Imagination

By Courtney Huynh and Chbloe Parker

Imagine doing and Anthology with your twin granddaughters. This was my goal. I scored fifty percent in the writing department but won the game when one granddaughter provided the art work for the cover and several books.

The intent was to provide a fun summer experience.

The imagination of the twins and one of their fri

• Language: English
• Publisher: Around the World Publishing LLC
• Release date: Jun 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9781682231623

Book preview

Imagination

Courtney Huynh, Chloe Parker, Ron Mueller

C:\Users\Ron\Pictures\ATWP Picture.JPG

Around the World Publishing LLC

4914 Cooper Road Suite 144

Cincinnati, Ohio 45242-9998

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

Imagination by Courtney Huynh, Chloe Parker Ron Mueller © 2021

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction, in whole or in part in any form.

ISBN: 978-1-68223-162-3

Distributed by Ingram

Cover Picture by Christine Huynh

Cover Design by Ron Mueller

Dedicated to all writers.

Table of Content

Noor by Courtney Huynh………………………..1

Hold by Chloe Parker…………………………….31

Book of Time and Space by Ron Mueller…….…59

Not Normal by Ron Mueller……………..….…..73

Rainbow and Shadows by Courtney Huynh…….95

Call me Sometime by Ron Mueller……………..115

Three Dimensional Love By Ron Mueller………133

Drawn Out by Courtney Huynh………..………..149

Boy with the Radiant Smile by Ron Mueller…...173

Other Books……………………………………..191

Noor

By Courtney Huynh

The prequel to HOLD by Chloe Parker

Aiden ran, terrified.  The soldiers, clothed in stark pure white, marched relentlessly after him.  The drab walls of gray and the rows of concrete house-blocks did nothing to hide him.  Panting heavily in the cool morning air, he ran until he found a splash of color, a red graffiti mark that said, ‘Terraneos suk!"  Aiden hastily glanced around him to see if anyone was around.  Finding no one, he slapped his hand upon the graffiti and was swallowed into a void of nothingness.

Opening his eyes, Aiden found himself in a familiar room.  The squishy anti-gravity beanbag chairs, the antique wooden table, and the ancient videophone that Trent had disguised as a circular mirror. In the background, the drone of a teacher-program on the holographic TV mingled with the faint buzz of a hi-tech DNA scanner reading his face for proof that he was not another Terraneos soldier.

Chrys Estelle, who had been rehydrating food packets for the rest of the Viriato, stomped in.

You’re late, she said.

I know, he replied.  Setting down his bulging backpack and unhooking his running shoes, Aiden stared at Chrys.  Chrys, in all her deadly glory, was wearing another old-fashioned outfit today: Short shorts and an ice-blue print T-shirt, probably from the 21st century.

With an impatient toss of her head, she asked, What have you got now?

Opening his bag, Aiden revealed a load of stolen goods.  Actual bread, cheese, and canned food made up most of the pack, but at the very bottom were two black market electro-wave guns with an ammunition pack.

Nice, picking up a gun, Chrys fingered it for a while, and murmured, Hmm, every so often.  Finally, she picked up the bag and said, Thank you.  We’ve been needing these for a while.  Now go and babysit those kids you found.

In a whirl of jet-black hair, Chrys swiftly disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Aiden rather annoyed.  He had gone through the trouble of stealing food and supplies and he was awarded with more babysitting.

Sighing, he walked into the next room.

Aiden was greeted by a chorus of Hi Aiden! in the TV room.  There were four people in all: The first was Trent Washburn, the resident techie, whose curly black hair, and ebony-colored face popped up from behind the TV set along with a toolbox and a few banging noises.

Hi Aiden, greeted Trent.  "I’m just fixing up this holo-TV set.  It’s been a little fuzzy for a while.

The second person was Seth Feardorcha.  Seth was a new recruit at the Viriato, and he was only thirteen.  He was rather handsome, with a bright smile and dirty blonde hair, but the only thing that betrayed his looks were his eyes.  Though pretty at first, a closer look revealed that his pale green eyes were full of hatred, confusion, and the slightest hint of insanity.

