A Lapse in Time

  -The Twisted Trilogy-

  Amanda Churi

  Book I: A Lapse in Time

  Book II: The Dark Materials

  Book III: In Eden’s Shadow

  The Twisted Trilogy - Book I:

  -A Lapse in Time-

  - Amanda Churi-

  Copyright © 2016 by Amanda Churi Menichello

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without the express consent of the author.

  Cover Design by Kevin Filanowski

  Printed and bound in the United States of America

  First edition (revised)

  10 digit ISBN: 1523754427

  13 digit ISBN: 978-1523754427

  Dedicated to my Penguin:

  For not only giving me the motivation and support to continue chasing my dreams, but for also showing me that there really is magic in the life that we live.

  Notice:

  This book does not reflect the author’s religious views and is not trying to impose religious scenarios on the reader in any way, nor is it a representation and or explanation of what is left unknown; it was solely created for entertainment purposes.

  The Twisted Trilogy is not intended to offend any spiritual beliefs; the religious aspect of this story is molded to fit the trilogy, not the life we live to this day.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  Thank you.

  “Aspire to inspire before you expire.”

  Eugene Bell Jr.

  Timeline

  1 ~ Twenty Long Years

  2 ~ Last Moments

  3 ~ The Note

  4 ~ Demented Intentions

  5 ~ A Twisted Polymorph

  6 ~ Into the Past

  7 ~ Phantome

  8 ~ This is War

  9 ~ Curiosity Strikes Again

  10 ~ A Suicidal Plan

  11 ~ Spirits of Revenge

  12 ~ Blood Bound

  13 ~ The Ax Novice

  14 ~ The Lies She Told

  15 ~ Fight or Flight

  16 ~ Night Fright

  17 ~ One Down

  18 ~ The Curse of Magic

  19 ~ The Receiver

  20 ~ Black and White

  21 ~ On the Hunt

  22 ~ Up in Flames

  23 ~ Destiny

  24 ~ A New Perspective

  25 ~ Demons

  26 ~ Witch Hunt

  27 ~ The Golden Martyr

  28 ~ Marked

  29 ~ Time is Ticking

  30 ~ Before it Ends

  31 ~ On the Edge

  32 ~ Into the Fray

  33 ~ A Dance with the Devil

  34 ~ To Catch Fire

  35 ~ Heart of the Immortal

  36 ~ The Last Stand

  37 ~ Judgment

  38 ~ Dark before Dawn

  39 ~ Until the Skies

  One

  Twenty Long Years

  The tall grass attacked my legs, leaving trails of blood lashed across my skin from its vicious assault. I ran as quickly as I could through the large field, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps. My sides ached not only from the long duration of my run but from the blinding speed which I forced my legs to move at as well.

  A white, curled tail bounced through the tall grass; a deep, quick pant coming from the creature as it tried to escape.

  “Sh-Shamu!” I cried through a heavy gasp. “Slow down!”

  The tail sank under the grass gracefully, a head taking its place. It turned its eyes to me, staring my way with its deep black gaze. Upon noticing me, his tongue dropped from his mouth, and he ran towards me at full speed, slamming his weight into my stomach and pinning me to the ground.

  “Shamu!” I exclaimed, laughing as my dog licked my face uncontrollably. “Off boy, off!” I pushed him roughly away from me, sitting up and wiping the slobber off of my face with my arm. Shamu sat at my side, wagging his tail like a propeller and watching me gleefully with eyes that resembled the shine of the stars. His snow white fur was thick and coarse; he had two black circles around his eyes like a raccoon, and one big black spot smeared across his back. He stared at me adoringly as I rested my hand on his head, rubbing it roughly. “Good boy,” I praised.

  I looked up towards the sky at the sinking sun. The sky was streaked pink and orange on the horizon, casting its magnificent rays of light across the landscape. The trunks of the distant trees were glowing with a scarlet red light as if they were part of the heavens. The meadow which I sat in was a crisp gold from the shine of the star, which also showed its acknowledgment of the sun's power.

  I sighed, stroking Shamu's head lighter. “Why can't it always be like this?” I wondered aloud.

  Shamu turned his gaze to me as if he could understand what I said.

  “I mean, a time of peace would be just too much to ask for, wouldn't it?” I met Shamu's gaze. “All of this war and bloodshed… Why can't it all just be over and things go back to the way they were long ago?”

  I huffed resignedly, resting my chin on my knees and covering my legs with my arms, my eyes becoming one with the sun as I focused on its crimson surface.

  Some things never changed. Every day the sun rose and set, the wind blew, the tides turned, creatures were born… Other things changed too much, though: ideals, the government, ways of discipline, technology, rules… If everything just stayed the same, life would be so much easier. Go figure I had to be born in this period of time where everything was so screwed up. Whenever anything happened anymore, one could never be sure if it was simply an illusion or if it was real life; it was as though the supernatural side of the world had been awakened from its eternal slumber and begun to wreak havoc.

