Broken Time

By Corinne M Casarico

Rose is back in her world with her new sister Lucy, although she can't help but miss her friends from a world away. One night, her unpredictable powers send them both back to the place she missed so much, with all its dark and twisted dangers. The Drainer is back, and he wants something from her. She has limited time to give it to him, before sh

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ingram Spark
• Release date: Jan 30, 2021
• ISBN: 9780578784540

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Broken Time

by C. Casarico

Copyright © 2020 by C. Casarico

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN: Print: 9780578784533 Ebook: 9780578784540

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020923474

Printed in the United States of America

Cover Design © CEO Inked Creations

This book is dedicated to my Granddad, who always encouraged my creativity and helped fuel my imagination.

Harry Brickell 1925 – 2002

Part 1

Chapter 1: Missing Them

I woke up not knowing where I was.

I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I expected hard earth to be under me, a warm fire crackling beside me, but I was in my own bed, with a pillow and blankets, and a mattress supporting my weight. Across the room was my sister Lucy. She was still asleep, her blonde hair tangled and curling around her fingertips as she mumbled and rolled onto her side. She had asked to share my room even though our parents had offered to set up a bed temporarily in the Little Library. I understood why and agreed wholeheartedly.

Lucy had been very clingy since we'd arrived back home. While she immediately loved our parents and fit into the family quite nicely, our lifestyle was still alien to her. Even after she'd moved into my room, she was anxious. Sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and see her sitting up in bed, staring at the walls. When I'd ask her what was wrong, she'd simply shake her head and go back to sleep, her expression close to tears.

She'd lost one family and gained another. No matter what I'd gone through with the Rags and Riches gang, my experience could never amount to hers.

Come on, Lucy. Time for breakfast. I went to her bedside and shook her shoulder gently. She rolled over and looked at me with sleepy green eyes so much like my own.

I brushed the hair back from her forehead and was reminded of stroking Lucide's hair, lying next to him by the campfire. A stab of loneliness pierced my heart as I turned from her towards the door.

How much of a mess do you think we could make in the kitchen making pancakes? I asked. She smiled, following me out the door.

I tried not to think too much as I gathered bowls and sliced bananas to put into the pancakes. I tried not to think of the smell of the dying campfire, the sound of the early morning birds, the swoop of Alice's wings as she flew around to protect the camp. When I looked down at my hands cutting fruit, I saw Lucide’s hands working a piece of wood or gliding along a river smooth stone.

I jerked back as Lucy grabbed my wrist. Lucy was looking at me, startled. The tip of my right pointer finger was bloody.

Oh shit. I looked around for something to stop the bleeding as blood crawled down my finger. Lucy handed me a napkin, gently taking the knife from my hand. She nodded at me, urging me to go clean the small wound while she finished.

I hurried to the bathroom and ran my finger under the faucet as I cursed myself. I had to get my head out of the clouds. Lucy and I had made the right choice in coming back home. We had family here. I'd have been putting them through hell if we hadn't come back.

Dad had tried talking to me about what I'd been through. I told him the gist of what had happened, but I left out the fights with vampires and Kat's betrayal. I hadn't described the Drainer in detail, but the idea was there. I'd known he could read my mind and fill in the gaps for himself.

Anger and fear had played on his face as I'd talked. When I'd finished, he'd pulled me into a long hug.

You’ve been through something horrible, he'd said, wiping tears from my face. I’m so glad you’re home.

I’m glad too, I'd replied, trying to hide my other feelings behind the statement.

We never told you this, he'd added, taking a deep breath. We weren't sure what we would say, if you asked. But now that your sister’s back home, you deserve to know. His eyes had been glassy. We always told you that you didn't have a middle name, but that was a lie. Your middle name is Lucy.

Although the news had come as a shock to me, after I'd thought about it, I hadn't been too surprised. The name fit me well. Rose Lucy King – I liked it. I'd felt an overwhelming surge of emotion towards my new sister. Our shared name made me feel more connected to her than ever.

Just then someone tapped on the bathroom door – I jumped.

Hey, Rose, I recognized Jasmine's voice. Lucy told me you cut your finger. Need any help?

Hey, Jaz, I said, taking my hand out from under the sink's running water. Don't come in, I'm bleeding. I pressed some toilet paper against the cut. The bleeding had pretty much stopped.

Don't be silly. A little pin prick doesn't bother me, she said.

I opened the door.

There was Jasmine, my best friend. She had long wavy black hair and sharp brown eyes. Today she was wearing a red sweater and blue jeans, although she never felt cold.

I smiled at her. She'd recently been reunited with her vampire parents, and they often came to spend weekends with us.

Jasmine smiled at me and handed me a bandage. No blood, no foul, she joked.

