Table Of Contents | |||||
Book 1 | Book 2 | Book 3 | Book 4 | Book 5 | Book 6 |
#SciFi #ScienceFiction #Futuristic #SpeculativeFiction #MindBending #Interdimensional #Otherworldly #PortalFiction #CosmicEncounter #ParallelRealities#GirlPower #YoungHeroes #UnexpectedHeroes #Teamwork #BraveGirls #EldritchHorror #UnknownEntity #BeyondTheVeil #DimensionalRift #AlienMystery#SciFiAdventure #RealityWarp #ExtraDimensional #StrangePhenomena #SupernaturalSciFi
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The morning sun filters through Eileenâs bedroom curtains, casting a soft glow over the tangle of blankets and pillows where Ella, Roxana, and Eileen sprawl in a post-sleepover haze.
The air smells faintly of lavender air freshener and the lingering sweetness of last nightâs popcorn.
A sudden squeal pierces the quiet. âOh my gosh!â Roxana bolts upright, her voice shrill with excitement.
âElla! Eileen! Wake up!â âWhat is it?â Eileen mumbles, rubbing her eyes. âWhatâs the fuss?â Ella groans, squinting against the light. âLook!â Roxana points, her hands trembling.
âElla, right next to youâon your pillow!â Ella jerks back, half-expecting a spider, but her gaze lands on a tiny figure, no taller than a doll, perched delicately on the pillow.
A grin spreads across her face, wide and radiant.
âHelana, itâs you! I can see you!â Tears prick her eyes as she takes in her friendâs shimmering formâdelicate features, luminous eyes, and a cascade of hair that catches the light like spun glass.
âYouâre beautiful, so gorgeous, the cutest thing ever.
And youâre wearing the black shorts I imagined!â âSheâs got the sneakers I made,â Roxana says, beaming with pride. âAnd my T-shirt!â Eileen adds, her voice rising.
âOh my gosh, youâve even got boobs! We need to imagine some underwear too.â Helanaâs laughter tinkles like a bell, her tiny form radiating warmth.
âThank you, guys, so much.
Iâm not sure how this worked, but it did.â She smooths the T-shirt, her smile wide but fleeting.
âThereâs something you need to know.
Last nightâs emotional energy was intenseâyour love, your fear, all of it.
Thatâs why I can manifest like this.
But it wonât last.
Soon, Iâll fade, maybe become translucent.
For now, though, Iâm here, and Iâm so happy we can see each other for real.â She hesitates, her expression softening.
âOne more thingâplease donât call me little.
My size here is just to conserve energy; it takes less to manifest smaller.
Our DNAâs nearly identical, same number of cells.
Iâm not less than you.â âGot it,â Ella says, her voice firm.
âYouâre not our little friend.
Youâre our *awesome* friendâthe awesomest ever.â A sharp knock on the door interrupts them.
âTime for school, girls!â Mr.
Callahanâs voice booms.
âGet ready, letâs go.
No makeupâthe schoolâs been complaining about you wasting time on it.â âOkay, Dad,â Eileen calls, stifling a yawn.
âAlmost done.â âMeet me at the car,â he says, footsteps fading downstairs.
âYour bikes stay here today.â As the girls scramble to dress, Helanaâs voice hums telepathically, directed only to Eileen.
âHey, Iâm speaking just to youâdonât talk out loud, think back at me.â *Okay,* Eileen thinks, pulling on her sneakers. âYou know your dad best,â Helana says.
âWhatâll it take to get us ungrounded?â *Time, mostly,* Eileen replies.
*If we donât do anything else to freak them out, theyâll forget.
Soon, they wonât even remember weâre grounded and will want us out on our bikes so they can have quiet time.
It wonât take long.* *Good,* Helana says, a giggle in her tone.
*My parents are the sameâthey forget so much.* In the car, a sleek SUV weaving through quiet suburban streets, Helanaâs voice pipes up, audible to all.
âThis is my first time in an automobile.
Itâs kinda fun.
Does it go faster?â Mr.
Callahan chuckles, glancing in the rearview mirror.
âA lot faster, but not on city streetsâitâs not safe.
Helana, while weâre driving, can I ask a few questions?â âNo!â Ella cuts in, her voice sharp, trembling with protective fervor. âWhat?â Mr.
Callahan says, startled. âIâm sorry,â Ella says, her hands clenched in her lap.
âI know youâre the parent, but Helanaâs here because of us.
Weâre responsible for her.
Donât talk to her without our permission.â âWow, Ella, thatâs bold,â he says, a mix of surprise and admiration in his tone. âIâm scared youâll exploit her,â Ella continues, her voice wavering.
âYouâre into UFOs and ET disclosure.
I donât want her tangled in that.
If it starts, Iâm sending her home.
I love her, and Iâm keeping her safe in our dimension.â Mr.
Callahan nods, his expression softening.
âIâm proud of you for protecting your friend.
I respect that.
Can I ask her a few questions, please?â Ella exhales, still tense.
âFine, but just a few.
Helana, answer, but donât say anything thatâll get you in trouble.â âHelana,â Mr.
Callahan says, âdo you know roughly how many ETs or interdimensional beings visit Earth, and why theyâre here?â âOh man, here we go,â Ella mutters, sinking into her seat. Helanaâs voice is calm, thoughtful.
âI wish I could answer, but I donât know.
Imagine a bustling transit hub far awayâthousands of beings, tall, short, in robes or uniforms, none speaking your language, rushing to and fro.
Outside, vehiclesâcars, trains, spacecraftâzip around, coming and going.
Youâre focused on your destination, not the other travelers.
Thatâs Earth for me: a busy hub with countless visitors.
I donât know who they are or why theyâre here.
