"I suppose we should go back and get the album," Caitlin said later.
Meg and Jess had scrubbed their hands thoroughly in the puddle of rainwater, though each still occasionally sniffed their fingers, making sure there wasn't any of the strange yellow dust left on their hands.
"Oh, I brought it," David said, going to where he'd put the book.
"You didn't touch it, did you?"
"No, I wrapped it in my hanky," he replied, bringing it towards the fire. "Hey, Meg, Cait, the girl on here looks like you! Check out the clothing though," he laughed.
"It's our mother," Caitlin said, quietly. "Or at least, we're pretty sure it is. Need to have a closer look. Can we borrow your hanky?"
"Sure."
The girls crowded around the album by the fire, carefully wiping the album with David's handkerchief, and using it to turn the pages. The photos started out normally - Kat, often alone, sometimes on the arm or lap of a boy - the boy's heads had all been chopped out with scissors, except for one. Any photos with Kat and a guy with blond spiked hair, pale skin, and glasses were intact.
"Gods, Mam doesn't look too impressed, does she?" Cait asked, pointing at one particular photo, where the blonde boy was holding her tight against him.
The photos following that one no longer had the blonde boy in them - they seemed to be in the distance. Some of Kat and Jade, some Kat and Nicole, some of Kat with other people, but mainly Kat by herself, and from the look of the photos, she hadn't known she was being photographed. Then there was a photo of Kat tied to a bed.
The girls sat back, and exchanged glances.
"Should we be looking at this?"
"It's very creepy."
"We must have found it for a reason."
"I vote we keep looking."
"There's more of Mum further on," Jess added. "They're... disturbing."
"Alright. Let's look."
Caitlin turned the page, then flicked forward a few pages to get past the disturbing images of her mother, tied and blindfolded.
"Hey, look, that's our house!"
The photo was of Kat, holding a small boy on her hip, talking to Jade.
"There's no question now that these are our mothers, is there?"
"Nope," Jess agreed. "Look at how pregnant Mum is. And that's Jimmy Aunt Kat is holding."
"I was sort of looking at the 'die bitch' and black scribbling."
"I was trying to ignore that."
"The newspaper behind it is an announcement of congratulations for Mum and Dad's approaching wedding," Meg commented. "Dated 29 January 2005."
"Twenty years ago," Jess commented.
"Nineteen, but near enough. Mum and Dad's 20th Wedding anniversary next year."
"Who do you reckon that blonde guy is?"
"You think he's creepy guy?"
The girls exchanged glances again.
"Gods, it could be. He knew so much about Mum."
"But he didn't know Mum was married, didn't you say, Jess?"
"Yeah, but that could have been an act. He has blonde hair and glasses like this guy."
"And the initials on the front of the album say MS. Does anyone know Mark's last name?"
"No... And he was creepy."
"I don't think we should trust him," Jess said.
"We already don't."
"I think we should be extra careful. Let's ask the boys what they think."
"Let's finish looking at the album, first."
THe girls finished looking through the album, finding more mutilated photos of Jade, and photos of Darryl, Marc, and another guy who they didn't know with their heads snipped off with scissors, except for one photo of the other guy with a knife in his chest.
"That must be a prank, right?"
"Must be," Meg assured her twin, turning the page quickly.
"Aw, look at the kittens. They must be Ten and Lucius, don't you think?"
"Gosh, Mum must have had them for a long time if it is."
"She had them for 18 years or something, remember? Aunt Yasmin gave them to her, the year she met Dad."
"Yeah."
They flicked past photos of silhouettes taken through curtains and more mutilated photos of Jade, and finally reached the end of the album, which was blank.
Meg closed the album.
"What do we do?"
"Let's talk to the boys."

***

Jade got off the helicopter, feeling green. Flying did not agree with her. She hoped being on solid ground would stop the nausea quickly. James stood nearby, with Mal at his side, and Marc was shaking hands with the guy who'd approached them, one of his arms around Kat's waist. Jade watched as Marc introduced James and Mal to the guy, then Kat hugged him, and Jade's curiosity was piqued. She straightened, and joined Kat and Marc.
"Jade," the man said, and it took Jade several moments to place the voice.
"Oh my God! Mark!"
"Hello Jade." He said softly and then allowed himself to be hugged.
"It's been a long time, I'm sorry it is under such a situation."
Jade nodded feeling tears threaten to spill. James moved closer to his mother and allowed her to lean on him. She looked weak and frail. He kept his concern hidden from her.
"Come we best move inside." Mark guided them inside. Several of the students nodded in recognition but politely held their distance. By now the whole camp had been halted and they had done little but stay indoors feeling useless. Alison Parker and Kieron Tanner both greeted Jade, Marc and Kat with apologies. Jade felt like cutting them off but held her tongue tight. They moved to a different room so they other students couldn't hear. They explained how Mark had tried to track them but the rain had made it impossible for him and he was the best tracker.

