A beautiful, magical world has been ravaged by a terrible storm. Homes were destroyed, families torn apart, and even the sweetest magic twisted by darkness. Even years later, the world remains damaged, unbalanced, and dangerous, waiting for someone who might restore what was lost. Only the magic of twins has a chance, but the birth of twins is exceedingly rare.
In our own world, Ellie and Savannah know nothing of this. They know nothing of other worlds, magic, or even each other. Until magic blooms inside, them and draws them together. After years of feeling alone, raised apart and in the wrong world, the twin sisters are reunited at last. They find their way home, and discover their destiny.
The girls are welcomed into a grand mansion, the safest place in the aftermath of the storm. There, they learn who they are and what they have to do. To restore the world, they must travel through the mansion to the center of magic and reset the balance.
They discover their magical abilities, find joy and friendship in the mansion's family, and face the dangers of the storm's left-behind magic. The journey to the center of magic is full of twists and turns, magic and excitement. Ellie and Savannah support each other to overcome obstacles along the way, knowing the whole world is depending on them.
In our own world, Ellie and Savannah know nothing of this. They know nothing of other worlds, magic, or even each other. Until magic blooms inside, them and draws them together. After years of feeling alone, raised apart and in the wrong world, the twin sisters are reunited at last. They find their way home, and discover their destiny.
The girls are welcomed into a grand mansion, the safest place in the aftermath of the storm. There, they learn who they are and what they have to do. To restore the world, they must travel through the mansion to the center of magic and reset the balance.
They discover their magical abilities, find joy and friendship in the mansion's family, and face the dangers of the storm's left-behind magic. The journey to the center of magic is full of twists and turns, magic and excitement. Ellie and Savannah support each other to overcome obstacles along the way, knowing the whole world is depending on them.
Prologue
The ground shook beneath her feet as she ran. The air felt wrong, and even the halls she grew up in were suddenly unrecognizable. It wasn’t only the shouts and blinding lights that made it so. Battle was familiar to her, but this was more than just another fight.
Someone in front of her screamed. That was all the warning she had before fireballs flew in her direction. She reacted quickly, throwing up a shield against them. Heat seeped through her protective bubble, but nothing more could reach her. Yet even when that attack was over, she was far from safe. The room was beginning to collapse, and a horde of enemies stood in every direction between her and a way out.
The all too familiar sensation of terror began to overwhelm her. She took a breath, allowing herself to pause for a moment. It was a technique she had taught herself, to find a quiet space in her mind in the heat of battle. She couldn’t stop moving even for a moment, but she could find stillness somewhere within.
This is for you, she reminded herself, bringing an image of her husband and children into her mind. I’ll find you again, no matter what... She couldn’t let herself believe those last brief kisses were real goodbyes, couldn’t dare imagine that all her little girls would have left of her was a short, handwritten letter.
Leaving all fears behind, she threw herself into the fight, taking strength from the memories of her family.
I will find you again. Whatever happens, I’ll find a way.
Someone in front of her screamed. That was all the warning she had before fireballs flew in her direction. She reacted quickly, throwing up a shield against them. Heat seeped through her protective bubble, but nothing more could reach her. Yet even when that attack was over, she was far from safe. The room was beginning to collapse, and a horde of enemies stood in every direction between her and a way out.
The all too familiar sensation of terror began to overwhelm her. She took a breath, allowing herself to pause for a moment. It was a technique she had taught herself, to find a quiet space in her mind in the heat of battle. She couldn’t stop moving even for a moment, but she could find stillness somewhere within.
This is for you, she reminded herself, bringing an image of her husband and children into her mind. I’ll find you again, no matter what... She couldn’t let herself believe those last brief kisses were real goodbyes, couldn’t dare imagine that all her little girls would have left of her was a short, handwritten letter.
Leaving all fears behind, she threw herself into the fight, taking strength from the memories of her family.
I will find you again. Whatever happens, I’ll find a way.
Chapter One
Ellie ran in through the backdoor, chasing after Gabrielle, who dashed up the stairs to hide. Turning the corner, Ellie nearly collided into Gabrielle’s mother.
“Oh! Sorry, Amber!”
Amber laughed. “You two might want to take a break and have some lemonade.”
“Thanks! Gabby! You might want to come down here!” Ellie called upstairs.
“Find me!” a muffled voice called back.
“Just a minute,” Ellie said to Amber, and she took off running up the stairs. Along the walls in the stairway were framed pictures of Amber and her daughter, most of them from their old house. Amber was a young woman with wavy brown hair, and smiling brown eyes. She typically wore long dresses, and seemed to Ellie like she belonged in an earlier time period. She always wore an emerald pendant around her neck, whether or not it matched her dress. Her five-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, was just as unusual. While her hair was like her mother’s, short, brown, and wavy, her eyes were unique. One was brown, the other blue. Ellie only met them a few weeks ago, when they first moved in. According to Gabrielle, they moved a lot.
