Beyond: Snillotia Trilogy Book One Read online

“Well, thanks for barging into my room to insult me! It’s been fun, really! You should go now.”

  Jason just laughed. He got off the bed and started looking through Tim’s things. “I’ve never really been in here before. You have anything actually interesting?”

  He tossed things around the room. Tim saw what he was looking at next, too late. Before he could stop him, Jason picked up the medallion Goldie had given him. “Well, this is kind of cool.”

  He tossed it in the air. It spun, like a coin flipping. As it was moving, something caught Tim’s eye. Before he could figure it out, Jason caught it again.

  “You don’t mind if I take this, do you, Timmy?”

  “Yes. I do mind. Put it back where you found it and please leave.

  Jason laughed again. “I like my plan better,” he said, as he slipped the medallion into his pocket.

  Tim scrambled off the bed. “I said put it back. You can’t have it!”

  Jason moved towards the door. Tim blocked him; his hands curled into fists.

  “You going to make me?”

  Jason’s best friend, Evan Chamberlain appeared in the hallway behind Tim. “Jase! Are you bugging Tim, again? Why can’t you ever just leave him alone?”

  Jason shrugged. “He’s the one who won’t let me leave his room.”

  “I’m sure he has a reason, right, Tim?”

  “He has something of mine in his pocket. I’d like it back.”

  “Dude, just give it back to him and come on. Anna’s almost done her paper.”

  Jason didn’t listen. Tim had to give Evan credit for trying to help him. Normally when people didn’t agree with Jason, he made their life a nightmare. Evan and Jason were total opposites, best friends since kindergarten, and even though they’d grown up to have completely different interests (Evan was on the debate team) they were still close. After a few more try’s Evan gave up and said, “Sorry, Tim. Maybe Anna can do something when she’s done her paper.”

  Tim nodded. Evan was a good guy. He’d always liked him. Jason apparently had enough and tried pushing past Tim. “Just get out of my way!”

  Tim held his ground. ANNA, GET IN HERE NOW! He put all his power into pushing the thought to Anna, to break through the blocks she’d put up in her mind.

  She ran to his room and appeared seconds later, eyes wide. It had been a long time since she’d heard Tim in her mind. “What’s-”

  He has Goldie’s medallion in his right pocket. He thinks he can just take it. He’s a jerk. You deal with him. Get it back.

  Tim’s voice entered her mind, stopping her question. She looked at Jason. He could be a jerk, but at least he was nice to her. She frowned, slightly, wondering when she’d become someone who didn’t care about anyone but herself. “Babe, why are you bothering Tim? What’s going on?”

  She walked over to Jason and slipped her arms around his waist. “I was just having a little fun, waiting for you. That’s all!”

  “That’s why Evan came with you, I thought. Please leave Tim alone. You know how he is,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “Fine, I’ll come sit with you.”

  Jason tried to get through the door. Tim still wouldn’t move out of the way.

  “Give it back and you can leave.”

  “What’s he talking about?” Anna asked, like she didn’t answer know.

  “I have no idea,” Jason said, smirking.

  “Stop lying!”

  Anna sighed and reached her hand into her boyfriend’s front pocket. She pulled the medallion out and looked at Jason. “You can’t take this.”

  “I wasn’t-”

  Anna put her hand up in a stopping motion. “Just stop. Let it go. Come back down the hall with me. Just leave Tim alone.”

  She tossed the medallion to Tim. As it spun in the air, something tugged at the back of Tim’s mind, again. His eyes widened. He knew what they had to do next.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Tim spent the next two hours executing his idea and thinking of how mad Anna was going to be. He finally heard her telling Evan and Jason goodnight. He waited until she came back upstairs. After she passed by his room to get to hers, he followed her down the hall. He saw her reach for her door and raised the walkie-talkie to his mouth. “Now!”

  Anna opened the door and Tim ran into the room after her and blocked her from being able to leave. He didn’t need to worry. She was too shocked to try to leave. Relaxing a bit, Tim moved to the desk chair and sat down. Regaining herself, Anna spun around, without saying anything, and tried to open the door, only she couldn’t reach the doorknob. Each time she tried, it was like the door was just a picture on the wall. “Tim, you can remove the force field. We have returned to Storage.”

