Wrong Girl

All I remember from that night is taking a punch to the face and then everything going black. Next thing I know is hearing voices saying,
“YOU GOT THE WRONG GIRL! IMBECILE!” I heard a man yelling to what seemed a short man next to him, who was cowering in fear.
“Wrong girl? What did he mean by that?” I thought to myself.
“S-sorry” I heard the man next to him say, the way he said it reminded me of a little puppy whimpering, sounding small and shaky, and scared.
“I-i’ll send her back” he said, sounding hopeful the other man wouldn’t get madder.
I kept my eyes closed, listening intently to the conversation between the two men.
“WE CAN’T!! She’ll probably go blabbering to the government! Telling them she had been abducted by aliens!”
“Aliens?” I thought to myself, this is the time I really started questioning where I was.
“We’ll just leave her here, wait for her to be killed, and then come back. Human organs sell for alot of mell, especially the hearts, scientists LOVE to examine human hearts” he said sounding like he could really use some “mell” whatever that is.
Suddenly I hear an odd sound,
“Vrrrrrr” finally opening my eyes I realized they were getting into what looked like a spaceship. I jolted up off the cold ground, running to where I heard the sound coming from. Suddenly I skidded to a halt, realizing that I was on some kind of floating island in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. Although there were stars farther out, there wasn't anything else. As the “men” got into the ship, I started to really become aware of what was happening, they were really gonna leave me here.
“HELP!! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!” I yelled, hoping they would come back, hoping they would have a change of heart, but instead of having a change of heart like in the movies. They continued to get into the ship, the shorter man looked back at me and mouthed, “sorry”, truly I felt sorry for the man, having to obey every order he was given, without hesitation. As I watched the ship leave with a flash, I thought,
“I might as well think of happy thoughts, if i'm really gonna die here” for the next couple hours I thought of my moms warm smile, her way of understanding how I sometimes need space. I thought of my dads heartfelt laugh, my little brother's way of saying “Viwot '' instead of Violet. About the calming sound of my cat named Fluffy puring. I thought of how my mom would do a french braid in my thick black hair, that fell just below my elbows. Just the way I liked it. About the way my brother would fall asleep in weird positions. How my dad would always tell me a story right before bed. I thought about my happy memories for a while, but the bad ones started to creep their way into my head, like how a lion creeps up on its prey, using the element of surprise. The bad memories like when my dog Lily died, or when my gramma had died from cancer, how after my gramma died I would spend hours in my room sobbing. When my boyfriend broke up with me, all my friends thought it was my fault, and I wasn’t being a good girlfriend. How people used to bully me, and say
“you're too short to be in 6th grade, go back to 2nd grade” after hours of sobbing and starting to regret my choice in friends, the hunger started creeping in. I tried to ignore it but the grumbling kept getting worse, so I desperately looked around the island for some kind of food. There were many tropical plants, but I didn't know if they were edible.
“Chirp chirp” I heard a strange sound coming from one of the “bushes”. The “bushes” were neon pink, with sky blue flowers that looked as though they were from a fantasy movie.
Slowly moving toward the sound, hoping it was something edible, the sound came again,
“Chirp chirp” moving closer to the sound stealthily with ease, and softly placing my feet on the ground silently. When I peeked through the bush, inside was a nest, made of vibrant chartreuse leaves, and purple twigs. Inside the nest were three pale pink eggs, now these eggs were larger than normal eggs, they were about the size of a soccer ball, the nest itself was about the size of my pillow. These eggs looked quite delicious, without thinking I reached through the bush, and picked up an egg. Suddenly, I heard very loud stomping, the stomping kept getting louder, and louder. Then I burst into a sprint, desperately trying to find a place to hide. Soon I spotted a cave, the cave was dark and looked sketchy but I didn’t care, I changed directions in a flash. Running into the cave, as soon as I burst into the cave I hid behind a large rock breathing extremely heavily. The loud stomping was starting to disappear, curious to know what the creature was I peeked behind the rock. To my surprise It was a small cat looking chicken, it had a beak like a chicken, and had a tail like a cat, wings, that were very small, paws instead of chicken legs, eyes that were chartreuse, and had a thin black line down the middle, very neon pink feathers, and cat ears. (It definitely was not pretty, but it was a very fascinating creature) . I was surprised that something that small could birth eggs that big. Suddenly, I heard larger footsteps.
“STOMP STOMP STOMP” I saw a VERY large shadow appear behind the small thing, soon into view approached a very enormous version of the cat looking chicken. Big beady eyes were staring at the egg that I was still holding, then it struck me, the smaller thing must have been the male. And this enormous creature was the female. Now that I thought about it it made sense, that the smaller creature was the male. Maybe with so many thoughts racing through my mind I hadn’t gotten a chance to think. suddenly , the large creature made a ear splitting noise,
“SCREE!!!” This noise was enough to make the whole island rumble.
Thinking fast I realized the creature probably wanted its egg back. Even though I was desperate for food, I was also desperate not to die. So even though I knew I probably would regret it later, I reluctantly placed the egg on the ground, turned around and walked away.
