Parallel World Bundle - The Complete Story

I went to my parents’ room, but two steps in, I stopped. Their furniture was all wrong—nothing I had seen before. Then I noticed the pictures displayed on top of the dresser. Hurrying over, I quickly glanced at them, then picked one up.

Breathless, I whispered, “Who the heck are you?” 

I gently set the frame next to the others as my world began to crumble. 

I didn’t know one person in any of the pictures. 

Unreality pounded through me.

What in the world was going on? Where was my family? Clearly, they didn’t live in this house anymore. 

A distressing thought filled my mind. Had they moved out as soon as I’d left? 

I shook my head. 

No. That was ridiculous. They couldn’t have moved out and had someone else move in that fast.

Trying to push aside my utter bafflement, I tried to think about my survival. I wanted—no, needed—to find my family. But I didn’t know how long that would take and I knew from my experience in the woods that, at a minimum, I would need food and water.

Trying not to look at the unwelcome furnishings, I left the bedroom and went straight to the kitchen. I flung open the pantry door and unzipped my backpack, then put a few bottles of water inside before grabbing a box of crackers and a package of dried fruit and adding them as well. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” a woman shrieked. 

I spun around, startled to see someone standing there. The woman stared at me and I knew that with my filthy clothes, I must look frightening. “I…I was just looking for my family,” I sputtered.

“In my pantry?”

“Well, no. This house. It’s my house.”

“I don’t think so.” Her eyes were wide. “It’s bought and paid for, thank you very much.” She stared at my feet. “And you’re tracking mud all through it.”

I glanced at my shoes, then looked at her as I struggled to understand the meaning of her words. “When did you buy it? When did you move in?”

“Weeks ago.”

“But I was just here yesterday and you didn’t live here.”

The woman looked at me like I had just gotten off the bus from crazy town. 

“I don’t know who you are,” she said, “but I live here now.”

More confused than ever, I asked, “Do you know where the family went that used to live here?”

“I have no idea. They are not my problem.” 

A look came across her face, almost like she felt guilty. Thinking I might ask the neighbors if they knew where my family had gone, I hefted my backpack onto one shoulder, grateful I had gotten a little bit of food.

“Where do you think you’re going with that?” Fury filled her face. It was as if I was stealing her heirloom jewels.

“I’m going to find my family.” She stood between me and both the doorway to the living room and the back door.

“You may not take my food.” Her fury was changing to distress. “Do you have any idea how long it took me to save all that up?”

She was skinny and I knew I could probably push past her easily enough. “I’m sorry to take some of your food.” I almost felt bad for her. “But I think I’m gonna need it more than you.”

She looked me up and down, then squinted. “You could stand to lose a few pounds, missy.”

Shocked by her comment—especially after what Shelby had said just the day before—my shoulders sagged. Then I became angry. Who was this skinny shrew to comment on my weight? I tightened the backpack on my shoulders and strode toward her. 

She stepped in my path, but I must have looked fierce because she quickly stepped aside when I got close to her. I walked past her and into the living room, then out the front door. As I walked out the gate, she yelled after me, “You’d better not show your face around here again or I’ll call the authorities.”

Eyeing her over my shoulder, I gave her a dirty look, angry at her for living in my house, even though I knew that didn’t make any sense. This whole thing didn’t make any sense.

How was it possible that my family had disappeared when I’d been with them in that house only the day before?

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