  Anna spun back around, first staring at the chair in the corner of the room and then Tim. “Déjà vous, right?” Tim said, trying to lighten the mood.

  Anna glared at him, but her face softened as she again looked toward the chair. “Goldie?”

  “Yes. Hello, Anna. I’ve been waiting to see you again. The first thing I must tell you is your parents are safe. So are your grandparents,” she also looked at Tim and continued, “All of your grandparents are safe.”

  “How are we here?”

  “Ask Tim. He finally told me to come. I’ve been waiting, like I said before.”

  Anna noticed Goldie looked sad. Her little tail was straight behind her. She looked at Tim again, and sat down next to Goldie on the chair. She patted her on the head and Goldie’s tail resumed its normal curl.

  “Anna, you can thank your boyfriend for our return. We needed to come back. His attempted thievery actually gave me the idea on how to get here.”

  Anna stood up and stomped across the room. “You knew I was happy there and you just couldn’t leave well enough alone. I saw the way you looked at me in school. You hated that I fit in and you didn’t. You just couldn’t leave well enough alone!”

  She started repeating herself and her shoulders began to shake. She brought her face so close to Tim’s, he could see the tears forming in her eyes. “I cannot be here again. I can’t deal with this. I’m not meant to be a savior. I don’t know what my grandmother saw, but it wasn’t me. I’m too afraid. I just want to be normal,” she sobbed.

  Tim slowly wrapped his arms around her. He held her as she continued to cry. After his shirt was very wet, she finally stopped. She looked at him. Her make-up was running down her face. Don’t worry. You’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.

  Anna jumped, slightly, hearing his voice in her mind. Then she seemed to realize she was still wrapped in his arms and how nice it felt to be there, much better than Jason’s arms. It felt like home. She pulled away, abruptly. “Tell me how you got us here. If it was that easy, why didn’t you do it two years ago?”

  “I’d forgotten Goldie told me to call her if we needed her and that she’d hear us if we had her medallion. When I remembered, I tried talking to her, but I never knew if she heard me or not.”

  “I heard you, Tim. I just had no way to answer you. You did not call a room to you, so I had no power to do anything.”

  Tim nodded. He and Goldie had already had that conversation. “When Jason threw the medallion back to me, it spun in the air, like a coin. It hit me, then. Our keys look like coins. Adam’s father used a key in the walkie-talkie to talk to people in Snillotia. I thought maybe if I connected the medallion, instead of the key, I would be able to talk to Goldie. It worked, obviously.”

  Anna shook her head. “You still should have told me instead of springing this on me. I’m not ready to be back here. My power is too dangerous. I don’t want to have to use it again.”

  To Anna’s surprise, Tim smiled in response. Before she could question is odd reaction to her fear of using her power, Tim said, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.”

  Instead of explaining he pushed a few of his memories into her mind. Memories of him practicing the powers he’d discovered he possessed over the years. He watched as her eyes widen
ed. “How?”

  He shrugged. Anna wasn’t going to accept that as an answer. “You can do almost everything our parents and grandparents can do and a few other things as well,” she said, nodding towards the door where the force field he placed had been, “Have you been keeping anything else from me?”

  Tim calmly shook his head, shielding his thoughts from her as he did. There was more, but she wasn’t ready for that yet. Goldie chose that moment to interrupt. “You both look different. Older. How much time passed for you in the backwards world?”

  “More than two years,” Anna and Tim answered at the same time.

  Goldie seemed to shake her head. “I do not understand how the time difference works. It is never the same!”

  “How much time has passed in Snillotia, Goldie? What’s happened since that day?” Anna asked, fearing the worst.

  “It has been about two weeks since I left you in the palace. I was alone again for the first week. I was waiting for you to call to me. When I finally heard, it was not from you.”

  “Who called you?” Tim asked.

  “I’ll let them explain. Come, we cannot keep everyone waiting. They were very relieved when you finally called to me, Tim.”