Soft laughter came from Amber’s room. Ellie opened the door. “Now, where is Gabrielle?” she said loudly, looking around. The clothes in the closet shifted a little. “Where could she be?” She got down on her hands and knees, making a show of searching under the bed. “Not here.” She stood up again, and began pacing the room. “Well, she’s not going to get any lemonade if she doesn’t come out soon. I’ll just look…” She moved toward the closet, “…in here!”
Before she pushed any of the clothes aside, Gabrielle jumped out of the closet and tackled her to the floor. “Got you!” she exclaimed. “Mommy made lemonade? Let’s go!” She got up, and tugged at Ellie’s arm.
“All right, I’m coming!” Ellie said, getting to her feet.
“Race you!”
“Hey, wait up! Be careful on the stairs!”
Ellie hurried after her, but couldn’t catch up in time. Gabrielle’s excited little feet stumbled on the stairs, and she took a tumble, knocking one of the pictures off the wall in the process. Ellie managed to catch her before she fell on top of the broken picture frame, but that didn’t stop Gabrielle from crying.
“What happened?” Amber’s voice called from the kitchen.
“We’re okay!” Ellie called. “Yeah, you’re okay, right? I think she’s more startled than hurt. I’ll clean that up.”
Amber picked up her daughter while Ellie ran to fetch a broom from the kitchen. She quickly swept up the broken glass, and carefully placed the picture on the table. Amber and Gabrielle came back into the kitchen as she finished.
“You okay Gabby?” Ellie asked.
“Mm-hm,” she nodded.
“Here, Ellie, take her. I know what’ll cheer her up.”
Ellie sat down, and situated Gabrielle in her lap. Amber poured them each a glass of lemonade, and began to sing:
The eyes of my garden have been long closed
Sleeping through winter so dark and cold
But now the ground shakes with new life I’m told
Under the springtime sky
Gabrielle started bouncing in Ellie’s lap, and Ellie rocked her to Amber’s song as she sang on:
My flowers aren’t just blooming today
They start to dance when I look away
You wouldn’t believe all the things they say
Under the springtime sky
Now Gabrielle was on her feet, tugging at Ellie’s hands to get her to dance with her. Ellie let her take her around the room in circles, until Amber finished the song, and both girls applauded.
“Sing more, Mommy!” Gabrielle said.
“In a little while, honey. How are you feeling now?”
“Your magic singing made me all better,” Gabrielle said.
“How do you even know that song?” Ellie asked. “That’s Spacey and the Breeze, right? I thought they were just a little indie band.”
“Oh yes, I only just heard them at Saturday market last week. Something about them stuck with me. I hope to see more of them.”
“Yeah, they stuck with me since I heard them too. They’re supposed to be playing at Maple Park this weekend.”
“This is boring,” Gabrielle sighed. “Sing more!”
“Gabby, don’t be rude,” Amber said.
“Sorry if I got her riled up,” Ellie said. “She’s not usually like that, when I watch her. I won’t just come over unexpectedly anymore, I think that’s what gets her going.”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Ellie. We’re always happy to have you. We were lucky to find you.”
“Why?”
“You helped us move, you babysat Gabrielle, you’ve done a lot for us.”
“You could have found anyone to do that, though.”
“Well, I think Gabrielle likes you.”
Gabrielle nodded, and took another sip of lemonade. “We’re staying here, right?” she asked. “We’re not going to move anymore?”
“I can’t promise anything honey, but we’ll probably be here for a little while.”
Ellie stayed at Amber’s house for as long as she could. When it was time to say goodbye, Gabrielle grabbed her hand, and ran upstairs with her. She pulled her into her room, slamming the door behind them.
“Honey, I gotta leave soon!” Ellie said.
“No,” Gabrielle said. “You can stay with us!”
“I’d like to, but I can’t. You’ll see me soon though, I promise.”
“Tomorrow?”
“I don’t know about tomorrow, but soon.”
“On your birthday?”
“Heh. Almost forgot that’s coming up. Fourteen.”
“You’re old.”
“Yep. I’m an old lady. I should see you then, hopefully.”
Ellie went back downstairs with Gabrielle, reluctantly said goodbye, and began the walk home. Amber offered her a ride, but Ellie preferred to be outside in the summer evenings. She also wanted to put off going home for as long as possible.
The street was quiet and peaceful, the only noise coming from a few children playing outside, and sprinklers watering neat, green lawns. The air was pleasantly cool, and she walked slowly, singing to herself, envious of Amber’s voice. Gabrielle was right, Amber’s singing was magical. Ellie didn’t care if it was childish to think so. Amber could make anyone believe in magic, with the songs she sang and the stories she told.
After walking several blocks and across a busy street, the charming sights of Amber’s neighborhood disappeared. Here, the houses were smaller, the yards overgrown, and it was far more common to hear people shouting at each other than children’s laughter.
When she arrived home, her mother was still at work. She wondered hopefully if her father was already asleep. No such luck. There he was, slumped on the couch, drinking a beer, and watching TV. He wore a dirty white shirt exposing his round stomach, and a pair of tattered jeans. Several empty bottles littered the table in front of him.
“Hey, Dad,” she said.
“Hey,” he grunted, without looking up.
