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I find Evan sitting in the back corner, pale and wide-eyed. He gives me an encouraging smile.

I heave a sigh of relief. He’s okay.

“
Julia, could you tell us what country you live in?” Dr. Whittaker asks.

“
The United States of America.”

A few of the people at the tables lean into each other and whisper.

“
And how many states compose the United States.”

This has to be a trick question or they’re testing my mental stability. This reminds me of the things the nurses asked when I came out of my coma. “Fifty, and a couple of territories.” I’m proud of my answer. Most people would have said fifty.

A loud murmur races through the room and I look up in confusion.

“
Julia,” Dr. Whittaker’s voice rises to be heard over the buzz in the room. “Can you tell me who is President?”

“
President Barack Obama.”

A man sitting at a table to my right scowls. “How can we be sure that this isn’t some kind of prank?”

In the very center of the tables, a woman with dark auburn hair watches me with wary eyes. The fine wrinkles on her forehead and the corners of her mouth crinkle as she frowns and clears her throat. “Miss Phillips is our guest here and we will treat her accordingly.” She wears a pink tweed suit and skirt. I notice how pale she appears, how pale everyone is. Maybe I’m in a room full of vampires.

“
I don’t understand what’s going on.” I whisper.

Dr. Whittaker’s eyes soften and he gives me a sad smile. “I know.” He leans forward and looks at the woman who just spoke. “Mrs. President, could we please take a short recess and fill this poor girl in on what’s going on? I know everyone is eager for answers, but she’s scared half to death. Finding out in a room full of people is inhumane.”

Her lips pucker showing her annoyance. “I’m not really sure why this hasn’t already been addressed.”

“
She’s been unconscious for twenty-four hours, Mrs. President.”

Twenty-four hours?

She inclines her head with a slight nod. “A short recess is granted, but I insist on being present.”

“
Of course.”

She rises and four uniformed guards move behind her. I stand when Dr. Whittaker does, my own guards flanking my sides. Somehow, I suppose our guards serve different purposes.

We leave the room, Dr. Whittaker leading the way, with me and Mrs. President behind. A couple other people complete our entourage. I can’t help but wonder what she’s president of. The research company?

He takes us into a room with several chairs and motions for me to sit. I do so with gratitude, knowing that my nervous, shaky legs won’t hold out much longer. Dr. Whittaker sits next to me and looks into my face.

“
Julia, Evan said he didn’t tell you where he was bringing you.”

I try to calm down so I can answer, but it still comes out breathless. “No, he just said he was going home.”

“
Yet you came, not knowing where you were going?”

“
He said Monica was alive. That if I came with him, I could see her.”

He looks confused then closes his eyes with a heavy sigh. “Of course. I see.”

“
I don’t.” The woman he referred to as Mrs. President sounds irritated. “Please enlighten me.”

He ignores her and his eyes open, full of compassion. “Monica’s dead in your world. And you’re alive.”

“
Yes.” Why is he stating the obvious? Why did he say
your world?

Dr. Whittaker glances up the president. “If you could indulge me for another minute.” He leans forward. “There’s really no easy way to explain this, so I’m just going to come out and say it. Evan is from another world, an alternate universe to yours, and he brought you back with him.”

I wait for him to laugh, to crinkle his eyes because of his joke, but he remains deadly serious.

I burst into laughter.

The woman shudders. “This is
not
funny.”

“
This is a joke, right?” I gasp trying to catch my breath in between giggles.

“
I’m afraid not.”

My laughter slows. “But that’s impossible, it’s so Star Trekky.”

“
I’m sorry, I suspect that’s a cultural reference we’re not familiar with.”

My eyes bug in disbelief. “You can’t be serious.
Star Trek
has been around for forty or fifty years.”

A man in the corner bent over his electronic tablet, an anxious look on his face.

“
Interesting.” Mrs. President says with mild disinterest.

I narrow my eyes. “You’re telling me you’ve never heard of
Star Trek
? What about
Star Wars
?”

He slowly shakes his head.

“
None of you have?” I look around the room at the blank stares. “That’s impossible.”

“
I’m afraid that’s not the last impossible thing you’ll hear today.” Dr. Whittaker takes my hand. “You asked where you were and I told you Springfield, yet you said it wasn’t like your Springfield. You’re right. It’s not.”

