The Tunnel

By Helen Tyree

Seventeen-year-old Alexa enters a strange tunnel on a nameless road; and her life changes forever. She is sent to the future, where the earth is ravaged by mutated animals and ruled by the Others: monsters that were once human. Before a mutated dog tears her to shreds, she is rescued and taken to Shelter, where the few human survivors remain. 

There, she meets two warrior brothers, Micah and Tane. Micah is warm-hearted and flirtatious, while his brother is mysterious and guarded. Despite her better judgment, Alexa is drawn to the dangerous Tane, but she has bigger problems than unrequited emotion. 

Soon, she questions how she ended up in the future. Why did the tunnel choose her, and why are the people of Shelter so welcoming? Tane is entrusted with her protection, but even more questions arise as Alexa begins to suspect the Others are out to get her. Alexa could hold the power to save the human race, but first, she must make a devastating chose that will alter the fate of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Helen Tyree
• Release date: Sep 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223919261

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The Tunnel

Helen Tyree

THE TUNNEL

Copyright © 2014 Helen Tyree.

Third edition, Copyright © 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used factiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or person, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1544977010

[1. Young Adult – Fiction 2. Science-Fiction 3. Paranormal]

Media contact: [e-mail]

To Mom and Benjamin

Contents

Prologue

CHAPTER 1: THE DRIVE

Chapter 2: Survivors

Chapter 3: Shelter

Chapter 4: Revelations

Chapter 5: Breach

Chapter 6: Mutations

Chapter 7: The Scent

Chapter 8: Dauntless

Chapter 9: Taken

Chapter 10: Captive

Chapter 11: Fury

Chapter 12: Retaliation

Chapter 13: Verity

Chapter 14: Fated

Chapter 15: Severance

Chapter 16: The Hunted

Chapter 17: Surrender

Chapter 18: Roots

Chapter 19: Designs

Chapter 20: Execution

Epilogue

Prologue

JULY 22, 1974

Elyssa knew something foreign was living inside of her.

She leaned over the bathroom sink to get a better look at her reflection in the mirror. On the surface, she saw no change. She had the same medium-length blonde hair and deep-set blue eyes. Anyone who looked at her now would think she was crazy. But she knew something was wrong.

At first, she had attributed the strange tingling sensation creeping beneath her skin to an infection. Thanks to her recent travels, she would not have been surprised if she’d caught a strange virus. But when vivid hallucinations and memory lapses had replaced the sensation, she had known it was something else. But what, she could not say.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead in an attempt to alleviate the recent, unrelenting pressure she felt there. She turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water. As she dried her skin, she bit her lip and held back tears. All she wanted to do was curl up on the floor and cry, but that would accomplish nothing except making her look worse than she felt. She put the towel back on the rack and looked in the mirror once again.

The face that stared back at her was not her own. Instead, a hairless being with catlike eyes and a black open mouth with long, sharp fangs gaped at her. Its mouth began to move, as though trying to speak, but no words came out. Suddenly, the figure shrieked, releasing a high-pitched, grinding, metallic sound—like one of a chainsaw tearing through metal—that made Elyssa grind her teeth. She pressed her hands to her ears and willed her eyes shut.

But they wouldn’t close.

Her body refused to obey her orders. So she just stood there, gaping at the monstrous face that screeched at her. Then, just as fast as it had appeared, the figure vanished, leaving her gawking at her own stunned expression.

She sank to the bathroom floor and tried to steady her breathing.

I’m going crazy.

She willed herself to stand.

Fresh air. She needed some fresh air.

She was making her way through the living room to the front door of her home when the visions came.

Oh no. Please... No...

Her world shifted. A barrage of images and sounds flooded her mind. Strange animals that she couldn’t name tore at a young boy. Their teeth gnashed at his flesh until his body was nothing but a disfigured mass of guts, blood, and bones. Cities burned, darkening the sky with smoke and ash. People covered in blood ran through crumbling streets, screaming in fear and agony. Mothers sobbed while cradling their dead children in their arms. Mountains upon mountains of rotting human corpses rose toward the sky—up, up, up—until they reached the top of city skyscrapers.

Stop! Stop! she cried as she squeezed her eyes shut and cupped her ears in an attempt to block out the gruesome images. But they continued to bombard her until it became too much, and all she could do was scream.

She screamed for so long that when the visions finally ceased, her throat burned. She felt pine needles beneath her fingers, and it shocked her to see that she was on her hands and knees in the middle of the forest. That didn’t make sense. She was at least two miles from her home. Wouldn’t she have remembered running that far? Why couldn’t she remember what she’d done? As she stood, she noticed that some of the pine needles on the ground were an unusual shade of crimson. They were soaked in blood. Her blood. She lifted her hands to her face and let out a soft gasp. Her palms were drenched in blood, but upon closer inspection, revealed no detectable wounds. She shook her head in confusion. This was impossible. She stared at her mysterious injuries—trying to make sense of them—and when she did, a voice spoke; one she’d never heard before yet had known her entire life. 

