Gary Brandt kicks off his captivating series from The Dimension Of Mind Dot Com with the most wonderfully deceptive beginning—three thirteen-year-old best friends having what seems like an ordinary sleepover in Ella's bedroom.
We've got all the classic teenage sleepover elements: dozing off during movies (Ella's frustrated she missed her favorite film's ending again), late-night journaling (Eileen scribbling secrets she'll never share), and Roxana clutching her rosary beads even in sleep.
These girls have been inseparable since they were toddlers, living on the same block with parents who treat all three as daughters.
Each has her own distinct personality—Ella with her scientific curiosity always chasing the 'why' of everything, Roxana anchored by deep faith, and Eileen dreaming of law school while secretly obsessing over boys.
They're generous to a fault but will absolutely swipe each other's lip gloss, and they bicker like sisters before dissolving into giggles minutes later.
But then Eileen spots something that changes everything—a shimmering orb floating above Ella's vintage Avon perfume bottle, 'like heat rising from pavement.' Their reactions are absolutely perfect for who they are: Eileen immediately declares it's a genie and starts demanding three wishes, Roxana fears it's demonic and grips her rosary tighter, while Ella approaches it with scientific curiosity mixed with protective prayers.
The interdimensional traveler who calls herself Helana appears differently to each girl based on their expectations—Fairy Godmother to Ella, Glinda to Eileen, just a glowing orb to the faith-protected Roxana.
She explains she moves through time like they move through space and wasn't supposed to be seen, but now that she has been, their timelines are changed.
Here's where Ella's brilliant pragmatic cunning shines: realizing Helana broke rules and has incredible knowledge, she essentially traps the entity in her perfume bottle, declaring her their new best friend whether she likes it or not.
It's a perfect setup that promises to crack open doorways into mysterious dimensions where consciousness plays by entirely different rules!