He takes a deep breath. “Evan said your history book discussed the Cuban Missile Crisis. In your world, it was averted.” He waits for my confirmation.

I nod, a lump of dread rising, filling my lungs until I want to gasp for breath.

“
In our world, it occurred. Over three-fourths of the population of the earth was annihilated with the nuclear bombs, the fallout, and subsequent starvation and illness. ”

“
That’s impossible,” I whisper.

He shakes his head, pursing his lips. “I wish it were.”

My mouth gapes in disbelief.

“
The United States still exists, but it’s different. There are ten states now, but they’re called regions, the ten areas that survived those first few years of nuclear winter and starvation.”

“
But how is all this possible?” I point around the room. “This is more advanced than anything we have.” Everything here is like the future.

“
That was fifty years ago.” He pauses. “We survived. We learned how to grow food in our new environment. From what Evan tells me, our science is vastly more developed than yours.”

“
But what does all of this have to do with me? How did I get here?”

He grimaces. “The radiation from the nuclear explosions created hot spots where quark activity is extremely erratic. Quarks are sub-atomic particles, and we theorize these areas might have weakened the barrier between universes. I’ve been working on a device to bridge the barrier.”

It all sounds like scientific mumbo-jumbo. “But—”

“
Six months ago, the Julia Phillips from our world was in a car accident. She and her best friend Monica were driving on a road out of town.” He stares into my eyes. “She died.”

I try to hold back my tears. This isn’t real. This isn’t happening.

“
She died and Monica lived. Julia was Evan’s girlfriend. They loved each other since they were children. Evan was devastated and could barely function. Then we discovered the site of the accident was a weak spot, which explained an object found in the wreckage.” He takes an electronic tablet from the man taking notes. The screen contains a picture. “Do you know what this is?”

A picture of a phone fills the screen. “It’s an iPhone. It’s a cell phone and an MP3 player.”

He holds the tablet against his chest. “We don’t have anything like that here, which we found odd, and when we examined it. I was startled to find this.” He touches the tablet and hands it back. It has a photo of the iPhone with a photo of Monica and me on the screen.

I gasp and nearly drop the tablet. It’s my phone.

“
You can imagine our shock as well. After careful analysis we determined there had been a breach in the barrier and this crossed over to our world. Somehow, as impossible as it seems, you both were in the same road at the same time. We now know the bracelet crossed over to yours.”

I nod.

“
Do you know of anything else that crossed?”

“
No.” I rub the spot it would normally hang. “But there were other weird things. Like I could draw when I couldn’t before, and I had memories of the accident, only in my memories I was the one who I died.” I take a deep breath. This must all be a very bad dream.

He paces for several seconds. “The Julia here was a gifted artist.” He exhales, heavy with emotion. “Some people think moments of déjà vu are really our consciousness connecting with ourselves in another universe. It’s possible that during the accident, which happened at the same time in both worlds at the spot with the weakened barrier, the consciousness of our Julia connected with you.”

“
Is that possible?” Mrs. President asks. I suddenly wonder if she’s president of more than the company.

Dr. Whittaker shrugs. “Who knows? It’s all been hypothesis and theory until now.”

“
I also drew things, things I didn’t know I was drawing, like Evan’s name and another name, Reece, and a Celtic love knot.”

He looks grim. “The Julia in our world designed a love knot for Evan and made it into a necklace that she always wore.”

That explains what he was wearing. It was her necklace. “And the bracelet?”

“
A gift he gave to her for her sixteenth birthday.”

My eyes sink closed with the enormity of the situation. The room’s spinning.

“
I still don’t understand how this girl,” Mrs. President points to me with an angry jab, “got here in the first place. How did this happen?”

Dr. Whittaker’s face pales. “Evan. He heard me mention the breach in the barrier about a month ago. He realized that there was a possibility that Julia was alive in the other universe.”

“
How could he have gone there and no one realized what he’d done until they appeared in the road two nights ago? What kind of security—or lack of it—do you have here?”

Two nights? I’ve been here two days.

He cringes. “We’re still trying to figure that out ourselves. He had to have an accomplice to wipe out the security breach on the computer system. The area is surrounded by guards, but he swears he acted alone.”

