The Changelings

By Brad D. Sibbersen

Elexis, Jazz, Tobin, Deanna, Bobby, Kaisie, and John... seven unassuming middle schoolers who stumble through a reverse Rip Van Wrinkle in time and find themselves reliving their own recent past - a haunted past for some, one they're eager to change. Yet terrifying, otherworldly forces quickly muster to prevent them from doing just that... even if it means killing the children, one by one. Because the past isn't just written in stone. It's written in blood. "Eerie and surprising. Fans of It, Stranger Things, and the Darkdeep series take note!"

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inept Concepts
• Release date: Oct 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201368067

Book preview

PART I

1

Darrin Whitcomb and Bobby Yang found some old song online called Dead Beat Dance, so they changed the chorus to dead beat dad and sang it to Elexis at the bus stop, and again in the hallway before first period. This went on all day, whenever she crossed paths with either boy, so just after fifth period she beat the glory-loving crap out of both of them.

Now she was suspended.

Her mom was at work and couldn't pick her up, so they let her finish the day, but the bus wasn't an option now so when the last bell rang she dawdled long enough to avoid anyone and everyone, unloaded all her books into her locker for their week-long staycation, and commenced the long walk home.

Okay, it wasn't that far, really. Maybe thirty minutes from John Tyler Middle School (so named after some forgotten local personage, not the former United States president) to her house in Marching Pines (a baffling name in itself, as there wasn't a single pine tree to be found there, save those slowly dying in people's living rooms come Christmas). It just felt so much longer when you were marching to your doom.

––––––––

Brenda, it's your daughter's school again.

Christ. She kept her cell phone powered down in her purse so she wouldn't be distracted at work. Yes, she was ready to explain, again, I understand she's been suspended, but I can't leave work right now. If you don't want to send her back to class, she can sit in the office until...

But it wasn't Elexis's school this time, it was the elementary school. Tobin.

She listened, her frown deepening, although she couldn't help but grin inwardly at the assistant principal's malapropism.

"I think you mean desecration of school property," she corrected him.

"No, although it's that too, I suppose. Tobin, er, defecated on the playground slide."

––––––––

Why? Brenda asked simply as Tobin slid sheepishly into the passenger seat. He had had to wait for her to get off work, and had been sitting in the principal's office for nearly four hours, dutifully watched over by a secretary who glommed ninety minutes of overtime out of the deal.

They dared me, Tobin said quietly.

They dared you.

Yeah. He wouldn't look at her, staring straight ahead, through the windshield, as if the smattering of red and orange leaves cavorting through the air were a fascinating novelty.

And what was the point of this dare? She waited. Well?

Sean Semler said the next person down would slide right into it and it would be hilarious.

She sighed heavily.

You know, she said, angrily putting the car into gear, your sister got suspended today too. Bullying. The tires threw up gravel as she pulled out, and she caught a glimpse of a disapproving face watching from one of the grade school windows. Yeah, screw you too, she thought. I'm reaching the end of it with both of you, I really am. I'm crispy, Tobin. Do you know what that means?

No.

"It means I'm done. You're both grounded, and I mean mega grounded. No tablets, no phone – not even the land line – no television, no video games, no friends over, and no books unless they're for school or grownup books that are really, really boring. Are we clear?"

Yes.

Dinner was going to be pizza, because I'm exhausted, but no pizza either so I guess that means I have to cook. Thank you so much.

––––––––

Why didn't you just get pizza with toppings we don't like? Elexis asked, poking at the canned green beans on her plate as their mother tidied up the kitchen.

Like poison? Tobin suggested.

Don't tempt me, Brenda said. Tobe, why don't you start getting ready for bed? I want to talk to your sister for a minute.

It's only six thirty!

Well, no internet, no TV, no games. You can either go to bed or sit in the living room and stare at the wall, so you might as well get the extra rest.

Maybe my dreams won't suck! Tobin exclaimed, stomping off down the hall.

"We don't use the word suck in this house!" Brenda called after him.

Yeah, Tobin, it sucks, Elexis added.

You are in no position to be exercising that smart mouth, Brenda said, sitting down across from her. Elexis developed a fascination with her remaining green beans rivaling the one her brother exhibited with leaves earlier.

Here it comes, she thought.

I can't have this, Lex, her mother said.

They were making fun of Dad.

What, are you the only child with divorced parents at that school? Have we traveled back in time to the 1950s? Because if we have I'm paying way too much for groceries.

No.

Everyone else's parents are perfect, I suppose?

No. Bobby Yang's mom is on probation. She drove drunk and side-swiped a UPS truck.

So what's the problem?

I'm just the one they always make fun of.

Honey... She scooted her chair to the other side of the table so she could put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. They're just trying to get a rise out of you, and they've figured out what your trigger is. If you just ignore them...

They don't stop.

Maybe not right away. But if you ignore them long enough, they will.

Did that work when you were my age?

No, Brenda sighed, to be perfectly honest, it didn't.

Dad wouldn't be mad at me. He'd be glad I clobbered them.

Your father... Brenda began.

What? Elexis actually looked her in the eyes for the first time that evening.

Nothing. Get ready for bed.

2

There was a loud pop, something ricocheting off her bedroom window. Elexis peeped out.

