In this novella I decided to change the course of history. Imagine what Mystic Falls would be like if Elena had been put in a coma after the car accident that claimed her parents' lives. Two years later she wakes up to a very different world... one made of nightmares and her family plays a large part in keeping a not-so-wonderful town in order.
Check out the excerpt below and check out the novella on Amazon here.
Introduction:
Two years
after the accident that killed her parents Elena Gilbert awakens from a coma to
a world of nightmare proportions. Her little brother Jeremy and legal guardian
Jenna are hunters, the vampires, witches and werewolves are at war, and the
humans of Mystic Falls have become casualties of the conflict.
While
carrying out her new hunter duties, Elena and her friends and family find out
about a plot to bring peace to the town of Mystic Falls but at what cost?
How will
Elena fit into this world that has continued on in her absence? Will the
charismatic Alaric Saltzman find a way to bring the paranormal factions to a
peaceful resolution? What are the feuding Salvatore brothers up to? This new
nightmare world is a reality and they must learn to make it home again.
Nightmare
World is an action packed, fast paced novella inspired by the award winning,
bestselling Vampire Diaries series.
Excerpt:
THERE WAS
NOTHING TO PATROLLING, other than facing the stone cold reality that Mystic
Falls was a barren, desolate battleground. The streets that once held so much
laughter, happy faces, friendly neighbors, and a massive amount of town
friendly activities was now littered with death and destruction. Most of the
storefronts were boarded up. All supplies for the hunters were delivered in
caravans from the government. The town was sanctioned off from the outside
world. No one was allowed to go in or out of the borders unless they were
approved by the authorities. It was their way of containing the nightmare they lived
in.
Even communication outside the
city was monitored. As far as she knew, the outside world had no idea of the
terror that lurked on the streets of this once wonderful village. A cat
scurried down an alley and had Elena jumping in her skin. She kept hoping she’d
wake up and find herself home, safe and sound, in the past.
“Keep moving, we have an
appointment to keep.” Jeremy’s gruff voice cut into her thoughts as he
quickened his pace.
Elena had to speed walk just to
catch up to him. “What appointment,” she whispered. He had told her they were
going on a simple patrol not meeting up with someone. He didn’t answer just
turned right down Main street, a deviation from the route they were supposed to
be on. “Jer, this isn’t our sector.”
He didn’t respond or even look
her way as he turned down a darkened alley which smelled of excrement and
rotting food, the ammonia tainted air made her pause at the mouth of the dark
side street. Jeremy wasn’t acting normal, but then again what was normal? She
didn’t want to go any further but her little brother had disappeared into the
shadows and she needed to protect him. That is what Gilbert’s did. As she took
one step into the black abyss she hoped Jeremy remembered that.
Within moments she had caught up
to him and was overjoyed at the sight of her best friend, Bonnie. She’d been
home for a month since waking up from the coma and hadn’t seen anyone but
Caroline, Jeremy and Jenna. Bonnie looked different now in a black dress that
covered her dark skin from her shoulders to her ankles and hugged curves she
never knew the girl had. Her dark hair flowed around her shoulders in natural
waves and her amber eyes seemed to dance in delight at spotting Elena. She
quickly handed Jeremy the small plastic baggie and ran to hug her best friend.
Arms wrapped around her shoulders
in an embrace that brought back countless childhood memories, happy times. They
were thick as thieves growing up and happy. They had problems but together they
overcame them which built a stronger bond between them, almost sisterly.
“When Jeremy told me you had
woken up I was ecstatic. I would’ve come to see you but witches aren’t allowed
in the hunter’s headquarters.” She pulled back and cupped her friend’s face.
“You look terrible.”
Her brutal honesty was like a
slap in the face but refreshing. After a moment of silence, they both burst
into quiet chuckles. “Thanks, Bon Bon.”
“I prayed to my ancestors every
day for a healthy return and here you are, standing before me.”
