Excerpt from a Twist in Time

 

(This is a short excerpt from, A Twist in Time: Something’s in the Sky chapter 2)

In the heart of February, Alyssa enrolled in a class situated in Riverside County to acquire the art of handling firearms. While her husband was the one with a passion for guns, she was curious to explore the allure herself. Surprising both her coach and herself, Alyssa proved to be a quick study. Although her husband frequented the local shooting range with his friends on weekends, she never accompanied them. Her motive for learning how to use a weapon was simple yet unsettling... Summer Lynn. Alyssa had no intention of using her newfound skill to harm innocent creatures, but lately, her thoughts had taken a darker turn. To keep her activities hidden from her husband, Alyssa provided a fake name at the shooting range and even shared her mother's address with the instructor. As she honed her abilities, it provided her with a twisted solace, allowing her to reflect on the state of her marriage. Her best friend Lynda once said, “Don’t worry about it, just divorce him already. He’s nothing but a waste of space." Alyssa dryly chuckled as she recalled that conversation.

The well-being of her kids weighed heavily on Alyssa's mind as she contemplated the impact of divorcing her husband; their youth made her fear the lasting emotional wounds it could inflict upon them. If only I can fulfill my fantasy in killing that bitch who is ruining my marriage,” she thought as she shot another round straight into the bullseye, dead center. Alyssa's group erupted in applause and cheers. Her instructor, beaming with pride, commended her for her improved skills and gave her a warm hug. Another student chimed in, praising her for mastering the task. Alyssa smiled and nodded, basking in the support.

 As her class concluded, she made her way home to find her children happily playing outside while her husband tended to the barbecue. Despite her suspicions of his infidelity, she chose to keep them hidden, preferring that he believed she was oblivious to the situation. "Darling, I was thinking, would you be open to hiring a babysitter?" he asked, catching her off guard.

 “Why?” she responded.

"I was thinking we could go on a trip like we used to before the kids came along," he said, flipping the burger patties on the grill.

"My mom can watch the kids for free, so we can go whenever you want," she replied, grabbing a coke from the icebox.

"I know a coworker, Summer Lynn, who could babysit for us. She could use the extra money," he suggested. Alyssa looked at him suspiciously, taking a sip of her coke.

 “That fucking bitch?” She placed her coke on the wooden picnic table near the homemade brick barbecue grill that her husband and his friend had built.

 "Why don't you invite her over? I'd love to meet her," Alyssa suggested. 

"Sure, I will. I'm so lucky to have married such a wonderful and kind woman like you," he replied, oblivious to Alyssa's cold expression and the sarcastic tone in her voice. Alyssa's mind raced with anticipation, thinking, I can't wait to meet her. 

She called out to the kids, "Come on, let's eat," as their pet cat tried to join them on the table. Alyssa quickly intervened, picking up the cat and placing her on the grass, saying, "Not you, Kitty. Go on now." One week later, Summer Lynn, a 28-year-old woman, was invited by her husband to join them for a barbecue party. With her light brown hair, coffee colored eyes, and a playful smile, she arrived wearing old jean shorts, a pink tee shirt, and mauve colored Nike shoes.

Every month, the Castros host a barbecue for their family and friends, as long as the weather permits. However, the only family members who attend these gatherings are Alyssa's immediate family and her mother. Alyssa rarely gets to see her brother, and their estrangement dates back to a disagreement over politics. Despite Alyssa's disinterest in politics, her brother and parents took offense when she voted for a president they did not support, causing a rift in their relationship. While her mother insists that Alyssa should apologize, she fails to recognize that the divide was caused by her brother's stubborn political beliefs. Alyssa's father is no different, holding strong and irritating convictions of his own. Alyssa vividly remembers her mother siding with her father on issues she strongly disagreed with, pretending that their marriage was perfect when she knew it wasn't. Alyssa, on the other hand, refuses to deceive herself about the state of her own marriage. She sees it as it is, imperfect. In addition to her family, Alyssa invites her two friends, Lynda and Maggie, who happen to be their next-door neighbors, to join them at the barbecue. Maggie knows nothing about her husband’s infidelity, but Lynda does. “Your mother didn’t come?” asked Lynda. Alyssa shook her head, “No she was busy today.”

