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
|
The early September heat clings to Ellaâs bedroom, the air thick with the scent of sunscreen and freshly cut grass wafting through the open window.
Ella sprawls on her bed, her mom perched on the edge, folding laundry with practiced efficiency.
The conversation has veered into uncomfortable territory, sparked by news from Eileenâs family. âSo this girl, HelanaâEileenâs parents are adopting her?â Ellaâs mom asks, her tone cautious as she stacks a T-shirt.
âSheâs going to live with them?â âNot if I can help it,â Ella says, sitting up, her voice fierce.
âYou said it yourself, Momâshe looks so much like me we could pass for twins.
Sheâs *my* sister, my twin.
You have to adopt her, not Eileenâs parents.â Her mom sighs, setting down a pair of jeans.
âEileenâs parents have her as a foster child.
If anyone adopts her, it should be them, not us.â âNo!â Ellaâs voice rises, her hands clenching the quilt.
âSheâs *my* twin, not Eileenâs.
She canât have her!â âHave her?â Her momâs brow furrows, a mix of concern and confusion in her eyes.
âWhat do you mean, *have her*? Youâre notââ âMom!â Ella cuts her off, exasperated.
âWhy does everyone go there? Weâre sisters, not lovers!â âElla, honey,â her mom says gently, âyouâre turning fourteen this month.
Youâre young, and these feelings can be intense, confusing.
The other night, when Helana slept over, you two shared the same side of the bed.
You showered together.
I didnât want to embarrass her, but thatâs not appropriate for girls your age.
Iâm worried about you living together, even if youâre twins.â âOh, come on!â Ella groans, throwing her hands up.
âThatâs ridiculous.
Even if we *wanted* to be lovers, you couldnât stop us, whether sheâs at Eileenâs or here.
We can make the guest room hersâsheâll sleep and shower there, and you can spy to make sure weâre not âdoing it.â Happy?â âLetâs not fight,â her mom says, her voice firm but soft.
âIâm allowed to be uncomfortable.
This girl appears out of nowhere, barely speaks English, and youâre treating her like⊠like sheâs your wife, not a friend.
Iâll compromise: weâll set up the guest room for her when she stays here, and youâll see her every day.
But she needs to live with Eileen.
Okay?â âWe shower together at school gym, so I donât get why youâre making a big deal,â Ella mutters.
âFine, Eileenâs parents can adopt her, but she needs to be here more than there.
Weâll sleep in separate beds, shower separately, and I wonât kiss her in front of you.
That last part was a joke, Mom.
Stop freaking out.â Her mom shakes her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips, and resumes folding. --- At school, the first week of high school buzzes with the chaos of new schedules and crowded hallways.
Mr. Danvers, Eileenâs dad, sits in a small office across from Helanaâs English teacher, Ms.
Larson, whose desk is cluttered with grammar books and colorful flashcards. âThank you for coming, Mr. Danvers,â Ms.
Larson says, her voice warm but professional.
âI hope Helanaâs settling in.
Sheâs a lovely girlâwe all adore herâbut weâre struggling with her English skills.
Iâm a speech therapist, and Iâm puzzled.
Can you share more about her background? Where sheâs from?â Mr. Danvers leans back, his expression careful.
âIâve shared what I know.
Eileen and her friends met Helana at a Naval Academy summer program.
They formed a deep bond, like sisters, which led to us fostering her.
The Navy said sheâs from Indiaâs eastern coast, an orphan found as a stowaway on a ship.
Sheâs extraordinarily brightâgenius-levelâwhich is why they included her in the program.â Ms.
Larson nods, jotting a note.
âThe challenge is, sheâs not learning English as a second language but as a *first* language.
I have no baseline language to work from, so Iâm using techniques for deaf children.
Could she have been a feral child before the Navy found her?â âFeral, like raised by wolves?â Mr. Danvers chuckles.
âUnlikely.
Her cultural knowledge, her sophisticated thinking, her spiritual beliefsâtheyâre advanced, beyond most teens.
Somehow, she survived without needing language.
She says her parents are âwith her in spirit,â so I assume theyâre deceased.
