A lot of things happened in the space of a few meagre moments and Abigail was barely cognisant for most of them. The events from two days prior were mostly a blur for the girl. She was gripped at the wrist, dragged this way and that amongst shouts and crashes, then thrown into a purple light by the photographer. She stumbled slightly upon crossing the threshold. She watched the bodies get up and reorient themselves in the real world. The photographer approached her.

"Hey, sorry about all the force. Name's David, I work for the local papers. You ever need to uh, talk to somebody about this whole thing, call me. I promise it won't end up on Araminta Daily. No one would believe me anyway." A small business card was placed in her hand. She looked down at it, then back up at David. Clenching her jaw, she took a couple steps backwards and took off in a jog towards home.

It took Tyler a long time to recover from witnessing another disappearance and, as expected, Abigail didn't provide much of a commentary about her experiences in The Outside. "But," Tyler sniffled, "We've got to go to the police. The cops - they'll know what to do. The military…?"

"Mmn," Abigail responded distractedly. She was getting her homework done.

"How can you just sit there and do algebra after all that?! Fuck's sake, Abi, what if that's where Emily is?"

"Then she's probably dead." Abigail turned her gaze back up to Tyler reproachfully, glaring holes at her shining, tear-stained cheeks. "I told you. I'm not getting involved. Whatever it was probably wasn't real anyway, some stupid hoax for a reality TV show...I don't want anything to do with it," she waved her hand dismissively.

"You can't be serious. After everything that's been going on here!" Tyler shouted, slamming her fist on the table. Abigail flinched and froze as the woman slightly lifted her hand, let out a little choked sob and stepped back, rubbing her face.

"... Maybe I should get another transfer," Abigail said at length after a very drawn out and quiet moment in the house.

"N-no. I'm sorry. Don't go, you're right, I'm just-...what if it takes you too?" Tyler asked.

"Then I won't have to worry about getting a job?" Abigail offered up sardonically, watching the grief stricken woman deflate into nervous chuckling. "If it happens again, or I'm gone longer than three days straight, I give you permission to do what you want. But whatever's going on is dangerous. You should just cut your losses and move on."

"I can't," Tyler murmured. "You're still my lil' girl. You're all family to me."

"Mmn. Can I have some of your clothes?"

"...What?"

"They-...make me feel safe. Smells like you."

Two days later and Abigail was getting used to the weight of the backpack with the added gear. Homework, stationery, her charger - but now a full change of clothes, mace, a Swiss army knife. A torch. Matches. Food. A water filter...Joseph brought her to a Mountain Warehouse store to get some extra stuff after the incident and now she was traipsing around in thermals and a windbreaker. It was embarrassing and she could feel everyone's eyes on her, despite just looking uncharacteristically sporty and carrying a full bag with her. The girl had headed to the library that day to finish off her biology assignment and look up some campfire and shelter techniques to make notes about. As she walked in she passed three familiar faces - some overweight Chinese woman, the photographer and the mousy girl that opened the portal - and made brief eye contact. She made her way away from the occult section and sat at a desk, grunting as she took off her backpack and got out her notepad, biology book and pen. Pulling the brim of her baseball cap down a little bit further, Abigail got to work.