The Parallel Universe
All Shadows Eve (Book #1)
By: Alana (Siegel) Mag
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Copyright 2020 Alana Mag.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination of are used factiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Quicksilver and foxglove snipped, poured and mixed in a brew
For American convicts in 1832
Shadow travel through darkness to the Isle of the Lost
Now the Rogues can't escape, and their freedom is the cost
But the eye can play tricks, can it not?
Do you know every shadow and spot?
If you scan the horizon, never say never
‘Cause on All Shadows Eve, those Rogues are so clever
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Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter One: The First Thanksgiving Eve
Chapter Two: The Second Thanksgiving Eve
Chapter Three: The Thanksgiving Eve with their Whole Lives Ahead of Them
Chapter Four: The Thanksgiving Eve with a Sign from the Universe
Chapter Five: The Thanksgiving Eve When the Stars Aligned
Chapter Six: The Thanksgiving Eve When She’s Dating Someone Else
Chapter Seven: The Thanksgiving Eve When He’s Dating Someone Else
Chapter Eight: The Thanksgiving Eve That Should Have Been Perfect
Chapter Nine: The Thanksgiving Eve When Love Might Steer the Stars (Part 1)
Chapter Ten: The Thanksgiving Eve When Love Might Steer the Stars (Part 2)
Chapter Eleven: The Thanksgiving Eve with a Happy Ending (Sort Of)
About the Author
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Prologue
Jade opened the door and a sliver of light cut into a dark theater with rows of recliners and a walkway on either side. She flipped the light switch and sighed when nothing happened. The entryway switch was broken. She would have to cross to the far wall in front of the first row of seats to turn on the lights.
Jade stood still a moment to let her eyes adjust to the dimmed cinema. As she began the careful trek to the front of the theater, a dark figure streaked down the opposite row. Jade froze. At least, she thought it was a figure. It could have been her eyes playing a trick on her.
“Who's there?” No one answered. Goosebumps rose on her arms. “This theater isn't open yet.”
Jade peered around, begging her eyes to adjust faster to the darkness. She continued her path to the light switch, picking up her pace. She knew it was her imagination, but it felt like the darkness became thicker as she walked forward.
Jade's breathing grew heavy. Was someone watching her? If she could just get to the light switch, she could see who was haunting the theater. She put her hands out in front of her. Her heart raced.
Bang! Another movement of shadows caused her to whip her head to the left. “Hey!” Was it a person? She could have sworn it was a person. She wasn’t sure if they were hiding from her…or trying to prey on her.
The door of the theater opened. Light cut through the theater once more. “Jade, you're needed up front.”
Jade took a deep breath and glanced around the empty theater. Whoever was in there with her didn't want to be seen, and she knew how that felt. Jade turned to leave through the open door that her co-worker held open for her and was struck with a strange thought. Was it her co-worker sneaking around the theater? Jade said nothing as she walked past.
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Chapter One: The First Thanksgiving Eve
Senior Year of High School
Age: 17
Jade leaned against the back door with her arms crossed. Her fingers tapped the glass cup that was tucked into the nook of her arm. It was filled to the brim with a kale smoothie, compliments of her mother.
Jade’s cousin Marcus reached across the table and snatched the last piece of buttery toast. “You snooze, you lose,” he said. Jade snickered.
Marcus’s private high school was on vacation for the week of Thanksgiving, and he was sent to spend time with his cousins a few days before the national holiday. Jade assumed it was her aunt's method for gauging the level of stress in the house before the rest of the family arrived. Jade didn’t mind. Marcus had a knack for breaking the tension with a joke.
Marcus lived in a big house with his parents in a neighboring town. Although Jade’s mother and Marcus’s mother were sisters, they were far from friends. They brought their families together for holidays out of obligation, but it wasn’t anxiety-free.
“I'll wrestle you for the last piece of bacon.” Jade's younger brother Bobby pushed his chair away from the table and stood in ready position. Both boys had wide shoulders and muscular bodies, but Bobby had wild tendencies. He loved to bait his older cousin into a fight.
It was a battle that Jade left to the boys. Her mother would kill her if she found out she ate the fatty food, especially during the week of Thanksgiving. The apprehension intensified in the house when the whole family was together under one roof, and Jade’s mother directed the brunt of her frustrations at Jade.
Jade’s mom was always worried that people would discover something unpleasant about her family. An unsavory flaw in one of her brood. Or a dirty family secret. Jade’s brother was athletic. Her cousin was witty, and Jade was the well-groomed daughter. However, her mom lived by the mantra that the more family members around, the more they were exposed. Something that happened long ago haunted her mother, and Jade was forced to deal with the aftermath.
A black spot appeared in Jade's vision just as Marcus escaped from a headlock by impersonating his aunt and causing Bobby to laugh. Jade followed the progression of the black spot anomaly as it danced in front of her. It wasn't the first time dots obscured Jade's view. The high school nurse had called it an eye floater and suggested she see a doctor, but her mom insisted they were just a trick of the eye and never made an appointment.
