AmyStrange & the Criminal (Part 1: the Escape) Copyright © 2019 by David P. Ayotte THIS BOOK IS NOT FOR CHILDREN
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<< DEDICATION | PROLOGUE | CHAP 1: PAGE 1 >> [ THE EXCITING STUFF BEGINS IN CHAP 4 ] Dear Fellow Reader, I guarantee that you'll never believe a word of this, especially since it's got a talking cat in it, because I've seen her talk, and I'm still having a hard time believing it myself. I know I'm supposed to be a "fake" character in this unbelievable story but let me introduce myself anyway. My name's Dr. Zee Singer, but the Criminal likes to call me Dr. Zinger. I've been his psychiatrist for a few years now, and don't worry, I'm not going to get all technical on your ass, and that reminds me, if you don't like cussing, drop this book right now and go find something else to read, please. For the rest of you, here's the real, "fake" lowdown. To start off, the Criminal may be a little crazy, but he's not bat-shit crazy. What he has is a form of post- traumatic stress that I've never seen or heard of before. It gives him these impulses that make him do things that would normally kill you or me, and sometimes he can stop himself, but most of the time, he's running across a busy highway right in front of a sixteen- wheeler to save a hurt bird or diving off a bridge to save some bunnies from drowning, and he doesn't even know how to swim! That's as technical as I'm going to get, except I do have to set one thing straight. In his Journal, he writes about having an eidetic memory, but what he's really got is hyper- thymesia, and that's basically a photo- graphic memory on steroids. Only eigh- teen people in our Universe have the ability to remember everything they see and hear from birth, and I wanted him to get tested, but he refused. I'll explain why in a minute. I think he originally got the idea from that TV show, and surprisingly enough, you folks had the same show on your side, but before I go any further, let me explain what I mean by your side. I've searched everywhere in our Universe for some kind of explanation or even just more information, but I can't find anything that's even close. Nothing on the web, in the journals, books, or any of the papers on PTSD. Even my colleagues were stumped. I didn't know where else to turn until Zack and Jack, a couple scientist from over here, discovered a way to cross over to your Universe, and I know that's another thing that's going to be hard to believe, because I didn't believe it either, until I met my doppelgänger. Even with my background in college physics, all I got out of their expla- nation was that it had something to do with synchronizing frequencies, and that's it. I'm sure my patient will give you a better description in his Journal, but basically, I volunteered to go next after Zack and Jack took separate trips to test it out and to also get every- thing ready for mine. They also explained that most everything over on your side was the same, like your money and even your languages. The transfer was almost instan- taneous, like a flash, and I didn't feel any different, but everything around me definitely was. Instead of standing in the lab, I was now in the waiting room of my office, and then a mirror image of me walked in. She screamed, and I fell to the floor. It took a couple days for both of us to get over the shock of meeting each other, and also the shock of where I was from, but in the end, she was more than happy to help. Of course, she needed to read the Journals, and then do some research. The Criminal said it was ok, but I did warn her that the first few entries were crap. This is also for you, oh faithful reader, because it's the first time he's ever done anything like it, and it shows. I know the beginning sucks, but believe me, it gets better with time, just like a crappy wine gets better after a few glasses. Anyway, I went back a week later, and she'd finished reading the Journal, but hadn't started the research yet, except to e-mail out some preliminary inquiries and read some of the books she had. We talked for hours, and I found out about some of the things that were different on your side. For example, the guy in your Universe, that became my patient, died in the same horrific car crash that killed the Criminal's parents on my side. What I also found very interesting was how close I felt and how much alike we were, but fortunately, her thinking was just a tad bit more radical than mine. She suggested that we publish his Journals as novels in her Universe, explaining that except for the talking cat, the invisible RV, and the crossing over thing, most of it could've been written over there, but the most impor- tant thing was that it might bring in some folks that know about these side effects, and maybe they'll have more information, or better yet, a cure. It was worth a shot, and I also wanted to do the same thing over here, but the Criminal said no. He didn’t want Beth or any of his friends to get in harm’s way because of the fucked-up thing that he did when he was young, stupid, and an epic asshole. When we first started this project, finding some kind of cure was the goal, but now I'm beginning to wonder if that's still a good idea. The impulses actually do help him save abused animals, and I have to ask myself, how many animals would die if I took that ability away, and do I have the right to do that? Ultimately, it's the Criminal's decision, but fortunately, both he and Beth are also wondering about the same thing. Until we've figured that one out, we decided to go ahead with the original plan, and as unbelievable as this story may be, please remember one thing. Even though none of it's true, if you or someone you know has the same kind of problem, the publishers of this book would like to hear from you. Thank you, Dr. Zee Singer << DEDICATION | PROLOGUE | CHAP 1: PAGE 1 >>
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PART 1 IS FREE: You can copy and distribute it to any- one and everyone, as long as it's dis- tributed for free* and in its entirety,** including the COPYRIGHT PAGE. *This does not apply to AMAZON.COM, **or REVIEWS