“So that’s the whore, huh,” Lynda whispered to Alyssa, as she watched Summer Lynn walk toward the barbecue. Alyssa nodded. “She looks like a dumb blonde to me,” added Lynda, they both giggled. Maggie was initially clueless, but she soon figured out the situation. She was unaware of Victor's infidelity towards Alyssa, but it became evident to her quite quickly. Summer Lynn joined the group, taking a seat beside Alyssa on a lawn chair. The women engaged in a conversation while the men chatted and drank beer. Alyssa's sons were playing badminton outside, away from the group. Alyssa's home was a typical family setup, with a spacious backyard, a small front yard, and a desert landscape suitable for their region. “Will you ladies excuse me, I’m going to get another beer,” said Summer. She stood up and walked on over to the ice box that was next to the barbecue.

Alyssa's gaze fixated on her husband and Summer. Their eyes locked, revealing a magnetic pull between them. Burning with anger, Alyssa's glare pierced through them, her irritation intensifying. "So, is she going to be the babysitter?" Maggie questioned, giving Summer Lynn a skeptical look. Alyssa quickly responded, "No way, she's definitely not going to be babysitting for me," she snapped. Maggie and Lynda exchanged worried looks. 

"Why not," Maggie asked, curiously. Lynda shot Alyssa a quick look.

 "My mom lives close by, so she helps out with the kids when my husband and I want some time alone," Alyssa explained. Summer came back and took a seat beside Alyssa.

"Hey Summer, do you have any kids?" Alyssa inquired, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Summer brushed it off.

"Nope, not for me. I'm too busy for kids, and I prefer being single and living life to the fullest," Summer replied. 

“Yeah, enjoying yourself with another woman’s man,” thought Alyssa, as she took a sip from her coke, her nose flared, and she sighed. 

“Mom, can we go inside and play with our Xbox 360? It’s kinda boring out here,” Alyssa’s older son Richard, asked.

“Sure, go ahead.” She smiled and kissed her son on the forehead. Richard, David, and Josh went into the house. She turned to Summer. “I know my husband wanted you to babysit for us, but my mother lives nearby, and she loves taking care of my kids so, no offense but I don’t need a babysitter at the moment,” stated Alyssa, firmly. Lynda gave Alyssa a clandestine wink.

If only you knew how much I want to kill you, bitch, thought Alyssa, her gaze bore into Summer, hidden behind her sunglasses, with a desire for vengeance that ran deep within her. The darkness lurking in Alyssa's thoughts was a chilling revelation, a side of her that remained unseen by those around her.

"Ah, well, that's alright then," Summer Lynn replied, deciding not to continue the conversation any further. Victor quietly entered the house without Alyssa noticing. 

"Excuse me, ladies, I need to use the restroom," Summer announced before heading towards the house. Once inside, she made her way to the bedroom where Victor was waiting. To avoid any interruptions, he closed the door.

 "So, what's the situation?" Summer shrugged. "I think she suspects something," she confessed. 

"No way, she's too self-absorbed to notice anything. Don't worry, she won't figure it out," Victor reassured her. He pulled her close, giving her a kiss and playfully patting her behind. "She makes me feel uneasy," Summer admitted. He reassured her, "She's harmless, just naive. You're safe." Feeling uneasy, she decided to leave because of  Alyssa.

"Alright, see you tomorrow at the usual spot," he said, stealing a final kiss before joining his friends. Alyssa noticed Summer following him outside. Summer bid them farewell, sensing the tension ease once she left. The evening proceeded smoothly without Summer, bringing a sense of calm. Later, Lynda spoke to Alyssa on the phone. "When will you confront him about what you know?" she inquired.

Alyssa replied, "My cancer is in remission, health is good. I'll do it soon, but not yet."

"Why wait? You should get rid of him, he'll only bring more trouble," Lynda advised. Alyssa agreed.

"Soon," that's all Alyssa said. 

A few days later Alyssa was talking to her mother on the phone. Her husband's out and her kids are watching television in the den.

"So, will you talk to him about his affair?" her mother asked her. 

