SNAP! and the Alter Ego Dimension by Ann Hite Kemp

five rooms from victims of
Snap
and the sixth wall looked to be from Etsu and Hiroshi’s own home. On that wall were two empty hooks where she imagined the sword had hung. The things that were in front of the walls, like the television, Hiroshi’s desk, the chairs and the beds, looked like they floated on a gray floor. She lifted a book from one of the desks and flicked through it.
    “Did you see any of the owners of these things?” Tammy asked.
    “No,” Hiroshi replied. “There were two that we saw emerge, but their alter egos grabbed them and disappeared too fast into the grayness. I couldn’t help them. This dimension is big. If someone appears now, right outside your window, Tammy, we wouldn’t know.
    “And given the fact that we can see about five meters to the left and five to the right, the same to the front and back, we made this room this size, or else we wouldn’t see the walls.”
    “I suppose it’s too much to ask for a fridge?” Tammy joked, giving a wry smile.
    “Hiroshi and I would have eaten everything by now. Nothing left for you and Ulrich,” Etsu said, returning Tammy’s smile.
    “There is more stuff left around,” Hiroshi said. “But no fridge. Or water. If something like that comes through, I think the alter ego of that person will take it away. They know we need food and water to stay strong.”
    “Goodness,” Tammy sighed. “We’re in deep trouble!”
    “No,” Ulrich sounded determined. He squeezed Tammy’s arm encouragingly, “Let’s walk on. We must find out what’s going on here.” He paused before continuing: “If every person on earth has an alter ego, and there are seven billion people on earth, then there must be seven billion alter egos here somewhere. We should look for them. Find out where and how they hide. Find out for ourselves if there really is no food and water in this place. ”
    A most practical boy,
Tammy thought. The type who always investigates things thoroughly and doesn’t take anything for granted. Ulrich should be a useful addition to their group.
    She too wanted to know what was going on here. No, more than that, she
needed
to know what was going on. She wanted to get out of here at all costs. To go back home. That was why she would follow Ulrich wherever he went. He was her best hope. He and Hiroshi’s sword. But at the moment she was very tired, very hungry and her feet were very, very cold.
    She walked to the cupboard and opened it. Inside were four shelves with boy’s clothes. Quickly she searched through them. She sighed disappointedly. There were only summer clothes and all were way too small for her. Hiroshi had warned her that they wouldn’t fit. These clothes looked as if they were for a boy of about ten, with strange markings on the labels that she couldn’t read. But unfortunately, that they wouldn’t fit, was indisputable.
     

Chapter Seven
    WAYNE STRUGGLED on his assignment. He couldn’t focus, couldn’t concentrate, because his thoughts were with Tammy. He had all the information that he needed, but he couldn’t write it in his own words. It wasn’t making any sense.
    Where was she? What had happened to her? Why hadn’t she called her mother to tell her what had happened? Or was she unable to do so? Was she in a place where she couldn’t make contact with anyone? Had she been abducted . . . by something like aliens? Was that why her mother hadn’t seen or heard anything? How were they going to find out? Would the people in Sabie be able to help them find her? Would she just reappear again? If so, how long would he have to wait?
    Wayne shook his head. He had to concentrate on his work. He was going to get detention.
    His cell phone started to ring. Flustered, he made a grab for it.
    Heck! It wasn’t Tammy’s name on the screen.
    “Hallo, Ken. What’s up? How is your assignment going?” Wayne asked with forced gaiety. There wasn’t time for chat.
    “Weird, Wayne. Something very weird just happened. I locked myself