Ella`s Story
My Love From The Future
BOOK SIX

Chapter 1 : Catching Up

Episode 54 : January 4 2023 Wednesday grade 12

Copyright © 2019-2025 Gary Brandt. All rights reserved.

Two years had passed since rogue elements had attempted to murder the girls—two years marked by intense political turmoil that rippled through every level of government.

Commander Beaker had maintained the girls` low profile with unwavering determination, despite mounting political pressure from various factions eager to exploit their unique abilities in the escalating power struggles. Ella, Roxanna, Aileen, and Helena were seventeen now, each possessing driver`s licenses and their own vehicles—though these were hardly ordinary cars.

Commander Beaker had insisted on government-modified Land Rovers equipped with bulletproof windows, reinforced doors, and an array of defensive features that transformed the vehicles into mobile fortresses.

The sight of four expensive Land Rovers parked on the same block had earned the girls the label of "Rich Bitches"—a moniker they wore with surprising pride, understanding it provided perfect camouflage for their true circumstances. Ella had completed her weapons training and earned her certification, though she carried her sidearm with reluctant acceptance rather than enthusiasm.

"Since he couldn`t make me a soldier," she often remarked with dry humor, "he made me a cop instead." The weight of the weapon served as a constant reminder of the dangers that still lurked in the shadows of their lives. While her friends navigated the typical complexities of teenage relationships, Ella had deliberately avoided dating, channeling her energy instead into accumulating college credits.

She attended a few school dances, but the most hopeful boys could expect was a handshake and perhaps a brief, sisterly hug.

Her focus remained laser-sharp on preparing for the monumental challenges she knew lay ahead. Aileen had set aside her former boy-crazy tendencies, waiting instead for someone who appeared only in her dreams—literally.

No longer an active member of the crew, her telepathic connections with the other girls had steadily diminished, leaving her to live an increasingly solitary existence.

Both Ella and Aileen`s mother shared the quiet understanding that some people simply weren`t built to withstand the relentless pressures that came with being part of the crew. Roxanna had evolved into something of a heartbreaker, her stunning beauty drawing admirers like moths to flame.

She had dated several boys, only to find them disappointingly shallow and immature.

She wasn`t cruel or narcissistic in her rejections—she simply sought substance and maturity that high school boys rarely possessed.

Her deepening religious faith took precedence over romantic entanglements, providing her with a spiritual anchor in an increasingly chaotic world.

Though she had finally completed her weapons training and earned her certification, her skills with firearms remained notably poor, a fact that worried Commander Beaker considerably. Helena and Bobby had attempted to date briefly, but their complicated past-life connection made romance impossible.

They had settled into a comfortable friendship, though one firmly established in platonic territory.

As Bobby matured, his skin had cleared, revealing surprisingly handsome features that had catapulted him into the ranks of the popular students.

He was now dating one of the school`s social elite—a development that generated too much drama for Helena`s taste, driving her to seek solitude more often than not. Helena`s empathic abilities had attracted a circle of friends, but they tended to be needy individuals who drained her emotional reserves.

She was slowly learning to establish boundaries to protect her mental health, a skill that proved essential for her survival.

Unlike Roxanna, Helena had excelled at weapons training, achieving a perfect score that was theoretically impossible.

Commander Beaker had been forced to modify her recorded results to conceal her telekinetic enhancements, another secret in an ever-growing collection. Dead Girl Calling "Wake up! Wake up!" Ella`s consciousness struggled toward the surface, fighting through layers of sleep.

"Okay, I`m awake.

No, wait a minute.

I`m not awake." She paused, recognition dawning.

"Jenna? What are you doing in my dream?" The familiar figure materialized more clearly, though something was different about her presence.

"Don`t worry—you`re not dead this time.

I just came to say goodbye, because I am dead." The words hit Ella like a physical blow.

"What the fuck? You`re dead? How? What happened?" Tears began streaming down her face as the reality of Jenna`s words sank in. "A fifth of vodka and a fistful of Xanax is what happened," Jenna replied with heartbreaking matter-of-factness.

"I`m sorry—I know how much you tried to help.

I can remember that now, all of it.

But after I got totally clean, when things were supposed to be good, it was worse than ever.

I just don`t belong here, so I`m going home." Her voice softened.

"I`ll stick around for a few more days, though.

I don`t want to miss my funeral.

You`d better go—you and that Helena girl.

You guys and Janice will probably be the only people there." The Funeral The small chapel felt cavernous despite the modest gathering.

Ella approached Janice, her heart heavy with grief and guilt.

"I`m so sorry, Janice.

I know how much you loved her and how hard you tried." Janice`s face bore the weathered expression of someone who had fought too many battles and lost too many wars.