"I prioritize my children above everything else in my life. Victor may claim to be spending more time with his friends at the shooting range, but I know the truth. He's actually upset about my decision to reject Summer as a babysitter. However, I couldn't care less about his feelings. I would much rather spend quality time with my children than with him. I am fully invested in their lives, attending their school plays and conferences, always being there for them. Victor seems like a mere ghost, just a presence in name only. It's disheartening to realize that he's having an affair, especially considering that he stood by me during my battle with cancer. I guess his support back then was merely out of obligation. Now that my cancer is in remission, he wants to be free to have sex with whomever he wishes,” Alyssa told her mother. A concerning look shadowed her mother's face. It has been several days since the unsettling conversation Alyssa had with her mother, and as she lay in bed, her husband snoring beside her and her children peacefully asleep, an eerie stillness filled the room. Downstairs, the cat was curled up on the couch, completely unaware of the intruder that was silently making its way to the master bedroom where Alyssa and her husband lay. The figure slowly revealed itself, standing ominously over Alyssa as she slept, its presence sending chills down her spine. With a gentle touch on her cheek, Alyssa's eyes fluttered open to a horrifying sight - a monstrous being with dark, hungry eyes staring back at her. Despite her piercing scream, the creature swiftly used its device to plunge her back into a deep slumber. Dark and twisted dreams consumed Alyssa's mind as she slept. She found herself surrounded by a sea of blood, lifeless bodies scattered around her, and a deep sense of anger and fear gripping her heart. The night was far from over, and Alyssa was trapped in a nightmare that seemed all too real.

Over the course of the next two months, Alyssa found herself in a terrifying situation as she was forcefully abducted and taken aboard a Ny'Karin ship for evaluation. The strange thing was, she had absolutely no recollection of the abduction itself. It was just another ordinary evening when she sat alone in her bed, engrossed in a book while her children peacefully slept in their rooms. Her husband was out with his friends, or so she believed. As the night wore on, fatigue began to take its toll on Alyssa, causing her eyes to grow heavy. She reluctantly set the book aside and rested her head on the soft pillow. However, instead of finding solace in sleep, her mind was plagued by horrifying nightmares filled with blood and anguish. She woke up multiple times throughout the night, drenched in sweat and trembling with fear. 

It is now June and the tranquil sound of crickets chirping outside filled the air, accompanied by a gentle summer breeze that gracefully entered the room through the open window, lightly caressing Alyssa's exposed leg. Just as she began to feel a sense of calm, a haunting voice echoed in her dream, urging her to take action against a woman who had caused her nothing but sorrow. Startled, Alyssa abruptly woke up and hastily rubbed her tired eyes, trying to make sense of the unsettling experience she had just encountered.

Surprisingly, her husband had already returned home and she quickly checked the time on the clock. 

"It's 3:45 am," she muttered before falling back asleep. It was the weekend, she took her children to the market where they selected their desired food items. As they walked back to the car in the parking lot, Alyssa's youngest son, Josh, suddenly pointed out something in the sky. 

"Look, there's something up there!" he exclaimed. Alyssa smiled and brushed it off, thinking he was just seeing shapes in the clouds. Her older son playfully teased Josh and messed up his hair, causing Josh to retaliate with a playful punch. "Cut it out, you two," she warned, David her other son laughed at his brothers. After getting her kids into the car and putting the groceries in the trunk, Alyssa took a moment to gaze up at the dark clouds looming above.

 As she looked up, she couldn't shake the feeling that there is something observing from above. "There's something in the sky, watching," she muttered. Upon arriving home, her husband's absence didn't come as a shock, although she had anticipated him being there. She knew he would fabricate a story about being at work, but she had reached a point where she no longer cared. Dealing with Summer Lynn is something she is anticipating and will enjoy.

One Month Before the Invasion

Despite her husband's betrayal, Alyssa remains committed to her talents. 

"Are you going out with your friends tonight?" she asked, her voice laced with suspicion. 

"Yeah, we're just going to Caleb's Man Cave at his place. You should go out with your friends too. Take the kids to your mom's," he suggested, nonchalantly grabbing his Dodger blue windbreaker. Alyssa's eyes narrowed, a cold silence enveloping the room. 