The voice soothed her and told her not to be afraid. It told her that it had chosen her for a great purpose, and it showed her what was to come so that she understood. And then it gave her its instructions. The fear that had paralyzed her moments ago was gone, replaced instead by the calming realization that she, Elyssa, the girl who had never really been special in any way, was going to help change the fate of the world. So she heeded the voice’s instructions and lowered her fingers deep into the earth, mixing the soil with the blood from her hands. And when it was done, she smiled.

Forty years later, when a tunnel was built over the location, she knew that her visions would come to pass. Now all she had to do was wait for the boy with the arrows and the girl with the raven hair.

Chapter 1

THE DRIVE

April 10, 2014

Alexa’s life was a mess.

The one part-time job she’d managed to hold for more than a few months was gone. It had been her fault, and this, she could not deny. She didn’t have a knack for dealing with fast-food customers. They all acted as if they owned her—barking commands at her as if she were their personal servant. After serving yet another irate customer, she had snapped. She couldn’t remember her exact words, but she had definitely peppered her rant with a few choice curses. Her colleagues had laughed, but her manager hadn’t shared their sense of humor...

She’d been fired on the spot, and now she had to go home and give her mother the bad news. She knew what to expect. Her mom would say something about how she should learn to control her impulses. And then her older sister would join in, and the discussion would become an all-out war between the three of them.

The three of them.

That was what it would be like from now on. Not long ago, her father had packed up his belongings and moved out. He’d met a younger woman, and after sneaking around behind his wife’s back for months, had finally confessed and announced that he was leaving her. Just like that, he’d abandoned his entire family.

Since his departure, Alexa’s life had taken a drastic turn for the worst. She had to help her mom with the daily chores, get a job, and improve her school grades. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to accomplish the latter, considering how much she hated school. The only subject she excelled at was gym, but how far would that get her in life? She felt like a complete failure.

She pulled into the driveway and reluctantly shut off the ignition. In anticipation of the drama waiting for her inside, she took a few deep breaths and then stepped out of her car.

Her mother was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. It was Thursday, which meant she was making soup for dinner. Every routine in their home was predictable—just the way her mother liked it. Alexa hadn’t inherited that trait from her. In fact, she was more like her father, now that she thought of it. And she physically looked more like him, too. Her mother and sister both had curly blonde hair and brown eyes, while she had blue eyes and long (too long, her sister often commented), straight black hair. She wasn’t the type of girl who spent a lot of time and energy on her appearance, but she knew, from the way other people looked at her, that she was attractive. Her looks didn’t make her popular at school, though. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was because she didn’t wear any makeup and tended to avoid social gatherings. Her sister liked to tease her and call her antisocial, which wasn’t entirely inaccurate. But Alexa didn’t care. She was one of the few seventeen-year-old girls who didn’t spend her days trying to look like the latest influencer.

There was only one constant in her life right now: her cat, Phoenix. Despite the current chaos, she could always count on him to love her without question or judgment. The orange tabby strutted up to her now and rubbed himself against her leg in his usual greeting.

You’re home early, her mom said. She put down the knife she’d been using to slice a large pile of carrots and wiped her hands on her apron.

Alexa shrugged and removed her jacket. Although spring had made its official appearance a few weeks ago, a northern chill continued to permeate the air, especially after the sun set. 

You were fired again, her mom sighed.

Alexa nodded. I’m sorry. What else was she supposed to say?

That’s too bad, her mom replied. But since you’re here, you can help me set the table. Your sister is on her way back from the hospital. Grandpa seems to be doing well.

Um, okay. Alexa mumbled, too stunned to form a proper response. Her mother should have scolded her for losing her job. Why was she so calm? As she stepped into the kitchen and got a closer look at her mom’s appearance, she understood why: she’d been crying. Her eyes were dull, red, and puffy. The sight of her mother, in visible pain, filled her with anger. She should have hugged her mother and tried to console her, but her trademark impulse got the best of her. She pulled her phone from her purse and dialed her father’s number. Before anyone could stop her, she bolted upstairs to her room and locked the door behind her.

Her father answered on the fourth ring.

Alexa, he said, the tone of his voice wavering between surprise and disappointment.

She wanted to yell at him, curse at him for having abandoned his wife and children, but her resolve faltered the moment she heard his voice.

I miss you, she uttered, immediately regretting her choice of words.

Look, Lexie, he said. This isn’t a good time. Why don’t I call you back later?

Why? Alexa snapped. What’s so important that you can’t make time to talk to me? I haven’t heard from you in days! Mom cries all the time, and Jodi is a wreck!

It’s not that. Her father seemed at a loss for words. It’s just... It’s just not the right time, okay? We’ll chat soon, I promise. Gotta go.

The connection went silent, and she knew he’d hung up. She gritted her teeth, allowing her simmering anger to boil over. All of the hurt and abandonment she felt culminated into a giant ball of rage that demanded to be released. Like a woman possessed, she clenched her fists and screamed at the top of her lungs. And when she could scream no more, she collapsed on her bed and sobbed into her pillow.

An hour later, when she finally found the strength to leave her bedroom and head back downstairs, she found her mother and her sister sitting on the living-room couch, clasping hands. Jodi’s physical appearance spoke volumes. She looked exhausted. The combination of studying, working, and visiting their grandfather in the hospital had clearly done a number on her. She looked simply ragged.