"It`s what you have to be prepared for when you love a junkie," she said quietly.

"I don`t even have any tears left.

It`s like I just finished reading a really interesting book and have to come back to reality, put the book back on the shelf, and move on.

I just don`t understand why she would do this when everything was finally going great." "She came to me to say goodbye and thank me for trying to help," Ella explained.

"She said that after she got clean, things were worse than ever.

My therapist says that`s common when people finally get sober.

Without the coping mechanism of drugs, they can`t deal with the feelings that drove them to use in the first place.

Suicide after recovery is tragically common." A voice interrupted them from behind.

"You spoke to her before she died? You knew what she was going to do?" An elderly woman turned, her eyes widening with sudden understanding.

"Oh, wait—you spoke to her after she died? Are you a medium? I`m her grandmother.

Is she okay now? I`ve prayed for her so much, for so many years.

I hope she`s finally at peace.

She was my favorite grandchild." Helena stepped forward gently.

"I`m more of a medium than Ella—she just has dreams.

Jenna is here right now." She paused, listening to something only she could hear.

"She is at peace, but she says she wasn`t your favorite—she was your embarrassment, just like her father.

She understands, though, and she forgives you." The grandmother`s composure crumbled.

"Oh, Jenna, honey, I`m so sorry.

I`ve been a horrible grandmother.

Your father, though—I should have done more.

I should have taken you away, should have put him in jail, but I just wasn`t strong enough." "She knows, and she forgives," Helena said softly.

"She says to set all that aside and just leave the love." A moment later, Helena`s expression changed.

"She`s leaving now—she just faded away." "Pastor John is getting ready to speak," Ella said, gesturing toward the front of the chapel.

"Let`s sit down.

I wish Roxanna could have come, but she has issues with suicide and didn`t feel comfortable attending." Helena scanned the small gathering.

"There are quite a few people here.

She must have made some friends at the church, even if they weren`t really her kind of people." A Visitor "Did you see that little blonde girl sitting in the back?" Ella asked as they filed out of the chapel.

"She got up and left before the service was over." "Yeah, I`ve seen her around before," Helena replied, her voice carrying a note of concern.

"This is the first time I`ve felt like she`s targeting us, though.

Why would she come to the funeral of someone she doesn`t even know?" "We need to figure out who she is and what she wants," Ella said decisively.

"I think she`s telepathic—I can feel her trying to read me.

She might be one of those lizard people in a skin suit." She pointed toward the tree line.

"I saw her head into the woods.

Let`s follow." "Are you sure she went this way?" Helena asked as they ventured deeper into the forest.

"This trail leads into the deep woods." "Yes, I can feel her strongly now.

She`s calling me.

Let`s keep going." Helena`s unease grew with each step.

"She must be really skilled to target you while tuning me out.

Should we go back and get our guns? This could be a trap." "No, that might scare her away.

I want to figure out who she is and what she wants." "Wait—there she is! Over there by that tree." Ella raised her voice, adopting an authoritative tone.

"Okay, little girl.

We`re here.

What do you want?" The blonde figure stepped into view, her appearance more mature up close than her petite frame suggested.

"I`m not a little girl.

I`m twice as old as you and have a husband and a three-month-old daughter," she replied calmly.

"I was just trying to figure out if you`re the one—the one that was foretold." Helena`s empathic senses probed carefully.

"You`re not human, are you? I know you`re telepathic—why are you blocking me?" "I`m as human as you are, almost, but we don`t call ourselves that," the stranger replied.

"I apologize for being rude.

You can read me now to see if I`m truthful.

We were both brought to this planet eons ago.

You live on the surface, and we live underground, for the most part.

My name is Asherina, and I have a question: Are you going to be digging any tunnels into the mountains anytime soon? If so, you`re going to need my help." "Tunnels?" Ella said, genuinely confused.

"I don`t know what you`re talking about." Helena`s expression changed as her empathic abilities made contact.

"She knows, Ella.

She knows everything.

They`ve had the same visions we did, about the sites for drilling." Ella`s demeanor shifted as the implications sank in.

"Okay, then I guess we need to talk.

Let`s go back to town and have a proper conversation." "No, let`s go to my place," Asherina suggested with a mysterious smile.

"It`s just around the corner." She led them down the path to what appeared to be a solid rock face, but as they approached, an obvious door materialized—somehow unnoticed until that very moment. The Underworld After several ear-popping moments in a sophisticated elevator, Ella stepped into a world that seemed lifted from the pages of a fairy tale.

Thousands of small, round houses stretched as far as the eye could see, their hobbit-like entrances dotting a landscape filled with hanging gardens.

