Antoinette J. Citizen. Landscape. 2008–2009.

"Something strange is going on."

It was true that Carolyn always said that. She said it when boys would buy her drinks at the pub. She said it when the heater would make that ticking noise. She said it when her Quarter Pounder with cheese was too peppery. Carolyn was the suspicious sort, but this time, Maddie had to agree with her. The world as they knew it had changed.

But how? That was the part most confounding. Was it the '80s party at Anthony's last night? Too much reminiscing about the Garbage Pail Kids, Spandau Ballet, and Q-bert combined with a mysterious neon cocktail Anthony called The DeLorean? What sense did that make?

But at the moment there were more pressing matters to address. It was clear where she and Carolyn were. Maybe the "why?" wasn't as important as the "how do we get out of here?"

Carolyn bopped one of the question-mark boxes glowing overhead, and out sprung a coin. "Great," she said, snapping it out of the air. "Only two-hundred forty-nine more of these, and I'll have bus fare home."

A pissy-looking Goomba shuffled into view, grapevining its way over to them. Maddie thrust her fist into the sky, bonking another box underneath. As a mushroom sprouted and slid toward her, she cracked her knuckles. "Well," she said with a sigh, "if we're going to get home, it looks like we're going to have to fight our way there."

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