Two hours later, my stomach started to rumble again. I wanted to go back to the bush where the eggs were, but I didn’t want to die. So with all my might I held back. I started walking around the island once again. There were plenty of plants, but I wasn’t sure if they were edible. But eventually I gave in, and pulled one of the plants out of the ground. This plant looked alot like a sunflower, but it was only about six inches long, and the petals were neon pink.
Putting the pedal into my mouth was not what I was expecting, (I myself don’t know what I was expecting, but it definitely was not this) as soon as I put the pedal into my mouth an eruption of flavor exploded on my tongue, it tasted like all the fruits combined, and a hint of marshmallow. This plant tastes like nothing I have ever tasted before, but once I started eating it I couldn’t stop, it was extremely addicting. Once I was done eating the plant my hunger was quenched. Even though it was small, it was very filling.
But after an hour of wandering around the island, I became lonely, there wasn’t anything on that island that could comfort my sorrow. There was the “birds”, but I think they didn’t think of me as a friend. But lonely and desperate for a friend, I started walking toward the bush where the nest was. Soon I realized that I should make a peace offering.
I started walking back to where the plant was, hoping that the “birds” would like the “flower” that I had found. Once I got to the place where I had found the “flower”. I had to search for another plant like that one, but once I had found one I yanked it out of the ground.
Once I had found the nest again, I sat there hoping that the birds would come. But after waiting at least an hour, the birds were nowhere to be found. The plant started to wilt, and I started to doze off.
“Chirp chirp” I heard a sound, and felt a pecking on my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, there was the male bird hovering over my head. Waking up with a jolt, I realized that the female should be around. I offered one of the pedals to the male bird hoping that it would like it, the “bird” gobbled it up with no hesitation. The bird seemed to like it. Soon I heard the stomping of the female.
“STOMP STOMP STOMP” I wanted to run so badly, and escape the terrifying sound of the stomps that just might end my life, if I don’t play my cards right. Once the female came into view, it eyed me suspiciously. I held out my hand with the peace offering, hoping that the female would accept. The female started lowering her head, realizing that I meant no harm. Quickly she nabbed it out of my hand, and gobbled it up. Still the “bird” eyed me suspiciously, but it didn’t start to chase me, I guess that was a good start. I started to move closer to the “bird” slowly and made sure I didn’t break eye contact.
I held out my hand for the bird to sniff, the “bird” cautiously moved its beak close to my hand. Still eying me suspiciously. When the beak stopped at my hand it took a large inhale sniffing my hand. I started to put my hand over the “birds” head, to try and pet it. But it quickly jerked its head away from my hand.
“Click click click” I heard the sounds of heels on rocks, around the island there were some areas where there were just small boulders covering the ground.
The clicking came again, except this time it was louder “click click click” soon the click had to be at least 5 yards away. I knew that I would have to take cover if I didn’t want to be spotted. I swished my head around looking for a spot, when I did this my hair made a relaxing swishing sound, that slightly calmed me down. Then I remembered the cave that I had hidden in earlier. It couldn’t have been far from here, and it was my only chance of hiding. I stealthily started towards the cave, hoping that my mental map was good enough to lead me there. After about 3 minutes of slowly moving, the cave had come into view. This is when I realized that the clicking had disappeared. I let out a large exhale hoping that this was true. I kept moving towards the cave, thinking that if the clicking did come back then I would already have a good hiding spot. Once I got to the cave, I realized that this could be where I could stay until I got home.
I started gathering leaves to try to make the rock hard ground, (quite literally) after I had gathered about 30 leaves, I started arranging them so that they would be able to be fully under my body, and there wouldn’t be any spots where my body would be on the cold rock ground, instead of the comfyish leaves.
“Click click click” I jolted up from my “bed” from closing my eyes for 5 minutes, (AKA: what always turns into an hour long nap).
“I thought the clicking was gone? I thought I was safe” but of course I was wrong. I never heard the sound of an aircraft leaving, but still I thought that I was safe. Luckily I was still hidden in the cave. But would that really confirm my safety? The clicking became louder just like it did when it disappeared.
“Click click click” but this time the clicking didn’t disappear. The clicking kept getting louder and louder.
“Click click click” soon the clicking must have been at most 10 yards away. Now I started to panic, I had thought that the cave would have been safe, but I didn’t think what I would do if someone was close outside of the cave. I obviously couldn’t go outside, I would be spotted for sure. Then it came to me, I could go deeper into the cave, there were so many twists and turns, the person or alien on the island wouldn’t ever find me. But what if I wouldn’t be able to get out? I would be trapped forever.
“Click click click” 5 yards away, I wish I had more time to think but I didn’t.
“Click click click” 3 yards away, still thinking.
“Click click click” 1 yard away, still thinking
“Click click click” no time left to think.
Suddenly a looming shadow was in front of the cave.
“Violet? Is that you?”
