Mal checked her pocket for the remote. It was still there. She sighed in relief.
Who had pushed Mal away from the door and brought her back to safety? It could only be some kind of friend or ally. She dimly recalled hearing Evie’s voice calling to her, along with Jay and Carlos yelling.
Her friends had helped her. They had her back somehow. They had carried Mal away from Uma. She didn’t know how they’d managed it, but deep in her heart, she knew they were the ones who’d gotten her to safety. If only she could remember what had really happened down under the waves. Yet, as she stood on the dock, she had already begun to forget what she was trying to recall.
She was standing on the dock when Dizzy appeared in front of her once more.
“Dizzy?” she asked uncertainly.
“Yeah, who else would it be? Are you okay?” asked Dizzy.
“It’s the strangest thing. I was walking through the woods, and I came across this glowing orb thing and…” Had she told Dizzy this already? Why did she feel such déjà vu? “And you were Uma—you were speaking in Uma’s voice. Then I was underwater, but I could swim.”
Dizzy frowned. “Ohhhhkay, maybe you shouldn’t go back to Auradon just yet. I could give you a makeover! That’ll make you feel better.”
Mal was still confused. Then she saw something in Dizzy’s hand. She reached for it and studied it.
“You like?” asked Dizzy, offering it to Mal.
It was a seashell necklace.
“Actually, no, I think it might clash with your outfit,” said Dizzy, taking it back.
Then that familiar voice whispered from the woods. Mal…
This time, Dizzy heard it too. “Did you hear that?” she asked nervously.
Mal looked all around, chills running up and down her spine. She knew that voice. “Dizzy, I think we might want to get out of here,” she said. “There’s danger coming. I can feel it. And I think it might be headed for Auradon.” She took Dizzy’s hand and led her away from the shoreline.
Then Mal took the seashell necklace from Dizzy, threw it on the ground, and stepped on it.
hen Evie, Jay, and Carlos arrived back at the hideout, Mal was already there, safe and sound. Evie felt a huge rush of relief at the sight of her friend. She hadn’t realized she was so worried until the weight of it fell away. She ran up to Mal and gave her a quick hug.
“Where were you guys?” Mal asked, returning Evie’s hug with a grateful expression.
“Looking for you!” said Jay, giving her a fist-bump. “We went around the whole island!”
“Your hair!” said Evie, pulling away to look at it from an objective distance. “You got a haircut?”
Mal patted her new wavy locks, now cut into a long bob. “I ran into Dizzy.”
“That girl is a genius,” said Evie admiringly.
“You like?” asked Mal.
“Love,” affirmed Evie.
“A haircut? At this time of night?” asked Carlos. “I’ll never understand women.”
The girls laughed. Then Mal turned to Evie and stared at her closely. “Um, Evie? You know you really look like your mom?” asked Mal.
Evie ran to the nearest mirror. “I do! Isn’t that weird? I never wear my makeup this way. I should get it off before I frighten any children.”
“Well, we’re glad you’re safe. That we’re all safe,” said Jay.
“Safe on the Isle of the Lost. Now that’s new,” said Carlos with a grin. “Oh, by the way, I have an idea on how to get more kids to apply to Auradon Prep.”
“You do? What is it?” asked Evie.