  A high-pitched ring suddenly seized my ears, and I looked down at the shattered watch on my wrist out of instinct. My eyes doubled in size when I saw the time, and I leaped to my feet in a panic.

  “Crap!” I exclaimed as my heart imploded inside of me. I turned to Shamu, who sat on the ground, cocking his head in confusion towards me. “Come on, boy!” I cried, sprinting off through the meadow. “We're late!”

  I ran as quickly as I could, not even registering the pain that shot through my legs as the thorns dug their swords into my skin; all I could even think about was getting home.

  One never wanted to be outside at night. I remembered a time where my mother used to tell me that she and my father would lay outside at night and stare at the stars for countless hours, laughing the night away together safe in the other's arms. I had never done that…You simply couldn't if you wanted to remain in one piece.

  Every night, all that roamed the skies anymore were ships and countless aircraft from both sides of the war: the Nobles, the higher and more supreme force; and the common people, or Patriots, trying to rebel against them in a hopeless attempt that had been going on for twenty years now. Anyone in which their spotlights rested upon at night was automatically thought to be working for the enemy. Even if the people were innocent or even on the same side as they were, no chances were taken, and they would be blown to smithereens on the spot.

  As I raced home, I kept examining the sky; the eyes of the enemy were the only thing crossing my mind. I always seemed to have horrible luck since the day I was born, and knowing me, I would be out here one second after the moon rose and immediately detonate like a bomb. Luck was just never on my side; mine nor my family's.

  I dashed past the many plots of farmland that we had and the large fence that extended across a vast majority of our property, holding the dairy cows.

  That was the only way our f
amily remained out of the crossfire of this war. Whenever any soldier, Noble or Patriot, was in need of assistance, our family would aid them. Nobles just seemed to love this place; simply because our house was in a rural location, and was, therefore, a great place to escape the never-ending wave of Patriots who were always a thorn in their side.

  They came often enough, asking for food and supplies. My mother would always fetch them without hesitation. It didn’t matter that my father hated them with every bone in his body; my mother would never hear a word of it and would help them regardless. Sure, the head of the house being on the Noble’s side of the war got you called your fair share of names, but as long as we were able to keep our lives, we could care less. Besides, the Nobles were a much bigger threat than the Patriots could ever be; if there was one bad side you didn’t want to get on, it was theirs.

  I leaned forward so that I sprinted on the tips of my toes. I tried to quiet the sound of my footsteps and steady my breathing so that I didn't attract attention. Somehow the Nobles could pinpoint the exact location of a person. It didn't matter if you were hiding in a dense forest sticking to the shadows like glue, or in a cave underground. They would find you.

  My father said it had something to do with vibrations that humans made in the earth, and the technology the Nobles possessed. I never knew how, exactly, but he seemed to have immense knowledge of the Nobles in particular as opposed to the Patriots whom he supported. I guess to an extent it made sense because they came to our farm so often, but for as long as I could remember he would always turn the blind eye whenever they showed up, letting my mother do her thing while he went out and vented his anger by hoeing the earth.

  That made me mad enough to the point where I wanted to deck every Patriot in the face. The Nobles were far more rich and equipped than the Patriots were; not to mention all of the amazing and jaw-dropping inventions they had. If I were to list them all, I would probably still be speaking them from now until the time I lay on my death bed, missing hundreds no doubt. Taking into consideration the fact that I am only a sixteen-year-old boy, that's a ton of inventions.

  Personally, the war was pointless, and I just wished it would end. I wasn't sided with the Nobles because I definitely did not like their rumored plans for the world, and I had my own deep hatred for them… But I knew the Patriots couldn't win; they had been fighting the war full-out since the beginning and had been on the verge of defeat ever since. They still were holding out, though; apparently faith and freedom is enough to keep anyone going.

  The sun in the sky gave its final goodbyes, dancing through the violet ambient and letting the moon take the next act. I continued to run, but I was putting so much of my weight on the very tips of my toes that the skin began to break. I tried to stay the quietest that I possibly could. I focused intensely on my steps being light and brisk, so that if the whole vibration gismo was true (which I believed it was) they would think I was something like an animal passing through the fields instead of a human; a perfectly legitimate scenario since we lived miles away from the town. I kept my eyes locked onto the sky, scanning the stars for any sign of aircraft while using my peripheral vision as a guide.

  I could hear Shamu behind me, relieved that he had decided to come back home as opposed to staying outside. There was so much poverty right now that if anyone passed through our land and saw a dog like Shamu lying in the field asleep at night (he's a big dog by the way; a mix of a Great Pyrenees and Labrador), their stomach would be full for days.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw a small cluster of lights. I immediately shifted my weight, running in the direction of my home.

  My house is a small country cabin. The walls are dark spruce planks which have been battered by the elements for decades, and there is a small porch attached to the front; not much more to it than that. We also had a small garden in the back for our own personal use, consisting of vegetables and fruit, along with a small pen which held a few chickens. We only had them for eggs, not meat. Killing an animal was one of the biggest mistakes one could make these days; the soldiers from both sides had killed far too many as it was.

