In Revelation: The first half of Julie Ayers’ junior year could not be going any worse. Balancing life between Earth and Seras is taking its toll on her, and things are about to get a lot worse.

Revelation: Sci/fi Fantasy

EXCERPT: Revelation: The Heart of Seras

Chapter One

Earth

“Oh my gosh!” Julie stomped up the stairs and stormed through Mr. Campbell’s basement door to his living room. She had waited until she heard Mr. Campbell exit the basement before opening her eyes. She quickly threw on her navy-blue shorts and her white tee-shirt with green sleeves and “Home of the Cedar Creek Penguins” printed in green on the front. Traveling through the crude portal drawn on Mr. Campbell’s basement floor was something she had become use to; arriving at her destination, whether it be on Earth or Seras, completely naked was a total inconvenience. “I can’t believe that man!” She pulled her long brown hair back into a ponytail with trembling hands. She wanted to cry.

Mr. Campbell was sitting on the couch. He had his palms placed together, lifted toward his face with his fingertips resting on his lips, the middle part of his nose that separates a person’s nostrils, and the tip of his nose. Julie wanted to scream at her mentor and high school teacher, even if he was a fake teacher, but she refrained. His cat, Shakespeare, was resting on the back of the couch. The pure white feline was excited to see her.

“Now, would you like to tell me what happened between you and Bobo?” he asked her with his calming sincere nature. He stood and put his hands on both of her shoulders. He was so tall, much taller than her five foot three-and-a-half-inch body. She could feel the strength in his hands, and the warmth. He made her feel safe.

A large breath escaped her lips. Julie looked into his blue eyes and hesitated. “He told me so much. He told me about how your mom and dad met. He told me how Pallanex killed your father. He told me how you killed Pallanex.” Julie pulled back long enough to look him in the eyes. “You slit her throat…just like that?”

Mr. Campbell didn’t move, and didn’t say a word.

Julie continued, “He told me the Elderess Eryx possessed Pallanex’s body, and now she is a hundred times more dangerous, more evil, and even more powerful. He told me I have Tolth’s blood running in my veins, and that means I’m some kinda angel…human crossbred. And then he told me because I have angel blood in me, I am the only one who can kill Pallanex. But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“Julie…”

“No, stop! Maybe you can tell me exactly why he called me the ‘Betrothed’?”

Mr. Campbell reared back slightly. “Julie, I have never heard that before.”

“Don’t lie to me!” Julie pulled away.

“I’m not lying. I’ve heard you called ‘The Heart,’ ‘Savior,’ ‘Tolth’s Gift,’ and a few other things, but never the ‘Betrothed.’ What did Redderick say?”

“Nothing. He denied saying it and tried to back pedal his way through some lame excuse that he confused my story with a different one.” Julie put her hands on her hips. “How can I believe you?”

He took a step closer.

“No!” She shook her head. “He’s…he,” she stammered. She couldn’t repeat the words going through her head. Betrothed, what does that even mean?

“Julie, wait. Whatever he meant…”

“Never mind,” Julie said, holding up a hand to stop him from whatever he was going to say. “I’ve gotta go.” She bent over to pet Shakespeare goodbye.

“Julie,” Mr. Campbell spoke softly.

She didn’t turn around. Julie flung his front door open and raced to her car, the Purple Jellybean, her birthday gift from her parents this past June, and pulled out of his apartment’s parking lot.

Once safely down the road and away from Mr. Campbell, Julie burst into tears. “What did he mean? Why did he say that?” She slammed her hand against the steering wheel. “No, I can’t let him do this to me.” She wiped her eyes with one hand then brushed her sleeve across her runny nose as she continued driving towards home.

It was one of the few times she was glad she had the ten minutes or so drive from the village of Sunset. The drive gave her enough time to pull herself together. Julie let out a deep puff of wind as she turned into her driveway. “Okay, compose yourself, Jules.” She parked Jelly Bean next to her mom’s minivan. She checked her look in the mirror. It was a good thing she didn’t wear a lot of make-up, but the small amount of mascara she did apply the day before that survived the trip to Seras and back, had streaked her face enough to look like she just endured a zombie apocalypse.

Julie wiped her eyes and cheeks with her palms and got out of her car. She started shaking her body, hopping up and down, and letting out another gush of air to relax before walking in her house. “Be normal, everything’s normal,” she tried to convince herself as she walked up the front steps and opened the door.

“Mom! Dad!” she yelled, entering the house. She looked in the family room then the living room. “Mom! Dad!” she repeated.

“Hey, honey!” her mom, Michelle’s voice rang through the hallway as Julie headed toward the kitchen. “We’re out back.”

Julie opened the sliding screen door that led to the family’s back patio. “What are you two doing?” Her mother and father were sitting at the glass table on the deck. They were laughing and smiling under the shade of the patio umbrella. Julie didn’t like coming out here since the night she threw up in front of Mr. Campbell, the night after Callista was murdered by the giant, Junta, in what the people of Seras called the Battle of Yellow Fields. That was on her birthday, a little over a year ago. The worst birthday present ever. That night she vowed to Mr. Campbell she would never to return to Seras. Now, after Redderick Bobo’s apparent slip up, she wished she would have kept that promise.

Author Bio

My name is Joe Evener. I live with my wife of thirty-one years, Bronwen, in Delaware, Ohio. I am the father of two sons, Joey and Jacob, and grandfather of two, Jacob and Jamison. I have been the head coach of the Girls’ Track and Field Team at Big Walnut High School in Sunbury, Ohio for twenty years. Besides writing and coaching, I enjoy traveling with family and friends.

I earned my Associate Degree in 2007 and Bachelors Degree in 2009 from The Ohio State University; and my Masters Degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 2011. I am a fifth grade Language Arts and social Studies teacher at Big Walnut Intermediate School.

fantasy, medieval, hero, Seras, adventure,

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Blog URL: http://techinanutshell.blogspot.com/

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ALSO BY JOE EVENER

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Julie Ayers is a normal fifteen year old living in the quiet town of Sunset, Ohio. Her world is turned upside down by the arrival of the school’s new teacher, Marcus Campbell.

Marcus Campbell has a secret. He is a warrior from a medieval dimension searching for the mythical “Heart”-a hero given to the people of Seras to rid their world of impending evil. Marcus’s quest is challenged when he realizes that the “Heart” is the vibrant teenage girl. Now, against his better judgment, he must try convincing Julie to go to his world and begin preparation to face whatever evil lies ahead.

Journey to Seras is the first book in the five part The Heart of Seras fantasy series. It begins the adventures of the two unlikely heroes as they battle the dark forces of Seras.

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