“You have to come back, Teddy,” she implored. The seal blinked. It was a quick blink, but Ali was sure she saw pale gray eyes, and not just any gray eyes. They were Ali’s eyes, Alfie’s eyes, Digger’s eyes, Gigi’s eyes. Ali’s heart leapt. “Come back,” she whispered again. The seal grunted.

“You should change now, Ali,” suggested Emily.

Ali became her father. “It’s me, Teddy!” cried Digger’s voice. “Come back!”

Nothing.

She switched to Gigi. “Come home, Teddy,” she said.

“Okay, this is like the freakiest thing ever,” said Cassie.

Ali ignored her. The seal wasn’t reacting; it was time to try someone else. She became Alfie’s mother. “Teddy,” she called.

Ali thought she saw a flicker of recognition, but the seal’s eyes glazed over again. She was running out of time.

“Try Alfie,” suggested Cassie.

“He doesn’t know Alfie,” Ali argued. “He died—I mean, he left—before Alfie was born.”

The Sloane family Christmas photograph popped into her head, and she became Andrew Sloane, his wife, and Teddy’s sister, Karen. Nothing. Frantic, she cycled through everyone Teddy loved twice more, until her body began to protest and she began to shake.

“You’ve got to stop, Ali,” said Emily, laying a gentle hand on her back. “You’re going to hurt yourself. You’ve tried everything. Either it isn’t him or he can’t change back. Maybe he’s trapped for good.”

Ali collapsed against the seal and began to cry. “I was sure if he saw all the people he loved, he’d remember how to come back.”

“Maybe it’s not him,” said Cassie.

Murray shook his head. “You saw its eyes, Cass. Someone is in there. I think he’s too sick to change back.”

“Should we go get your dad? Or Alfie?” Cassie asked.

Ali watched the seal with anguish. “I don’t know. What if he doesn’t make it? It’ll break everyone’s heart if Teddy made it home and then . . .” She couldn’t finish the sentence.

The seal moaned.

“Why doesn’t he remember who he is?” said Emily. “This is horrible.”

Emily’s question triggered a memory in Ali of all the first days of school when Digger had changed into Ali to get her to pay attention to him. She laughed out loud. She’d forgotten to change into the one person who could help Teddy remember. She morphed again and leaned over so the seal was looking at her face.

“Um, who are you?” Cassie asked.

“I’m Teddy,” said Ali. “Remember who you are, Teddy.” She said it like an order. “Look at yourself.”

The seal groaned.

“Something’s happening!” Murray shouted.

“Come back, Teddy,” Ali begged. “Remember.”