She went into the kitchen to grab a snack.
“You makin’ dinner, kid?” her dad called.
“Nope, I already ate.”
“Well I’m hungry.” His words slurred together. Just the sound of his voice made her angry.
“So make yourself something.” She grabbed a soda and a bag of chips from the kitchen, and went to her room, slamming the door behind her. Her room was tiny, and her bed was only a mattress on the floor. The whole house was tiny, and cluttered with what Ellie thought of as her dad’s mess. Amber’s new house was small too, but clean, cozy, and comfortable, quite unlike this run-down, dirty place. Her room was the only one that wasn’t in complete shambles, though she would never call it clean. The floor was littered with clothes and books, and a couple of empty soda cans crowded her dresser, along with papers, notebooks, and various other school things. She always dreamed of living in a bigger house, ideally a huge one, but they didn’t have the money. Her father recently lost his job, and since taken to lazing around the house. To avoid him, her mother spent most of her time at work, and didn’t come home until late at night. Ellie didn’t mind. Her mother’s voice was loud and whiny, and she and Ellie’s father fought constantly. Ellie used to tell herself she loved her parents, and was simply angry with them for the mistakes they made. But she decided there must be a time when constant anger turned to hatred. She hated her parents, hated that she was related to such awful people. Eventually, she figured she couldn’t be. Another childish thought, maybe, but so pleasant she almost had herself convinced it was true.
She turned on her radio and cranked up the volume, setting her snack down next to it. Then she went to the closet, rummaging around while singing at the top of her voice.
“Will you turn that racket down!” her dad yelled.
“Nope!” She sang louder.
More yelling came from the living room, but Ellie ignored it. She pulled her backpack out of the closet, and tossed it on her bed. It was ready to go. A moment later, she heard footsteps coming down the hall. The door was locked, but she wouldn’t put it past her dad to break it down.
“Open this door!” He pounded on it hard, shaking the knob.
“Why?”
“Get out here!”
“I thought you wanted in here!” She almost wanted him to come in. She picked up her soda and imagined spilling it on him.
“Dammit Ellie! You never do anything in this house!”
“At least I have a job!” Even though she’d only been babysitting Gabrielle for a few weeks, that was more than he’d done all year. “Maybe I’ll just stay with Amber! You and Mom wouldn’t care!”
“That woman’s crazy!” He pounded on the door again, and in that moment, she did want it to open. Her mind cleared of all except one word: “Unlock.”
The door clicked, and flew open. Her dad stumbled forward, barely managing to stay on his feet. “What the hell?”
Ellie laughed, unable to conceal her surprise and delight.
He shook himself, and raised his voice, “Turn that down or I’ll break your radio!”
“Will you now?” Ellie wondered how far she could take this. She flung her soda above his head, imagining it staying perfectly in place, pouring the liquid over him. She let out another surprised laugh as it happened exactly as she’d imagined, the empty can knocking him on the head before falling to the floor.
“Aaaaarrrrrgh!” He was either too angry or too drunk to notice anything unusual. “Clean this up, now!”
“Why?” she said. “You say all the time this isn’t my house. You clean it up. Your house, your mess.”
“And turn that down!” He lunged toward her radio, but Ellie moved first. The radio was just out of her reach, but it did what she wanted it to. It leapt off her dresser, flew across the room, and hit him hard in the face. He slipped in the puddle of soda and fell backward, landing on his back with a loud thud.
Ellie grabbed her backpack, and walked to the doorway where he lay. “I’m not usually a violent person,” she said, “but you pushed me just a little too far.” She stepped around him, and slammed the door behind her, giving him a good knock on the head with it.
As she left the house, her mother’s car pulled up in the driveway. Ellie avoided her eyes, and kept walking.
Her mother got out of the car. “Ellie! What are you doing?”
“Mom, do not even talk to me,” she said, without turning around.
“You’re going to see that boy aren’t you?”
“What do you care?” She paused, and turned around briefly to say, “Oh, there’s a bit of a mess in there, so, sorry about that, but I’m done with you people.”
“Oh! Sorry, Amber!”
Amber laughed. “You two might want to take a break and have some lemonade.”
“Thanks! Gabby! You might want to come down here!” Ellie called upstairs.
“Find me!” a muffled voice called back.
“Just a minute,” Ellie said to Amber, and she took off running up the stairs. Along the walls in the stairway were framed pictures of Amber and her daughter, most of them from their old house. Amber was a young woman with wavy brown hair, and smiling brown eyes. She typically wore long dresses, and seemed to Ellie like she belonged in an earlier time period. She always wore an emerald pendant around her neck, whether or not it matched her dress. Her five-year-old daughter, Gabrielle, was just as unusual. While her hair was like her mother’s, short, brown, and wavy, her eyes were unique. One was brown, the other blue. Ellie only met them a few weeks ago, when they first moved in. According to Gabrielle, they moved a lot.
