Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Adventure
His friends may be IMAGINARY… but the danger is REAL!
Twelve-year-old Matthew’s life has been incredibly challenging because of his Tourette Syndrome, a disorder which causes uncontrollable movements and sounds. Isolated and tormented by bullies at school, Matthew finds solace in the company of his lifelong imaginary friends, a lovable green monster and a tough-as-nails little girl.
On his way home from school one day, as Matthew is pursued by his relentless tormentors, they all crash into a mysterious underground lair. At first, it seems that being trapped with the bullies who make his life miserable is his biggest problem. That is, until he and the others discover that they are not alone.
Hunted by a menacing presence lurking in the depths, Matthew and the bullies must confront a threat to their very existence. Their desperate mission becomes clear: put their differences aside and work together to find a way to safety before they are all consumed by the darkness.
Although fictional, the book is inspired by the author's own childhood experiences with bullying, loneliness, and Tourette Syndrome. He set out to craft an engaging story while exploring issues many kids can relate to—told from the perspective of someone who has lived them firsthand.
Excerpt
He heard the patter of footsteps. The bullies were inside the building. He ran to the other side of the machinery so the gang couldn’t see him. As he moved through the factory, he attempted to pry his phone from the tight jeans pocket. When he finally got it out, he plugged in his passcode and started to text his parents. He typed Declan’s name and realized that if he could show the bully that someone might suspect him of wrongdoing, Declan might think twice about doing any serious harm.
He wished he had thought of that sooner.
Suddenly, he heard creaking. He spun around to see Declan standing over him on an old conveyor belt. Declan kicked the phone from Matthew's hands, its screen cracking on the concrete below. Matthew dropped to his knees beside it as Declan jumped down, nearly stomping the tattered phone.
“You were going to call your parents for help?” Declan sneered as his friends caught up behind him.
Matthew scrambled with his phone, but the screen wouldn’t light up.
He started to cry.
“Enough,” Booker said. “Seriously, man. You already wrecked his phone. Just let him go home.”
“Not going to happen,” Declan said, inching toward Matthew. Matthew hurried to his feet and ran toward the other end of the factory.
“Booker’s right,” Sam called as Declan gave chase. “This has gone too far.”
Declan ignored his friends.
Matthew picked up a sharp piece of metal sitting on a workstation and held it in front of him like a sword.
Declan stopped. “What are you going to do?” he laughed. “Cut me?”
“O-only if y-you don’t go away,” he stuttered through tears, his eyes rapidly blinking as he spoke. “If you don’t leave me alone.”
Matthew shuffled backward through a set of large double doors and outside. Matthew shuffled backward through a set of large double doors, leading outside. Declan followed with his friends behind him.
They entered a courtyard with barbed wire fences on three sides. The only thing in the cement lot was a building with a wet plywood platform in front of a steel door. Holding the sharp piece of metal between himself and Declan, Matthew moved toward the door, his feet squishing with each step on the rain-soaked wood. When he turned the doorknob, it came off in his hand.
Declan laughed as Matthew was unable to push the door open.
As Declan walked onto the mushy sheet of plywood, Matthew rapidly blinked his eyes and yelped.
“I’m going to beat those stupid tics right out of you.” Declan stepped into reach, and Matthew gripped the metal tighter.
“Declan, stop it!” yelled Booker. Cricket and Sam stepped onto the platform behind Declan, also pleading with him to stop.
Cricket pulled out her phone. “Matthew, what’s your mom's number?”
“Don’t you dare,” Declan said, unsuccessfully trying to grab the phone. “Cut it out,” Sam insisted.
Something shifted below his feet, and Matthew glanced at the plywood, which was bending under their weight.
Nabie and Garby appeared behind Booker. “Matthew,” Garby said, “you feel that, right? You need to get off.” But he couldn’t; Declan and the others blocked his way.
“Guys,” Matthew said, “you need to move.”
No one listened to him.
“Give me the phone,” Declan demanded as he grabbed the device. Sam held Cricket’s hand over the phone, and the girls tried to pull it away from Declan, but his grip was too strong.
“Enough of this,” Booker said, stepping onto the platform.
“Booker, don’t,” Matthew said, with his back against the door.
It was too late.
They all felt their feet sink through the plywood board. But so what? There was surely concrete underneath, right? But as the plywood fibers gave way and the wet board broke apart, their feet did not rest on solid ground.
They fell through a dark empty crevice into the unknown.
Buy on Amazon Kindle | Hardcover | Paperback | Bookshop.org