  A small path of scattered gravel extended from the steps of our porch out into the field. Standing at the oak door to the entrance of my house was my father, Gavin. He tapped his foot impatiently, his light blue eyes sharply flicking back and forth in the darkness as he searched for a possible threat.

  “Come on!” he whispered harshly, his teeth grinding against each other. He motioned towards me with his hand rapidly, and I sprinted so hard towards him that I tripped on the steps up the porch. I scrambled to my feet frantically, ignoring the pain in my legs and bolting inside after my father with Shamu following me.

  I slammed the door shut and pressed my back against it heavily, little oxygen answering my lungs' call as I tried to steady my nerves. The sweat trickled down my forehead from my close call, the warm crackle of the fire alleviating my nerves. I leaned my head back, thanking God that I arrived home safely.

  My father cleared his throat, and I brought my gaze down to meet his. He was staring at me with narrowed eyes, not saying a word. That's when I knew I was in trouble.

  My father is a fairly bulky man. He stands about six feet high with his muscles protruding from his skin due to his hard labor. He has light brown, curly hair, and dull, almost blind looking blue eyes. Surprisingly, he is clean shaven on his face, but his arms and legs are like a forest. My father isn’t very heavy either; minus his muscles, he’s quite thin like everyone else. He had on torn blue jeans that were who knows how old, and a medium brown T-shirt stained black with sweat under his arms and around his neck.

  We stared at each other silently; the only sounds being the light giggle of the popping wood as it hit the hearth, and Shamu's nails clicking against the floor as he strutted through the house like he ruled the world.

  His face flushed pink, and I was just counting down the seconds till he snapped.

  “Where have you been?!” he exclaimed, throwing his arms out just to reinforce how upset he was with me. I knew from the harsh, gruff tone that he was speaking in, that it was taking all of his sanity not to run over and strangle me to the ground. “I was worried sick! Who do you think you are by staying out at night?”

  “Sorry, Dad,” I mumbled, sinking further against the door and bracing myself for another explosion. “I just lost track of time, that's—”

  He cut me off, silencing me with a flick of his wrist. “How can you be so irresponsible?” he exclaimed. “Excuses, excuses! That's all I get from you anymore, Eero!”

  “I didn't mean it!” I retorted, trying to defend myself in a hopeless attempt. “Shamu ran off, and I tried to catch him! I just lost track of time is all…”

  My father scoffed, turning his gaze behind him to Shamu, who was sitting down, smiling at my father and thumping his tail against the floor as though he was trying to test the length of his fuse. “Stupid dog,” he mumbled. “Never should have let Eero keep you in the first place. All you do is cause trouble.”

  Shamu's smile faded, his pupils thinning as he stared at my father. I swear; Shamu can read humans just as well, or even better than actual people can.

  Father turned his stare back to me. “You should know better,” he said, his tone taking on a softer state. “You know that at night—”

  “Yes, I do know. I said I was sorry. It won't happen again.”

  “You're right; it won't! Because next time it will be too late and you'll be dead!”

  “I'm not stupid!” I snapped as I felt my anger boil inside of me. “I did what you told me to do if something like that ever happens! Run on the tips of my toes and—”

  “I don't care what I told you! Never, and I mean never should you be outside at night! Countless people have been killed like that, and I don't want my son to be the next one to go that way!”

  He stared at me, his eyes relaxing. “I-I just don't want anything to happen to you, Eero…” he stammered. “You’re the las
t son I have left; I don't want to lose you.” He turned his gaze to Shamu briefly before looking back at me. “I don't even want to lose that dumb dog of yours for that matter either.”

  I didn't say anything. The memories rushed over me with no warning.

  I grew up in a fairly loving house. It was as though war didn't exist within the confines of our farm, minus the occasional discussion about, or visit from soldiers. My mother mainly worked in the house, making blankets and clothes from the cotton that we once grew, while my father and twin brothers, Briven, and Tyler, worked in the fields hoeing, planting, harvesting, and milking. I was more of a mama's boy if anything, and I would usually run errands for her such as fetching dyes from the market or trying my best to help her finish her sewing.

  We ate dinner together every night and talked, even if nothing eventful had happened. Mother would almost always wind up telling us a story from the old days since history was her sparkle in life—that, or an ancient legend of some sort. We were all happy… We loved each other with all of our hearts…

  At least, we used to—there was no one to love now besides my father, and I wouldn't even call that love anymore.

  I scoffed, looking down at my feet silently. So many feelings were churning inside of me that all I wanted to do was scream and pummel my father into the hardwood. I knew it wasn't his fault in any possible way that this had happened, but I couldn't help but wish it was so that all of the blame could be taken from my shoulders and placed on someone else for a change.

  “What?” he asked in response to my silence.

  “Nothing,” I mumbled, trudging off down the hallway towards my room. My father lifted his finger to protest but then lowered it. He stared at me, silent as I walked down the hall and into my room, slamming the door behind me.