“
Can we do this again? Send someone to the other universe?” she asked. “Can we bring people or objects back?”

“
Well, in theory, yes. But we have yet to discover the ramifications.”

“
I’d like to speak to you alone, Dr. Whittaker.”

“
Of course.”

She walks to the door and he follows.

“
Wait.” I call out.

He turns.

“
Can I see Evan now?” I convince myself if I see Evan he’ll straighten this all out. He’ll tell me it’s a stupid joke, and I’ll go home.

He pauses as if unsure. “Yes.” He turns to one of the guards. “Have someone bring Evan to see her.”

Chapter Seventeen

I cross and uncross my legs, fidgeting from anxious jitters. Any moment, Evan will walk through the door and I’m not sure what to say. My emotions vacillate from rage to relief and I’m not sure which one to follow. Staring at the unfamiliar room reminds me of where I am and this unbelievable situation. Anger rises up, demanding attention. I can’t believe he brought me here without telling me where
here
was. I’ll rip him apart for what he’s put me through.

But when Evan stands in the doorway, his mouth contorts with worry before his eyes land on me. All my fury slips away. The look of love and despair shatters my anger, leaving only my fear. I run to him and throw my arms around his neck.

“
Julia,” he breathes into my ear as he wraps his arms around my back. “I’ve been so worried about you.”

I cry into his neck.

He strokes my hair. “Shh… I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. My dad’s going to make this right. It’s going to be okay.”

He feels so strong and reassuring I believe that everything will be okay. My life felt hopeless before and Evan changed all that. He can do it again.

I tilt my head back, scanning his face for reassurance.

His lips press into a thin line of worry and his finger wipes my tears.

“
Are you sure? Are you sure everything will be okay?”

He nods and his lips brush my forehead, lingering for a moment. “Yes. Dad’ll make sure it is.”

We sit in the chairs, side by side. His arm wraps around my waist and pulls my body into his. I lay my head in the crook of his shoulder. Just being next to him makes me feel better.

“
You scared me.” He gives my waist a squeeze. “Dad said you slept for almost twenty-four hours straight and then for another six. I only slept twelve, about the same as when I crossed over the first time.”

When I crossed over
… could this really all be true? “Why would I sleep so long?”

“
Dad thinks it’s hard on our bodies. It’s massive stress on an atomic level. Our cells have to repair themselves and it makes us weak and tired. You might have slept longer because you’re smaller.”

“
Oh,” I say as though it makes perfect sense when it all seems like perfect nonsense. I close my eyes. The steady rhythm of his breath reassures me, but not enough. “But all of this can’t be true. Not really. This is a joke, right?” I look up into his face, pleading, “Please tell me this is a joke.”

His eyes pinch closed in anguish.

I curl my fingers into his shoulder as the room blackens. My chest heaves as my lungs inhale and I concentrate on staying conscious. After several seconds, my equilibrium returns.

“
I’m sorry,” he simply says.

Too stunned to know how to respond, I say nothing.

“
I didn’t know this would happen. I swear. I didn’t even plan on bringing you back.”

Nausea rolls in the pit of my stomach. “Evan, why did you come to my world?”

He arches his neck to look down into my face. His eyes fill with tears. “I had to see you again.”

A sharp pain pierces my heart as though he’s drilled it with an ice pick. Even so, his answer doesn’t surprise me. Of course, that’s why he came. “But I’m not her. I’m not your Julia.”

He shakes his head slowly. “You’re more her than you realize.”

I shrink away from him in horror and dismay.

Does he think I’m her? Does he like me for me?
He loved the Julia of this world so he came and sought me out. But I’m not her. I’m me. How dare he come and screw up my life. Anger percolates and I want to knock the crap out of him, but I look into his face. Pain and grief fill his eyes, his mouth is taut.

“
I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I lost you once. I won’t let anything happen to you again, I swear.”

He lost the Julia of his world, and he loved her with an intensity I don’t even pretend to understand. If I were given the opportunity to see Monica again, wouldn’t I take it?

Didn’t I?

My emotions battle, each vying for its right to take control. He screwed with my life, but he did it out of love. Even if the person he was looking for isn’t me. I remind myself his love is for
her
. His feelings for me aren’t real. But he’s my anchor in this horror of the unknown and I’m desperate for something to hang onto. Right or wrong, I need him. “What happens now?”