Beyond that, sheâs a mystery.â âIâve noticed she connects well with Eileen,â Ms.
Larson says.
âHow does Eileen handle her language barrier?â âTheyâre uncanny,â Mr. Danvers says, a fond smile breaking through.
âEileen, Ella, Roxanaâthey just *know* what Helanaâs thinking, like telepathy.
Their bond is almost magical.
Donât worry about her English.
Iâd bet in a few months, sheâll speak fluent teenage slang, accent-free.
Iâd wager money on it.â âI hope youâre right,â Ms.
Larson says.
âFor now, sheâll stay in Special Ed.
She canât read a textbook yet, so regular classes might be a year away.
Congratulations on your new daughterâsheâs wonderful, and Iâm sure sheâll thrive.â --- In the school courtyard, Helana sits with Eileen on a bench, the autumn breeze stirring fallen leaves.
High school boys strut past, their laughter loud, their backpacks slung carelessly. âEarth boys are⊠unsophisticated,â Helana says, her voice halting but clear, her English improving daily.
âAlmost⊠slow.â Eileen grins, tossing her hair.
âBoys here develop later than girls.
Theyâre behind for a reasonâso we can train them.
Guys think they run the planet, but women really call the shots.â âSo I pick a slow boy and train him?â Helana asks, her brow furrowing.
âThat sounds frustrating.â Eileen rubs her chin, feigning wisdom.
âYou could date an older boy, but thatâs its own hassle.
Datingâs frustrating, period.
Donât worryâDad wonât let us date till weâre sixteen anyway.â âOh, good,â Helana says, relieved.
âBoys here are strange.
I donât understand them.
Youâll teach me?â âAbsolutely,â Eileen says, her tone mock-serious.
âIâll teach you everything about Earth boys.
But donât date anyone till I vet him.
Some boys are dangerous.â âYour dad said he has to approve my dates too,â Helana says. âForget that!â Eileen laughs.
âCome to me or Ella for boy advice.
Thereâs stuff Dad doesnât need to know.â âElla says I shouldnât date boys, ever,â Helana says, her voice soft.
âBut now that Iâm a normal human girl, I want to try everything human girls do.
I want to feel it all.â âEllaâs super possessive,â Eileen says, rolling her eyes.
âBut once she falls for some guy and gets all mushy, sheâll loosen up, and you can do what you want without her hovering.â âI hope she doesnât forget me,â Helana says, her voice small. âNot like that,â Eileen clarifies.
âSheâll just stop being so clingy.
Thatâs all.â âOkay,â Helana says, brightening.
âCan you help with my English now?â âSure, but weâll speak out loud,â Eileen says.
âOthers can hear, so be careful what you say.â âIâwillâbeâcareâful,â Helana says, enunciating each word with a grin. --- At Roxanaâs house, the kitchen smells of warm tortillas and simmering salsa.
Roxanaâs mom, chopping cilantro, glances at the girls sprawled around the table, giggling over something unspoken. âWhatâs so funny?â she asks, wiping her hands on a towel. âHelana told a joke,â Roxana says, suppressing a smile. âI didnât hear her,â her mom says, puzzled. âShe doesnât speak much English yet, so we made a secret sign language,â Roxana explains.
âHelana talks with her face.â âBody language!â her mom says, laughing.
âYouâll have to teach me.â âYouâre too old, Mom,â Roxana teases.
âIt doesnât work for grown-ups.â Her mom shoots her a mock glare.
âIâve been meaning to askâwould Helana like to join us at Mass? Whatâs her religion?â âSlow down,â Roxana says, holding up a hand.
âLet her adjust to life here first.
You can convert her later.â âFair enough,â her mom says.
âThe offerâs open.
Eileen, how are your parents handling two daughters now? Thatâs a big change.â âDadâs thrilled, like we got a new puppy,â Eileen says, grinning.
âMom loves Helana, but sheâs⊠nervous.
Having two girls is a lot, and she feels left out sometimes.â âYour momâs the strongest woman I know,â Roxanaâs mom says.
âSheâll adjust.
Besides, you girls are at Ellaâs or here half the time anyway.â She laughs, returning to her chopping. --- That night, a strange sensation jolts Roxana awakeâor so she thinks.