Soft laughter came from Amber’s room. Ellie opened the door. “Now, where is Gabrielle?” she said loudly, looking around. The clothes in the closet shifted a little. “Where could she be?” She got down on her hands and knees, making a show of searching under the bed. “Not here.” She stood up again, and began pacing the room. “Well, she’s not going to get any lemonade if she doesn’t come out soon. I’ll just look…” She moved toward the closet, “…in here!”
Before she pushed any of the clothes aside, Gabrielle jumped out of the closet and tackled her to the floor. “Got you!” she exclaimed. “Mommy made lemonade? Let’s go!” She got up, and tugged at Ellie’s arm.
“All right, I’m coming!” Ellie said, getting to her feet.
“Race you!”
“Hey, wait up! Be careful on the stairs!”
Ellie hurried after her, but couldn’t catch up in time. Gabrielle’s excited little feet stumbled on the stairs, and she took a tumble, knocking one of the pictures off the wall in the process. Ellie managed to catch her before she fell on top of the broken picture frame, but that didn’t stop Gabrielle from crying.
“What happened?” Amber’s voice called from the kitchen.
“We’re okay!” Ellie called. “Yeah, you’re okay, right? I think she’s more startled than hurt. I’ll clean that up.”
Amber picked up her daughter while Ellie ran to fetch a broom from the kitchen. She quickly swept up the broken glass, and carefully placed the picture on the table. Amber and Gabrielle came back into the kitchen as she finished.
“You okay Gabby?” Ellie asked.
“Mm-hm,” she nodded.
“Here, Ellie, take her. I know what’ll cheer her up.”
Ellie sat down, and situated Gabrielle in her lap. Amber poured them each a glass of lemonade, and began to sing:
The eyes of my garden have been long closed
Sleeping through winter so dark and cold
But now the ground shakes with new life I’m told
Under the springtime sky
Gabrielle started bouncing in Ellie’s lap, and Ellie rocked her to Amber’s song as she sang on:
My flowers aren’t just blooming today
They start to dance when I look away
You wouldn’t believe all the things they say
Under the springtime sky
Now Gabrielle was on her feet, tugging at Ellie’s hands to get her to dance with her. Ellie let her take her around the room in circles, until Amber finished the song, and both girls applauded.
“Sing more, Mommy!” Gabrielle said.
“In a little while, honey. How are you feeling now?”
“Your magic singing made me all better,” Gabrielle said.
“How do you even know that song?” Ellie asked. “That’s Spacey and the Breeze, right? I thought they were just a little indie band.”
“Oh yes, I only just heard them at Saturday market last week. Something about them stuck with me. I hope to see more of them.”
“Yeah, they stuck with me since I heard them too. They’re supposed to be playing at Maple Park this weekend.”
“This is boring,” Gabrielle sighed. “Sing more!”
“Gabby, don’t be rude,” Amber said.
“Sorry if I got her riled up,” Ellie said. “She’s not usually like that, when I watch her. I won’t just come over unexpectedly anymore, I think that’s what gets her going.”
“Oh, don’t be silly, Ellie. We’re always happy to have you. We were lucky to find you.”
“Why?”
“You helped us move, you babysat Gabrielle, you’ve done a lot for us.”
“You could have found anyone to do that, though.”
“Well, I think Gabrielle likes you.”
Gabrielle nodded, and took another sip of lemonade. “We’re staying here, right?” she asked. “We’re not going to move anymore?”
“I can’t promise anything honey, but we’ll probably be here for a little while.”
Ellie stayed at Amber’s house for as long as she could. When it was time to say goodbye, Gabrielle grabbed her hand, and ran upstairs with her. She pulled her into her room, slamming the door behind them.
“Honey, I gotta leave soon!” Ellie said.
“No,” Gabrielle said. “You can stay with us!”
“I’d like to, but I can’t. You’ll see me soon though, I promise.”
“Tomorrow?”
“I don’t know about tomorrow, but soon.”
“On your birthday?”
“Heh. Almost forgot that’s coming up. Fourteen.”
“You’re old.”
“Yep. I’m an old lady. I should see you then, hopefully.”
Ellie went back downstairs with Gabrielle, reluctantly said goodbye, and began the walk home. Amber offered her a ride, but Ellie preferred to be outside in the summer evenings. She also wanted to put off going home for as long as possible.
The street was quiet and peaceful, the only noise coming from a few children playing outside, and sprinklers watering neat, green lawns. The air was pleasantly cool, and she walked slowly, singing to herself, envious of Amber’s voice. Gabrielle was right, Amber’s singing was magical. Ellie didn’t care if it was childish to think so. Amber could make anyone believe in magic, with the songs she sang and the stories she told.
After walking several blocks and across a busy street, the charming sights of Amber’s neighborhood disappeared. Here, the houses were smaller, the yards overgrown, and it was far more common to hear people shouting at each other than children’s laughter.
When she arrived home, her mother was still at work. She wondered hopefully if her father was already asleep. No such luck. There he was, slumped on the couch, drinking a beer, and watching TV. He wore a dirty white shirt exposing his round stomach, and a pair of tattered jeans. Several empty bottles littered the table in front of him.
“Hey, Dad,” she said.