Hi Aiden, said Seth, lounging on an anti-gravity beanbag chair.  I hope you got something other than bread, cheese or cans today.

Along with the bread, cheese and cans you seem to hate so much I managed to get a pair of electro-wave guns with ammo, said Aiden, ruffling Seth’s hair.

Stop that, Seth complained.  Do you like annoying me or something?

Then, all of a sudden, the third person, Shannon Oliver, popped in.  Shannon had brown, wavy hair and sparkling blue eyes.  She was wearing khaki pants and a T-shirt, a sign of her tom boyishness, but the particular shirt she was wearing was a special camouflage prototype, probably begged from Trent.

The shirt currently matched the color of the holo-TV, which she was standing in front of.

Hi Aiden! sang Shannon.  I just wanted to say thanks for rescuing me off the streets three months ago!  Ari, say thank you too!

The fourth and final person, Ari Abrigon, was trapped in a headlock, courtesy of Shannon.  Gasping for breath, Ari managed to utter, Thank You.

Yay, Ari! You’re not as anti-social as I’d thought!  Shannon cheered.

Ari, released from his headlock, rubbed his neck, and went back to moping in a corner, which he usually did.  His dark brown, nearly black eyes glazed over as he fiddled with the air conditioning levels on his auto-cooling shirt, and adjusted the length of his jeans, which changed color and length depending on the temperature.  Finally, he straightened out his antique leather jacket and smoothed back his shaggy black hair, than plopped into a seat next to Seth.

I think, he said to Seth, that you need to stop wearing such fancy clothes.  They make you look… searching for a word, Ari turned to Trent for help.

Old?  Businesslike?  Nerdy? suggested Trent.

Old, Ari confirmed.

By the Great Protector Kulan Ei, why can’t the lot of you shut up? muttered Seth angrily.

Standing up, Seth faced his palms skywards and began to chant-praying, as he called it.  Eyes glowing white and wind swirling around him, Seth prayed to his mysterious deity, Kulan Ei.

"O, Great Kulan Ei,

Cleanse the unclean

And

Make pure the impure spirits

That resides in Death evermore.

Ice Star of the North!

Cerise Flames of the South!

Raging River of the West!

Golden Light of the East!"

Seth then shouted some unpronounceable words which sounded sort of like,

"Sekifaida!

Aureliaastri!

Kalindadamon!"

Shannon, who had never seen Seth get so angry before, had gotten terrified and was now backed up in a corner.

Aiden, who had seen Seth do his chant many times already, just ignored it and walked out of the room, certain of an event that would happen next.

Trent didn’t even notice Seth.  He was too absorbed in fixing the holo-TV to notice anything going on around him.

Ari, who had never once seen Seth chant, thought that the words to the prayer were lame and the fact that Seth had performed the chant while wearing a black silk suit made it even lamer.

Just as soon as Seth finished his chant, Chrys burst in, wearing a stain-proofed apron, and carrying a lightweight aluminum alloy frying pan.

SETH!!! yelled Chrys, What have I told you about not chanting inside the safe house?!

Well, everyone was annoying-

No buts!

But- stuttered Seth. 

NO BUTS! shrieked Chrys.  Every time you do that stupid chant of yours it makes so much noise that it alerts everyone around for miles!  Don’t do it again!

Okay, I won’t.  Sorry, Chrys-

With a yell, Chrys brought the frying pan down upon Seth’s head with a CLONK.

Shannon, scared even more by Chrys, started hyperventilating.

See what you did?!?! yelled Chrys.  You scared Shannon-

CLONK!

You nearly gave away our location to the Terraneos Army-

CLONK!

"And you can only say sorry?!"

Raising her hand for the final blow, Chrys was suddenly stopped by Trent and Ari.

If you hit Seth one more time you could kill him! said Trent.

You really don’t want to do that, said Ari. 

Oh, fine.  You’re right.  But next time, I WILL kill him! huffed Chrys.  She then stomped back into the kitchen.

Seth was out cold on the white tile floor.  Other than a large knot on his head and a couple of bruises, he looked OK.

I’d better take him to the infirmary, Trent said.  Ari, get Shannon to calm down and take her to her room.

