“Ohmigod, I am so sorry you guys!” cried Megan, dropping the strange device on the floor. It rolled harmlessly into a corner of the room and lay there, inert.
“It's all right,” answered Janet, pushing her thick, black glasses back up on her greasy nose. “No harm done. I just had a bad feeling about that weird device. You didn't have to drop it like that, Megan. I think something about this house is just making us all a little on edge.”
“B-B-But... you all are... you're different... I changed you!” said Megan.
Janet, Steve, and Alan all exchanged silent glances, then looked at Megan with concern.
“Are you all right, Megan?” asked Steve. “Nothing has changed. We're all the same as we've always been.”
“But... but... but you're supposed to be my dad!” protested Megan.
“What?” Steve burst out laughing. “Megan, you're crazy!”
“Yeah, what's going on Megan?” laughed Alan. “Why'd you think Stephanie was your dad?”
“Allison, maybe that weird device did something to her memory,” mused Janet. “Go pick it up and try it again, Megan. Maybe you can restore your memory.”
“My memory is perfectly fine!” wailed Megan. “You're all supposed to be my family. You're my dad... and you're my mom... and you're my older brother Alan...”
“Whoa, she's gone bonkers!” laughed Allison. “I think Janet's right, Megan. Pick that weird thing up again and see if it gives you back your memories.”
“We're not a family,” said Stephanie. “We're just, like, best friends.”
“BFFs!” smiled a chipper, bubbly Allison.
“Then... how did we get here?” Megan asked, becoming hysterical. “You two are supposed to be my parents, and you drove us here, but we had a flat tire outside and had to come in this creepy house. Explain how a bunch of twelve-year old girls got way out here in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night all by ourselves! That doesn't make sense! It's your memories that got affected; not mine!”
“We're not alone,” said Janet, frowning with sympathetic concern. “My mom and dad are in the other room, exploring this weird old house. They're chaperoning us, remember?”
“Yeah, Megan,” piped up Stephanie. “The part about the flat tire is true. But me – I'm your dad?!? No way. I mean, do I look like some old man? Gawd, don't be insulting!”
“Just wait, Megan,” said Allison. “In the morning, Janet's parents will fix the flat tire and drive us all back to our own houses. You'll see your real mom and dad then, Megan.”
“This isn't happening!” moaned a thoroughly confused Megan. “Tell me this isn't really happening!”