I know you're meeting her somewhere, she thought to herself. With a heavy sigh, she replied, "I think I'll just stay home with the kids, since my friends are all busy." He shrugged, making his way towards the garage door, which slammed shut behind him. In a swift motion, Lyssa retreated to her chamber, leaving her children engrossed in the television, her mind consumed by thoughts of betrayal and deceit. She went upstairs and from the depths of the wardrobe in her room, she retrieved a wooden suitcase, its size unassuming. With utmost care, she extracted it from her private safe, hidden away from prying eyes. The contents concealed within held a secret, an item obtained through her personal credit card. Placing it gently on her bed, she took precautions to secure her sanctuary, ensuring her children remained oblivious to her possession of the deadly weapon. A wicked smile crept across her face as she unveiled a sleek, black pistol adorned with a silencer.

"I ought to track the breadcrumbs he carelessly leaves behind," she whispered to herself. She called her mother to come by and look after the children so she could step out for a brief moment. Her mother showed up thirty minutes later.

"So, that worthless husband of yours isn't around?" her mother inquired as she walked into Alyssa's house.

"No, he's not here, but don't fret, I won't be gone for too long. And even if I am, trust me, I'll ensure everything is sorted out soon," Alyssa declared firmly, her voice filled with determination. Her mother's throat constricted as she nervously swallowed, sensing the seriousness of the situation. "Alright, just be careful. Confronting him could lead to a messy situation," her mother cautioned, her voice tinged with concern. Alyssa nodded, understanding the risks involved. "Kids, behave yourselves for your grandma," she instructed, forcing a smile to mask her own apprehension. Alyssa suspected that her husband and Summer Lynn might meet up on the far side of Elsie Lake. This area was well-known for fishing and picnicking, although swimming was discouraged because of the high bacteria levels in the summer. She was aware that this secluded spot would offer them the privacy they desired, far from any curious onlookers.

Thank you for visiting and please post your comment in the comment box. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

(A Twist in Time: Something’s in the Sky will be published in the future-2027-2028)

Chandra's Quest

 

 

 

 

The Backrooms

The Backrooms are dangerous, they run deep INSIDE our own reality, meaning there is no physical way to enter it. Rather, a person enters the Backrooms when in a state of deep despair, or during deep sleep. To most it is a fictional realm in which someone finds themselves trapped but some say they have actually been there, physically. Well, lets explore that. Below is a fictional short story I have written specifically for my blog. It is written as a first person narrative. The character is telling her story of the experiences she had in the Backrooms. Do leave your comment if you wish. TY

My name Reyna Salano and I'm 19. I attend the local community college while working part-time as a Target associate. One day, my roommates and I went out for our usual Friday hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings to chat about anything that came to mind, most of the time it was about men. 

After we were there for two hours, Teresa's boyfriend walked into the restaurant. Teresa waved him over and he came and sat down with us. "Hey babe, what are you guys talking about? I hope not about me." He said and gave her a kiss.  

"Really? You think every conversation is about you?" said Teresa, with a Latin accent. Teresa loved his cockiness and bravado, but I was never fond of his personality. I often wonder what attracted her to him. After a while, I looked at the time on my phone and I made an excuse to leave early. "Hey guys, I'm gonna head home. I have a class tomorrow morning, and I have work after." Teresa looked at the time on her phone.  "It’s only 9:30, I thought you were gonna stay till midnight? This place doesn’t close until one in the morning. Stay," she insisted. I pressed my lips together and smiled, "Um, no. I need my sleep, sorry guys." 

"Oh, okay, drive carefully," said Teresa. She turned her attention back to her boyfriend.

 "We'll see you at home," said Mary. I gathered my belongings.

  "See you guys later," I said. Teresa, Mary, and I are roommates and we’ve been renting the two-bedroom condo for about two years. Mary works at an Amazon facility, she is satisfied with where she works and chooses not to attend college, she says she really doesn’t have the time, and Teresa works at a dental office as a receptionist. At the time, I was the only one attending college and I was the youngest of the three. Teresa was 23, Mary 22 and I was 18. Our sleeping arrangements were as follows: Mary slept on the sleeper couch in the living room, while I took one room and Teresa took the other. I drove home and got ready for bed. However, I lay in bed staring up at the ceiling; time went by. Teresa and Mary got home around two in the morning.