The room is unfamiliar, bathed in a soft, pearlescent glow, its walls shimmering like liquid glass.
She stands in a circular chamber, Ella and Eileen beside her, their faces mirroring her confusion. âWhatâs happening?â Roxana asks, her voice echoing.
âI feel weird.
Where are we?â âThis placeâŠâ Ella says, her eyes wide.
âItâs strange.
Eileen, do you know it?â âIâve been here before,â Eileen says slowly, âbut I canât remember when.
Waitânight school! This is night school!â Helana appears, her form solid now, her smile radiant.
âYouâve all been here before, but this is the first time youâll remember,â she says.
âI want you to meet someoneâmy mom and dad, my real parents.
Theyâve been meeting me here, and theyâre eager to know you.â A young couple, appearing in their thirties, steps forward, their faces warm with affection.
They envelop the girls in hugs, the room thick with unspoken love.
Their presence feels ancient yet familiar, their eyes holding a depth that speaks of other worlds. âAre we asleep?â Roxana asks, her voice trembling.
âIs this a shared dream?â âYour bodies are asleep, resting,â Helana explains, âbut your spiritsâthe real youâare awake.
Every night, your spirit travels, sometimes here, but your brain doesnât retain it.
Youâve graduated to remembrance level.
From now on, youâll recall these visits.
Youâre bi-locatedâhere and in your body simultaneously.
Spirit life is convenient.â âWe wonât get lost? Unable to find our bodies?â Ella asks, her voice tight. âYouâre still tethered,â Helana says.
âThis is my world, my school.
I canât return physically, but I visit in spirit, and so can you.
Here, weâll learn what Earth schools donât teach, and Iâll learn what your world offers.
Weâll be the smartest kids in the galaxy.â âNot quite,â Helanaâs mom says, laughing, her voice like a melody.
âBut youâll have rare advantages.
Some of Earthâs greatest minds attended this night school, though few remember.
You will, but keep it secretâothers might envy your privilege.
Weâre so happy to meet you.
We love you as Helana does, with all our hearts.â âIs there homework?â Ella asks, half-joking. âYes,â Helanaâs mom says, âbut not essays.
Your homework is to live the knowledge you gain, to better your lives and world.
You grade yourself.
Better than book reports, right?â âMuch better,â Ella says, grinning. âWhatâs tonightâs lesson?â Eileen asks. âA download on listening,â Helanaâs mom says.
âListening to the thought behind the thought, and the sponsoring thoughts beneath.
When someoneâs actions seem senseless, a deeper, often unconscious thought drives them.
Understanding these sponsoring thoughts helps you connect positively, without frustration.â âHas it started?â Roxana asks. âItâs done,â Helanaâs mom says, âbut itâll take weeks to integrate.
Be mindful, and youâll feel it take root.
Class dismissed.
See you next time.â She waves, her figure fading as the room dissolves. --- At 4 a.m., Ella sits at her desk, the house silent except for the hum of crickets outside.
She opens her diary, her heart full and heavy.
Dear Diary, Itâs been foreverâ18 weeks since I wrote.
Iâm so sorry. Iâve been so busy: a dozen countries, the backseat of a fighter jet, missile launches from a Navy ship.
I shouldâve journaled, but I forgot you when I packed. I watched Helana grow up! She was tiny at first, translucent like a ghost, but we fed her, used scalar wave treatments, and she got bigger, heavier, solid.
Sheâs my size now, my twin sister.
I love her so muchâmore every day. Weâre in high school.
Helanaâs in Special Ed until her English improves.
Teachers say itâll take years, but I bet sheâll nail it in months.
Sheâs smarter than they know. Itâs 4 a.m.
I just woke from night school, where Helanaâs mom taught us.
It felt realâtoo real for a dream.
Iâll ask the girls tomorrow if they remember.
I bet they do. I hate that Helanaâs at Eileenâs.
I miss her so much when sheâs not here. Iâm exhausted.
Goodnight, Diary.
Check out Our Ads. If you buy a product by clicking one of the images we may receive a small (very small) commission on the sale.