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Erin stood at the heart of limbo, surrounded by representatives from each lost colony. Their faces were a tapestry of hope and determination, each thread woven with the vibrant hues of their respective histories. With a steely glint in her eye, Erin surveyed the circle formed by the Ninth Legion, the Norse settlers, the Anasazi, and the Roanoke colonists. She naturally assumed the role of leader, a role that now seemed as much a part of her as her own spirit.

Together, they had crafted a desperate plan, rooted in ancient rites and cosmic theories that each of the puppet-masked entities had revealed to them. Their goal was audacious—to rebalance the cosmic scales that had not only bound them to this ethereal plane but also prevented the calamities foreseen in their respective times. Each entity, though enigmatic, had offered the groups guidance but also cautioned against the unforeseen ripples such an attempt might generate.

“The ritual,” Erin explained to the gathered assembly, her voice carrying clearly, “Involves channeling the unique energies each of our groups has brought to limbo. These energies, when combined, should generate a force strong enough to recalibrate the disturbances we’ve experienced.”

Marcus of the Ninth Legion nodded, his expression grave. “And if we fail?” he asked, the weight of centuries in his tone.

Erin met his gaze, her resolve unwavering. “Then we face greater upheaval. But our current existence is untenable. We risk more by doing nothing.”

The ritual centered around a construct that they had formed in the heart of limbo—a convergence of artifacts from each culture, laid out in a precise geometrical pattern that mirrored the celestial alignments the puppet-masked entities had revealed to them. This was not merely a physical arrangement but a focal point for their collective wills and energies, designed to tap into the fundamental laws that governed this plane.

As the ceremony began, each representative took their place, their hands extending towards the artifacts. Chants in multiple languages—Latin, Norse, ancient Puebloan, and English—rose into the air, blending into a powerful symphony of human endeavor. The sky above them darkened, then exploded with color, as if the cosmos itself responded to their plea.

Energy pulsed through the formation, a visible current of light and shadow, weaving around the artifacts. Erin, at the center, felt the surge of power coursing through her, linking each person in a circuit of shared fate and purpose.

Just as the energy reached its peak, a tremor shook the plane. The very fabric of limbo trembled, the landscapes around them beginning to blur and merge in chaotic ways. It was happening—their actions were reshaping the realm, but it was clear that something was amiss. The balance they sought to achieve was tipping too far, too fast.

“Wait!” Erin screamed, as the ritual spiraled out of control. “I have a wish! For pushing the button, I’m granted one wish!” Which was something she had completely forgotten about until this very moment.

The puppet-masked entity from her email flickered before her, its form stabilizing amidst the chaos. “You are entitled to a single wish, Erin Kamoche. What is your heart’s desire?”

The chaos around her mounting, Erin knew there was only one choice. Summoning the last of her strength, she called out, “Send us back! All of us! To our homes in our respective times!”

In an instant, the tumultuous landscape of limbo faded and she, Mark, and the children were thrust back into the stark reality of their home. But it was not the peaceful refuge they had left behind. The world greeted them with a violent shudder, the ground beneath their feet heaving and splitting as an earthquake tore through their town.

Their house groaned ominously, the walls cracking as if in agony, windows shattering into cascading showers of glass. Erin grabbed Emily and pulled her close, shouting over the roar of the earth’s upheaval for the others to follow. Mark, holding Jenny and Bobby by the hand, shepherded Cindy ahead, rushing out the door just as the frame buckled behind them.

Outside, their neighborhood was a scene of chaos. The streets were fissured and gaping, swallowing cars and streetlights. Screams and car alarms filled the air, a cacophony of terror and confusion. People were running, some stumbling out of their homes, others trying desperately to reach loved ones. Overhead, the sky was a swirling maelstrom, dark clouds roiling as if angry at the world below.

“Stay together!” Erin yelled, her voice barely audible as the ground continued to shake. They huddled together on the lawn, watching in horror as buildings around them began to crumble, bricks and beams succumbing to the relentless tremors.

Just as Erin thought they might make a run for the open park nearby, a new terror manifested. The ground beneath Erin’s feet trembled violently as the earthquake’s roar filled the air. Her family, once scattered, now clung together tightly outside their crumbling home, terror etched across their faces. As they braced against the shuddering earth, a blinding white light suddenly pierced the sky, descending rapidly toward them.

The searing white-hot light enveloped everything—the chaos, the noise, the fear—swallowing the world in a silent, searing flash. For a moment, everything existed within this blinding void, devoid of time, devoid of space. Then, as abruptly as it had arrived, the light vanished, and Erin found herself sitting alone at her computer, the familiar email open in front of her, her finger paused in mid-air over the dreaded email button that caused this entire nightmare.

Silence enveloped the room—a stark contrast to the apocalyptic cacophony she had just experienced. Erin blinked, disoriented, as the realization dawned on her: she was back at the moment before she had made the choice that would unleash chaos upon the world.

“What happened?” Erin asked the puppet-masked figure in the video window on her laptop.

Puppet-Mask twitched in its usual jerky fashion, yet its unsettling face took on a solemn expression as it spoke. “You pressed the button, then made a wish to return to the moment before your decision, while retaining all memories of the consequences. You have witnessed what might unfold—a single path of destruction from many possibilities. Now, armed with this foresight, you find yourself once again at a crossroads of time.”

Erin’s heart pounded as she processed the enormity of her situation. The vision of the world’s end, her family’s terror, and the utter devastation were fresh in her mind, as vivid as if she had lived them. She understood now with painful clarity that her actions carried consequences far beyond anything she had imagined.

Her hand trembled slightly as she hovered over the button. The choice was hers, and hers alone to make. With the knowledge of potential apocalypse weighing on her, she found herself caught in a torrent of doubt and responsibility.

“You wished to know the impact of your choice,” Puppet-Mask continued, its voice a calm in the storm of Erin’s turmoil. “To reset this path, to choose differently, or to follow through knowing all that might come to pass—the burden is yours to bear. Choose wisely, Erin Kamoche.”

Erin took a deep breath, steadying herself. The room was quiet, the weight of the decision palpable in the air. She looked at the button, then at the world outside her window, serene and oblivious to the potential chaos it faced. With a deep and sobering understanding of the consequences…

She knew she should not press the button. Should not risk the lives of her family, her friends, and the entire world. She should find another way, a path that would not lead to destruction but to understanding and unity.

Erin was about to close the email and turn off her computer, but her thoughts flashed on the lost colonies. They were trapped in limbo after making selfless sacrifices to heal the cosmic rifts and restore balance without being able to return to the world and homes they knew.

Plus, a calamity needed to be averted, a sacrifice needed to be made. If she turned her back on this responsibility and so did the next person in line to receive the email, how many people could ignore the button before the world was doomed?

With her heart pounding and her mind racing, Erin faced a gut-wrenching decision. Would she close the laptop and live each day as if it were her last, clinging to hope while bracing for the worst? Or would she press the button and use her final wish to safeguard her family and the world, sealing her own fate to join her lost colonist friends in an eternal limbo?

The seconds ticked away as her mind swirled with thoughts of her loved ones, the future of humanity, and the unknown mysteries of the afterlife.

In the end, Erin decided there was never really a choice at all. There was only one thing to do.

The End?