The room shook violently for a few seconds before a loud popping sound resounded across the entire hall. Several plates fell off the tables, shattering on the floor below in the commotion. Sarah had no idea what was going on, but this didn’t seem good. Was it tied to why Ethel and Alfred had to excuse themselves? Where was Serilina? She knew far more about all of this world.


    “Is everyone okay?” Sarah called across the room, quickly scanning it for any obvious injuries. The kids looked fine so far. Four capybaras were running back and forth, accessing everyone and everything. She spotted one of the odd people her husband had called ogres walking toward her, looking worried. She thought her name was Robin.


    “We’ve got a problem,” they whispered in her ear.


    “Kind of figured that already, but what’s going on?” Sarah asked, her worry deepening. Someone from the voidhouse should have checked in by now.


    “Whatever happened out there, we aren’t in the voidhouse anymore. I didn’t want to explore anything yet, but I took a quick look outside after I felt everything shift like that, and then my collar just stopped working. It’s pretty dark out there, but I think I saw trees,” Robin explained. Was it possible they were still in the Gardens, and something had just changed there then? That didn’t seem likely, but then what had happened?


    Serilina appeared next, joining their discussion with her strange cat. “So, whatever that was, wasn’t good. Mr. Wiggles even looks worried, and this cat has seen it all,” she said.


    “Phil, could you come here for a second?” Sarah yelled into the crowd of people, who had mostly resumed their games, if a bit more nervous after what had happened. These kids were able to bounce back from a lot, and she hoped they weren’t about to add even more to it. The man stood up from a chair he had been sitting at with a younger group of the kids, excused himself gently, and joined them.


    “What’s up? I assume that quake thing wasn’t normal then?” Phil asked.


    “Not as far as any of us know, then again, I don’t believe any of us are experts on how their realms or loops work. Serilina I believe I had heard you recently joined them as well?” Sarah asked, looking at the young Gryalth lady.


    “Yeah, I know a bit, but Libby was the real expert there,” she replied.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    “Okay. Well, Robin here thinks says things are very different outside, and we are going to need to figure out how different, and just where we may be now. While we do that, I want you to stay with the kids and keep them calm and having fun, Phil. If you can, let the other staff know about what’s going on,” Sarah explained.


    “I’ll do what I can, but uh, this is all kind of insane to me. Remember, I only just learned this all existed at all,” Phil replied.


    “Yes, I’m beating you by a whole month or so, which means I think you can make do as well as I am,” Sarah responded.


    “Fair point, I’ll try to let Lightspeed know something’s up without spooking the kids, he can clue the others in,” Phil said.


    “Thank you, alright, let’s go see what’s going on outside,” Sarah replied, nodding to Phil and heading off with the others toward the exit from the building.


    As they neared the exit from the building, Sarah thought she heard a weird chittering sound from the other side of the door. Robin stepped in front of her before she could open it, giving her a knowing look of potential danger, and gently pushed the other two women away from the doors before pulling it open.


    “WHERE IS BUG? WHERE ARE WE?” a giant centipede screamed in fear as it scurried through the newly opened doors followed by a giant spider that sounded like it was crying.


    “Woah woah, everyone calm down. These two are part of the voidhouse, I don’t know if you’ve met them, Sarah, but they are perfectly nice. Many Legs, Many Eyes, what happened?” Serilina asked, looking at the two oversized animals.


    “We were sunbathing on top of the school, Ethel said we could, said to guard the kids, it was our special job, Bug approved, then everything shook, sky went dark. Don’t want to be alone again forever in the caves, like it here, like friends,” Many Eyes said in rapid, broken sentences, sounding terrified. Sarah tried to remember what Ethel had mentioned about these two. Something about being friendly and dangerous to enemies but ultimately stuck at the mental state of kids. She had their files somewhere in her office and would need to read them over later, but at the moment, she was glad to have them in case they were trapped somewhere dangerous.


    “It’s okay guys; I don’t know what happened, but you’re safe in the school with us. Do you want to come with us outside to see if we can figure out where we are, or go to the main hall with everyone else?” Sarah asked, looking at them.


    “Many Legs will come with you. If Bug and Ethel aren’t here, we must protect the school, like Bug said. Many Eyes will stay here, guard children,” the giant centipede said.


    “Yes, Many Legs is right, I’ll protect children, Bug would want that,” the large spider agreed.


    “Alright, Many Eyes, go join up with Phil. Actually, you may not know him. Go find the Captain Lightspeed or the capybaras, tell them what happened, and see where they want you, okay?” Sarah said.


    “Will do!” the spider replied, immediately scurrying off toward the hall.


    “Everyone else, let’s go figure out where we are, and please be careful,” Sarah said, looking out into the darkness. Robin had been right. She could spot some odd dark trees around them. Were they in a forest now? Hopefully, that meant there was a sunrise coming.