"The odd thing is that the rain hasn't reached here." Mark commented and pointed on a map. "It has remained almost stationary covering a six kilometre radius. There is only one cabin up there."
He paused looking at Kat and then quickly looked away. Whilst Mal and James had not understood Kat and Jade's face paled.
"Is there anything else?" Marc asked, holding Kat closer to him.
"I am aware of four caves but there are probably more. Search and rescue are on there way but with the rain it isn't safe to fly through and they wouldn't be able to see much anyway. They have enough food to last them if they rationed well maybe another two days." Mark's face was grave.

The group was lead to another cabin where they could stay but they couldn't rest. Jade paced back and forth so much that Kat ended up snapping at her and then instantly apologised. They both were tense. Marc had been looking like he was trying not to say something and then eventually stood up.
"Can't you sense them out?"
"Tried love, can't seem to reach them. Even with Jade's help.
"Again our gifts fail us." Jade says bitterly.
"Gifts! Jade that's it. Draw!
"What? You want a self portrait now!?" Jade says incredulously.
"I don't think that's what Marc means. Remember when you drew Michael watching Marc and then me at my house. What if you draw."
"I... I haven't drawn for ages."
"That's not true, I saw you drawing the other day." Kat said and felt instant regret.
"Mum, please, it may be the only way to save Jessie, Megan and Cait."
"I know. But..."
"It's okay Hun, I know you can do it." Kat said soothingly.

Paper and pencil was brought to Jade and she tried to concentrate. Eventually she burst into tears. Kat realised they were all putting pressure on her, pressure Jade was probably not ready for. She shooed everyone out of the cabin and then held Jade. Several minutes later Jade held onto Kat's hand and picked up the pencil again, shaking as she marked a few strokes. Kat never let go of Jade's left hand and watched as the image unfolded. It was clearly the entrance of a cave though it was obscured but rain. Kat was still amazed at the detail. You could see every crack and crevice in the rock. An owl hiding in a hole of a tree peering out. Details that were only softened by the rain that Jade also drew. Half an hour later Jade dropped the pencil in exhaustion also dropping Kat's hand. Kat managed to catch her as Jade crumpled in her chair. She sent a swift thought to Marc who appeared minutes later and helped move Jade to a bed. James came in and kept watch by her sisters side. Kat sent Mal to find some hairspray. He looked at her oddly but complied. He came back several minutes later and Kat sprayed the picture helping seal the pencil marks in. Mal nodded in understanding afterwards. Kat handed him the can and then took the drawing to Mark.

"Does this help to narrow it down?" She asked.
Mark studied the picture. He could see a couple of faces peering out the cave entrance. The Owl was so detailed. "I don't recognise the cave."
"There has to be something." Kat insisted.
Mark looked again, more closely at the picture. "Actually maybe. This Owl, we have tracked him before. We had caught him last year and helped repair a broken wing, I recognise his face. Plus he is in a ___ tree. They are common around this forest but..." Mark walked over to the map again which had a big red circle on it from where their search area was. "These trees only take up this area" Mark said, drawing on the map. "That makes the search area down to a three and a half kilometre radius."
Kat looked a little more hopeful.
"That's still a big area Kat. Plus it's a lot to go on from just a drawing. Which I am not even sure I want to know about do I? You always were a bit mystical, is this one of those things?"
"Yes." Kat replied.
"Okay. But I am not sure how I am going to explain to search and rescue why we are going to narrow our search field."
"You'll think of something. Thanks Mark."
Kat left and told the others the news.

***

"Did you just see that?" Meg asked softly to Cait and Jess.
"See what?"
"I could have sworn I just saw Aunt Jade standing outside the cave in the rain.
"That's not possible."
"It felt like she was near," Jess said quietly, "but I didn't see her."
"I hope that means they are close." Cait said. "I can't sense a thing through this rain."
"You know I have always liked the rain but right now..." Megan didn't finish her sentence.