Is Seth gonna be OK? asked Ari.

Yeah, this is nothing.  Last time there was blood.  Lots of it, replied Trent.

After she had calmed down, Shannon went to her room.  Looking around from her micro-foam bed, then her plastic-alloy desk, then her closet, then back to her bed again, Shannon gently picked up her keyboard-journal, which she had left under her bed.  Opening her journal, she started to type:

Entry 93:

Suddenly, Shannon noticed a faint shadow in the corner of the room.  Standing up slowly, she picked up her plasma gun, a special modified version that she had altered herself.  Creeping silently along the wall, Shannon sneaked up upon the shadow.  Then-

Ha!  Got you now! yelled Shannon, pointing her gun at…  Ari.

Why are you pointing a gun at me? asked Ari, surprised.

What are you doing outside my room? asked Shannon, shocked.

Uh…  I was… sputtered Ari. 

Oh, I know!  You wanted to read my journal!  I don’t have anything personal, secret or embarrassing in any way written in there.  You should have just asked!  Shannon said.  Stay right here.  I’ll go get it!

Actually, I don’t- Ari said as he started to back away.

I said stay right there! sang Shannon.  She then pulled the trigger.

W-w-wait!  Don’t- shouted Ari.

BLORP.

Blorp? said Ari.

Looking around him, Ari realized that he was covered in gloppy pink plasma.  Trying to move, he found that he couldn’t.

Shannon went and got her keyboard-journal.  Shoving it in Ari’s hands, she yelled, Read it! and cheerfully went back into her room.

Uh, Shannon? called Ari.  Shannon?  I could use a little help here.  I’m stuck.  I can’t move.  Anybody out there?  Hello?

Nobody answered.  After a couple of minutes, he gave up trying and out of boredom, started to read Shannon’s journal.

Entry One:

Hi!  I’m Shannon.  Today Trent gave me this journal thingy for no apparent reason.  I’d like to tell whoever’s reading this that yesterday I was nearly killed!

I mean like, Ari and I were trying to get food, but the stupid Terraneos soldiers saw us, and they were shooting and trying to kill us!  But then some kid named Aiden saved us and brought us both to the Viriato, also known as the Rebellion Army.  Aiden said that the Viriato is a group of people, mainly kids that fight the Terraneos Army.  The Terraneos Army is trying to take over the world or something, and all of them wear white.  It’s really creepy.

Ari flipped to another entry.  The one he flipped to was, Entry Six.

Entry Six:

Today I learned about the Terraneos.  Apparently they have a leader called The High Noor which is the equivalent of a king or something.  Since the late 21st century, the Terraneos started taking over countries and brainwashing the people that live there into mindless soldiers.  This worried lotsa other big countries, so that started World War Three.  Nowadays in the 22nd century most other countries have already been taken over.  Trent says that the effect of people using big nuclear bombs on each other made places without a force-field bubble around them dead and full of radiation.  Chrys says that the Viriato’s goal is to; 1.  Destroy the High Noor, 2.  De-hypnotize the Terraneos Soldiers that were citizens, and 3.  Clean the Environment.

Ari flipped through virtual pages and pages of writing.  Skimming over them all, he remembered phrases like nearly all countries taken over…, Trent gave me…, Ari today was…, Seth was being annoying…, I was so depressed…, No food today… and all sorts of other things.

Then, Trent walked down the hall.

Hey, Ari, I dropped off Seth at the…  Whoa!  What the heck is that?

The pink stuff? said Ari.  Don’t ask.

Weekdays were always stressful for the Viriato.

The soldiers, like Seth, had to train.

Suppliers like Aiden had to run back and forth a lot to meet the needs of the soldiers.

Techies like Trent worked nonstop trying to build new things or hack into the Terraneo’s computers.

Workers like Chrys did just about every other job in-between.

The only ones that weren’t doing anything were Ari and Shannon.

Hi Chrys!  Do you want me to help with anything? asked Shannon.

No, said Chrys, slowly shuffling a heavy soup pot to the stove.

Okay.

Shannon walked into the TV room.

Ari was watching a show, a relatively new