I elbowed her in the ribs, and we made our way back to the kitchen. Lucy was putting the last of the pancakes onto a large plate. Dad was setting the table. His blond hair was wet from a shower, and he was dressed in a blue T-shirt and ripped jeans.

Hey, Jasmine, it's good to see you, honey! he said as he brought the plate of pancakes to the table, giving Lucy a one-armed hug.

Morning, Mr. King. Jasmine smiled.

Are your parents on their way?

They should be here any minute. I was excited to see Rose.

Dad glanced at me and saw my injured finger. You okay there, Rose?

I just cut my finger, I muttered. I sat and put a few pancakes on my plate as Jasmine sat next to me, her place setting empty. She, Wendy, and Jack wouldn’t eat. I was still getting used to the fact that they didn’t eat human food at all.

Jasmine and I had grown closer since my return home. Part of me realized she might have felt betrayed I'd run off without her. Or it could simply have been that after everything I'd told her, she worried I'd become too attached to people who lived a world away.

I'm worried about them, I’d said one day. They've been living on the streets so long. I’m not sure if they know how to live any way else.

They'll be fine, Jasmine had said calmly, her face looking drawn, as if she'd rehearsed saying this to me. With the Drainer gone, they won't have any restraints. They can take care of themselves.

Over and over I tried to remind myself of that, but the words didn't seem to sink in. I still couldn't help my mind from wandering occasionally. My parents kept a curious distance for my privacy, as did Lucy. I knew she also desired to return to our little family in the rough, but she'd never ask that of me. A noticeable difference between me and my sister was that I was selfish, and she wasn’t. She'd not take me away from something I knew and loved for what she considered affairs of her heart.

I also wasn't willing to put my parents through the nightmare of losing us again. Time in our world went slower than in the Drainer's world, but my absence had still been a significant amount of time, with Lucy’s being even longer. I was afraid to use my power again, because I could become trapped, or end up in a place even worse than where my first attempt at world jumping had landed me.

Rose!

What?

Pass the butter, please, Dad repeated.

Sure. I passed it to him, trying my best to avoid his worried gaze.

I needed to stop thinking about this. We were home now. My parents had welcomed me home and my best friend had missed me. I couldn’t leave them again; it would be too much. I missed my other friends, but I had to accept it and move on. They'd be moving on too, and soon being with family would feel normal again. I hoped.

Chapter 2: Home

On Lucy’s twenty-first birthday, it was snowing.

Snowflakes fell, creating a light blanket before the sun rose. There was frost on my window as I got out of bed and into my slippers. We'd been home just shy of three weeks.

Lucy was in bed curled on her side, her blonde hair in a mass of tangles. How about I make you some breakfast hot chocolate?

She smiled and nodded.

We'd already planned how we were going to celebrate her birthday. The night before, Mom and I had stayed up late and made her a cake. It had filled the kitchen with a sugary warm smell.

That smell still lingered in the air as I made Lucy the hot chocolate, putting on the kettle and scooping cocoa powder into two mugs. We were going to have a fun family dinner tonight. I wanted to keep Lucy from being sad, because I knew she missed the gang.

I’m excited for tonight, I said, mixing boiling water into the mugs. I hope you like what I got you. When I turned around, holding the hot drinks, Lucy was looking down at the table, her shoulders hunched.

What’s wrong? I sat down next to her, already knowing the answer.

She glanced up at me, eyes shining with tears.

You miss them?

She nodded. I hugged her, trying to keep myself from crying.

They wanted us to come back here. We’re home; it’s alright. I hoped saying it out loud would make it true.

Lucy buried her face in my shoulder and then let go of me quickly as our mom rounded the corner.

Mom smiled at us both, unaware of what she'd just interrupted. Happy birthday, Lucy! she said, kissing the top of Lucy's head. Her silky brown hair was pulled back in a messy, early morning ponytail. Are you excited for today?

Lucy nodded and then exchanged glances with me. I tried to give her an encouraging smile.

You’re having hot chocolate this early in the morning? I’ll take coffee. She began mixing things in a mug and the aroma of coffee replaced the smell of cocoa. Her back was to us as she poured the coffee and added cream and sugar. I smiled when I saw her pink pajama top was on backward.

Have you ever been sledding, Lucy? Mom asked as she sat down with us.

Lucy shook her head.

I thought it would be fun to do this afternoon. There’s a good hill just down the road.

Lucy perked up at the thought of the snowy activity.

I should probably wake your father up, Mom said. I wouldn’t want him to miss out on this.

I’m awake, and I need coffee! came a gruff voice from the bedroom. You better not have drank it all!

Lucy did! I piped up. She slapped my arm. The next moment I burst out laughing as Dad came into the kitchen, his