PLEASE READ FIRST: Hello everyone, it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Especially after I posted on how I was going to re-write my oldest story, "Alternate Reality". Shortly after that update notice my editor/beta fell through, so the idea gathered dust. Then it took me way too long to even log back on to go through the original story. Ultimately, I've decided to try and tackle this alone without a beta reader because I feel my readers deserve to know the ending. Not to mention a better version of the story. The plot won't change much as a whole and those who have read the original will see some identical scenes here and there. If you have never read this story then let me just say I had a problem with tenses and commas in the past (and still struggle with it every now and then- I apologize). Along with that, younger me had this idea that the story must have some action in every chapter. It needed to be WOW and OH MY. This version will still have some wow moments, I'm sure, but I'm going to dial it back some, toss some of the cheesy stuff aside — things that made me personally cringe while re-reading it again. Now, If you have read the original before then I'd like to mention this is not a word by word re-write. Some scenes are completely new, like how she meets the Lost Boys for example, which means actions between them are different in some scenarios. In any case, please consider leaving a review. Share with me your thoughts on this version if you've read the old or what you expect to happen if you haven't. I look forward to being apart of the fandom again!

CHAPTER 1:
Down The Rabbit Hole

"Sometimes, we don't understand why certain things happen to us; they just do. During these events, we sometimes wish they never happened while other times we are grateful for them. In my case, I am unsure if I am grateful or not."

Everything felt heavy like dead weight. My chest, my legs, even my eyelids. Moving felt practically impossible. Yet with some great effort, I still managed to lift my hands up — fingers cupping my head in an attempt to reduce the splitting headache blossoming under my eyelids. Minutes must have passed before I pulled the now tingling hands away.

I groan internally. God, how I hate that tingling feeling. Like little pricks of needles digging into every inch of your skin.

I could finally make out the sky, such a dull color that welcomed me — the type of sky right before sunset with washed-out wispy clouds. I laid there for a moment to allow my body to settle. Letting that little burning sensation slowly disappear. I tested my limbs one by one. Bending my knees and squeezing my hands while watching the clouds sleek by, the colors slowly shifting into more vibrant shades. I'll admit it took longer than I'd like to start analyzing my predicament.

Why am I outside? I don't know.

Where am I outside? I don't know.

What was I doing before this? I don't know.

Officially able to withstand the dull ache, I sat up to peer around- to gain my bearings more. The rushing and rumbling sound around me coming into focus as I noticed the vast roaring waters. The ocean? The uneven grainy ground I've been laying on to be sand. This was indeed a beach, but why am I on a beach? Most importantly, how did I get on a beach?

The closest large body of water to me was a lake. Even then, I have not visited the lake since my childhood. And very clearly, this was no lake before me.

So why am I here?

Easing up to my feet, I slowly turned in a circle while steadying myself. My legs feeling as if they haven't held my weight in ages. What happened to me? Did I get hit by a semi-truck or something? A bundle of shapes came into view, structures of some sort, as I faced away from the lapping waters. An odd assortment of buildings similar to an abandoned fairgrounds. The more I strained to make out individual shops and rides, the eerier it felt. There was no one else here. It felt frozen in time despite the beautiful weather tossing my hair. A calm breeze neither cold or hot.

I focused my gaze closer to myself. Surfboards set upright in the sand, blankets with random assortments of accessories sprawled out on empty beach towels, and even imprints of feet scattered the ground. All signs that people were once here, yet there was nobody — not a soul. Everything looked dull but inviting at the same time.

A pain ignited in my head, flaring up that headache again. On reflex, I cupped my forehead as my eyes squeezed shut as if to will the pulsing ache away.

What the hell is happening?

Then the wind picked up around me, whipping my hair and clothes in all directions before falling back into its subtle breeze — an oceanic undertone of salt and fast food dancing on it that was not there before. Faintly, a small white noise began to bleed into it, slowly becoming coherent as I stood there concentrating. As if the volume was being turned up, and soon I recognized it as chatter. People were talking, giggling, hooting with excitement all around — such a sudden percussion of noise swallowing up what was once silence.

While still cupping a portion of my face, I opened the eye not covered to witness what my ears were hearing.

Unbelievable...

My hand dropped as I continued to stare. Everywhere there was not a person, was now a person, sometimes groups of people. Just relaxing and having a blast as if they were always there — meant to be there. It was like they miraculously poofed into existence.