“Hey,” he grunted, without looking up.
She went into the kitchen to grab a snack.
“You makin’ dinner, kid?” her dad called.
“Nope, I already ate.”
“Well I’m hungry.” His words slurred together. Just the sound of his voice made her angry.
“So make yourself something.” She grabbed a soda and a bag of chips from the kitchen, and went to her room, slamming the door behind her. Her room was tiny, and her bed was only a mattress on the floor. The whole house was tiny, and cluttered with what Ellie thought of as her dad’s mess. Amber’s new house was small too, but clean, cozy, and comfortable, quite unlike this run-down, dirty place. Her room was the only one that wasn’t in complete shambles, though she would never call it clean. The floor was littered with clothes and books, and a couple of empty soda cans crowded her dresser, along with papers, notebooks, and various other school things. She always dreamed of living in a bigger house, ideally a huge one, but they didn’t have the money. Her father recently lost his job, and since taken to lazing around the house. To avoid him, her mother spent most of her time at work, and didn’t come home until late at night. Ellie didn’t mind. Her mother’s voice was loud and whiny, and she and Ellie’s father fought constantly. Ellie used to tell herself she loved her parents, and was simply angry with them for the mistakes they made. But she decided there must be a time when constant anger turned to hatred. She hated her parents, hated that she was related to such awful people. Eventually, she figured she couldn’t be. Another childish thought, maybe, but so pleasant she almost had herself convinced it was true.
She turned on her radio and cranked up the volume, setting her snack down next to it. Then she went to the closet, rummaging around while singing at the top of her voice.
“Will you turn that racket down!” her dad yelled.
“Nope!” She sang louder.
More yelling came from the living room, but Ellie ignored it. She pulled her backpack out of the closet, and tossed it on her bed. It was ready to go. A moment later, she heard footsteps coming down the hall. The door was locked, but she wouldn’t put it past her dad to break it down.
“Open this door!” He pounded on it hard, shaking the knob.
“Why?”
“Get out here!”
“I thought you wanted in here!” She almost wanted him to come in. She picked up her soda and imagined spilling it on him.
“Dammit Ellie! You never do anything in this house!”
“At least I have a job!” Even though she’d only been babysitting Gabrielle for a few weeks, that was more than he’d done all year. “Maybe I’ll just stay with Amber! You and Mom wouldn’t care!”
“That woman’s crazy!” He pounded on the door again, and in that moment, she did want it to open. Her mind cleared of all except one word: “Unlock.”
The door clicked, and flew open. Her dad stumbled forward, barely managing to stay on his feet. “What the hell?”
Ellie laughed, unable to conceal her surprise and delight.
He shook himself, and raised his voice, “Turn that down or I’ll break your radio!”
“Will you now?” Ellie wondered how far she could take this. She flung her soda above his head, imagining it staying perfectly in place, pouring the liquid over him. She let out another surprised laugh as it happened exactly as she’d imagined, the empty can knocking him on the head before falling to the floor.
“Aaaaarrrrrgh!” He was either too angry or too drunk to notice anything unusual. “Clean this up, now!”
“Why?” she said. “You say all the time this isn’t my house. You clean it up. Your house, your mess.”
“And turn that down!” He lunged toward her radio, but Ellie moved first. The radio was just out of her reach, but it did what she wanted it to. It leapt off her dresser, flew across the room, and hit him hard in the face. He slipped in the puddle of soda and fell backward, landing on his back with a loud thud.
Ellie grabbed her backpack, and walked to the doorway where he lay. “I’m not usually a violent person,” she said, “but you pushed me just a little too far.” She stepped around him, and slammed the door behind her, giving him a good knock on the head with it.
As she left the house, her mother’s car pulled up in the driveway. Ellie avoided her eyes, and kept walking.
Her mother got out of the car. “Ellie! What are you doing?”
“Mom, do not even talk to me,” she said, without turning around.
“You’re going to see that boy aren’t you?”
“What do you care?” She paused, and turned around briefly to say, “Oh, there’s a bit of a mess in there, so, sorry about that, but I’m done with you people.”
* * *
June 18th
I forgot we were going shopping today. I think Mom might have forgotten too, but Megan and Betty just reminded her. And by “reminded,” I mean whined and begged until she gave in. I can already tell today is going to be fun...
Oh well, I’ll shop by myself. I wish it didn’t always have to be this way. You’re not supposed to want to run from your family, right? I would say it’s just a phase, but I feel like I’ve been saying that for years.
Her mother’s voice called from the hall, “Hurry up, Savannah!”
“I’ve been ready for the past ten minutes!” Megan said.
Savannah hid her journal, and went into the living room, where her mother was waiting with Megan and Betty. Megan was the oldest of her siblings, at sixteen. Betty was a year younger than Megan, and copied her every move. Savannah shared a room with the pair of them. Most of the time they ignored her, but Savannah didn’t mind. She had nothing in common with either of them.
Belinda Kali, her mother, was still yelling as she gathered the children from all corners of the house. Getting everyone ready was always an ordeal.