 “2am?" I said to myself and sighed. I rolled over and listened as they talked for a bit, then they quieted down and turned in for the night. A breeze was blowing outside, and I could hear a branch from a tree lightly tapping at my window. I soon drifted off to sleep. Around four in the morning, I awoke with a start. I had a weird vivid dream which jolted me out of sleep, leaving me with a feeling of uneasiness and trepidation. I rubbed my eyes as I lay in bed and stretched my arms over my head. I let out a heavy sigh and sat up.”

I could hear Teresa snoring in the next room. Mary doesn't snore, thank God. I decided to go downstairs to get a cup of water. The only light in the room was the dimly lit cabinet lights. I drank some water and placed the cup by the sink on the counter, then tiptoed upstairs.

  As I walked into my room, I suddenly tripped. A sudden dizziness came over me as well. “Damn it,” I said to myself. I was afraid that I would wake them up. As I stood up, I found myself not in my room! I caught my breath and looked around.

 “What the Hell,” I said to myself, my mouth dropped. I took a few steps forward. I was faced with randomly generated rooms interconnected with one another. The wallpaper, ceiling and carpet were a dull dirty yellow color. There were fluorescent lights hanging over my head, like the ones found in many buildings from the 70’s or 80’s. I was flabbergasted, and I stood there paralyzed. My heart raced.

 “Am I dreaming? Where am I?” I mused. There was a muggy smell in the air and the sound of the florescent lights buzzing overhead was annoying. I realized that this place looked like something from my dream. I was shocked, I didn’t know what to do and I was barefooted too since I just got out of bed and didn’t put on my slippers beforehand.

 The carpet felt moist and gross. I curiously walked forward, not knowing how I got there and afraid that I would bump into something or someone that would harm me. I did not have a weapon, not even my hand taser that I usually have in my purse and my feet were bare. I cautiously walked around the maze of endless rooms, and hallways, while all the while the noise of the fluorescent lights sounded above me like a hoard of bees buzzing around. The place appeared desolate; no other person was around. After a while of wandering, which felt like eternity, panic set in and I realized that I would never find a way out. I had the sunken feeling that I wasn’t going to leave at all. I was becoming hungry, thirsty, and weary. I sat down with my back against one of the walls, pondering, reevaluating what happened. I facepalmed, took a deep breath and stood up.

  I began to run, well more of a jog, then stopped when I heard a sound coming from afar. I caught my breath and listened. There are many strange rooms and hallways but it seems as though I am the only one in here but what was that sound? I thought to myself. I dare not call out for help. I don’t know what was coming toward me, but I turned on my heels and ran back the way I came; however the walls seemed to have changed, I was confused and frustrated. The florescent lights buzzed above, confusing me. One of the walls looked a little different from the others, a little darker in color but I didn't pay attention to it at the time. “Am I dreaming? I must be because this can’t be happening,” I mused, and I heard the sound again, something strange, scrapping along the walls, but the sound was still too far away to be of any concern. The florescent lights above sounded louder and flickered, sometimes the sound was deafening.

I decided to continue my journey through the yellow crazy maze and perhaps I will find my way out eventually. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt like a mouse trapped, trying to find the exit. A part of me wanted to believe that this was a dream, a nightmare but instinct told me that it wasn’t. As I turned a corner, I came across a Nike tee shirt and Nike Air Max shoes. I picked it up and inspected the shoe, I saw some dried blood on it. I gasped and dropped it. I took a step back and looked around, wide eyed. I was worried that whatever killed the person who owned those shoes might still be around. I was dizzy with fear, my heart pounded, and I took a deep breath; continued through the ominous yellow labyrinth.

“There’s a killer in this place, something killing people. I must be careful, or I will end up like that person.” I stopped and listened. My ears strained as I could hear a low growl, but it was still far from me, not a cause for alarm. However, I remained vigilant. I breathed a sigh of relief. The musky smell lingered in the air; the moist carpet squish at every step my bare feet took. Lucky that in some areas, the carpet was somewhat dry.