Frustrated and confused, I try to wrap my head around it all. All of this had to be a dream. The only way any of this could, or would, make any sense is if it was all just a dream. How else would it explain for any of this?

Now confident that I am currently just having a weird lucid episode, I pull myself together and head toward the cluster of different shaped buildings as if this was all normal. A dream could not harm you. A dream was your own making, and I just needed to understand why I am here. If this all held some significant meaning or not.

The first thing I noticed while getting closer was how alive the once dull architecture appeared. Now warm and lively with screams of excitement and music. Stepping up onto the wooden platform, I took note of the crowd roaming around. It all seemed to come alive as the sky grew darker. Although, the way they dressed immediately coming into focus. I've only seen people dressed like this in movies, well sort of, I mean some article of clothing always fall back into a trend, but the entire get up as a whole just looked weird; outdated.

Most of the women were wearing waist-high denim jeans and denim jackets over crop tops with brightly colored accessories like sunglasses, bangles, and hoop earrings. Although some did have denim daisy duke style shorts on or printed tights, or even skirts, with baggy over the shoulder shirts. Yet no matter the girl, it seemed the hair was always permed and teased to perfection in some way.

Now the men, on the other hand, were either super plain with something denim, like jeans with loose button-ups or baggy plain shirts. While the others were on an entirely different spectrum; Zebra print pants, bandannas on their foreheads or arms, some shirtless with a leather jacket, and their hair styled up as if they sprayed it with hairspray then stuck it in front of an industrial fan.

Why am I dreaming of the eighties?

To avoid being bumped by the crowd, I walked along the outskirts of it all. Reading signs on buildings lit up by lights, not even realizing it must have become nighttime during my short walk. Tattoo and piercing parlors were everywhere alongside stores stacked up with leather jackets of all colors, shapes, and sizes. No doubt about it, this was weird. If this weren't a dream, I'd think it was some type of 'back to the past' festival, but how my head could envision a time I wasn't even born into, to this extent, I didn't know.

I blame all the movies I watch...

My gaze fell on a large Video store titled 'Video Max', and like everything else around me, the place was outdated. Anyone could tell that with just a glance through the window. Mainly due to the fat box-shaped T.V's with aisles upon aisles of tapes rather than DVDs. Hell, who even bought DVDs anymore with all the streaming services these days?

I've never visited such a retro place, yet the name of the store sounded familiar. I racked my brain to see if, just possibly, I have been to a place called Video Max but nothing came to mind. I've been to a Video Magic and BlockBuster, though. I ended up shrugging off the strange feeling of something similar to Deja Vu and stepped up to the door to pull it open. Only to have to step back and out of the way from a cluster of men pouring out.

The door swung, barely missing my face, as I took up post on the other side. Both hands up to catch the door just in case, but lucky for me the hinges didn't allow it to go that far. I stood there silently as I watched the four guys sleek out the door one by one, and one by one my mind told me I knew them. David, Dwayne, Paul, and Marko. Somehow I just knew their names that or my mind is subconsciously giving them identities, and to be fair with you, I'm not sure which one is more accurate.

The door swung closed with a slight 'ding' as I stared at their forms, watching them board their motorcycles. How did I miss those? Were they there a minute ago? I didn't even know. I heard laughter causing me to focus on the person making the noise, the long-haired blonde, Paul. They must have caught me staring like some love-struck teen. Oh great.

"Well lookie here, it looks like we have a fan." he chipped in with a mischevious smile on his face. In response to him, a deeper chuckle sounded off to his right. Drawing my attention to another guy, to David, and my mind flared with pictures suddenly, but the images moved so fast they were merely blurred colors. Whatever my mind was trying to tell me it was not succeeding at it. None of that shit made sense.

How much weirder can this dream get?

I came back to my senses just as David parted his lips to speak, his voice holding humor yet something else altogether. Darker. I could feel the hair on my neck stand up even before hearing his voice.

"It appears so." His lips angling into that taunting smirk. I know the other guys must have said something, for I could hear the muffled sound of their voices all around me, but all I could hear was David's words on repeat.

It appears so...

That voice, those pale blue eyes and bleach blonde hair, and that pure black decked-out outfit are all too familiar.

It appears so...

My head felt like I was spinning. There were too many questions pushing forward demanding answers. Why do I know him, and why do I know them? Why is this place so familiar yet not at the same time? Most importantly; Why am I scared? My chest squeezing with anxiety. I was straining to comprehend everything that I didn't even notice the curly blond one shifting off his bike.