Tom and Jason came running into the hall, colliding into Megan and Betty. Savannah suppressed a giggle as her brothers knocked the girls onto the couch and started climbing on them. Tom and Jason were seven-year-old twins, and they were the troublemakers in the family.
“Get off! Get off! You’re messing up my hair!”
“Boys! Leave them alone!”
“Are we going to the park today, Mom?” Tom asked.
“No, honey, we’ll go tomorrow.”
“But you said there was a band playing!”
“Yes, and they’ll be at the park tomorrow.”
“But I wanna go now!” they said together.
Now. Everything always had to happen now. Savannah once wrote in her journal that given the chance, her siblings would live their whole lives in a single moment.
The family piled into the car. Ashley was the last one inside. She was the youngest in the family, at five. Unfortunately for Savannah, Ashley sat next to her, chattering away the whole time about all the things she wanted at the mall.
“…And we’ll go to the candy store, right Mom? Mom? Mooom!”
Savannah tuned her out. She had learned to tune out almost everything. Ashley wasn’t the only one who talked nonstop. Everyone in the Kali family had a loud personality except for Savannah. Savannah had always known she was different. She was smaller than the rest of them, and the only one who was left-handed. Her hair was light brown, and very straight. Her mother’s hair was always frazzled, but Belinda Kali was a frazzled woman in general. Savannah sometimes wondered if she was adopted, but instead came to the conclusion that she inherited her father’s traits. She hardly remembered him, having only known him for the first few years of her life. Even then, he hadn’t been around much. He left a few years ago, and no one talked about him anymore. She thought about him abandoning his family, and hoped she wasn’t too much like him. But sometimes she found it easy to forgive him, for she often imagined running from this family as well.
At the mall, they split up. Her mother stayed with Ashley, and the older sisters each took one of the twins. Savannah wandered off on her own, happy to escape the noise and bickering. On her way into the nearest clothing store, she almost bumped into a tall boy who was leaving.
“Excuse me,” she said. “Sorry.”
He stared at her for a moment before turning to walk away. Then he paused, and spun back toward her, opening his mouth to speak. Savannah glanced around behind her, to see if he was actually looking at someone else. As she did, he rolled his eyes, and finally left her. Savannah frowned, wondering what was up with him, but brushed it off quickly enough. This wasn’t the first time something like that had happened to her.
She browsed through the summer shoes, but didn’t find anything she liked. She soon disappeared into daydreams, hardly paying attention to the clothes and shoes her sisters were so obsessed with.
After about an hour, it was time to meet up again, and possibly leave. Megan came back with Tom, Betty came back with Jason, and an argument started immediately. Megan bought several tops and short skirts Belinda didn’t agree with.
“But I got things for Tom like I was supposed to, why not get some stuff for myself?”
“You’re too young to be dressing like that!” Belinda said.
“They look gross on old people!” Megan said. “I should be able to wear them while I’m still young!”
“They look gross on anyone! We’re returning these, and going home.”
“But Mooooom!” This time it was Ashley. “We’re supposed to go to the candy store!”
“Sorry honey, but we won’t have time.”
That only made things worse. Ashley threw a fit, screaming and crying, and Belinda had to drag her through the mall while they returned Megan’s clothes.
“Well, now we’ll just have to come back later,” Megan said. “Because I have nothing to wear.”
More arguing ensued. Savannah zoned out, taking several deep breaths to keep herself from losing her temper with all of them. She’d pictured the scene many times: quiet Savannah finally loses it. Ideally, they would all be so shocked by the outburst they would listen to everything she said.
She turned away from them for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small shoe store she hadn’t noticed before. She calmed herself once more, preparing to ask if they could make one more stop. An odd feeling came over her, an unfamiliar tranquility she had never been able to experience in the presence of her family. She felt like she was reaching a deep, hidden store of power inside her. A hole was opening in the wall of the store, a window no one else seemed to notice. She saw inside, where there were many different sandals in many different sizes. Shocked, Savannah stopped. The hole closed.
“Savannah!” Belinda said. “What are you looking at? We need to go, now!”
“Mom, can we stop in there? I still need shoes, and they have sandals.”
“All right,” she sighed, “but quickly.”
“You don’t know if they have sandals,” Megan said. “You can’t see in!”
“Yes I can,” Savannah said.
“Not all the way in, you freak.”
Oddly enough, Savannah wasn’t too surprised she could. In fact, it was her lack of surprise she found alarming. Something so strange shouldn’t feel so normal, so right.
They entered the store, but didn’t see sandals anywhere.
“They don’t have them,” Belinda said. “Let’s go.”
“Let’s just check in the back,” Savannah said.
She was almost surprised when she found what she saw. They bought a pair of bright yellow sandals Savannah liked, but Betty hated.
“You have no sense of style,” she said. “Those are ugly.”
