The Shadow Brane

By Aaron Casillas

Quantum physics professor Tarnie Reymers has built a device that can capture the most dangerous type of spirit known as a “Shadow”. With funding research drying up he takes a chance to pursue his work at any cost.

Myles Stevenson Burns IV is a pompous self-righteous Executive Producer of a failing Ghost investigations show. He desperately searches for a gimmick to save his ego from the death of plummeting television ratings.Both men meet and a strike a deal. Money for research on one hand and great Television ratings on the other.

Warnings aside, the two set forth to use the Shadow-capturing-device on “Live Television”, only to cause a series of cataclysmic events forever changing the lives and deaths of the people around them.

The Shadow Brane is a modern day tale of greed, lust, unwarranted heroism and the ghastly paranormal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron Casillas
• Release date: Feb 18, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463025864

Aaron Casillas

Thank you for visting. About the author, Aaron Casillas is an award winning Game Designer and industry veteran. With a career spanning nearly two decades, his experiences includes intellectual property development, game design and simulations. He earned a Fine Arts degree from U.C.L.A School of Art with an emphasis in New Genres of Art.

Book preview

THE

SHADOW

BRANE

-Full Version-

By

Aaron Casillas

SMASHWORDS EDITION

Copyright ©2014/ 2018

V. 1.0

There could be shadow galaxies, shadow stars and even shadow people, -Stephen Hawking

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1 Ratings are Low

CHAPTER 2 Meet Myles

CHAPTER 3 Bardus Academia

CHAPTER 4 Home Sweet Home

CHAPTER 5 Interview with Destiny

CHAPTER 6 The Deal

CHAPTER 7 Circus

CHAPTER 8 Aftermath

CHAPTER 9 Finding Jesus

CHAPTER 10 Myles vs Leah

CHAPTER 11 The Children

CHAPTER 12 Task Force

CHAPTER 13 Death after Death

CHAPTER 14 Reinstated

CHAPTER 15 War Room

CHAPTER 16 Hello…

CHAPTER 17 Prep for Hell

CHAPTER 18 The Bald Man

CHAPTER 19 The Call

CHAPTER 20 Trade

PROLOGUE

Ted reaches for the television controller amidst a forest of beer bottles causing them to wobble and tinkle.

These guys are fucking great!

What did you say babe? Monica looks up for a brief moment from her rabid texting.

Look, look! he turns her head by pushing on her chin.

Ouch! You almost broke my neck.

Come on Leah, this ghost hunting show is great, it’s going to be live tonight! Bunch of fuckups.

Leah? Did you just call me Leah? You’re still going out with her aren’t you?

No. Not again. It was a mistake my Monica, my Moni, he reaches over to caress her chin.

Fuck. You! She says furrowing her brows in a melodic voice.

Come on. You’re getting all hot and bothered, it’s kind of sexy MONICA, he copies her melodic tone when saying her name.

Prove. It.

He rolls his eyes and wipes his face with his palms.

Prove it Ted. Prove to me that you’re not cheating on me. Again. Ted briefly looks away grinning, Can I just watch the show first?

Monica sits back on the black-leather-couch, Ok. We watch the show, then we’re going over to Leah’s.

Oh God. I need more beer, he says rolling his eyes.

And you’re going to tell her that you’re mine. No more cheating! she says firmly.

I’ve never cheated on you, he gets up, Don’t go anywhere, and walks to the fridge.

Never cheated on you, never cheated on Leah, never cheated on Monica, never cheated on Elena. Can’t help it if they want the Tedster, Ted whispers to himself quietly.

He opens the fridge door and then allows the cold light to douse him.

What did you say Ted? she says from the living room.

He pops the cap, the beer sizzles, Oh no nothing babe.

Come back and I’ll give you ‘a you know what’ while you watch your show.

Sure, he says with an entitled tone, a foot massage, great, he throws the bottle cap into the trash with a Frisbee spin. It ricochets off the bin’s wall, Ted scores again the crowd goes wild!

Time to celebrate, he says and then downs a full beer in one full gulp- unaware that the shadows in his kitchen have come to life.

CHAPTER 1 Ratings Are Low

A smoky spot light from a hand held camera points down a long dark hallway. Ominous shadows dance and sway when the light moves across the milky atmosphere, it intermittently catches the spark of floating dust.

The camera's night vision screen locks on a figure in the center of the corridor.

Jack! We’re going live dude, the voice from the ear piece is loud enough to be heard by everyone else in the room.

The camera moves in closer on his short stocky body. He wipes his sweaty forehead with one hand and swipes it dry on his trousers. He turns around with a scolding face when he hears his name called through the ear piece again.

Jack fumbles his earpiece but keeps it in place, Come on! The camera’s light gets uncomfortably close to Jack.