  Without waiting for a response, Goldie jumped from the chair and left the room. Tim started to follow, then realized Anna wasn’t following. “You can’t stay here, Anna. Don’t you want to see your parents?”

  Anna was starting to cry again. Tim missed the brave girl she’d been when he first met her. “Yes. I want to see my parents, but, Tim, look at us. The first thing they’re going to notice is that we’re older! There’s a big difference between looking thirteen and looking sixteen. You’ve grown about 6 inches and you’ve really filled out. And I…”

  Her voice trailed off. Tim knelt down in front of her and took her hands. “First of all, technically, we’re only fifteen, even though everyone thinks we’re a year older. Secondly, you’ve become beautiful, Anna. You were pretty when you were younger, but now you’re beautiful. They’ll see that. What we look like doesn’t matter.”

  “But they’ll realize how much time has passed for us. They’ll want to know what we’ve been doing. They’re going to ask what happened to us that day. I can’t relive it, Tim. It scares me too much.”

  Tim nodded, understanding. He thought for a moment. “Anna, there are a few other things I can do that I didn’t show you, not because I was keeping them from you,” he said quickly, before she could question him, “One power that can help us now isn’t something I could really show you. We won’t tell them how much time passed for us right away. We won’t tell them about all of my powers. Don’t worry. I told you I’d keep you safe and I meant it.”

  He pulled Anna from the chair. “Look at your reflection in the window.”

  Anna looked and gasped in shock. Her thirteen-year-old self was staring back at her. She turned to look at Tim and gasped again. Tim looked thirteen again. “I can change perceptions. I can make people see anything I want them to.”

  “Anna, Tim, please come now!”

  “Goldie’s seen us as we really are.”

  “I think she’ll keep our secret for now. It’s just for a little while. As soon as we know what has been happening here and that it’s safe, we’ll let everyone know. This isn’t forever, Anna. It’s just to give you some time, okay?”

  Anna nodded and together, they left the room to follow Goldie to wherever she was leading them.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  They found Goldie waiting for them outside another door. “Whose room is this?” Anna asked.

  Goldie didn’t answer her. “You look like you looked before, but I can still see what you look like now, as well. It is very strange.”

  Anna looked at Tim, thinking their plan wasn’t going to work. “Why are you hiding that you’ve grown up?”

  Tim quickly explained and Goldie nodded. “I understand. I will not tell what I see until you a ready. People will see what you wish. I can only see past the power because I am a magical creature, myself.”

  Anna breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn’t know why it was so important to her that no one know how much time had passed for them. The door in front of them opened. “Please, go in. It will only be a moment.”

  Anna and Tim walked into a dark room. The walls were black, and Anna spied a few pictures of a girl with her face all scratched out lying on the floor by the far wall. Other than that, the room was basically empty. “I know it is not a very nice room, but it is how I was connected with your parents and grandparents again. It serves its purpose,” Goldie explained as the door closed behind her.

  After only a few seconds the door opened again, and Tim could see they were no longer in Storage. “Come, follow me.”

  As they followed Goldie, Tim made sure the door to the room did not close. He flicked his wrist and the table that was in the center of the room moved in front of the doorway. “Thank you, Tim.”

  Anna looked at him. No powers. He heard her in his head. “I know. I know. That was the last time, I promise.”

  The hallway ended in a comfortable looking room filled with people, all but three of whom jumped up when they walked in. Anna’s parents ran to her and she disappeared inside their arms. Tim could see she was hugging them back just as fiercely. After the grandparents had welcomed them as well, Tim knew the questions were coming next. He decided to start to give Anna a little more time. “Where are we?”

  The man who’d saved them and frozen Aaron answered him. “You are in my home. Welcome.”

  He smiled at Tim as he said it, and although the man seemed familiar, Tim did not feel welcome.

  Tim held out his hand. As the man shook it, Tim introduced himself, although he was sure the man knew who he was. “I’m Tim. Thank you for helping us.”

  “Of course, Tim. While helping you wasn’t my original plan, I’m glad I was there to do it.”

