Well, my friends, it is time to put aside the horror for now and bring back the magic into our lives. I have a story for you that transcends age and time. For those who believe in worlds beyond those of man, I invite to to come with me into the wilds of Ireland. To a place where time itself seems to draw breath in anticipation of the wonders of the hidden worlds. It is a place of myth and legend, of ruined castles and barren landscapes. Only a privileged few can see beyond the gnarled trees and rock shewn fields. Even on the sunniest day, the wind cries eerily through hidden tombs and secret passageways. But there is something there, deep within the earth another life continues as it has for thousand of years, but don’t take my word for it. Open your eyes and listen, as the tales of the past return and live again in the telling of this tale. Share with your loved ones, from eight to a hundred, if you believe in magic, you will accompany me on my journey. It begins now.

Shadow Self

PROLOGUE

Corey and Juliet sensed magic was dying long before they knew the truth. It was not a feeling, but an absolute certainty, born of that strange, secret knowledge teenagers have.  They had always known they were different, but not in the way the media portrays the typical teenager. They were not at odds with the world or desperately searching for their identities. No, they knew who they were; they just were not sure what they were. It was hard to explain, but it felt like something was missing from their lives. Had they known of one another’s existence it might have been easier, and they could have joined forces to aid one another in their quest for the truth. Corey was alone, his life unsettled and with no one to turn to, it was left to Juliet to voice her concerns. She was not adopted, because she drove her mother to the brink of madness on this until in utter frustration, the poor woman produced Juliet’s birth certificate. Her mother assured her she did not have a twin who died at birth, so this avenue was closed off to her forever. Yet even with these two major questions answered, there remained a dreadful longing Juliet could not explain. It was this, and the feeling of otherworldliness that distanced her from her family and those she loved. Her friends assured her it was normal to be this way. Most seventeen-year-olds have something that makes them feel removed from the rest of the world, and it was almost expected of them to feel different. Still, Juliet could not be persuaded. There was something beyond this real world and someone, a being she called her Shadow Self, who called to her. At times it frightened her and she imagined it to be some sort of ghost or supernatural creature that threatened her existence, but at other times she accepted without question the fleeting glimpses she caught from the corner of her eye. She was not influenced by the growing trends of genre in both book and film. If it turned out she was merely a vampire or werewolf it would be too easy. There was something different about her and she would not give up until she found out what it was.

   The course of her life and Corey’s changed the moment they were born, and this is where the story begins. It must start on the faithful morning seventeen years ago and be told through the eyes of those whose decisions, no matter how well intended, left the teenagers lost and confused.  

   Despite their determination to uncover the truth, they were unprepared for what they found, when the fates brought them together. It was one thing to suspect they were different to those around them, but terrifying to learn that they were not quite human, and a word that haunted their dreams since childhood, would change their lives forever.