"Hey there, you still with us?" called out Marko as he waved his hand in front of my face breaking me away. When did he even get that close to me? I wanted to tell him to go away. I wanted to tell all of them to leave me alone.

"I uh, yeah." Came out instead, the tone in my voice wavering. It would take a real idiot not to notice my fear, just like it took a lot of strength to break eye contact from David. To look anywhere else but that controlling gaze, but I had to. So I looked to the boardwalk beyond them before speaking again. The boardwalk, that's what it's called...

"I didn't mean to stare. I just.." I trailed off, unable to find the right words to say out loud. I'm Just... scared.

"Nothing wrong with that. Just means you like us." Paul perked up again with ease, "Say, wanna go for a ride, hot stuff?" he offered while tapping at the back of his seat invitingly, coaxing me, but the instincts within me immediately screamed at me. It told me to turn tail and run. To get as far away as possible.

"No, I.. was just going inside." with that, I turned around and grabbed the door as if making a point.

"Suit yourself." came his voice again, not missing a beat.

Just as I pulled the door further open, they revved their bikes and took off, whooping with excitement as they drove away. They were done with our conversation as much as I was apparently. I could feel the pressure lifting off me the moment they drove away, a sigh of relief on the tip of my tongue, but my body went stiff before I could relax. My mind registering what was happening before I could.

The scene in front of me ordinary: an average lady talking to a regular guy, sharing a shy glance, and possibly flirty words — just a simple scene. Yet, for some reason, it ignited the rest of my mind. The conscious part that stubbornly was denying everything up until now.

Max and Lucy. My eyes lowered to the ground near the man's legs on autopilot, as if knowing there would be a large white dog there, and I was right. Thorn. Max's dog- no, hellhound.

David, Dwayne, Paul, Marko, Max, Lucy, Michael, Sam, Star, Laddie, Edgar and Allen; the Frog brothers. I knew them all. It was like my mind finally clicked into the right gear, and I knew right then and there that this was no crazy dream— not a lucid fantasy. This is all too surreal to be anything but. No, this was a movie, 'The Lost Boys' movie.

I'm in the fucking Lost Boys movie!? And I just spoke to the vampires.

I've lost it. I've absolutely lost it. The air in me coming out in waves of panic as I stared like a doe caught in some bright ass headlights.

I'm dead. This can't be happening. Who or what did I piss off to make this possible? Or worse, did I do this on purpose?

"Can I help you, Miss?" That recognizable voice, stuck up and wise toned, brought me back from my panic-induced thoughts. I probably looked like I was having a heart attack. "You okay?" It was none other than Max, of course it was him, playing that worried business owner facade of his.

Raising my head, just now realizing I was staring at the ground in front of the entrance like some loony, I looked at him. Really looked at him. Taking in those large glasses and combed over hair. He was staring past Lucy, who was also worried for me if the expression on her face meant anything. Poor woman, her world was about to become a living nightmare. Breaking eye contact, I hurriedly shook my head to answer since my voice stuck in my throat.

I have to get far away. Without letting another minute pass, I turned on my heels and left the store, away from the head vampire and his prey.

While running past the horde of people, I could hear the faint sound of the saxophone in the distance. Undoubtedly the concert that Star, Laddie, Michael, and Sam would be at, and I ran for it as if my life depended on this. Not even batting an eye to the people I shoved passed.

Gasping, I came to a stop near the edge of the enormous crowd, searching, and eventually, I caught the sight of Michael and Sam. Seeing them causing me to step forward into the mass with the mindset to go up to them. But then what, my mind inquired, questioning my motives. I came to a full stop. Are you going to spill out some nonsense about vampires and how they will inevitably get attacked? I'd probably succeed in coming off as some crazy person. No doubt losing all chances of being helpful to them until they learned that what I said is true. But by then, it would be too late, I told myself. By then, Michael would be a half-vampire like Star and Laddie, which sets everything in motion.

It was too late the moment I woke up on that damn beach. I looked down at my converses, feeling confused.

Then what is my purposes here if I can't prevent the fight and bloodshed?

I stood there as people mingled around me. The crowd too dense to avoid bumping my shoulders or jostling me to the side. I knew my dumbass was in some sort of daze, something I've been doing a lot lately, and doubt will be stopping anytime soon, but what else am I supposed to do? This is too crazy. Then I noticed the flowing brown hair in my peripheral view as Star dragged Laddie right by me, her skirt close enough to bellow against my jeans. Then right on cue came Michael chasing her and Sam chasing him and I didn't stop them. Fate, if you believed in it, just lead them directly to me, and I watched them go.