  The man’s response seemed odd. It sounded nice, but felt ominous at the same time, like he was saying what he meant, but not how he meant it. Tim backed away from him and turned towards his grandparents. “You guys are alright?”

  Grandpa Mit patted him on the back. “We’re fine, son.”

  As Grandpa Mit’s hand fell away, he gave Tim a confused look. Tim let it pass. He knew Grandpa Mit noticed that Tim was taller than he was appearing to them. He looked towards Grandpa Cire and Grandma Aras. They were staring at the man, adoringly. Tim tried his question again, as he hadn’t really gotten answer earlier. He looked at the man. “Okay, so we’re in your house, but who are you and why should I trust you?”

  The man smiled again, though it seemed almost condescending to Tim. “I’m Ronnoc, of course,” he pointed towards the other two people in the room, “And this is my wife, Arat, and my son, Retep.”

  He introduced himself and his family as if Tim would recognize their names. Tim.

  “Let’s see,” Ronnoc continued, as did Anna, “Maybe my full name will help? (I don’t think we’re safe.) Ronnoc Rellim. No? I see my sister spoke so highly of me. (He’s your—) I am your uncle.”

  As Ronnoc said uncle, Anna’s voice in Tim’s head also said it, jarring him for a moment. “Oh yeah, Uncle Ron. I’ve heard about you,” Tim managed to get out, stalling.

  While looking at Ronnoc, Tim spoke with Anna. Why aren’t we safe?

  My parents heard rumors about Ronnoc. He’s your mom’s older brother. He and your mom never got along, not that my parents knew of anyway. When he disappeared before the uprising, your grandparents told everyone he was killed fighting for our side. But there were rumors—

  “So, you and my mom didn’t get along, huh? Was she an annoying little sister?”

  Something flashed in Ronnoc’s eyes. “Why, I loved your mother!” He wiped at his eyes, as if he were wiping away tears, “I was so saddened to hear what happened.”

  We have to think of a way to talk to our grandparents and your parents alone.

  Anna nodded i
n response. Tim wasn’t the only one who noticed. Grandpa Mit was still watching him closely and seemed to realize he and Anna were communicating telepathically. Tim decided to let him in on the secret by trying out another power he suspected he had. Grandpa Mit, please don’t react. A lot has happened and I want to explain. Can I trust Ronnoc?

  No.

  Tim acted quickly. “So, uh, Uncle Ron, Anna and I are pretty hungry. It’s been awhile since we’ve eaten, being on the run and all. Can we get something to eat?”

  “Yes, of course! It’s almost time for dinner, anyway! Arat, I will help you with our meal. Retep, please show our new guests where they can freshen up, in the meantime. I’ve just realized how dirty you both are! I do apologize for not offering to let you clean up sooner!”

  Anna realized Tim had changed the way they looked again. There was a light layer of dirt over her skin. She knew it wasn’t really there, but now she wanted nothing more than to take a shower.

  Grandpa Mit cleared his throat. “Why don’t we all freshen up a bit before we eat?” he asked the others.

  “Very well, then! I will leave you to it!” Ronnoc said and nodded at his son as he left the room with his wife.

  When Ronnoc was gone, Grandpa Cire and Grandma Aras seemed to come out of a trance.

  “Retep, my boy! Have you met your cousin, Tim?” Grandpa Cire asked.

  Retep looked at Tim and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Tim politely shook his hand and looked at his newfound cousin. Retep was shorter than Tim was, though not shorter than Tim was appearing to be. He seemed to be around the same age as Tim was now as well. Unlike Tim, however, he was very skinny and seemed to have no strength to him at all. His handshake was very weak and half-hearted. “Retep is such a good boy! He’s been just wonderful to us since we’ve been here!” Grandpa Aras exclaimed.

  “Hello, Retep! I’m Anna.” Anna said, holding out her hand, and introducing herself as it didn’t seem like anyone else was going to.

  Retep froze, in what looked like horror. He stared at Anna’s hand as he started backing away. “You can clean up in there!” he yelled, his voice cracking in the end, as he pointed at a door at the top of the stairs. Then he turned and ran in the opposite direction.