The Multiverse
Bubble Worlds
"Grandma, do you think it's possible that Mom and Dad are in a different world or universe?" Holly asked as the sisters gathered around their grandmother in the attic. They had discovered a new clue that hinted at the possibility of their parents being in a different realm.
Grandma looked at Holly, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and wonder. "I've always believed that there is more to this world than meets the eye. Your mother and father were fascinated by the concept of 'bubble worlds' and the 'multi-verse'."
Dolly's eyes widened. "You mean there could be other worlds out there, just like ours?"
Grandma nodded, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "Yes, dear. Your parents believed that every decision we make creates a new branch in the fabric of reality, leading to countless parallel universes."
Molly furrowed her brow, trying to make sense of it all. "So, you're saying that Mom and Dad might have found a way to travel between these worlds?"
"It's possible," Grandma agreed. "Your parents were brilliant scientists working on a top-secret project involving the manipulation of wormholes and quantum physics."
Holly frowned; determination etched on her face. "If they're out there, we have to find them. We owe it to Mom and Dad to uncover the truth."
Dolly and Molly exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement. The sisters knew that they had stumbled upon a vital piece of information, one that could potentially bring them closer to finding their missing parents.
Grandma placed a comforting hand on Holly's shoulder. "I know you girls will do everything in your power to find them. But remember, the key lies in understanding the connection between the bubble worlds and the attic. Your parents left behind clues for you to decipher, and I have no doubt that you'll succeed."
As they sat together in the attic, the sisters couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. The possibility of their parents being in another world was both intriguing and terrifying, but it was a path they knew they had to explore.
And so, the Attic Investigations Club ventured deeper into the mysteries of the multi-verse, determined to uncover the secrets of their parents' disappearance and bring them home once and for all.
Lobulus
Lila was born without earlobes. She was a rare anomaly in the Bubbleverse world of Lobulus, where most people had large, floppy lobes that hung down from their ears. The size of your lobes determined your social class, and Lila's lack of them made her an outcast.
She grew up in the slums of Lobulus, where the lower class lived in crowded, dirty bubbles that floated near the ground. The upper class lived in luxurious bubbles that soared high above the clouds, while the middle and upper-middle classes occupied the intermediate levels. The working class served the upper classes in exchange for access to their bubbles.
Lila had always dreamed of seeing the sky. She had heard stories of how beautiful it was, how it changed colors and shapes with the seasons and the time of day. She had seen glimpses of it through the gaps between the bubbles, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes.
She knew she would never be accepted by the upper class, who despised her for her lobelessness. They called her names like "freak", "mutant", and "alien". They said she was not a true Lobulan, that she did not belong in their world. Some of them even had their lobes surgically removed to look more like her, but they did it as a fashion statement, not out of empathy.
Lila did not care about them. She only cared about the sky. She had a plan to see it. She had been saving up money for years, working as a cleaner in the lower bubbles. She had bought a pair of wings from a black market dealer, who claimed they were made from real feathers. She had hidden them under her bed, waiting for the right moment to use them.
That moment came on her sixteenth birthday. She woke up early, before anyone else in her bubble. She put on her wings and strapped them to her back. She grabbed a backpack with some food and water, and a camera to capture the sky. She sneaked out of her bubble and ran towards the nearest launch pad.
The launch pad was a platform that shot bubbles into the air with a blast of air. It was used by the working class to transport goods and services to the upper classes. Lila had seen it many times, but she had never used it before.
She waited until no one was around, then she climbed onto the platform. She pressed a button and felt a surge of air beneath her feet. She jumped off the platform and spread her wings. She felt a rush of wind in her face and a thrill in her chest.
She was flying.
She soared higher and higher, leaving behind the lower bubbles and their gloomy shadows. She passed by the middle and upper-middle bubbles, where people stared at her with curiosity and envy. She ignored them and kept flying.
She reached the upper bubbles, where the air was thin and clear. She saw the sun shining brightly above her head, and the sky stretching endlessly around her. It was more beautiful than she had ever imagined.
She saw colors she had never seen before: blue, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple. She saw shapes she had never seen before: clouds, birds, planes, stars. She saw things she had never seen before: rainbows, sunsets, lightning, meteors.
She took out her camera and snapped pictures of everything she saw. She wanted to remember this moment forever. She wanted to share it with others who had never seen the sky.
She flew for hours, until her wings started to ache and her stomach started to rumble. She decided to land on one of the upper bubbles and rest for a while. She spotted a bubble that looked empty and peaceful. It had a garden with flowers and trees on its surface.
She landed on the bubble and walked towards the garden. She smelled the fragrance of the flowers and heard the chirping of the birds. She felt a sense of calmness and happiness.
She saw a bench near a fountain and decided to sit on it. She took out her food and water from her backpack and ate them slowly. She looked at the sky again and smiled.
She did not notice a boy watching her from behind a tree.
He was about her age, with blond hair and blue eyes. He wore a suit and tie that matched his bubble's color scheme: white and gold. He had small earlobes that were barely visible under his hair.
He was Liam, the son of one of the richest families in Lobulus. He lived in this bubble with his parents and siblings. He was Liam, the son of one of the richest families in Lobulus. He lived in this bubble with his parents and siblings. He had small earlobes that were barely visible under his hair.
He had seen Lila flying in the sky and had followed her with his own pair of wings. He was curious about her, who she was and where she came from. He had never seen anyone like her before.
