WARNING!
“This series and the characters in it are fictitious. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and specific other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law."
Copyright © 2023 by Hadiza Bagudu.
SUMMARY
supernatural/fantasy series about astral-projection and inter-dimensional travel. Embark on a cosmic odyssey in "Astral: The Awakening." Join Yusuf as he navigates worlds, love, and ancient forces, unraveling mysteries that defy reality. An enthralling journey awaits!
Genre: Horror/Fantasy.
Age Rating: 16+
Authors: Hadiza Bagudu & Abdul-Jalal Musa
Janin paced back and forth around the empty house, growing angrier by the minute. Time was slipping away. It had been two weeks since she revealed herself to Yusuf, watching him grow stronger and more alive with the help of that witch, Florence. Something about Florence irked her deeply. Ever since Janin found a way to attach herself to Yusuf, tethering herself to this world, she couldn’t move more than a few feet away from him, like an invisible leash binding her. She had followed him everywhere, trying to call out to him before he finally saw her. But as she observed Yusuf’s sessions with Florence, something both annoying and astonishing happened. Florence’s exercises—the “invisible white room” they practiced—made him stronger each time.
Initially, Janin wanted to sabotage the exercises, infiltrate the room, even seduce Yusuf. Every attempt, though, failed. But as time went on, she realized that with Yusuf’s strength, hers grew too. Now, she didn’t need to follow him as closely. If she separated from him for too long, she’d fade, losing all memory of where she’d been, only to find him back home. Still, she was staying visible for longer periods, and this isolation gave her time to strategize her next move. Her plan was simple but ambitious: remain in this world and bring her friends over, with Yusuf as the key. But Florence had become an obstacle. Despite Florence’s role in strengthening Yusuf—and, by extension, Janin herself—Florence was also helping him learn to control his powers, which could mean he’d banish, or worse, kill her.
“Oh, I hate her!” she screamed, fury sparking the house lights into a frenzy. She recoiled at the power surge, but a smirk crept across her face. “Interesting.”
---
Yusuf’s hands were numb from all the notes he’d been copying. Being away from school left him far behind. Thank God for John, who covered for him, though John could only do so much.
“When you’re done with that, there are still notes from Political Economy and Strategic Studies,” John said, making Yusuf sigh. John laughed. “You don’t have to copy them all now. Let’s go to the sculpture garden and eat.”
“Yes, finally. I’m starving!” Yusuf said, too glad, and John laughed.
At the garden, Yusuf was reminded of how different everything felt. He noticed classmates stealing glances, whispering as he passed. A rumor was circulating that he’d had a breakdown, some even believing he was possessed. The strange behaviors he’d shown before John took him in likely fueled it. Even in class, he couldn’t escape this isolation. When he tried sitting near old friends, they subtly shifted away.
“Marcus, hi,” Yusuf said quietly to a classmate who hadn’t yet moved.
“Hey, Yusuf. You’re back? How are you?” Marcus replied, his tone cautious.
“I’m fine.” But Yusuf saw doubt in Marcus’s eyes.
“I heard you were sick. Is everything okay?” Marcus pressed.
“Yeah, I’m better now. It wasn’t serious,” Yusuf downplayed, focusing on his notebook to avoid further questions.
Marcus wasn’t satisfied. “Is it true you had a breakdown and ended up in the psych ward? People are talking…”
John cut in, “He’s fine, Marcus!”
Marcus backed down, but just then, Yusuf saw a shadow flicker in the corner of his eye. Janin? He scanned the room, feeling unsettled.
“Are you okay?” Marcus asked, startled.
“Yes, I’m… just tired.” He rubbed his eyes.
“You sure you don’t want to head back home?” John offered, concerned.
Yusuf shook his head. “I can’t miss more school.”
“I am glad you are back, Yusuf. And I hope you get better, truly.” Marcus said.“ Thank you.”
At that moment, the lecturer entered the hall, and the insistent low chatter stopped as the lecture began. Yusuf, still unsettled by what he’d seen earlier, kept looking around the hall for Janin. He was sure it was her, but he couldn’t understand why—or even how—she would follow him. He’d always assumed she couldn’t leave the house and was relieved to finally get a break from her, even if only for a few hours a day. Now, he was beginning to worry there might be no escaping her.
He struggled to concentrate in that class and the ones that followed throughout the day. His mind kept drifting away. He wasn’t exactly astral projecting, but after everything he’d experienced over the past few months, his lectures seemed boring by comparison, and his thoughts kept wandering through different scenarios. The brief vision of Janin he’d had earlier didn’t help either. He wondered if she had anything to do with his distracted state.