Jade wasn't sure what she believed about the spots. As she extended her arm toward the floater, it darted out of reach. The reactionary movement of the spot, like it was a living creature, caused a chill down her spine.
The floater circled, like it was urging Jade to follow. Leaving her wrestling brother and cousin in the kitchen, Jade turned to push the back door open and felt the crisp morning breeze on her face. She paused to soak it in, forgetting about the spot. Being outside her mother's house was always freeing.
She headed to the old swing set which sat abandoned in the backyard, merging with its surroundings. Over time, the base had turned green and the metal hinges rusted with brown. She lowered herself on to her childhood swing, craving a release. Jade pumped her legs back and forth as she swung higher. Her body had ached for a break from her mother's nagging and swinging felt exhilirating.
The nostalgic swinging dislodged a long-forgotten nursery rhyme her mother used to sing when Jade was a child.
Quicksilver and foxglove snipped, poured and mixed in a brew
For American convicts in 1832
Shadow travel through darkness to the Isle of the Lost
Now the Rogues can't escape, and their freedom is the cost
But the eye can play tricks, can it not?
Do you know every shadow and spot?
If you scan the horizon, never say never
The sing-song words were clear in her mind, but the meaning behind them was blurry. Who were the convicts? Where was the Isle of the Lost? What was All Shadows Eve?
“Jade,” her mother's shrill voice called, cutting through her reverie.
Jade closed her eyes as she continued swinging. She urged her frayed nerves to be calm.
“Jade, come inside.” Ms. Miller had seen the eye floater that enticed Jade to go outside, although she would never admit it. The eye floater was an annoying but harmless gnat that couldn’t reach her daughter. Her real concern was for the Parallel Military Intelligence authorities that monitored the floaters. She shivered at the thought of the secret branch of law enforcement. If Jade did as she was told, Ms. Miller could keep her daughter from having to worry about it.
Jade ignored her mother's command. She opened her eyes as the swing reversed course, whooshing in the air. Her stomach somersaulted. Something about the rush from the swing gave her the confidence to contradict her mother. It became imperative that she scan the horizon, looking for floaters. Perhaps it was her strained emotions forcing her to find a way to defy her mother, but she became convinced there was something else out there, and she needed to catch a glimpse.
“Jade, you are going to mess up your hair before school.” The back door opened, revealing a plump woman with plain features.
Jade pumped her legs harder this time. The thought of all the hours she spent grooming her exterior came out in a twist of frustration. The swing rushed back to the ground and flew up in the other direction.
Her mother insisted on perfection, but why, Jade had no idea. Did she want Jade to lure a man into marrying her? Did she want Jade to solidify her link to the life her mother created?
For as long as Jade could remember, her mother had an irrational fear of being caught in the wrong and sent away. The only explanation given was that they didn’t belong here. But where the Millers were from, Jade never understood.
Didn't her mother realize that adding makeup and curling her hair only made her stand out? If her mother wanted her to fit in, why did she force her to seek unattainable beauty? She was sick of the unnecessary exposure causing her to be a target for unwanted attention.
Jade heard the frustrated sigh and her mother's steps down the back porch. She had one more chance, and she was going to make it count. She leaned back and stretched her legs out as far as they could go. The wind coursed through her hair as she soared through the air. At the moment of weightlessness, Jade forced her eyes open and gasped.
There it was, right at the horizon where the morning sun was rising. A rip in the sky. It wasn't obvious, and she would have mistaken it for a jagged cloud if she hadn't known to look for it. It was grayish blue and just like she remembered it as a child.
Zander stared at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. He felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of his upcoming debate in social studies class. It was a topic he felt strongly about, and he knew he was going to win. Defending human rights in front of an audience was his forte, which was why his life goal was to run for office.
He pushed his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose and sighed. If only his talent extended to one-on-one conversations. As soon as he stood in front of a girl, he was tongue-tied. He found it hard to ignore the blaring signs of his mundane and uncool life when a girl was in front of him.
At a close distance, he couldn't hide behind statistics and polls. He came face to face with his insecurities like his average height, his strange allergies to milk and corn or the unfortunate fact that he enjoyed receiving the highest grade in the class. He was a planner, but talking to girls never went according to plan.
All girls rendered him speechless, but none tied his tongue in knots the way Jade Miller did. With her blonde curls and blue eyes, she was perfect. Best of all, she didn't seem to know it. She was popular, but she didn't take it for granted or rely on her beauty. She was smart and caring. Without a doubt, she was everything a seventeen-year-old guy would want.
The door to the bathroom opened, and Zander hurried into one of the stalls. Woodpine High School wasn't in a dangerous neighborhood, but there were bullies, and he didn't need to be doused in toilet water before the big debate. The other student entered a stall, and Zander waited ten seconds before bolting to his social studies class.