Steve! Camera, too close! Too close! Blinded, blinded, Jack yelps, he puts his hand out to block the camera’s light, Ouch! the spot light moves back a few feet.

Okay people keep those cameras steady, no fucking shaky cam on purpose! This ain’t film school!

He points at everyone around the room in one full circular motion.

Fifteen seconds, okay we are live in ten seconds, okay this is it everyone, please, please don't fuck, a ha, YES we are live again, thank you, he coughs and composes himself in front of the camera.

Okay follow me, this is the dark room where the supposed being of light has appeared over and over again. Ah, Steve follow me, he waves Steve over.

Steve turns the hand held camera onto himself for a brief moment, his thin face fits the side of the camera’s composition.

Steve! Steve! Jack says whispering through the side of this mouth.

Oh sorry, Steve shrugs and gives the camera a quick glance.

Without warning, a mysterious light brightens up the next room.

That was bright. Real bright! Jack says straining to keep his whispers soft. He dashes into the next room.

Steve keeps the night vision screen steadily on Jack.

This is the room where we saw it! Jack points with his body and gestures with one eyebrow.

A RATTLING noise startles Jack, he turns around quickly.

That was weird! he points in the direction of the noise. It is coming from that room! He says projecting his voice in the direction of the noise.

He swiftly lifts his camera and points the spotlight in the direction of the room. He moves quickly to the door and pulls the knob, it’s jarred, so he pulls harder. A quick guttural GRUNT is heard on the other side.

Did you hear that? Steve says semi frightened.

The knob pulls back and the door slams shut. He tries again and it forcibly yanks back.

What the fudge? Jack says under breath with strain in his voice.

He yanks the door knob completely off and then takes a few steps back. The door opens quickly! A body falls over on top of Jack.

Everyone screams.

Steve points his camera on the pile of bodies. The camera lens refocuses, re-adjusting several times while pointing towards the ground. A whole mound of bodies have stacked up on top of Jack.

Hi, it’s just me Joel, he waves at Jack who is only inches from his face. Jack thoroughly ignores him.

Immediately, from a room to the right the sound of footsteps turns everyone's attention. They all scream again!

Steve points his camera at the new shadow.

It's me guys Amber, geez! Amber says in a matter of fact tone.

What the hell is going on here? Steve replies confused.

Get up, get up, folks this happens sometimes in the dark, Jack stands up ordering everyone around him. Jack puts his finger to his ear piece and listens intensely, What? Right! No problem Myles!

He waves his hands in front of Steve's camera, Cut to commercial? Cut to commercial now! Jack says desperately.

And commercial is on, hurry to the next room, Myles wants us over there pronto! Jack says waving everyone over.

Orders from the voice on the other side of their ear pieces yell with exasperation.

They both speed walk keeping a waddling quick pace.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck, Jack says while moving in a brisk tight butt fast walk.

They enter the dining room.

Quick sit down, sit down!

Ok relax Jack, Steve say shaking his head.

They set their respective cameras on the old shabby-sheik-streaked-table. A professional camera on a tripod located in the corner of the room lights both of them up in the infrared spectrum.

Back in thirty seconds everyone, Jack adjusts his earpiece and relays the information.

Steve looks at him, This is going really bad.

No shit Sherlock? Oh fuck we are ON! Jack smiles at all the cameras, one at a time.

Yes sometimes, the spirits play tricks on us, perhaps even causing us to see um ah see or hear things, Steve says sounding like he’s reading it off a teleprompter.

A soft sound that quickly becomes a rustling noise emits from the hallway outside their room.

You hear that? Jack gets excited again.

Prime example! Like that noise! Steve continues his robotic drawl.

Jack grabs a hand held sound recorder and puts it to his lips nervously, Talk into this recorder, this device will not hurt you in anyway. Talk into the thing that I have up to my lips, if you can hear me.

His spittle is illuminated when it flies out of his mouth, Play it back play it back!

Steve huddles towards Jack, nearly cheek to cheek.

Jack rewinds the recorder, then plays it forward. Garbled sounds and sloshing emit from the device.

He squints to make out the sounds.

Rewind it! Listen to it again! Steve says.

Jack rewinds the device several times, forwards, plays the sound, rewinds, forwards, plays the sound, rewinds, forwards, plays the sound.

Sounds like singing, Purp…Purp…Ha…Purple Ha is in my? Jack says confused.

It's coming from over there! Steve blunders grabbing the hand held camera. He finally picks it up and points it in the direction of the noise.

They both turn around in anticipation. Sloshing into the room from the door is a tall bearded man holding the microphone grip. A lazy joint hangs loosely from his mouth.

A purpo haze is mah mind

Humm, in mah eyes

He looks up and realizes he’s in a live scene, he waves to the camera.