Savannah barely heard her, trapped in a daydream. As they left the mall, she felt like she was floating a few inches off the ground. The happiness stayed with her even in the crowded car, with her siblings blathering away. When they arrived home, she floated into her room and onto her bed. Megan and Betty were too busy fighting with Belinda to come in anytime soon. She took out her journal and began writing:
Shopping today was... not quite what I expected. Well, it was at first. Just disaster after disaster with Megan, Betty, and Ashley. Tom and Jason are annoying too, but also kind of funny. It’d be fun to have a twin. Those two are partners in crime, and fortunately for me, the crimes are usually against Megan and Betty.
Anyway, when we were leaving, I looked at the wall of a shoe store and saw right through it! I’ve always considered myself a bit of an oddity, but that was just insane. Maybe I’ve finally lost it. Or maybe whatever’s so special about me is about to show itself. I’d like to think it’s something special. I know it’s childish, but it’s better than thinking I’m losing my mind.
There was also this weird boy who kept doing double takes at me. Maybe it was just my imagination, but this stuff keeps happening, and I can’t be imagining all of it (I hope).
At least we’re going to the park tomorrow. That should be fun.
Savannah flopped back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, willing it to open. She took a deep breath, trying to block out the noise from the other room. A tiny hole began to open, and she could see the sky. A rush of excitement went through her, and with the excitement, the hole closed. Savannah picked up her journal again, and flipped to the page labeled, “Crazy things I can’t explain.” The latest entry was about a recurring dream of a floating white light in the window of a large house. Under it, Savannah wrote, “I can see through walls.”
I forgot we were going shopping today. I think Mom might have forgotten too, but Megan and Betty just reminded her. And by “reminded,” I mean whined and begged until she gave in. I can already tell today is going to be fun...
Oh well, I’ll shop by myself. I wish it didn’t always have to be this way. You’re not supposed to want to run from your family, right? I would say it’s just a phase, but I feel like I’ve been saying that for years.
Her mother’s voice called from the hall, “Hurry up, Savannah!”
“I’ve been ready for the past ten minutes!” Megan said.
Savannah hid her journal, and went into the living room, where her mother was waiting with Megan and Betty. Megan was the oldest of her siblings, at sixteen. Betty was a year younger than Megan, and copied her every move. Savannah shared a room with the pair of them. Most of the time they ignored her, but Savannah didn’t mind. She had nothing in common with either of them.
Belinda Kali, her mother, was still yelling as she gathered the children from all corners of the house. Getting everyone ready was always an ordeal.
Tom and Jason came running into the hall, colliding into Megan and Betty. Savannah suppressed a giggle as her brothers knocked the girls onto the couch and started climbing on them. Tom and Jason were seven-year-old twins, and they were the troublemakers in the family.
“Get off! Get off! You’re messing up my hair!”
“Boys! Leave them alone!”
“Are we going to the park today, Mom?” Tom asked.
“No, honey, we’ll go tomorrow.”
“But you said there was a band playing!”
“Yes, and they’ll be at the park tomorrow.”
“But I wanna go now!” they said together.
Now. Everything always had to happen now. Savannah once wrote in her journal that given the chance, her siblings would live their whole lives in a single moment.
The family piled into the car. Ashley was the last one inside. She was the youngest in the family, at five. Unfortunately for Savannah, Ashley sat next to her, chattering away the whole time about all the things she wanted at the mall.
“…And we’ll go to the candy store, right Mom? Mom? Mooom!”
Savannah tuned her out. She had learned to tune out almost everything. Ashley wasn’t the only one who talked nonstop. Everyone in the Kali family had a loud personality except for Savannah. Savannah had always known she was different. She was smaller than the rest of them, and the only one who was left-handed. Her hair was light brown, and very straight. Her mother’s hair was always frazzled, but Belinda Kali was a frazzled woman in general. Savannah sometimes wondered if she was adopted, but instead came to the conclusion that she inherited her father’s traits. She hardly remembered him, having only known him for the first few years of her life. Even then, he hadn’t been around much. He left a few years ago, and no one talked about him anymore. She thought about him abandoning his family, and hoped she wasn’t too much like him. But sometimes she found it easy to forgive him, for she often imagined running from this family as well.
At the mall, they split up. Her mother stayed with Ashley, and the older sisters each took one of the twins. Savannah wandered off on her own, happy to escape the noise and bickering. On her way into the nearest clothing store, she almost bumped into a tall boy who was leaving.
“Excuse me,” she said. “Sorry.”
He stared at her for a moment before turning to walk away. Then he paused, and spun back toward her, opening his mouth to speak. Savannah glanced around behind her, to see if he was actually looking at someone else. As she did, he rolled his eyes, and finally left her. Savannah frowned, wondering what was up with him, but brushed it off quickly enough. This wasn’t the first time something like that had happened to her.
She browsed through the summer shoes, but didn’t find anything she liked. She soon disappeared into daydreams, hardly paying attention to the clothes and shoes her sisters were so obsessed with.
After about an hour, it was time to meet up again, and possibly leave. Megan came back with Tom, Betty came back with Jason, and an argument started immediately. Megan bought several tops and short skirts Belinda didn’t agree with.
“But I got things for Tom like I was supposed to, why not get some stuff for myself?”
“You’re too young to be dressing like that!” Belinda said.
