started to briskly walk away. "I can't believe I trusted a little girl! How foolish of me!"
Nora turned to go after James, but just then the ground opened up underneath her and she was swallowed into a seemingly bottomless pit.
Just like the one in the book.
