Beyond The Other Side: A Post-Apocalyptic Short Story

by Jenny Hubert

The Giver meets The Chronicles of Narnia in this young adult post-apocalyptic book.

Only the wealthy can enter.

To reach the splendor of The Other Side, an Outsider must present a piece of jewelry produced before the California government collapsed. But, on The Outside, these gifts are nearly impossible to come by.

When determined tween Ryan finds an antique necklace, she doesn’t want wealth, just to reunite with her parents who crossed to The Other Side six months ago. However, another Outsider orphan named Eli pickpockets her before she can present it, forcing her to promise she’ll bring him to The Other Side with her. But Ryan is keeping secrets. The necklace only permits entry for one.

When Eli fails during night watch to stop an intruder from stealing the necklace, he vows to retrieve it before the thief can present it to The Other Side himself. As Ryan and Eli race to the former Golden Gate Bridge, the point of entry that divides the wealthy from the poor, Ryan questions her original desire to abandon Eli, as they have begun to develop a sibling-like connection. Her relationship with Eli built on a lie, Ryan must decide if she’s willing to dive into a dark place to reconnect with her parents.

Jenny Hubert’s debut short story, “Beyond The Other Side,” includes characters who make life-or-death decisions and explores the costs of friendship, sacrifice, and unconditional love. While California is hopefully far away from an apocalyptic era, present-day young adults will enjoy this science fiction book about survival if they’re struggling to determine what and who is important in their lives.

63 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 24, 2023

About the author

Jenny Hubert is a New Jersey native who never moved on from the 2010s dystopian hype. She graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s in communications. When she isn’t penning about post-apocalyptic California, she is volunteering for her local Catholic church, sewing, and baking. She currently lives in the New York tri-state area.

You can follow her writing on X @jennyhubert18

Reviews

[Julia Scheuring · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been missing the 2012 YA dystopian era (The Hunger Games, Divergent, The Maze Runner etc) and this brought me right back! Incredibly great story telling with characters you’re routing for. Sad that I finished it so quickly - but I can’t wait for the next installment of this collection :)

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but captivating read! I finished reading it in about an hour and I really enjoyed the journey the author took me on. I appreciated all of the world building- setting the scene for future books- and also the realistic sibling dynamic between Ryan and Eli. I’m looking forward to the next book as the journey continues on The Other Side!

[Sofia Waiser · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I’m so incredibly proud of my friend for writing this short dystopian! It is fantastic world-building. The emphasis on trust, friendship, and family being so important is thought-provoking. I look forward to more stories from Alezand.

[fio · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short and sweet read. The descriptions were rich, and the ways adolescents think and process the world was well captured. Ryan and Eli were simultaneously as stubborn and jaded as they were naive and yielding to their circumstances. It was nice to see the inner mental battles and conclusions Ryan would come to after experiencing so few acts of kindness or deceit, reminding readers yet again how malleable children are even in the face of continued trauma. The apocalyptic setting was also genuine, with grit, grime, and conclusions that aren't satisfying in the sense that not everything resolves peacefully or positively. Concluded well without loose ends, but left you open and ready for more should further stories be granted.

[Stephanie Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good pace and strong voice! A clear picture. Story was captivating--I wanted to keep reading and reading.

[Stephanie Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book exceeded all of my expectations. The pacing was perfect -- it never drags out any particular scene or dialogue, and every word was purposeful and connected to the plot. The characters were earnest and easy to root for, particularly Eli, and the characters' motivations were understandable and well-developed. The themes were explored effortlessly, and I liked how the author wove them together throughout the experiences of the character and the world-building (sacrificial love, friendship, survival, etc.) The ending surprised me, but I thought it tied the themes of the story together quite nicely (albeit tragically), and left room for more story in a subsequent novella or even full length novel. Highly recommend!

[Brook Zelcer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A taught, compelling story about a young person who is forced by dire circumstances to make a difficult existential decision. The story is terrifically paced and the dystopian world inhabited by the characters is both thoughtfully conceived, beautifully described and, importantly, entirely believable. This is a highly entertaining morality play set within within the type of broken world we would all do well to try and prevent. Challenging. Fun. Edifying.

[Jessika Caruso · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story and traveling to world of Alezand. The idea of a dystopian society in which all technology is turned off and the tech wizards in the Silicon Valley area control the USA is very interesting and actually not too far-fetched. I admired Ryan’s growth as a character (especially for a young girl of twelve) and her relationship with little brother-figure Eli was really heartwarming.
I would definitely read more from this author!

[Kylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Dystopian is one of my favorite genres, and this did not disappoint. The only major bummer for me is that I wish this was a full novel because it was so good. For a short story, the world-building was very impressive and everything was so fleshed out. I would love to read more in this world, and it seems like that could maybe happen!

[Rowan Leddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Beyond The Other Side” delivers a gripping and evocative post-apocalyptic tale that stands out in the crowded genre. This short story, while brief in length, packs a powerful punch with its intense narrative, well-drawn characters, and a haunting exploration of the human spirit in the face of adversity. I couldn’t recommend it more!