"Come on you three, we need to eat to keep our energy up." David called to them.
The girls moved away from the cave entrance where they had been refilling some of the canteens. They moved towards the fire seeking warmth. David moved towards Jess and held her in his arms as she shivered. She wasn't cold but she could feel a sense of dread.

***

"Meg?"
"Cait?"
"Come outside with me."
Megan and Caitlin slipped quietly from the fire, and Caitlin pulled Megan against the wall to whisper.
"The rain's stopped. Let's try and reach Mum."
"Good idea. The others are asleep, let's go now."
The twins slipped out into the night, carefully taking their bearings before moving into a slightly cleared area. They kneeled together in the damp grass, joining hands and pressing their foreheads together, thinking of their mother.
Moments later, they smiled, as they smelled her perfume.
"Mamma!"
"My girls," Kat breathed, crushing them both to her. "Are you alright? Are you injured?"
"No, Mamma. Not hurt. Just cold, and lost."
"You found shelter?"
"Yes, Mam, found a cave. But Mam..."
"Yes, love?"
"There was... someone had lived here before. And they knew you, and Aunt Jade. There were... photos. Awful photos."
"Michael," Kat breathed, and Meg and Cait were surprised at the sudden transformation of their mother, who had instantly erected a strong protective barrier around them.
"The creepy guide who left us?" Cait asked.
"No, my loves, Michael is long dead. And still he haunts us. I'll tell you about it when we're home again."
Kat seemed to notice the barrier then, and carefully deconstructed it.
"Now, what can you tell me that will help us find you?"
Meg and Cait both thought back over all they'd seen since getting lost, but there weren't any distinctive landmarks. Then, Meg remembered a tree, struck by lightning. It was long dead, split down the middle.
"Where is that tree?"
"It's on the top of the hill that the cave is in."
"I know where that is. Can you make it to the top of the hill?"
"We can try."
"Daddy and I will be there tomorrow."
"Cait?"
The twins jerked, and contact was broken as Megan and Caitlin turned to the voice.
"What are you doing out here?"
"Oh... Nothing, Sam. Just coming in."
The twins stood, brushed off their knees, then returned to the cave, smiling.

***

"Where are you going?" Jade demanded.
"To get our girls," Kat replied, tugging the straps on her pack. "I saw my girls last night, and I recognised a tree."
"A tree? Kat, there's thousands of trees on these mountains."
"Not like this one. Michael took me there once," Kat pulled a face. "Meg said the cave they're in is somewhere on the hill that the tree is on. So I am going to the tree, with Marc. Mark is still going to do the search party, so you can either come with us, or search with him."
"Where are the boys?"
"They're searching with Mark, and Sam and David's parents."
"I'll go with them, then."
"Alright. See you this afternoon."
Jade held out her arms, and Kat hugged her.
"We will find them," Kat smiled.
Jade smiled back, but in her heart, felt that she would never hold her daughter again.

***

"Wow," Kat said, looking at the house. It was run-down - the windows were broken, the porch was sagging, and the gardens were over-run.
"Looks different?"
"Yeah. Very."
"Are we stopping here?"
"No. We're walking from here, though."
Marc locked the borrowed car, and kissed his wife.
"Which way?"
"This way."
Kat led them away from the house, into the mountains.

***

"Jess!" Jade called, her throat already hoarse.
She looked left and right, checking that she could still see the bright red jackets of her fellow searchers. As she walked, she thought about her life, about Darryl, about her children.

Jess was so young... She had so much life ahead of her. So much potential... James was in his second year of medicine, having decided to continue with it, after his chat with "Uncle Marc". Living at the University... Jade was so proud of him. And she? Well, she hadn't been complete since Darryl's death. But she put on a good show, and thought she'd fooled nearly everyone. Kat wasn't fooled, of course, but everyone else was.

And as for her "gifts" - Jade laughed, bitterly. They'd caused her nothing but grief. Sure, there had been a few years, before Darryl died, when she'd loved using them. Always wanted to see into the future, pestering Kat to come over and combine their gifts, to enable them to see the future. But when they hadn't let her see what would happen to Darryl, she hated them. The "gifts" were useless - more like a curse than a gift. What good were they, if they hadn't shown her the one thing that would change her life so significantly?

Jade sighed, and returned her attention to searching for her daughter.