“They look gross on old people!” Megan said. “I should be able to wear them while I’m still young!”
“They look gross on anyone! We’re returning these, and going home.”
“But Mooooom!” This time it was Ashley. “We’re supposed to go to the candy store!”
“Sorry honey, but we won’t have time.”
That only made things worse. Ashley threw a fit, screaming and crying, and Belinda had to drag her through the mall while they returned Megan’s clothes.
“Well, now we’ll just have to come back later,” Megan said. “Because I have nothing to wear.”
More arguing ensued. Savannah zoned out, taking several deep breaths to keep herself from losing her temper with all of them. She’d pictured the scene many times: quiet Savannah finally loses it. Ideally, they would all be so shocked by the outburst they would listen to everything she said.
She turned away from them for a moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a small shoe store she hadn’t noticed before. She calmed herself once more, preparing to ask if they could make one more stop. An odd feeling came over her, an unfamiliar tranquility she had never been able to experience in the presence of her family. She felt like she was reaching a deep, hidden store of power inside her. A hole was opening in the wall of the store, a window no one else seemed to notice. She saw inside, where there were many different sandals in many different sizes. Shocked, Savannah stopped. The hole closed.
“Savannah!” Belinda said. “What are you looking at? We need to go, now!”
“Mom, can we stop in there? I still need shoes, and they have sandals.”
“All right,” she sighed, “but quickly.”
“You don’t know if they have sandals,” Megan said. “You can’t see in!”
“Yes I can,” Savannah said.
“Not all the way in, you freak.”
Oddly enough, Savannah wasn’t too surprised she could. In fact, it was her lack of surprise she found alarming. Something so strange shouldn’t feel so normal, so right.
They entered the store, but didn’t see sandals anywhere.
“They don’t have them,” Belinda said. “Let’s go.”
“Let’s just check in the back,” Savannah said.
She was almost surprised when she found what she saw. They bought a pair of bright yellow sandals Savannah liked, but Betty hated.
“You have no sense of style,” she said. “Those are ugly.”
Savannah barely heard her, trapped in a daydream. As they left the mall, she felt like she was floating a few inches off the ground. The happiness stayed with her even in the crowded car, with her siblings blathering away. When they arrived home, she floated into her room and onto her bed. Megan and Betty were too busy fighting with Belinda to come in anytime soon. She took out her journal and began writing:
Shopping today was... not quite what I expected. Well, it was at first. Just disaster after disaster with Megan, Betty, and Ashley. Tom and Jason are annoying too, but also kind of funny. It’d be fun to have a twin. Those two are partners in crime, and fortunately for me, the crimes are usually against Megan and Betty.
Anyway, when we were leaving, I looked at the wall of a shoe store and saw right through it! I’ve always considered myself a bit of an oddity, but that was just insane. Maybe I’ve finally lost it. Or maybe whatever’s so special about me is about to show itself. I’d like to think it’s something special. I know it’s childish, but it’s better than thinking I’m losing my mind.
There was also this weird boy who kept doing double takes at me. Maybe it was just my imagination, but this stuff keeps happening, and I can’t be imagining all of it (I hope).
At least we’re going to the park tomorrow. That should be fun.
Savannah flopped back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling, willing it to open. She took a deep breath, trying to block out the noise from the other room. A tiny hole began to open, and she could see the sky. A rush of excitement went through her, and with the excitement, the hole closed. Savannah picked up her journal again, and flipped to the page labeled, “Crazy things I can’t explain.” The latest entry was about a recurring dream of a floating white light in the window of a large house. Under it, Savannah wrote, “I can see through walls.”
When Ellie and Savannah meet...
They'll cross a cave into a new world...
Guided by the stories of Amber and Gabrielle.
 |  |
They'll meet new friends...
 |  |  |
Advisors...
And more!
Magic and adventure waits for you, in The Mansion's Twins!
Reviews
"Not since the big Harry Potter series have I found myself so drawn into a magical book." --Reader's Favorite five star review
"If you love magic and quests, excellent writing and strong female characters then this is the book for you." --Amazon reviewer
"A sweet and ultimately uplifting tale about twins girls, Ellie and Savannah, who enter an alternative world and discover their destiny." --Amazon reviewer
"Rose Channing delivers a captivating fantasy novel filled with magic, friendship and discovery." --Hungry Monster Book Review
"A fun, family-friendly read." --Amazon reviewer
"The characters are nicely formed; I felt as if I could imagine (if I wanted to) what sort of choices each would make for their afternoon tea." --Amazon reviewer
"If you love magic and quests, excellent writing and strong female characters then this is the book for you." --Amazon reviewer
"A sweet and ultimately uplifting tale about twins girls, Ellie and Savannah, who enter an alternative world and discover their destiny." --Amazon reviewer
"Rose Channing delivers a captivating fantasy novel filled with magic, friendship and discovery." --Hungry Monster Book Review
"A fun, family-friendly read." --Amazon reviewer
"The characters are nicely formed; I felt as if I could imagine (if I wanted to) what sort of choices each would make for their afternoon tea." --Amazon reviewer
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