A crystal-clear river meandered through the center of the vast cavern, while soft, ambient lighting emanated from every direction, creating a warm twilight atmosphere.

Birds flew freely overhead, and pastoral scenes complete with grazing animals added to the surreal beauty. "Are you the hobbit people?" Ella asked, unable to suppress her wonder. Asherina laughed, a sound like silver bells.

"No, but we believe Tolkien got his inspiration from our architecture.

The little round hobbit-looking part is just the entrance—our homes actually extend quite far into the rock face.

Come inside; this one is mine.

I think my husband has dinner ready." She removed her tinted glasses, revealing enormous baby-blue eyes that seemed to hold depths of ancient wisdom. "Dany, these are my new friends, Ella and Helena.

They`re the ones foretold by the prophets as the tunnel diggers," Asherina announced as they entered a surprisingly spacious home carved directly into the living rock. A handsome man with warm brown eyes looked up from the stove, his smile genuine and welcoming.

"Happy to meet you.

Ash has been searching all over the planet for you, and here you are, just down the trail." "Don`t look so shocked," Asherina said, noticing their expressions.

"You can tell from Dany`s brown eyes that he`s a surface dweller like you.

And this is my little Chessa." She gestured to an infant with light brown hair and brown eyes.

"You can see by her coloring that she`s a hybrid." Helena`s face lit up with immediate adoration.

"Oh my God, you have such a beautiful family.

I`ve known you for twenty minutes and I`m already in love with you all.

Can I hold Chessa?" "Be careful holding babies," Ella warned with a laugh.

"They make you fertile, and then one little mistake and you`re a mother." "Dinner`s ready if you`re hungry," Dany announced.

"It`s lamb, but if you don`t eat meat, I can prepare something else." "Lamb is perfect.

We`re carnivores," Ella assured him. As they settled around the table, Ella`s curiosity got the better of her.

"So why a mixed marriage? Aren`t there enough young men down here?" "We have plenty of boys," Asherina replied, her expression growing more serious.

"My adoptive parents were human, though, so I spent what would be your teenage years topside.

Plus, there`s a much bigger plan involved, and Chessa is part of that plan." "A plan for Chessa?" Helena asked, bouncing the baby gently.

"Chessa, what have your parents gotten you into?" Asherina`s voice took on the weight of prophecy.

"My generation, in conflict with our elders, believes we should begin blending our species.

We were surface dwellers too, originally—half a million years ago—but when your people arrived, we had to move underground." She paused, gathering her thoughts.

"We already had tunnels and caverns built to escape periodic solar blasts, so we simply moved into them full-time.

Your species is...

very violent.

You`ve spent most of your existence trying to annihilate yourselves.

There were several other human species—we`re all actually human—and your people wiped them out.

You even ate them.

So we`ve hidden underground ever since." The weight of this revelation settled over the table like a heavy blanket.

"We`re very good at hiding," Asherina continued.

"Being telepathic, we can simply make you not see what you`ve just seen.

But with your technological revolution, it`s only a matter of time before you discover us and probably destroy us." "However," she said, her voice carrying hope, "if we can create a few hundred million hybrid children over the next fifty years, we hope that will mitigate the xenophobic tendencies.

By then, we`ll be related—a global family.

By blending our species, we might find peace.

Our hope is that our non-violent nature will balance your aggressive tendencies, resulting in a kinder, gentler species.

It`s a long shot, and our elders think we`re fools, but I believe it`s the only chance we have." Helena`s eyes sparkled with possibility.

"I want a hybrid baby.

Can I meet some of your young men?" "Don`t be silly, Helena," Ella interjected, though not unkindly.

"We have bigger problems to solve.

So why have you brought us here? What do you want from us? What`s this about tunnel building?" Asherina leaned forward, her expression growing grave.

"That`s a long story.

As I mentioned, we`ve been using tunnels and caverns to escape solar outbursts for millennia.

You see, the sun isn`t always as stable as it appears.

Its stability depends on many factors—our orbit around the galaxy, dust clouds, rogue objects flying through the solar system." She paused, ensuring they understood the magnitude of what she was explaining.

"The sun is a dynamo of tangled electrical and magnetic fields.

When external influences perturb it—such as a dust cloud with a large magnetic field—it can shut down temporarily and go dark.

When this happens, enormous forces build within the sun, and it explodes outward, blowing off its entire corona.

This can literally melt parts of the moon`s surface and cook anything on Earth`s surface." Ella felt a chill run down her spine.

"During these solar events, we invite surface dwellers who will listen to come underground and stay with us until it`s safe to return topside.

Only a few have ever responded, and sadly, most humans are wiped out each time—cooked by the solar eruption.