Instead of joining in the chase, I walked away, stepping out of the crowd and back toward the beach. I felt absolutely lost. I didn't even feel I was in control of my own legs. I walked in the opposite direction of the Comic book store with the soon to be Vampire Hunters and where Star and Laddie will meet up with the Lost Boys.

Max has already met Lucy, I told myself. Michael is already interested in Star, and within minutes Sam will meet the Frog brothers.

Everything will be in motion, and within a week, the battle will happen. So what am I supposed to do? Fight with them? Fight for them? I walked as if on autopilot, only taking notice of when wood became sand and nothing else. How can I even survive fighting against crazy powerful, eighties vampires? Let alone stay alive until then? I'm merely human and nowhere to go...

Nowhere to go triggered a severe thought: money. My hands rushed to the back pockets of my skinny jeans, patting them down. No cell phone and no wallet there. Then my hands moved to the tiny pockets of my black pleather jacket, nothing.

I'm broke in a world that shouldn't exist. Fucking great...

A loud rumble broke me out of my emotional terminal. The Lost Boys most likely riding away from the boardwalk with Star and Laddie. On reflects, I turned to face the sound, catching sight of their headlights speeding away. A new thought surfacing as I watched.

What if I help them instead? Prevent them from dying?

I would be lying to myself if I said I never liked the 'bad guys' of the movie. That a part of me had imagined what it would be like if they survived the fight or hell, never fought in the first place — the what-if scenarios playing out in my mind.

What if Max and Lucy actually ended up together? Same with Michael and Star. What would have happened?

That's fine and dandy, but what if they kill you when you try this crazy idea? Ah, my mind always trying to be the sensible one.

I don't know.

What I did understand was that I must be here for a reason, and maybe that's the reason. I mean, the Emerson survived in the movie as the vampires are slain. So they don't need me in this plot unless I'm here to save the vampires for a change. It sounds logical but this is coming from a person holding a conversation with themselves. I'm going to try to not think too hard about that fact. Instead, I'll focus on how I am going to confront the people who can tear me from limb to limb with their bare hands.

Yeah, easy peasy — sure.

Matter of fact, what do they do after driving off? The night was still fresh with dawn hours away, so why did they leave early, to begin with? To hunt, I theorized. But they would have to drive Laddie and Star back to Hudson's Bluff. I honestly doubt they'd tear people apart in front of the half-vampires. Or at least not in front of Laddie. A half-vampire who's deliberately avoiding feeding and a child half-vampire, who is probably unaware of what's really happening around him. I always figured Laddie would wait until he's old enough to feed if he chose to feed that is. Which good part on them since an eternal child of the night is not a good idea if Interview with a Vampire ever taught me anything. How did Laddie even get into this mess? Someone must have fucked up.

I'd bet my last nickel it was Max's big idea. If I had a nickel.

Even though I've decided to do something now, a crazy something at that, I still had no idea where to start. Like hell am I going to chase after them right now! I'm just going to have to try tomorrow night. I know they will be back at the boardwalk, this is their domain after all. Until then I needed a place to stay. I groaned as I looked around myself, feeling strangely enough like a runaway. Something oddly common for the Murder Capital of the World. No matter where you looked there were street rats, homeless, vagrant — whatever words you felt fit best.

At least I don't stick out like a sore thumb, I guess.

Eventually, I found a spot to sleep in private. I rather not be right in the open after all. I decided behind a shop would work as good as any other place. A place that sat snug between a wall and the railing that overlooked the beach. Settling in, I took off my jacket to fold it into a makeshift pillow to use.

It's chilly, but at least I'm wearing a sweater. My skin not exposed as severely as it could be with the lack of a jacket. I curl up, my knees to my chest with my hands around them. The very first thing I wanted to do was pull out my phone and scroll through the web, like a subconscious desire to do something that I have done for ten years of my life. Of course, the lack of a phone stopped me. Along with the fact that a cellphone doesn't even exist yet. Sighing, I snuggled my face into my jacket with a frown.

This is going to be a long week. If I survive that long that is...

To those who have read the original, this story will start to alter from this point on. I just really liked how I started Alternate Reality and didn't see a point in changing how Jackie arrived in the Lost Boys film.