You shouldn’t have called him, Jodi said. That was a stupid thing to do. She frowned. We need to move on, don’t you get that?

How can I? Alexa challenged. And why are you pretending that nothing ever happened? He destroyed our lives!

Her mother stood and glared at her. So, you thought you’d call him and give him a piece of your mind, is that it, Alexa? And what did you think that would accomplish? Did you think he’d feel sorry for you and come back? She scoffed. He left us. Get over it.

Alexa’s mouth fell open. Her mother had never spoken to her like that before. She scanned the room in a desperate attempt to come up with a clever retort, but was left wanting.

I don’t want to see you right now, her mom said, her tone cold and bitter. Go to your room.

Alexa turned to her sister, hoping she would take her side.

She did not. 

Go to your room to cool off, Jodi said. I’ll come up and talk to you later.

But, I... Alexa shut her mouth. Under normal circumstances, she would have argued that she was not a child who could be bossed around, but this time was different. Her mother’s words had cut deep. Everyone had abandoned her. Everyone.   

But she would not let them see her pain. She swallowed the lump in her throat and held her head up high as she marched upstairs to her room. When she got there, she made sure to slam the door loud enough for her family to hear.

Sometime later, someone knocked at her door.

Hey. Jodi smiled sheepishly when Alexa let her in.

You could have stood up for me, you know, Alexa said. Mom was out of line, and you know it.

I know. Her sister sighed. But I didn’t want to make her even more upset. She’s been through a lot.

So have we. Alexa countered.

I know. You’re right, Jodi said. It’s just that...I didn’t want us to fight. Not again. It’s... it’s been a tough day.

Alexa furrowed her brows as she studied her sister’s mannerisms. The way she clenched and unclenched her fists, the way she chewed on her bottom lip... There was no denying it. Something was wrong. Alexa’s stomach knotted.

Jodi, did something happen today?

Her sister pursed her lips as she considered her next choice of words.

I lied to Mom. She lowered her eyes to the floor. When she looked up at Alexa again, they were filled with tears. Grandpa died this morning.

As soon as her sister uttered those dreadful words, Alexa knew that she had to leave—pack up and drive. Her mom had a sister who lived a few miles away. The two of them hadn’t spoken in years, so she knew she could trust her aunt to keep quiet until she figured things out. It was impulsive and dangerous, but Alexa didn’t care. She just couldn’t stay here right now.

She had just lost her father, and now she had lost her grandfather—the one person who had always been there for her and never judged her the way everyone else did. She had come to depend on him the last few years. He had always been gentle and kind to her. And he had always smiled. He had remained in good spirits even after he had been diagnosed and had started his chemo treatments. She supposed he had smiled to the end...

And now he was gone. And unlike her father, there was no way he was ever coming back.

So in the early morning hours, she packed her things.

She didn’t intend to stay away long, so she didn’t bring much: a change of clothes and whatever cash she had managed to save. She also brought some cat kibble, because there was no way she was leaving without Phoenix.

Once packed, she crept quietly downstairs, careful to avoid the noisy floor boards beneath her feet. Every time they creaked, she cringed and froze, waiting to be discovered and interrogated.

In the dark, she managed to retrieve Phoenix’s cat carrier from the basement storage room without tripping and falling. She didn’t need to search for her cat, because he followed her everywhere. He trusted her so much that he didn’t make a big fuss when she insisted he get into the carrier.

She put on her jacket and boots and snuck out of the house as silently as possible. A part of her felt terrible about what she was doing. She didn’t want her family to worry, but if she stayed, it would be a disaster. She didn’t trust herself not to say or do something she might regret. She was way too volatile when her emotions were running high. Leaving was for the best.

At least that was what she told herself when she got into her car and started the engine.

She pulled out of the driveway and entered her aunt’s address into her phone. Although she didn’t talk to her mother, her aunt still sent birthday and holiday cards. Her address had been easy to find.

Alexa drove carefully and within the speed limit so as not to attract any unwanted attention from the police. They’d certainly wonder what a seventeen-year-old girl was doing all alone on the road at five o’clock in the morning.

According to her phone’s GPS, the drive was supposed to take no more than twenty minutes.

But two minutes from her destination, things started to go haywire. Her phone began to act up. It wasn’t unusual for it to freeze from time to time, but this was bizarre. The screen went fuzzy, like TV static, and then flickered on and off. The last thing she saw before the screen blacked out was a map of a destination she’d never been to. It looked like a provincial park or some kind of reserve, but she didn’t catch its name. Making sure not to swerve or lose control of her vehicle, she attempted to restart her phone, but nothing happened. Its screen remained black.

She wasn’t the kind of person who normally panicked, but she had a really bad feeling about this.

She pulled over to the side of the road and took a deep breath to slow her racing heart. She didn’t know the area and didn’t have a map. If her phone didn’t go back online, she’d be totally lost. She waited a few minutes and then decided her best course of action was to find some help. She was now in a deeply forested area, but if she kept driving, she was sure she’d find a house