Get the f, out of here Allen! Jack waves Allen away.

Allen responds softly, Sorry man. Kiss the sky, he kisses his index finger and points up.

What are you doing here, we're live right now, Steve says in whispering desperation.

Sorry man, peace, love out, Allen walks backwards out of the room.

Jack sighs, Oh fahhhhdge, he slaps his forehead with his hand.

They both look at the night vision camera situated in the corner of the room.

Cut to commercial cut to commercial! the little voice in everyone’s earpiece yells out.

Myle’s wants us in his office. God he hates us! Jacks says placing his head against the wall.

CHAPTER 2 Meet Myles

Twenty stories up in a lofty Century City building an agency like no other. The years of legacy, of television shows and movies, award winning entertainment!

Myles… Steve says pleading.

Don’t fucking interrupt me! Myles continues his pacing, running his hand through his hair. He looks at his hand and notices that he has combed out a few strands. He pulls a nicotine patch from his neck looks at it and places back making sure it sticks on right.

He picks up his name plate on his desk, and reads it, Myles Stevenson Burns, Executive Producer, he places it face down, Embarrassing, he mumbles to himself.

This was a fucking disaster! Do you guys realize we were live? Myles says stomping his feet nervously pacing back and forth again.

He pulls the nicotine patch off and throws on the ground in anger. He opens the closest drawer in his desk and finds a cigarette, bent in the middle. He puts it into his mouth.

We can make a comeback. I know we can. We can! Jack responds in a pleading manner.

Live mother fuckers, live, millions of people saw this, we are losing sponsors left and right, Myles points at everyone in the room at every word, We need something big, something real! Myles blurts out.

A quick knock on the office door and it swings open abruptly.

Come in Amber, maybe my car was found, Myles waves his assistant into the office, his fury recedes momentarily.

Phone call, says, it's the people from Harry Ling live! He wants to interview you guys. Amber says with excitement.

Jack does a mini jump in excitement, Yes!

About fucking time and listen to my instructions, do not fuck this up! Myles frowns and pouts from one side of his mouth. He points to the door, everyone exits out of his office promptly, OUT!

CHAPTER 3 Bardus Academia

Professor Tarnie, wait up, it's your wife!

Tim, yes, follow me, we’re late! Tarnie takes a long toke from his tobacco pipe and continues walking swiftly across one of the University’s many manicured lawns. um… he says under his breath and continues walking.

Timothy chases after him with a cell phone in his hand, She sounds serious, as always.

As always, thanks Jim, Tarnie says stopping for a brief second.

Timothy.

Oh sorry Tim, responds Tarnie.

Timothy not Tim.

Tarnie hands his stack of notes and messy books over to Timothy to carry.

They exchange the mess for the cellphone.

Hi honey, yes I'm about to go in to the funding review, he says opening up his pendant watch and snapping it shut in one motion.

The phone’s screen is lit with a live stream. Back home his wife is tending the kitchen with their two sons who are running around.

Sammy stirs a bowl of pancake batter with energy, Are you sure about this one? I mean you went from psychology, to para psychology to full paranormal, she says eyeballing-a-scold to their kids who have now bumped her while stirring the bowl.

Tarnie continues his walk dodging a flock of students riding by on their bicycles. Timothy is not so skilled and is blocked on the other side of a moving wall of cyclists.

I know, but there's no money in that, I've got the grant to actually build tools that can capture this phenomena, finding himself short of breath he pounds his chest and coughs, we had a break in, they didn’t steal anything. It was really strange… he clears his throat.

Sammy starts to make pancakes on a hot plate, when a dinosaur toy PLOPS right inside the batter. She picks it out, pinching it with her fingers. The batter drips thick off the dinosaur toy and sizzles on the hot plate making smaller pan cakes.

Kids! I swear! Hello, Hello? she gets smeared by pancake batter.

Tarnie nears a large crimson building with salt and pepper bricks, the University Hall stands sharp against a graying sky. Ominous storm clouds brew high over the buildings two towers. The clouds slowly swirl high above.

Listen sweets I'm here, I'm here, listen sounds like you have your hands full, wish me luck, muah! he nods and winks at Timothy.

Yeah all this is your fault, talk to you laters! Muah too, bye! Sammy gestures her free hand across the open-living designed kitchen to her two children and the mess of toys in the area.

Tarnie looks up at the stormy sky and briefly squints, Bye, he says softly. He hangs up the phone smiling and looks back at Timothy.

I am you in the future, beware, he says opening his eyes in a spooky manner.

Timothy tries catching up to Tarnie while balancing a pound of notes and papers.

Professor I have something to talk to you about, well I've been going over your calculations and- Timothy desperately tries to finish.

Jim, Tim, Timothy, look, Tarnie uses his pipe to make