A Novel in Progress · Jacob Clifton
Oldie
The world didn’t end. It shattered — and that’s not the end. It’s always ending and being born.
What’s left of America’s west coast, as far as we know, is the Chain: seven islands held together by ancient relics and a family of seven immortal beings called Dreamers who have guided humanity through the wreckage for centuries. But on a quiet morning on the Arizona Coast, the candles go out. The family is snuffed out — all of them, all at once.
When they wake up on the pale sands of a strange beach, they’re reborn. But hollow. They’ve forgotten their names, their powers, the fact that they were ever a family. Now they have to find the seven Aces to unlock their memories and stop whatever is hunting them — before the Chain falls apart for good.
A story about the weight of forever, the cost of being a hero, and the trauma we inherit from our past selves.
The story so far
Part One
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For the next hour, Holder thought, I am the only Dreamer in the world.…
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The pale beach outside Port Yuma. Seven Dreamers waking up scattered and hollow, without…
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In truth, she learned later, the Witches had been on watch for something like…
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“This test. It’s not really a test to see if we’re worthy — it’s…
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Unaffiliated novitiates crowded off the train car behind the group: a clutch of Daughters…
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The Covens didn’t travel in groups, sadly — you generally would get one Sister…
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Most Virtuous Mother Joan broke away from a dancing clutch of older Sisters to…
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The Mysteries were deep and ancient halls where the Ace burned, hidden in a…
Part Two
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Chapter Eight: The Blighted Prince
Flowers grew up from the Redwoods sand where Our Lady stepped, if She wasn’t…
Follow the novel
New chapters, published in real time.
Oldie is being written now. New chapters are published here at jacobclifton.com/oldie as the story finds its shape — along with world notes, character pages, and dispatches from the midapocalypse.
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About the author
Jacob Clifton spent fourteen years as a flagship staff writer at Television Without Pity, reaching a million readers a week. He has written for Tor.com/Reactor, Vulture, BuzzFeed News, and the Austin Chronicle. He lives in Austin, Texas.
For content strategy and editorial work: Clifton Creative →