He approached her quietly and said, "Hello."
Lila turned around and saw him. She gasped and jumped to her feet. She was startled and scared. She thought he was going to hurt her or report her to the authorities.
She said, "Who are you? What do you want?"
He said, "Don't be afraid. I'm not going to harm you. I just want to talk to you."
She said, "Talk to me? Why? You're one of them. You're an upper class. You hate me."
He said, "I don't hate you. I don't even know you. And I'm not like them. I'm different."
She said, "Different? How?"
He said, "Look at my lobes. They're small. Almost nonexistent. I'm a freak too."
She looked at his lobes and saw that he was telling the truth. She felt a pang of sympathy for him. She knew how it felt to be different.
She said, "But you still live in this bubble. You have everything you want."
He said, "No, I don't. I have nothing I want. I hate this bubble. I hate this life. It's boring and fake and meaningless."
She said, "Then why don't you leave?"
He said, "Because I can't. My parents won't let me. They have plans for me. They want me to marry someone I don't love and take over their business and live in their bubble forever."
She said, "That's awful."
He said, "Yes, it is. That's why I fly. It's the only thing that makes me happy. The only thing that makes me feel free."
She said, "I understand. That's why I fly too."
They looked at each other and smiled.
They realized they had something in common. They realized they were not alone.
Lena
Lena was born with a small ear lobe. She knew it was a curse, a sign of her low status in the society of Lobulus. She lived in a cramped apartment in the lower district, where the air was polluted and the noise was unbearable. She worked as a cleaner in a factory, where she had to endure the harsh conditions and the mockery of her co-workers. She had no friends, no family, no hope.
One day, as she was walking home from work, she saw a crowd gathered around a large screen. It was the annual lottery, where one lucky citizen would be chosen to receive a surgery that would enlarge their ear lobe and grant them access to the upper class. Lena watched as the host announced the name of the winner: "Lena Smith!"
Lena couldn't believe it. She felt a surge of joy and disbelief. She pushed her way through the crowd and ran to the stage. She was greeted by the host, who congratulated her and handed her a ticket to the hospital. Lena thanked him and held the ticket tightly in her hand. She felt like she was dreaming.
She boarded a bus that took her to the hospital. She had never seen such a luxurious place. The walls were white and shiny, the floors were carpeted and soft, the air was fresh and fragrant. She was escorted to a room where a doctor awaited her. He smiled and explained the procedure to her. He said it would be painless and quick. He asked her if she had any questions.
Lena shook her head. She just wanted to get it over with. She lay down on a bed and closed her eyes. The doctor injected her with a sedative and she drifted into unconsciousness.
When she woke up, she felt a bandage around her head. The doctor came in and removed it. He handed her a mirror and told her to look at herself.
Lena gasped. Her ear lobe was huge, almost touching her shoulder. It was smooth and shiny, like a pearl. She looked like a different person.
The doctor smiled and said: "Congratulations, Lena. You are now a member of the upper class. You have a new life ahead of you."
Lena thanked him and left the room. She walked out of the hospital and into a limousine that was waiting for her. She was driven to a mansion in the upper district, where she was welcomed by a staff of servants. They showed her to her room, which was bigger than her old apartment. They gave her clothes, jewelry, food, everything she ever wanted.
Lena felt happy for the first time in her life. She had everything she ever dreamed of.
But soon, she realized that something was missing.
She missed her old life.
She missed the simplicity, the honesty, the struggle.
She missed being herself.
She realized that she had traded her identity for a piece of flesh.
She realized that she had made a mistake.
She realized that she was not happy.
htraE
The Bubble of Harmony
Zara was born on htraE, a world that existed within the Bubbleverse. She loved her home planet, where everyone was happy and kind. She lived in a spacious house with her parents and her sister, where they had everything they wanted. She went to school with her friends, where they learned about the wonders of the Bubbleverse. She enjoyed exploring the nature and the culture of htraE, where everything was peaceful and balanced.
One day, as she was walking home from school, she saw a strange sight. It was a bubble, floating in the sky. It was unlike any bubble she had ever seen. It was small and shiny, and it seemed to beckon her. She felt a curiosity in her mind.
She ran to her house and told her parents what she had seen. They looked puzzled and turned on the TV. They saw a news report that said that a new bubble had appeared in the Bubbleverse, and that it was unknown and mysterious. It said that the bubble was called X, and that it was a world where no one had ever been before. It said that X had a secret and a challenge, and that it had sent an invitation to htraE.
Zara felt adventurous and brave. She asked her parents if she could go to X. They said that they were not sure, and that they would think about it. They said that they believed in the power of exploration and discovery, but that they also cared about her safety and happiness.
They hugged Zara and told her to wait for their answer. They said that they would do some research, and that everything would be clear.
They were wrong.
The next day, Zara woke up to a silent noise. She looked out of her window and saw a shocking sight. X had disappeared from htraE, causing a panic and confusion. The sky was empty and dull, the ground was restless and tense, the buildings were silent and dark. Zara saw people searching and wondering, trying to find out what happened.
She ran to her parents' room and found them gone. They had left a note on their bed, saying that they had gone to X. They said that they were sorry for leaving without telling her, but that they had received a message from X. They said that X had offered them a chance to see something amazing, something that would change their lives forever. They said that they couldn't resist the temptation, and that they hoped she would understand.
They realized that they were curious.
They realized that they had left.
They realized that they were selfish.
They realized that they were unhappy.