But we`ve managed to save enough to keep your species alive." "So if you were afraid we`d eventually kill you all, why didn`t you just let us die on the surface?" Ella asked bluntly. "Morality, perhaps? That`s always been a source of debate among our people, but it simply isn`t in our nature to stand by and watch genocide, even if it might benefit us in the long run.

Here`s the situation now: another solar outburst is due.

It could happen tomorrow or in two hundred years—it`s nearly impossible to predict precisely—but we must be prepared." Understanding dawned on Ella`s face.

"So you think the tunnels we`re planning to build to survive the coming war could also be used to survive the solar storm?" "Precisely," Asherina confirmed.

"We need to pool our resources.

The last time this happened, the surface population was relatively small.

Today, there are billions more topside, and our population has grown as well.

There simply isn`t enough space down here for even a fraction of the surface population.

We have about ten thousand underground cities like this one and twenty thousand other caverns we use for storage, agriculture, or keep empty for future needs.

If we combine those with the tunnels you`re planning to build, we can save many more people.

Sadly, even with our combined efforts, many will still die." Ella`s voice was grim as she shared her own knowledge.

"Our computers calculate that the predicted great war will result in a ninety percent depopulation of all species.

It sounds like the solar explosion could make that even worse, especially if they happen simultaneously." "There`s a confluence of solar system cycles indicating they could occur at the same time, but exact timing remains unpredictable.

We need to hurry and prepare everything, just in case." Asherina`s expression grew melancholy.

"The last time this happened, we relocated many surface dwellers underground, but our calculations were off and nothing occurred for twenty years.

Many stopped believing us and returned to the surface.

They were destroyed when the solar explosion finally came.

Those who stayed were saved, and some of your indigenous populations actually remember these events in their oral traditions." "This time, we want everything ready so that when we detect the eruption is imminent, we can quickly get everyone who will come with us to safety in our cities and your tunnels." Relief flooded Ella`s features.

"Thank you.

You may have just saved my life—and everyone else`s.

For years, I`ve been going over this problem repeatedly, studying the physics and engineering required, and every calculation seemed impossible.

For the first time, I feel this could actually work, with your help." Helena suddenly sat up straighter, her eyes bright with inspiration.

"Ella, I have a thought.

I`ve been struggling with this too.

In my visions of our future, I`ve always seen our crew with a little blonde girl.

We lost Aileen, and I haven`t been able to process that loss.

But maybe—just maybe—we`ve found our new little blonde girl.

Asherina, would you like to join our crew?" Ella grinned.

"We already have an alien hybrid in the crew, so why not another? Asherina, would you like to become a special agent of Navy Intelligence and learn to shoot guns and fight bad guys?" Before Asherina could respond, Dany interrupted with mock alarm.

"Whoa, wait a minute.

Ash, wipe that smile off your face, my love.

Are you just going to run off topside and leave me alone down here?" Asherina`s smile only grew broader.

"Well, I was thinking...

when I was topside, I noticed a new housing development with the cutest little homes.

We could all move to the surface until we get this figured out.

Of course, we`d keep our home here too.

Ask your Commander Beaker and see what he says." "I don`t really care what the Commander says," Ella declared.

"If you want to do this, you`re in.

What do you think, Helena?" Helena stood and extended her hand.

"A handshake and a hug, and it`s done."

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NEXT >> Chapter 55
Above Top Secret

A human woman named Asherina from an ancient underground civilization meets with military Commander Beaker, revealing that her people have lived secretly beneath the surface for 600 years and are genetically similar to surface humans. Despite Beaker's skepticism and Asherina's refusal to reveal her city's location or allow official documentation, she joins a classified military project and moves in with team member Ella's family, bringing her husband and baby as they prepare for some urgent, undisclosed threat.

<< PREVIOUS Chapter 53
53

Two successful businesswomen, Eileen and Roxanna, travel to Seoul in 2058 where Eileen presents her psychologically-informed fashion designs to a major garment company, explaining how her clothing triggers feel-good hormones through strategic fabric and cut choices. The story then reveals this was actually a prophetic dream experienced by college student Eileen, who becomes so convinced of its reality that she decides to leave her Navy program to pursue the future she envisioned.

FIRST Chapter 0 Sleep Over

Thirteen-year-old Ella and her best friends Eileen and Roxana encounter an interdimensional being named Helana during a sleepover, who appears as different benevolent figures to each girl and reveals glimpses of their legendary futures. When Helana tries to leave after accidentally revealing herself and disrupting their timelines, Ella cleverly traps the entity by claiming authority over her domain, forcing Helana to stay as their `genie in a bottle` despite her pleas to return home.