I came to meet your girlsâthatâs all I care about.â âGood answerâor clever,â Mr.
Callahan says with a laugh.
âHow did you get here? Through one of those hubs?â âNo,â Helana says.
âMy kind doesnât need crafts or facilities.
Itâs like an out-of-body experience, but we can bring our bodies.
Our forms use minimal energy, so we move through time and space by thought.
While studying your history, I was drawn to your daughters.
I pictured them, took a step, and was in Ellaâs bedroom.
Iâm here now, but my native timeline is frozen where I left.
We call it timeline exclusivityâone timeline at a time, or itâs too confusing.
When I return, my timeline resumes.
I hope that helps.â âIt does,â Mr.
Callahan says, âbut raises a hundred new questions.â âWeâre here, Dad!â Eileen interrupts.
âEnough talkâweâll be late for class.â The school day drags, uneventful but tense.
At lunch, Ella spots her mom lingering outside the cafeteria, trying to blend in but clearly spying.
Helana, bored, naps in Ellaâs purse, the lamp bottle tucked safely inside.
During the last period, a hall monitor taps on the classroom door, summoning Ella to the principalâs office.
No explanation given.
As she steps into the hall, she sees Roxana and Eileen approaching, their faces mirroring her unease.
A wave of dread washes over them as they exchange glances, their footsteps echoing in the quiet corridor. In the principalâs office, theyâre greeted by a cheery voice.
âHello, girls!â Principal Martinez says, her smile wide.
âThis is an exciting day for you three.
I donât recall this happening at our school before.
Meet Lieutenant Commander Beaker, senior student advisor at the U.S.
Naval Academy in Maryland.
He has wonderful news.â Commander Beaker, a man in a crisp Navy uniform with a too-perfect smile, steps forward.
âIâm thrilled to meet you,â he says.
âOur recruitment program monitors middle and high school test scores and teacher assessments.
You three scored exceptionally high, no surprise since youâre such close friends.
As you approach high school, weâre offering enrollment in a specialized program for gifted students, similar to Navy ROTC but tailored for talents like yours.
Weâd love to enroll you now to maximize the benefits, even before high school.â âThis is a shock, I know,â he continues, âso with your principalâs help, we encourage you to think it over, ask questions, and hopefully join us.â âItâs a fantastic opportunity,â Principal Martinez adds, beaming.
âIâll speak with your parents to handle the paperwork.â The girls stare blankly, their minds racing.
Eileenâs voice hums telepathically, a private loop with Helana.
*Helana, do you know what this guyâs talking about?* *Iâm linking you all silently,* Helana replies.
*Just think, donât speak.
He seems legitimate, but thereâs more to him.
Your history doesnât mention the Navy.
This is either something you declined or a new timeline shift I caused by coming here.* *Itâs a timeline change,* Ella thinks, her heart pounding.
*This wouldnât have happened without Helana.
The Navy knows somethingâs hereâmaybe not her specifically, but something.
What if they want to dissect her? Iâve heard stories about the military experimenting on aliens.* *Donât worry,* Helana says.
*I can vanish in a microsecond if Iâm in danger.
I donât want to go home yetâthings are just getting fun.* *Iâll get answers,* Roxana thinks, then speaks aloud.
âCommander, sir, how does this work? Are there special classes, and where?â âThe program uses various facilities,â Beaker explains smoothly.
âSometimes your high school, other times a van takes you to classes at local businesses, hotels, or military sites.
Some are after school or at night; others are multi-day field trips.
Itâs all coordinated with your school and parents, and you can withdraw if itâs too much.â *I donât trust him,* Eileen thinks.
*Heâs too slick.
Iâm out.* *Iâll tell them,* Ella thinks, then addresses Beaker.
âThis sounds exciting, and weâre honored, but weâve never discussed the Navy or military stuff.
Itâs not for us.
Maybe next year, when weâre in high schoolâcheck back then.â âDonât be hasty,â Principal Martinez says, her smile faltering.
âDo you all feel the same?â âYep,â Roxana says firmly. âToo soon for me,â Eileen adds.
âMaybe next year.â The girls leave the office, Beakerâs disappointment palpable as he follows them into the hall.
âOne more thing,â he calls, catching up.
âDo you know what a âtellâ is?â âA tell?â Ella asks, wary. âIn poker,â Beaker says, his eyes narrowing, âa tell is a subtle cueâlike fidgeting when you have a good hand.
It reveals your state of mind.
There are tells for lying too.
Youâre not lying, but you have a tell.
When you speak telepathically, you glance at each other.
It gives you away.
You need to take our offer.
Youâre in danger, and we can protect youâyour friend too.â Ellaâs stomach twists, but she holds his gaze.
âMy gut, and my friend, tell me the only danger is you and your secret program no oneâs heard of.
Come back next year.
Weâll take care of ourselves.â The girls walk away, the final bell ringing as Roxanaâs mom waits outside in her car.
Beaker strides off, phone pressed to his ear, his voice low and urgent.
---
Later, in the dim glow of her bedroom, Ella opens her diary, Helanaâs faint, translucent form curled asleep in the lamp bottle beside her.
Sheâs so peaceful.
I wish I could sleep like that. That sick feelingâs back, twisting my stomach.
Eileenâs dad knows about Helana.
Now the freaking U.S.
Navy knows too.
Double trouble. Helana needs to go homeâI know it.
But sending her to another dimension, another timeline, feels like losing her forever.
Like my best friend dying.
Iâve only known her a short time, but I canât imagine life without her.
Iâd spend every day wondering how sheâs doing, if sheâs happy or sad.
Itâs tearing me apart. I canât let her go.
She has to stay.
I donât know how, but she has to. Iâm crying myself to sleep tonight, Diary.
Please, let tomorrow be drama-free. Goodnight.
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