Hearing Bonnie Bennett talk about
witches and ancestors was unnerving. She’d been told of Bonnie and Caroline’s
changes over the last two years while she was locked away in the deep sleep
that kept her from the living. She had done everything she could to prepare
herself to eventually see Bonnie as the supposed enemy but nothing she did made
the reality plausible. In no universe would Bonnie be an enemy to her. It just
wasn’t something she could prepare for.
Witches and hunters were not
friends for a very good reason. The witches created the werewolves and Vampires
and the hunters killed them. Despite the witches attempt to maintain balance
the with the sun and moon curse, the hunters still had to police both species.
“I can’t believe you’re a witch,
a real witch. I remember you talking to me about being psychic but hearing you
call yourself a witch is just… overwhelming.”
Bonnie nodded, “it was an adjustment
but the hardest part is being on opposite sides from my friends. I can’t stand
the idea that we are supposed to be enemies.”
“That’s all it is, an idea. No
one can make me think of you as an enemy.” Elena insisted.
Bonnie pulled her into a hug
again. “You’re right. Now to find a way to convince Caroline the same.”
“I’m the one that gossips in this
group, ladies, not you.” Caroline’s voice came up behind them and the hair on
Elena’s arms stood at attention.
“God, Caroline, how many times
have I told you not to sneak up on us.” Jeremy had his gun aimed her direction
before she even came into view.
Caroline embraced Elena in a
tight hug that threatened to suck the air out of her lungs. “Oh, Elena, it is
so great to see you out and about!” She ignored Jeremy and smiled at her
friends. “I was beginning to worry that you were going to stay locked up in
that house for the rest of eternity.”
“Yes because that is a healthy
alternative to skipping patrol duty.” Elena struggled to keep from rolling her
eyes.
“It is definitely a safer option,”
a familiar voice from her past spoke from the shadows.
“Matt?”
“In the flesh.” He joined them
and smiled as he wrapped an arm around Caroline’s waist.
Elena sucked in another deep
breath, she knew Matt and Caroline were dating but seeing it was yet another
sucker punch to the gut. The world really had gone on while she was sleeping
away trapped in her mind. She hated to admit it but they were a stunning
couple. Matt, the blond hair blue eyed quarterback and Caroline the blonde
hair, green eyed head cheerleader. Elena shook her head. That was the past.
They were now Mystic Falls Police officers. “You look… good.” She looked at
both of them, “and I hear congratulations are in order.”
Caroline nodded, her blonde curls
bounced around her shoulders. Even though she followed in her mother’s
footsteps as an officer of the law, she still brought rays of sunshine wherever
she went, the perky, slightly control freakishly, sunny best friend that always
wore a smile no matter what problem she faced. “I hope you’re okay with this,”
she pointed to her and Matt, “when had the accident and when my mom got sick,
Matt was there to help me through it. Without him, I probably would’ve died
from heartbreak, for realsie.”
Matt glanced down at the slimy
ground, “yea, we both helped each other through painful times.”
Elena nodded her understanding.
It hurt to see him with Caroline, cut deep like a knife into her soul, but they
seemed oddly ‘right’ for each other. “I’m fine, life goes on.” The truth was
she had finally decided to break up with Matt before the accident so this made
that transition easier, but in her mind that hadn’t happened which took away
her opportunity for closure. None of that mattered, because she needed her
friends and couldn’t afford to lose another person. “I never would’ve imagined you
two being part of the police.”
“We couldn’t just stand by and
watch our town fall apart without doing something to help.” Matt replied.
“And not all of us have
supernatural hunter abilities and the force needed recruits.” Caroline chimed
in.
Her friends were still familiar
but so different. It was a lot to take in.
“Okay, if we’re going to save
Vickie we need to go.” Jeremy slipped something in his mouth and shoved his
phone into his black jeans.
“Wait, what do you mean, save
Vickie?”
“We’ll explain on the way. Let’s
go.” Caroline grabbed Elena’s hand, the warmth startled her for a moment but
she quickly recovered and followed the group.
I also included a "behind the scenes" and "why I wrote this novella" video below. I hope you enjoy.
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