Soulmate to Mister Umbrella: An Apocalyptic Fairytale, #3

By Serena Walken

Since her family's catastrophe during her first day of college, Julie Mars lives a humdrum life. One day while staring at the clouds, she is yanked out of the way by her childhood imaginary friend.

Mister Umbrella in the Sky is your typical imaginary friend, except that he isn't imaginary. While feeling an insidious darkness creeping within an old friend, he interrupts just in time to save her. Julie's life is a mess. She used to be filled with sunshine, and now there was nothing but rain inside of her soul.

Something new, something wicked had been in contact with Jewelsy. Can he show her the goodness of life or will the darkness claim her first?

*Prequel to Wonderland Mafia in An Apocalyptic Fairytale Series

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Melanie Ray
• Release date: Apr 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201691158

Serena Walken

Serena Walken likes to write fantasy, sometimes whimsical or sometimes dark. She lives in Kansas with her wonderful daughter. She enjoys writing stories for a more broad-based audience and it's usually romantic but not always. https://www.patreon.com/serenawalken is where you can find more exclusive books and writing of hers. You can also find her on several other sites like Tumblr, Wattpad, Webnovel, and more writing for free and for paid.

Book preview

Soul Mate to Mister Umbrella

Copyright 2022 Melanie Ray

Written by Serena Walken

Originally published under Melanie Ray in 2013, this story has been changed/updated to be more broad based for younger audiences.

I cried, bringing my hands up to wipe my tears. Mommy cuddled me, comforting me about Mister Kitty. I don't want Mister Kitty gone, bring him back. I'll be a good girl and you can bring him back on my birthday. Please? My mother stroked my head and tried to tell me he couldn't come back. I nuzzled against her until I saw someone coming up our front walk.

He was the oddest person I'd ever seen. He walked with an umbrella like a cane. He wore an odd black hat and a suit. He approached me and bowed. Greetings, Jewelsy.

Jewelsy? My name had been Julie. I wiped my eyes once more and looked at the funny man. Mommy hadn’t even noticed he was there.

I am a friend that only you can see, he said, and I am here to make you feel better about Mister Kitty.

A friend only I could see? I slightly moved away from mommy. A friend only I could see.

I had fun with the man that couldn't be seen, but when it came to a name, he said I could call him whatever I wanted. I decided his name would be Mister Umbrella in the Sky. He grinned, saying he liked the name. We had tea parties, played games, and became friends. I tried to tell others about Mister Umbrella, but they just said he was my 'imaginary friend'. Well, imaginary friends couldn't do the things Mister Umbrella could do.

But then, one day, he had to leave. He didn't even say goodbye to me. I never saw him again. As I got older, I slowly forgot about him altogether.

DIMENSION: BLUE ORIGIN DIMENSION

It might sound funny that I have an umbrella, but I live in the clouds. That's one reason I love it. There are actually several reasons I have an umbrella, but those aren't serious right now.  I have quite a predicament in front of me. Watching from above, I can sense the pain of a child I once knew.

I love kids. That is, of course, part of the job description.  You see I am a selectively seen comrade.  Well, that's the politically correct name for me, but the name is known commonly as 'imaginary friend'. More than a little silly if you ask me. I am living and breathing of my own will, not because of someone's imagination. Some of the selectively seen are testy about that, so they become the 'Ididntdoits'. I don't particularly love or hate, the 'Ididntdoits', but the name sounds worse.

'Ididntdoits' charm themselves by getting people (mostly children) into trouble. They steal the last cookie in the jar, get paint on the walls, and stir up any other trouble that makes someone shout Well, I didn't do it!

No, the Ididntdoits did. Quite a mouthful. I've actually been an Ididntdoit a few times, but it's quite rare. Children do sometimes need a lesson, but often I don't associate with the kind that need a lesson. Keeping your nose clean, and choosing your comrades. An important lesson.

I had just lost my newest little friend two days ago. Her name was Amy, but I had called her My Ami. She sorted herself out and began to make friends again, so I wasn't needed anymore. After I lose a friend, I often find another city and town. The farther I distance myself from her, the less she will sense me. Then before I know it, my little friend will no longer even remember me. I'll just be a vague memory on the wind.

In the meantime, I must sit on this cloud with my umbrella and a lovely muffin. I am waiting for a signal, the next child who is ready to make a friend with me. I've done this more times than I know, but something is different today.

My mind won't concentrate on someone new. In fact, it is an old connection that had never truly disappeared. You see, I didn't solve a particular little girl's problem. I was in the middle of it when I was told I could not associate with her anymore. I did not even get to say goodbye. That connection remained and it had been the only feeling of regret that had lingered upon me. I had learned to ignore it over the years, but the feeling was three times as strong today.

Jewelsy. Her name had been Julie Mars, but I had never called a child by their name. Too dull. In fact, Jewelsy had been the one who had named me. Before, I would go by whatever the child wanted. George, Bob, Fairy, whatever they wanted to call me.

When I told her what I was and where I was from, she said she'd call me Mister Umbrella in the Sky. I fell in love with that name, and started going by Mister Umbrella for short. That's another reason for an umbrella. Otherwise it's an absurd name. Our connection time was short, only about two weeks. Even after I left to other places and befriended others, I could still feel her.

It seemed that I was destined to be tied with her in some way, so associating at such a young age would jinx something. Preposterous as it seemed. Wouldn't knowing her better over time tie us better instead of separating us?

A few years ago, I sensed the largest disturbance ever from her. I wanted to see her, but was still instructed not to. That day, I felt great sorrow as a large part of what had been Jewelsy had disappeared. All I could feel was darkness from her direction anymore. 

But this morning, it had been so heavy. My heart could barely smile. I wanted to see her so much.

Jewelsy would be over twenty now, so her imagination wouldn't allow her to see me. The meeting would be one-sided; I'd simply be a ghost in the room as I had been with every other person. I have never looked in on the children after they grew up. It was almost an unwritten policy among the selectively unseen.

Yet, Jewelsy needed someone. What if that darkness completely consumed her? No, I just couldn't ignore it. Not anymore.

DIMENSION: JULIE MARS’ DIMENSION

The clock chimed its hourly alert to get me up. I managed to hit the sleep button. It was probably past lunchtime, but I didn't care. Why get up? It was just another boring, ordinary day. Wake up, eat, and go to sleep. Nothing special.

Life used to be special to me. When people loved and took care of me, life was easy. When they left, then easy left with them. Everything does, except the pain. 'Wake up’, my mother used to say when I slept late. My father would have said to buck up and not be so down. My sister would have ripped the blankets off of me.

Julie, get out of bed!

I guess that was the best form of caring I would get. It was enough to make me sit up. I grabbed some frumpy clothes and headed downstairs.

My Uncle Charles looked above his tablet. He only ever stopped working to give me that usual disapproving look. Sweats and a sweatshirt weren't becoming, but I didn't