He releases a shaky sigh and places his hands over mine. “They want to know about your world.”

“
Why?”

“
Why?” he sounds incredulous. “Because they know nothing about it. Because your world hasn’t been destroyed by nuclear war. Because your world has an excess of food, entertainment, violence, everything. No one has ever crossed over before. They’re dying with curiosity.”

I suppose that makes sense, but it doesn’t explain armed guards. “Are we in trouble?”

His fingers lace through mine. “You’re not, but I most likely am. I’m sure to be campused for a month.”

“
Campused?”

“
Our version of grounding.”

I shake my head in amazement. “Really? That’s hard to believe. You crossed over to another universe without permission and brought me back. It seems like a big deal.”

“
My dad’s in charge of this whole place. He’s pretty mad and I’ll be campused, but that’s it.” There’s a hint of arrogance in his voice. For a brief moment, he reminds me of the Evan in my world.

I don’t see how he can take this so lightly. Surely, he saw the same grumpy looking officials in that room, not to mention the armed guards at the doors. A nagging worry burrows in my stomach yet his confidence soothes my anxiety a bit. This is Evan’s world, not mine. He knows better than me.

A minute later the door opens and Dr. Whittaker fills the opening. “Julia, we need you to come back to address the Committee. A lot of people are eager for answers.”

“
Okay.” My stomach twists in knots.

“
I want to sit with her.” Evan’s grip on my hand tightens.

The warmth seeping into my palm fills me with reassurance. My eyes plead with Dr. Whittaker.

With a sigh, he rubs his eyes before lowering his hand to his side. Worry lines wrinkle his forehead, as if the decision has aged him ten years. “Fine, I’ll clear it with the Committee. You might be able to provide answers, too.”

We walk back to the room, Evan’s fingers clinging to mine like a lifeline. My stomach rolls and I’m close to barfing. I swallow the bile that rises and take several breathes through my mouth.

Evan leans down to my ear. “Are you okay?”

I nod, afraid to speak. I have to get a hold of myself.

When we reach the door, Dr. Whittaker enters the room, leaving Evan and me in the hall with guards. My eyes can’t help but rest on the weapons attached to their belts. They remind me this isn’t a casual Q and A session in spite of Evan’s insistence. I have no idea what they will ask or what they will do if I can’t answer their questions.

The door opens and Evan’s father beckons us in. Someone has moved another chair to the table.

I slide into the hard seat, shifting my bottom self-consciously while twenty sets of eyes watch my every move. My mouth dries and I try to swallow.

Dr. Whittaker sits. “Julia, we’re all going to take turns asking you questions.”

I struggle to find the breath to answer. “Okay.”

“
Could you state your name and age and place of residence?”

My gaze flicks to Evan then Dr. Whittaker. I know this is a formality, but it seems like a trick question. “Julia Philips. I’m sixteen and live in Springfield, Missouri.”

The Committee members stir in their seats, a few murmuring to each other. An anxious feeling spreads through my chest.

A woman sitting at a small table to the side appears to write down what I just said.

Dr. Whittaker turns to the woman taking notes. “For the record, that would be the present-day Midcentral region.” He glances and me with a soft smile. ”Thank you, Julia. Now let me introduce the members of the Committee.”

He starts at one end and starts naming the people sitting at the table. The first two are obviously military officers from their uniforms, but I’m unprepared when Dr. Whittaker introduces them as generals in the Army and Air Force. They frown and purse their lips, watching me cautiously, as though I’m about to tell them I brought the zombie apocalypse with me. That I can make military generals nervous is frightening.

Next are representatives to the regions of Midwest, Southeast and Midcentral. Apparently the regions no longer have state names. After that, several cabinet members for security and intelligence are introduced.

These people are powerful and intimidating. And they’re here to speak to me. I rub my palms together in my lap trying to dispel some nervous energy. Evan senses my fear and gently places his hand on mine, stilling the movement.

In the middle is the woman Dr. Whittaker called Mrs. President. Her face reveals her impatience as she looks down her nose with a frown. Every nerve I have is on edge waiting to hear what she is president of.

“
Martha Stanfield, President of the United Regions of America.”