Psst, hissed a shape below. Her room was on the second floor.

Who'zit? she asked, sliding her window up.

It's Jazz! Jasper.

And Kaisie! chimed in a second voice. Jazz and Kase were inseparable, but they weren't boyfriend and girlfriend. It was weird.

Was your mom pissed? Jazz whisper-shouted up.

Yeah.

Grounded?

Hell's yes. My brother got in trouble today too so she scorched the earth.

I wondered why you weren't responding to my texts, Kase said.

Sneak out! Jazz prodded.

Fuckget it. I'm in enough soup.

Are you allowed to have people over? Kase asked.

No, but she loosens the rules as we start getting on her nerves. Probably by the weekend.

We'll stop by Saturday morning, like we're just checking up on you.

K. Tobin's moping and sighing should wear her down by then.

"What did he do?"

He pooped on the school slide.

Jazz laughed out loud, loud enough that Elexis was half afraid her mother would hear it on the other side of the house.

Why? Kase asked.

Why does he do anything? Elexis countered. Kase could hear the shrug in her voice.

Fucking classic, Jazz said, shaking his head.

––––––––

They took the long way home, in no particular hurry. Jasper had slipped out after the rest of the family had gone to sleep, and Kase's father, addled from years of drinking, barely registered her comings and goings. They walked in silence, semi-lost in their own thoughts, comfortable enough with each other to not feel the need for constant repartee. Jazz had just about worked out the strategy he was going to employ when he got back to the game he'd left on pause at home when he ran right into Kase, who had come to a dead stop.

Who's that? someone else said.

All I see is ears, another someone answered.

Eat my ass, Kase responded as two figures walking bikes materialized out of the darkness between the orange-glow streetlights. Hulking John Howe and tow-headed Bobby Yang. Bobby's father was of Chinese descent, but his mother was a blonde-haired, blue-eyed former swimsuit model. Somehow, he'd ended up with the latter's hair.

Please? Yang smirked with a practiced leer. Kaisie Breeze was known for two things: being taller than any of the boys in her class, and her big ears. But every once in a while a response like this, driving home just how beautiful she was becoming. She didn't seem to notice, but it was making Jazz increasingly uncomfortable.

Take it back, he told Bobby.

Who's gonna make me? Yang asked, dramatically tossing his bike to the pavement.

Elexis Wisnewski, Kase suggested.

That fucking bitch sucker-punched me, Bobby huffed.

And then she just straight-up kicked your ass! John Howe laughed. It was Pearl Harbor all over again!

Bobby almost protested, for the umpteenth time, that he wasn't Japanese, but realized it wasn't even worth the trouble. Instead, he reminded John that the Japanese had, in fact, been victorious at Pearl Harbor.

They could teach you a thing or two! John continued, undaunted.

Fuck you. Fuck was currently Bobby's favorite word.

What are you guys doing out? John asked. Larger than the other boys, he was edging towards fat, but wasn't quite there yet, and would have been intimidating if he weren't so good-natured. Everything he said, no matter how outré, was rendered instantly harmless by his jovial delivery.

Just walking around, Jazz shrugged. What're you guys doing?

Witch hunt, John said. It was clearly a joke, but Jazz didn't get it.

Deanna Patel, Bobby explained. Deanna, who dressed exclusively in purple and black and wore more makeup than any girl in the seventh or eighth grade, was widely understood to be a Wiccan, or at least a goth or something. We found out she casts rituals in the woods, totally naked. Tits out and everything. Both boys held up their phones to illustrate their intentions.

Deanna Patel doesn't have any tits, Jazz said, instantly regretting it. Kase was standing right there, and she wasn't exactly busty either.

Even if they're inverted they're bigger tits than you've ever seen! John countered.

Like the internet doesn't exist or something, Jazz said, instantly regretting it again. It never used to bother him, talking this way in front of Kase. Hell, with Kase.

It's no comparison to a live show, Bobby assured him.

Jazz considered this. Deanna Patel was pretty hot, and mysterious. An intriguing combination.

I'm going home, Kase said coolly.

You should come with us, John told her. Unless you're afraid you'll like it!

So not woke, Kase said, shaking her head. She gave Jazz a quick look that he couldn't quite read, then turned and made off in the direction of her house.

––––––––

The woods were a sizable copse of deciduous trees located to the rear of the subdivision, just behind the sole lot that hadn't been developed yet, the latter a sea of knee-high grass that the landscaping company conveniently forgot to mow every single week. Populated with rodents and the snakes that worried them, the field was just dangerous enough to be a constant lure to the neighborhood children. The woods themselves were just dense enough to conceal you from sight if you made your way to the very center. A dozen steps too far in any direction, and you could see and be seen from Marching Pines (on two sides), the grade school playground, or the dumpster behind the carryout. Not that it mattered, because no one ever visited the woods, much less lingered there. They were, for lack of a better word... creepy. Even as a shortcut they were avoided; even big kids, high schoolers, generally opting to take the long way around.

So yeah, it was easy enough to believe that a crazy (probably) Wiccan chick like Deanna Patel might take her clothes off there.

Bobby and John stashed their bikes in the high grass.

Okay, Bobby said. Mute your phones. Nobody says a word from here on out.

You're talking right now, Jazz said. Bobby glared at