The Wrong Side of the World

They were both just wondering.

Nat is just your average sixth grader. She wonders a lot about reality shifting and alternate dimensions. But one day, reality shifts and Nat discovers the shocking truth that her theory of a distant twin out there may be true. Both of them fall into each other's places, and one learns about the truth of a different world while the other finds out the truth of her wishes..

Prologue

Nat: I lie in bed and I wonder. What would things be like in a parallel universe where everything was the same but different?? What if I was transported into a world where I was physically and mentally the same but my life was different? My life would be amazing. All my wishes could be granted…

Chapter 1: I Woke Up Like This

My phone rings with my favourite song. Wait…. I don’t even have a phone--or a ringtone… But I pick it up anyway.

Whoa, an iPhone 13?? Whoever owns this must have cash to burn!

I turn it around in my hands a few times and I jump up, ready to start the morning.

But I’m not a morning person!

I unplugged my new phone.

My sister runs over to hug me.

Wait. She’s not doing anything annoying, either!

Who am I and what is this world???

“Hi, Naaaat. Did you sleep well?” my little sister asked. Normally she’d be running over to my room before I’m even awake and stepping on me to wake me up.

The music plays on my phone from my bedroom as I brush my teeth. And there’s complete privacy, which means I’m allowed to close the door!

My sister and I make our own breakfast. “What do you want?” shouts Evelyn from the kitchen. My house is the same, so there’s no downstairs and upstairs. But I wish there was!

“Orange juice and cornflakes without the milk please!” I shout.

We’re able to drink orange juice at breakfast and have a little, no I mean, a lot of freedom. I’m even allowed to play music with my AirPods at the breakfast table!

After breakfast,I get to go to school with my friends by myself and bring Evie to school– in a luxury car, with a chauffeur at the wheel!

This is amazing. I don’t have to take the smelly, crowded and noisy bus!

My parents also gave me so much money for my allowance! It’s like a whole month’s worth! And they don’t seem to care what I’ll spend it on.

Not to be showy, but I feel like I’m a celebrity’s child right now! I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m loving it.

Chapter 2 - A Twin’s Perspective

“Nat.” a voice shouts.

“Nat!” I woke up. Oof, the bed is quite hard for some reason, I thought.

Then I reached out groggily to check the time on my alarm clock. But I swipe, and all I feel in my hand is air.

What?? Where’s my alarm clock? Did we move or something? Or did I miss the last 2 years of my life?

I sit up in bed, and as my eyes get used to vision again, I realize that my room is different and has become much smaller! The wallpaper is ripped and the desk is white, not teal.

And where’s my phone????? OMG, this is confusing.

I get off the bed and I head to the bathroom like I usually would. And then I brush my teeth in the cramped space. I see a fly in the corner, buzzing around. Yuck, this place smells like a trash dump!

There’s no thousand-dollar perfume spray lying around… I check all the cabinets, only to find a box of eye drops, an open stick of dried deodorant (ew!) and… Whoa, did the ground just shake? Maybe it was just a passing car or something…

The ground shakes again. What??

A crack appears on the bathroom floor. What in the world? Oh crap, I’m gonna die.

I stumble as more cracks appear and echo over the cacophony in the bathroom. I scream and try to hold on to the door as the room tilts.

Suddenly, the door melts into thin air. I gasp as I fall and land in the shower. Then it starts filling up with water.

I frantically try to scramble out, but I slip and fall into the water. I open my eyes. Blurry reflections are starting to appear. Reflections of… a different person? Wait, is that me?? Or… Another me in a different world?? No, wait. THAT’S MY ORIGINAL HOME!!!! THIS PLACE IS NOT HOME!!! WHAT????

I black out, tired and weak.

Chapter 3: Trapped In The Shower

I wake up, I discover I’m trapped and weighed down by the murky, thick water of the shower.

It’s floating in a dark room with a screen. The screen glitches a little, and turns on. Then it’s dark again.

I fumble around, trying to find a way out of here. Wait… I see someone in the corner!

I rub my eyes, thinking it’s probably just my reflection or something similar. But when I come closer, it disappears. Then the screen glitches. There’s a message displayed on it.

You are not alone, it says. You must find your way back. Your twin is waiting. What did that mean?