She gives me a barely perceptible nod as Dr. Whittaker moves on, introducing the Vice President, several more military personnel and a handful of scientists. But my mind is stuck on her title, Dr. Whittaker’s introduction echoing in my head.
President
. I’m sitting in front of the president of what used to be the United States, and she looks like she’d rather skin me alive and be done with it.

Dr. Whittaker clears his throat. “We’re going to take turns asking questions now. You may or may not know the answers, just answer the best that you can.”

I nod, wishing I had a glass of water.

One of the general’s speaks first. “How did your world avert the nuclear war following the Cuban Missile Crisis?”

Why didn’t I pay attention in history class? “I’m not sure, exactly. I just read about in my history textbook.”

His heavy jowls shake as his head tosses in astonishment. “The greatest devastation to befall humankind in the history of the world, and you just read about it in a textbook?”

Dr. Whittaker leans forward and looks down to the other end of the table. “General Ghertner, the nuclear destruction didn’t occur in her world. For her, it would simple be a story in a history book, like the American Revolution or the Civil War are to us.”

“
General Ghertner, if I may,” Evan interjects. He grips my hand then releases it, neatly folding both of his on the table. “I studied this while I was there.”

The general frowns but nods. “Well, go on then.”

Evan tells them what happened after the Cuban Missile Crisis, how Kennedy and Khrushchev came to an agreement and averted a nuclear war. He then goes on to explain the end of the Cold War.

The Committee takes turns asking more questions about the history of my world. Evan provides many of the answers and I add what I know, which is embarrassingly little. I explain the horror of 9/11, which they don’t seem to grasp. I don’t suppose the World Trade Center had been built before their nuclear war. Not to mention the destruction of two skyscrapers and the death of five thousand people pales in comparison to the annihilation of three-fourths of the population.

They find the fact we have evaded a nuclear war during the past fifty years astonishing, which given their circumstances, I find understandable. I wish I had more answers to give them. I wish I’d paid more attention in history.

“
What type of weapons does the military have in your world?” another military officer asks.

My mouth drops open. “Um,” I look over at Evan, pleading for his help. “I’m not really into army things.”

The officer’s eyes widen. “You’re not into
army things?
”

“
If I may…” Evan interrupts.

I close my eyes with a sigh of relief.

Evan tells them about tanks, helicopters, and missiles and I wonder how he had time to learn all of his. How long did he live in my world?

Several hours later, I’m exhausted and thirsty. Dr. Whittaker calls for a break and Evan and I are led back to the small room. Someone brings us a tray of food, which consists of more wafers and other unrecognizable items. The woman leaves Evan and me alone.

He waves an orange circular wafer. “Now you see what I meant when I said I was going to miss fast food.”

“
I thought you were crazy.”

He stuffs it into his mouth. “Maybe I was crazy to come back.” Crumbs fly out while he talks.

“Did you plan to come back?”

A wry smile twists his mouth. “I always planned to come back, and then when I got to your world… I wasn’t so sure.”

“
Why?”

He face beams with tenderness. “First and foremost, you. Just to see you…was the best gift ever.” his voice trails off and he bites his lip. “But I also found your world fascinating, the freedom, the choices, even if they were overwhelming. All my life I’ve been told what to do and who I’m to be. My father is a national figure, a highly respected research scientist, which holds the same fascination sports figures do in your world. Scientists are our world’s heroes. People expect me to be like him.”

“
Do you want to be?”

He pauses. “Yes, but I want the freedom to make that choice, you know?”

I nod and cover his hand with mine. He curls his fingers over mine as I study his face. “Tell me about her.”

His hand stills and his eyes widen in shock. “You want to know?”

“
Yeah, I want to know more about a girl who would make you go to another universe to see her again.”

His bottom lip trembles as he smiles. “We knew each other since we were kids, like I told you in the library that day. My story was about her.” He gets a faraway look in his eyes. “I don’t know, there was just something about her that wrapped around my heart. She was sweet, and not just to the people she loved, to everyone. People knew they could go to her if they needed advice or someone to listen. She was so different from Monica sometimes it was hard to believe they were such good friends. Julia was always the voice of reason. And her laugh…” he looks at me. “When she laughed...” he sighs and lowers his voice. “I miss her laugh.”