 “I will find a way out,” I kept telling myself. I have faith. I would find a way out but as I continued to journey through the maze, I turned a corner and stopped. “What is this?” I said to myself. I found a mini camcorder next to the case. I picked it up and looked at it. It was an older model of a Panasonic mini camcorder. “I wonder where this came from?” I walked to a secluded corner where I felt safe. It had a tape inside, and I played it. I quickly turned down the volume. I held my breath, and looked around, my heart pounding. I waited a few minutes then exhaled. Whatever was out there, did not hear me so I took out the earplugs from the case, placed one into my ear and plugged it into the camera. The video consisted of these teens who were maybe two years younger than me. The date is April 26^th 2009, they were ghost hunting at an abandoned old house. As I looked through the video, the footage glitched and became blurry at times. The young men, joked around about meeting a ghoul or ghost or coming across something otherworldly.

 “Hey, we might slip into another dimension or something,” one of them joked.

“Very funny,” said the African/American boy who was holding the camera. He turned the camera around and introduced himself and his friends.

“I am Jet this is Mike and Victor, we are the Truth Seekers, we go to abandoned places and search for the paranormal,” he said. “They must have a YouTube channel,” I mused.

 “Yeah, so we upload a new video every Friday on our YouTube Channel, please give us a thumbs up on this video and subscribe to our channel,” said Mike. They proceeded to go inside the house and look around. Nothing special, just old furniture and a lot of dust everywhere. The curtains of the house were half hung by the rods, the rooms looked as if whoever lived there before, left abruptly many years ago. Jet had the camcorder and the other two had some ghost hunting gadgets. When Jet entered one of the rooms it was then that the camera glitched and he found himself in the Backrooms.

  “What the Hell is this!” he exclaimed as he slowly stood up. At that point the camera must have been facing down because I couldn’t see anything but the carpet. He lifted the camera to check if it was still recording.

  “Good, it is recording,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. He moved ahead at a slow pace, similar to how I did when I first got here. He just kept walking, but eventually, he broke into a run down the hallways, glancing around and breathing hard with each step. I can tell he was afraid and frustrated because I heard it in his breathing, but he kept filming and pushing onward.

 “Wow, I can’t believe this place, it’s endless,” he said to himself. He called out to his friends but there was no response. He began to panic. He stopped for a moment as though he had heard something.

He slowly turned around. He heard scratching on the walls but couldn’t see anything. He started to run.

  On occasion he would turn the camera back to catch something but there was nothing. Then he stopped cold on his feet and was in a room with many columns. He saw something that frightened him.  He points the camera in that direction. The camera caught a grotesque looking creature, something out of Hell. It had the head of a Human but acted like a hound. It crawled on all fours much like one of them. I honestly thought it was a werewolf. The back legs were twisted like the hind legs of a dog, and the claws were sharp. It was as though someone cut the head off a person and sewed it onto the body. The most horrific part of the creature was its face. You couldn’t see it under the matted hair, but its eyes glowed as it glared at him. 

When it opened its wide maw, it had several rows of teeth. When I saw it on the video my mouth dropped; I was beside myself. “Is that real?” I asked myself. He continued running but I heard on the video the creature close behind. Jet couldn’t find a way out; it was then he dropped the camera and the case; he kept on running, as the camera caught footage of him running away. The creature lunged at him in a heartbeat and that was the end. After I watched it, I sprung up and put the camera securely into the case, hung the strap of the case diagonally around me and continued the trek through the Backrooms as quickly as possible. I came across a strange wooden crate, but I ignored it as I heard that familiar sound again, the same sound that was in the video and the same sound I heard earlier. I gulped and stopped. I held my breath, and I slowly turned around. The creature was a few yards away from me, so I ran, as if my life depended on it because it did. It was strong, fast and I could feel its breath on my heels. My heart raced and the only thing that ran through my mind was finding a way out. Then I remembered the strange wall, the weird looking wall. It was then when I heard something say, “Go through it.” Maybe it was my Guardian Angel, I don’t know. “Yes, that’s where I have to go,” I thought to myself. I can hear my own heart pounding, but I can hear that thing pouncing its feet on the moldy carpet as each step brought it closer to me. I was never very religious but at that moment, I recited the Lord’s Prayer in my head. The creature was hungry, and it was not going to stop until it caught me.