Then a holographic figure spawns in the shower. It’s my twin! “You must help us,” she says. “We need to get back together before something happens.”

I swim through the water, and manage to escape the shower, but when I get out, I’m still in the same world…

Chapter 4: Depopularized!

“What took you so long?” my mom says, as I shovel the last bite of food into my mouth and run out the door.

Where’s my car? Then the bus arrives. I get on and sit down. It’s smelly. The kids are loud and noisy. And it’s really, really dirty!! I hate it here. Ugh. When are we getting off???

I look around. We look like we’re nowhere near a school. Then the bus stops in front of a building that looks nothing like my school.

My school has a front lawn, but this one doesn’t have a single thing in front of it.

I get off the bus and set foot on the ground. I look around at the dull grimy building in front of me. Where’s the perfectly manicured lawn? The football field? The beautiful historic buildings?

I guess I still have to go in. I swing the door open, and a burst of laughter greets me. “What’s so funny?” I ask. But they just laugh. They point at me. I have no idea what’s going on… I just want to go home!

“What’s wrong with you?” a group of girls say. “Your hair is a mess!” Another girl points at me. “Your face is a mess too! What’s up with all the problems, ugly?”

I knew I wasn’t ugly, and I wasn’t going to let their comments bother me. But why would these people say stuff like this to me? There’s nothing wrong with me!!

These kids are being total brats to me. Back where I was yesterday, everyone was lining up to take selfies with me in the lunchroom! What in the world is going on?

Two classes passed, and I’m sitting alone at the farthest table from the rest of the class. Everyone’s laughing and sharing personal jokes. Then the teacher says it's time for lunch.

Everybody runs out, laughing and chatting to one another. I try to strike up a conversation with a few other girls, but it’s like they don't see me.

I entered the lunchroom. My eyes sweep around the large crowd of people. I sigh but perk up again. There’s an empty spot at the popular table… If I can get there in time then I’ll be able to hang out with them!!

I run and run and run, but then I trip, and spill my lunch all over me. There’s a huge tsunami of laughter. People are recording this on their phones, and laughing at me..

“What’s up with Bad Luck Girl now?”I could hear people say.. I’m overwhelmed, and just as they start with the food throwing, I run out of the lunchroom and towards the bathroom.

While I clean myself up, I realize… This is what it’s like to be unpopular. Maybe I shouldn't have made myself popular on purpose…I was trying too hard. I head out of the bathroom, and run to the front desk to call home. I wanted out of here!

Chapter 5: Life at School (The Other Twin)

I get out of the car, and run up the front steps of the school. Wow, this is impressive.

I almost get lost going to the classroom, even though I don’t know where it is, it’s almost invisible– this is a really big school!

Just as I reach the hall, I put my bag down, and all of a sudden- a lot of people are asking to sit next to me during class!!

I feel my cheeks redden, hot. I feel an enormous weight of stress and pressure pound me. Who should I choose??

I turn and run. I can’t stand everyone looking at me expectantly.

A crowd starts to follow me. “Are you okay?” some girls asked. “Do you need anything?” another group offered.

I know they’re trying to make me feel better, but it’s just pressuring me even more. I’m not used to this attention.

“Go away,” I say, and run to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, I think. This isn’t the type of popularity I signed up for~ I just want to go home!

Chapter 6: Reflections In A Bathroom Mirror

We’re both in our rooms. Both of us decide to relax, unwind, and reflect on our thoughts.

Nat 1 is finding people to text on her phone, but finds there’s no one she can talk to- she doesn’t have any friends in this world.

“Maybe this is just too much for me… I wish I didn’t think that popularity gave me more friends- maybe I just need to reach out more!”

Nat 2 is lying in bed, writing in her diary.

“Dear Diary, I just realized that I shouldn’t push myself to be more popular. Popularity isn’t the answer to my problems..”

The girls both wish to be in their original worlds, longing to take their lessons back in order to be better people.

They both head into the shower, and as the tap turns on, a mirror shines like a pearl and sucks them both back.

Nat 1: “I just had an amazing dream! I should write this down! This will add to my amazing collection of conspiracy theories!!”

Nat 2: “That beauty sleep brought a beautiful dream, with more lessons to learn in the future.”

Don’t be afraid to think, because with that comes valuable lessons you can learn to take with you.