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SIXTEEN

It's a very long day for JimJim and SueSue. They eat breakfast. They double check to be sure they have their stuff in their book bags. They get to school on time. After that, they try to pay attention. It's definitely not easy. They want to talk with each other. They want to figure out a strategy to rescue the other Council Kids.

JimJim arrives at school. He goes to his classroom. He sits at his desk. He looks around the classroom. His mouth drops open. He can't believe what he sees. It can't be true.

It's TT. He is there. He is sitting at his desk. He is smiling. He is playing with his gadget. How can that be?

The other two Shadow Kids are there too. They are whispering and poking at the kids in front of them. It looks like they are trying to get some trouble started. They are definitely nothing but a couple of bullies.

It's like nothing has changed. Could JimJim have imagined everything about the Council Kids and the Shadow Kids? It's like he just dreamed it all up.

The day creeps along. The two kids who were getting poked end up in timeout. TT and the other two Shadow Kids act like everything is just dandy.

JimJim tries to pay attention. He thinks about PosterGuy and the other Council Kids. He wants to talk with SueSue. He can't understand what is happening. He watches the clock.

The school day finally ends. JimJim rushes home. SueSue is busy. She does not have time to talk.

JimJim eats dinner. He does his homework. He is in his room. He is just staring out his window when he hears the voice.

"We need to talk."

The voice does not surprise JimJim. He does not think about it. He just says, "What is happening, PosterGuy?"

It takes a second for JimJim to notice that there is something wrong here. He turns and stares. It's PosterGuy. It's definitely him.

PosterGuy pops off his poster. He sits on the old ball cap on JimJim's shelf. He smiles.

JimJim catches his breath. He sees what is wrong. He can barely talk. He takes another deep breath. He says, "You aren't here. You can't be here. You are in the Great Council Hall. The Shadow Kids captured you but here you are. You really are here. How did you escape?"

At that exact minute, there is a knock on JimJim's door. SueSue peaks in. She says, "Who are you talking to?"

JimJim just points at PosterGuy. SueSue is very surprised. PosterGuy just sits there and smiles. JimJim sits on the edge of his bed. SueSue sits on the desk chair. PosterGuy just keeps smiling.

For a while, no one says anything. SueSue and JimJim stare at PosterGuy. They look at each other. PosterGuy keeps smiling.

PosterGuy says, "You are definitely right about that. TT and the other two Shadow Kids captured me and the other Council Kids. I was trapped under one of those purple shadows.

"TT was yelling at me. I was getting very worried. I didn't know how to escape. I didn't know what was going on with all of that."

PosterGuy stands up. He yawns. He stretches. He says, "I am very tired. I'm exhausted. Escaping used up all of my energy. I just hate it when that happens."

PosterGuy stretches one more time. He bumps the old ball cap he was sitting on. It falls to the floor. PosterGuy does not notice. JimJim reaches and tosses it back onto the shelf without looking where it goes.

PosterGuy pops onto his poster. He says, "This is better. I'm more comfortable on my poster."

PosterGuy explains that he was in the Great Council Hall. He was in the corner. He was hiding with JimJim and SueSue. He was doing some staring. A purple shadow snuck up on him. Poof. He was at the Council table. He was in his chair. There was a purple shadow covering his head.

It took a long time. PosterGuy finally figured out how to escape. He concentrated. He imagined his poster. He imagined being on his poster. He concentrated. Poof. He was on his poster. He was stuck to the wall of the Great Council Hall.

PosterGuy watched for a while. Nothing changed. The other Council Kids were still captured. No, something was different. Where were TT and the other two Shadow Kids? They were gone.

PosterGuy watched a while longer. He saw it. More things were different. The purple shadows were gone too. The Council was having a meeting. It was just a regular meeting. It was like nothing ever happened.

JimJim and SueSue listen to PosterGuy's story. They listen carefully. It's like nothing important was going on. It's like they imagined everything. It's like a dream but they know it isn't just a dream. Something very strange is happening.