 “God, help me find the way out,” I shouted. As I continued, the creature was gaining on me, then I turned a corner and saw it, the wall. I ran right at it, hoping to make it through or that I would knock myself out, so I wouldn’t feel a thing when the creature’s teeth sink into me. I was thinking that death will be swift. I went right through the wall, but the creature managed to rip a piece of the hem from my bottom pajamas. I screamed as I flowed through emptiness, a void, then suddenly I was thrust into a small room. I hit hard against the door. I thought I was still in the Backrooms, but I looked around and it was a storage room under some stairs in a house. I breathed heavily, catching my breath. I slowly opened the door and crawled out, limping. I quickly looked at my ankle where the creature tore my pajamas, it scratched me, blood ran down my foot. I was trembling uncontrollably. I still had the camera with me and as I looked around the room, I noticed there was no furniture, it was an empty house but clean.

“It looks like no one lives here but it is well kept so someone comes to clean this place,” I pondered. By the way it was early evening. I found myself in an unknown house. Tears ran down my cheeks. “Hello,” I called out. Then I saw a camera erected on the corner of the wall.  “Yes,” I said, hoping that someone was watching the camera, I waved at it, saying, “Help me, please.” I passed out and it wasn’t until the next day when the housekeeper and two men dressed in security uniforms came in and found me. I escaped the Backrooms by a hair but others have not, and i pray for them everyday.

(Thank you for reading this short story. I will be using fragments from it for a book I'm contemplating on writing in the near future. Please do visit the link below to my website.)

My Website

NEW! I made a video relating this short story. Please visit link and comment. TY

The Backrooms

UPDATE: I recently published a book based on the Backrooms. Please visit link to download the eBook or purchase the paperback.

Lost in the Backrooms: The Phoenix Files vol. 1

Please consider a small donation to support Indie authors like me. TY

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What Changed When I Revised Three of my Books?

It has been a little over 17 years since I wrote and published Chandra’s Quest. Originally the title was, Chandra’s Quest Book 1, I published it with Instanpublishers.com, a subsidiary publishing company. Two years later I published Chandra’s Quest Book 2. 

I re-wrote and changed a few things in both books, including how Chandra looks like. In the first book, Chandra (the main character) had long naturally curly hair and brown eyes. 

Picture is not a part of the book.

In the original version she was Latina, Carlos remains the same, Keeja, remains the same, Xenos remains the same and Soran had some changes done but not by much.

In the revised version, Chandra has shoulder length light brown hair, not curly but set with a light wave to it and brown hazel colored eyes and she is multiracial, Hispanic/Caucasian.

In both Chandra’s Quest book 1 & 2, I added and removed some text. I changed some chapters and added more chapters. The endings are different from the original books.

Since both books were labelled Alternative Sci-Fi/adult romance, I did a lot of re-writing to edit out the content no longer suitable. I changed the book series to accommodate 14 and over. Only a few of the original books remain in the system.

Book 3 has not been completed and frankly, it won’t be published till the end of the year—maybe. Please keep an eye out for it by visiting my website, Facebook page and Twitter page.

       picture not in book

In the Company of Elves, has some changes as well. It was meant for adults. I wrote it to be adult fiction but changed it during the re-write. Melissa’s appearance changed a bit, she doesn’t have blonde curly hair, it’s straight and long. 

The elves remain the same, Faye's appearance was changed. For those who read the original version, will like the changes I made.

 

In the Company of Elves is categorized as 14 and over.

The only books I did not or will not revise are:

Saints and Sinners: Affairs of the Heart

The Other Side of Things Part 1 & 2

The Stranger Things: Paranormal, Supernatural, and Unusual Phenomenon

My Website

Chandra's Quest: The Birth of a Trilogy

Chandra's Quest was one of my first full length novels that I wrote back in the mid to late 90's and self-published it in the early 2000's. It is part of a trilogy.