The sighting unsettled him, adding to his guilt. He hadn’t told John about Janin. John and Florence accepted his astral projections, but an actual entity haunting their house? That might be too much, even for them.
Already on edge, Yusuf nervously approached his Strategic Studies lecturer, Mrs. Agnes, to ask for permission to retake a missed test. So far, he had missed about five tests; four of his lecturers were kind enough to reschedule them, allowing him to retake them in a few days. However, Mrs. Agnes was known for being strict and no-nonsense, and convincing her would be a challenge.
Her office smelled strongly of pine air freshener and was stylishly neat despite the piles of books and projects stacked in the corner. Her bookshelves were full and neatly arranged, with some books scattered on her desk, the side table, and any other available surface. Yet, there was a certain order to the clutter. She took her time writing in a file while Yusuf and his friend John waited nervously. Finally, she looked up.
"So, young man, how can I help you?" she asked, with thinly veiled disdain.
"I wanted to talk to you about retaking the test I missed," Yusuf managed to blurt out.
"The midterm, you mean?"
"Yes, ma’am. I was hoping to retake it."
"And why did you miss it in the first place?" she asked, her tone lacking sympathy, making Yusuf’s anxiety spike.
"I was sick and couldn’t attend classes," he replied.
"And now you want special privilege?"
"No, ma’am!" Yusuf almost snapped. "I’m not asking for any special treatment. I didn’t miss school deliberately—I was very sick and had no choice."
"Where is the doctor’s report?" Mrs. Agnes asked. "Submit it with your request, and then I might consider giving you a chance."
Yusuf looked to John for help, and John stepped in.
"Ma’am, the situation is a bit complicated. He had to be treated at home, and we couldn’t get a doctor’s report…"
"I’m sorry, but I can’t do anything for you without that doctor’s report," she interrupted. "I have to protect myself, too. You understand?"
"Yes, ma’am," they both replied.
"Very well, then. Either bring me the report or prepare to perform exceptionally in your final exam. Good day, gentlemen."
"Good day, ma’am," they both said, slowly rising and leaving her office.
Yusuf felt a wave of panic. The midterm was worth 30% of the overall grade. If he couldn’t retake it, he’d need at least 50 marks on the final to avoid failing the course. It was devastating, but John reassured him that if it came to it, he knew a doctor who could draft a report for them. Yusuf thanked him, but he felt uncomfortable with the idea.
---
Janin waited alone and spent the whole day testing her powers by manipulating the house’s electricity. She enjoyed each flickering light and made the refrigerator shake from the repeated surges. Her heightened senses were sharper than ever, letting her listen through walls and doors. A knock on the door broke her focus—it was a caretaker checking the property. He peered through the door’s viewing window, but seeing nothing unusual, he walked away.
She was intoxicated by her power, though with reason. She had to be strong to survive. She feared being recaptured by the Council of Ur, an ancient and mysterious body of jinn that governs all jinn affairs and forbids interactions between jinn and humans—a rule Janin and her friends had repeatedly broken through their dealings with Yusuf. As powerful as the jinn were, they were forbidden from crossing over to the human realm. Some had tried, succeeding by interacting with humans, possessing them, and hitching a ride to the human world, where they wreaked havoc.
Some jinn envied humans—their knowledge and their form. While humans possessed physical bodies and could enjoy a variety of experiences, from food to other sensations, the jinn were made from fire and were formless. Although they could shapeshift and get close to humans to take advantage of them, they wanted to live as humans did, which often caused chaos. To prevent this, the Council of Ur put a rule in place to keep the two worlds from bleeding into each other and risking collapse. For over two hundred years, Janin had heard stories about the diabolical ways some jinn reached humans, though not all had such powers. Most were ordinary and would go their entire, lengthy lives without meeting a human. However, some knew tricks, including magic, to connect with humans—especially when humans sought jinn protection or magical assistance, usually to harm others. This gave the jinn power to influence the human, as it was the human who broke the rule first. It granted such jinn total control over the human; they would initially help but then use the human to spread chaos in the human world. Such actions were considered treasonous by the Council of Ur, with perpetrators imprisoned or, depending on the severity of their actions, even executed.
When Janin met Yusuf in their land, she didn’t know humans could cross over. She’d heard of other jinn kidnapping humans and enslaving them but had never witnessed it. Meeting Yusuf confirmed it was possible, and she confided in her friends Zara and Rafiq. Together, they devised a plan to deceive Yusuf. It was easy, as he was just a boy, and they appeared to him as Janin’s parents. They coaxed him into forming an unbreakable bond with her and nearly completed the ritual to possess him when they were apprehended by the J-force and brought to trial before the council.