“Ready for the debate, Zander?” the teacher asked as Zander breezed through the door.
“Yes, sir. The only people who know more about Homeland Security is the U.S. government,” Zander replied. He puffed out his chest. It was time for him to shine. The teacher smiled at his most-prepared and best-performing student.
The bell rang and students made their way to their seats. Many stopped to whisper to friends, dragging out the break between classes. Few students shared Zander's eagerness for the day's lesson.
“Let's begin class with our debate on immigration,” the teacher announced to his students. “To defend a lack of restrictions on immigration, let's have Zander Stein come to the podium.” Zander jumped out of his seat.
“To defend increased restrictions on immigration, Jimmy Johnson.” Zander's opponent joined him with less enthusiasm. Jimmy cared more about his Nike sneakers than a school debate and skidded by with average grades.
“Jimmy, you may bring your notes to the podium,” the teacher said.
Jimmy pointed to the side of his head. “I have everything I need right here.” The girls in the class giggled. They were always swooning over the brawny, All-American guys like Jimmy with good looks and empty brains. Zander smiled to himself, believing the war of words would be easily won.
“Zander, you may begin with your opening arguments.”
Zander cleared his throat with finesse, like a musician tuning his instrument before a performance. He made a show of organizing his well-researched note cards, eyeing his adversary with glee. This was going to be quick and easy.
Zander scanned the room, feeling the confidence build in his chest. He reveled in the moments when all eyes were on him. His fellow classmates were about to witness a slaughter, and he wanted to soak in every glorious moment.
Right as he was about to begin, his eyes landed on Jade. She smiled and for a moment, it was only the two of them in the room.
In that instant, Zander's brazen attitude shattered. Sweat dripped down his back and his mouth went dry. He stared at her for three seconds…five seconds…ten seconds. An irksome black dot entered his line of sight. It sliced through his vision as he fumbled to look calm in front of Jade. The floater crossed in between them, and the corners of Jade's lips began to dip.
“Zander, please proceed.” The teacher pulled him out of his trance.
Zander pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose and tore his eyes from Jade. He cleared his throat once more, but this time it sounded undignified, like he was coughing up a hair ball.
He tried not to look in Jade's direction and began his opening argument. “People are uncomfortable with change and that is the irrational reason why immigration is feared.” Back in his comfort zone, Zander turned to his opponent, challenging him to make any comment that Zander couldn't discredit.
Jimmy rolled his eyes. “Wrong. The country doesn’t need to change. Have you ever heard of the saying, if it's not broken, don't fix it?” A few of Jimmy's buddies laughed.
Zander smirked. It was time to begin his rival's undoing. “Economic progress is built upon a foundation of entrepreneurship. Immigrants introduce new ideas and spur innovation. Over forty percent of the United States gross domestic product comes from mom and pop businesses like Lorenzo's Pizzeria in town. Many of those small businesses are founded by the hardest working people, immigrants in search of the American dream.” Someone in the class cheered for Zander, and it pissed Jimmy off.
“Immigrants aren't the only ones who are entrepreneurs,” Jimmy began.
Zander didn't let Jimmy expand on hi
s comment. “No, but a plot of land and a better life for your family is a great motivator. Immigrants treasure their house and picket fence more than the freeloaders who had it handed to them.”
Jimmy leaned over the podium and pointed at Zander. “They steal jobs by getting paid off the books and undercutting wages. They are criminals.” The class became quiet, anticipating the next response. Zander had succeeded in riling Jimmy and breaking his confidence.
Despite Jimmy's outburst, Zander looked calm and composed. “Sure, there needs to be better immigration laws in place to ensure fair practices, but you can't bucket all immigrants together. Would you call Albert Einstein and Elon Musk criminals?”
“No, but…the others…” Jimmy shook his head like he was trying to clear it. “We were here first!” Jimmy shouted. Someone gasped in the classroom.
“The United States was built by immigrants. Lady Liberty opened her arms to all seeking refuge, and that is the reason America is the superpower it is today.”
The sound of a chair squeaking against the vinyl floor interrupted the debate. It was Jade. She was out of her chair and hurrying out the door. Had he said something to upset her?
Zander looked at the teacher, who had a befuddled look on his face. “Maybe I should check on her,” Zander mumbled. Before he could convince himself not to, Zander left his podium and followed Jade out the door.
He stopped short when he saw her hunched over with her hands wiping tears from her cheeks. It was unlike her to be sad. She was always laughing with friends. Was there something underneath her perfectly manicured armor, a version of herself that was masked by her beauty and happiness?
A sob escaped Jade as her chest heaved. Zander's heart broke. Was it his fault that she was crying? He wanted to comfort her and tell her everything was going to be alright. Each sniffle pulled at Zander's heart strings. She was too kind and beautiful to be melancholy. He wanted to fix whatever was causing her unhappiness.
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