              First copy

The story was originally adult scifi but when I revised it, I made some changes. I republish it in 2013 through Kindle Direct Publishing, a very different self-publishing company than the previous one I used before. 

 I am pleased with both versions of Chandra's Quest, however I want to let everyone know that when you visit Amazon and find the book, I encourage you to download or buy the paperback of the revised version (2013). The older version is no longer available by the third party seller that was selling it. Even though it is unavailable, the seller still has it listed. Anyways, this entry is to inform interested readers to buy the current book and enjoy it. 

Please Read, Rate & Review. TY. 

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History of Chandra's Quest

This is the history of  how Chandra's Quest came to be.

Chandra’s Quest was the first full length novel I wrote. 

It was 1996 when I started writing notes that I would use in the story. I  was inspired by sci-fi TV shows, movies and books, when I started writing my first book. The book was called, Shandara’s Journey when I started writing it. It was categorized as alternative sci-fi, adult book. Originally, the first two chapters of Chandra’s Quest, started out in a post-apocalyptic Earth after an alien invasion took place and devastated the major cities. Humans were taken to another solar system and became slaves to aliens that lived on those planets. After I finished writing Chandra’s Quest book 1, I realized that only a certain group of people would be interested in reading it, so I decided to make changes to the story before I published it.  I took out the most obvious adult content, then changed the title from Shandara’s Journey to Chandra’s Quest.

Why start the story at an alien brothel? This question was never asked but I thought I should bring it up. The main character had to start somewhere and as I stated before, the book itself, was an adult book before I made changes. I wanted it to be read by those who are 14 and older. 
I first published the book through Instant Publishers, a subsidiary publishing company. The book was written as a first-person narrative, based on the main character’s journals. For those who have read the Atlan Saga by Jane Gaskell, the main character from those books, carried a journal with her throughout her journey and the whole trilogy is based on her journals. I liked the concept of it, so I went with it for my book.

 I published Chandra's Quest Book 1 in 2002, I ordered several copies and distributed them to local small bookstores. I only donated them, I did not ask for any royalties from the sales of the books. Someone bought a copy of my book in 2004 and posted it on Amazon for sale. It was a third-party seller. He/she sent me an email and a link to my book. I then, signed up for Amazon as a seller and started selling the copies I had left. I sold a few copies. 
Later, I published book 2. Book 3 was still in the process of being written when in 2007 I decided to re-write the whole story. 
Why did I re-write it? Well it wasn’t because trolls made disparaging remarks in forums about my book, that's not the case and it would be ridiculous. I wasn't satisfied with it and I just felt I could do better. 

So, began the long process of re-writing the story. Chandra’s Quest book 1 the revised version was published through CreateSpace in 2013. 

I was going to make several novelette books out of the story but chose to just make three books as originally planned. In 2016, I revised book 1 again, adding a different book cover image and pulling some of Chandra's Quest Book 2 chapters and putting them into Book 1. 

When CreateSpace merged with Kindle Direct Publishing, I changed the book cover again but noticed a few typos in the book and changed the typos as well. Book 1 was complete and it’s for sale as an eBook and paperback, not just on Amazon but on Barnes and Noble.

 Chandra’s Quest Book 2 was easy to put together. Of course, I had to do much needed editing and in the end I was satisfied with the outcome. 

Book 3 is still in the works. Almost complete but it will be the editing that will determine how long it will take before publishing the book.

So, that’s the story of how Chandra’s Quest came to be. It was my first book so yes; I care about it and it took me awhile to put together. I am pleased with the end results.

What would I change if I could do it all again? Well, probably the first-person narrative idea. It only works for regular fiction or non-fiction, that’s just my opinion of course. 

Feedback:

The only feedback I got from someone who never really read Chandra’s Quest was from my cousin who said, “I don’t understand it.” 
Of course, her and I have been at odds with each other for as long as I can remember. I found that you get bias feedback from those that know you and don’t like you, verses people who are total strangers. But without their mean-spirited feedback, an author wouldn’t grow to be the best they can be.

Note: I will write the history of In the Company of Elves in my next entry. 

Chandra's Quest

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