Janin remembered standing defiantly before the elders, chained and humiliated. The council sat in a semi-circle on high chairs, looking ethereal in their green robes, radiating ancient authority and power. The vast dome surrounding them shimmered with a bright material that reflected the council members' faces. Floating above their thrones, their eyes glowed with disapproval as Janin refused to show any remorse or humility.
"You have broken the laws of our kind!" boomed the high councilor, his voice reverberating through the room. "You forged a bond with a human, Yusuf Ali, which is forbidden. The consequences of such a bond are dangerous."
Janin’s lips curled into a smirk. "You speak of danger, yet I only sought love," she retorted, her voice steady despite the overwhelming power in the room. "Why should it matter that he is human? We have existed in separate realms for millennia. Perhaps it's time to break those barriers."
Murmurs rippled through the council. Elder Nara, an ancient jinn with gleaming eyes and over a thousand years of experience, leaned forward. "The rules exist for a reason, child. Bonds with humans corrupt our essence. They drag us into their reality and trap us in their world."
"Or perhaps it is the other way around?" Janin shot back, crossing her arms. "Perhaps we are the ones too afraid to explore beyond what we know."
"You are reckless!" said High Councilor Urk, his tone icy. "And your recklessness has endangered not just yourself but others. For this, you will be imprisoned."
Janin’s jaw tightened, but she held her ground. "I don’t care what you think of me. I would do it again."
"Then may your arrogance keep you company in the 'Realm of the Forgotten'!" High Councilor Urk declared, his eyes narrowing. "Take her away."
Janin, her friends Zara and Rafiq, and their supporters—all 50 of them—were locked up in the maximum-security jinn prison called the Realm of the Forgotten. As the name implies, most who go there never leave. But she found a way to escape and move to this realm through Yusuf’s sudden surge in abilities, and she would do everything in her power never to return to the land of Jute.
---
At 7 p.m., Florence returned, her arms full of shopping bags, accompanied by the same caretaker. She greeted him and let him take a look around, but everything appeared normal.
“Sorry, madam. Thought I saw something odd earlier,” he said, scratching his head.
"Oh, don’t worry! I’m glad someone’s looking out for us. Thank you," Florence replied warmly. "I’ll speak to my brother about leaving a spare key at the gate." She closed the door behind her, then headed into the kitchen to unload her groceries, her phone rang. Janin drifted closer, her enhanced hearing letting her eavesdrop with ease.
“Hey, babe, just got home,” Florence answered cheerfully. Janin’s eyes narrowed as she heard McLean’s voice from the phone.
“I miss you already. Wish you didn’t have to leave,” he cooed, sickening her.
“Well, I’m living with my brother now,” Florence teased. “I can’t stay with you every night, or he’d worry.”
“I can’t wait till school’s done and we’re married. Then no one can keep us apart,” McLean replied.
Florence’s laugh grated on Janin’s nerves. How dare she play Yusuf for a fool, laughing with another man? Despite herself, Janin despised the thought of Florence with Yusuf but was furious at her supposed betrayal. Her rage sent a wave of energy through the house, making the lights flicker. Florence stopped laughing, glancing around, wary.
“You okay?” McLean asked.
“I’m fine, but these lights… they’re acting weird.” Florence reassured him. “I’ll call you later.” She hung up and tapped the light switch until the flickering stopped, sighing with relief. But a shiver ran down her spine. Goosebumps covered her arms as Janin’s presence crept closer, her chilling breath brushing against Florence’s neck.
Florence hurried to plug in a room heater, standing close for warmth, her hands trembling. But as she felt the icy breath on her neck again, she jumped, accidentally knocking the heater over. She froze, realizing she wasn’t imagining things—Janin was right behind her, relishing her fear.
With a burst of determination, Florence grabbed her phone to call Yusuf, but Janin’s anger surged. She began shouting, “Get out! Get out! I hate you! I hate you!” Though Florence couldn’t hear the words, she felt their hateful force reverberate through the room.
The lights flashed wildly, the refrigerator shook, and Florence screamed, dropping her phone. She bolted to the door, and as she reached for the handle, it swung open. She screamed once more, fainting into her brother’s waiting arms.
I hope you enjoy it! I’ll be posting new content every week, so be sure to check back.
Warm regards,
Hadiza Bagudu
Author, wife, and mum.
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