"Count and the nightmare goes away. One two three four five six. Count and the nightmare goes away. One two three four five six. Count and the nightmare goes away. One two three four five six." "Count and the nightmare goes away?" Spring break is over and, still in shock from the events of the night of the fire; the kids are forced back into everyday life as if nothing happened. But it did happen. And it is happening again. While the kids try to come to terms with what happened the night of the fire at the abandoned factory, nothing in their lives seems to have changed when everything feels like it did. A broken home, illness, crushes, bullying, depression, absent parents, suicidal thoughts, they all continue as before. Amber Shaw returns to school and the Mean Team is broken up, but will it last? Everything is back to normal. Right? And then Willie Gordon vanishes. While new jealousies burn, problems kept secret are revealed and Joshua joins the group after his sister committed suicide, the group feels they are the only ones who can find Willie. Nobody believes them the monsters are real. The kids have to face the monsters again, in the basements where they nest.