“Violet? How did this person know my name?” know I turned around,
“MOM?” it was really my mom, in front of me was my mom, on an alien planet in the middle of the galaxy, somehow my mom found me. Suddenly my eyes started to water. I tried to hold it back, but I couldn’t, so I didn’t.
“M-mom” now snot was running down my face. I sprinted toward mom, ecstatic to see her. I wrapped my arms around her in a big bear hug. My snot was getting all over her shirt, I would usually say sorry, but I didn’t. I didn’t care. I was just glad to see my mom. This may have all happened in ? days. For all I could know I could have been in a coma for a week, without knowing, but it probably was just a couple days. but it felt like I had been on this Island for at least 2 weeks, because of all the things I had been through.
“Mom, how did you find me?” I asked her, finally able to get the words out of my mouth.
“Long story. I’ll tell you in the aircraft” she told me. I looked up at her face, tears were running down from her.
As I was getting into the aircraft, I realized that the aircraft was much bigger on the inside than the outside. There was a small table, in what looked like a living room. To the right of the living room was a kitchen.
“But how did you find me mom? And I don’t care if it is a long story, we both have time and you know it” I said getting back on track with the question that had been running through my mind.
“Your right, I was just trying to stall cause I didn’t want to answer” mom said, looking a tad guilty.
“Well let's start from the beginning” she continued, starting to turn on the aircraft.
“Well it all happened last sunday, (although you probably don’t even know what day it is) but that's not the point. I woke up and went into your room to wake you up cause it was starting to reach one pm. I was thinking, “well this is weird, violet usually wakes up at 9 on the weekend” but when I went into your room, everything was scattered on the floor, ripped homework, bed sheet scattered on the floor, your desk had been knocked over, along with your lamp, your window was broken, glass was scattered everywhere. I panicked, I called the police and filed a missing child report. It had been 2 days before I realized that maybe, you weren’t even on planet earth-”
“How would you even know that there were other places beyond planet earth?” I interrupt.
“Wellllll… so when your mom was younger she may or may not have been a princess in another galaxy…”
“WHAT! AND YOU NEVER EVEN TOLD ME!?” I yelled at her.
“Well what did you expect me to say!? Oh, by the way, I'm an alien princess!? And don’t you DARE say that you would be fine with that, CAUSE N0 ON ONE IS!” she thundered at me.
“Okay, I will admit that I wouldn’t be okay with it, but you could have at least TOLD me!” I yelled back at her.
“DON’T YOU DARE TURN THIS ON ME!” she thundered once more.
“...” I didn’t find any words for that, because she was right. I was trying to turn it around on her, even though I'm the one who started this whole argument.
“I’m sorry.. You can continue” I said, in a soft, small voice.
“Okay. As I was saying, so knowing that there were places beyond planet earth I started to think who would want to take you. Eventually I narrowed it down to the Lakota brothers, and the Sakigh sisters. The reason I thought that there were these to people mainly, is because, they were the people who wanted to capture me the most, because I left my home planet when I was 16, right when I was about to be crowned the queen of my planet, I tried to explain to them that “I wasn't ready”, or “I don’t want to be queen” I tried everything, but they couldn’t be reasoned with. It was hopeless, then I realized that I would have to take matters into my own hands. In the dead of night I found an aircraft, got into it and left. When I was little they would tell us stories about other planets, obviously no one actually believed it, but it was my only chance. But my parents put up: WANTED ALIVE: PRINCESS AKIRA 200000 MELL FOR WHOEVER BRINGS HER BACK FIRST, posters all around the galaxy”
“So you started looking for another planet, went under disguise after about two weeks of relentless searching you finally found planet earth, created a life, found love, married dad. Had 2 kids, and never told anyone your little secret. UGH, these kind of stories are SOOOOOO predictable.” I interrupted once again.
Well… yeah, that's mostly all of it” she sighed. Mom got u[, and got herself a cup of coffee. To think my own mom had been hiding this from me all this time, from DAD, they were like peanut butter and jelly.
“Why didn’t you tell dad? You guys are like peanut butter and jelly” I said, speaking my thoughts.
“Well, your dad can be a very interesting man. He can be VERY unpredictable” she answered, with a sigh.
“How?” I asked, with the sound of anticipation.
“Well, I remember when I told him I was pregnant with you he was very tooken back. He thought about leaving me with the baby, and said it was my fault. Or have random rage waves, and would break stuff. He isn’t a bad man, but he has a very sensitive temper. But we have been working on it, and he doesn’t have a very sensitive temper anymore” she answered.
“Now , can I get back to my story?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.
“ I guess,” I mumbled.
“Where was I? Ahh yes the posters… soon, everyone in the galaxy that could read was after me.(which isn’t that many people, most of the population is more muscle than brain) I managed to escape everyone's grasps, with some very close calls. But then there were the Lakota and Sakigh siblings, everyone else gave up on the mell, but these two pairs of siblings were relentless, they would do ANYTHING if there was a good reward. I heard once that the Sakigh sisters destroyed a whole planet for the diamonds in the mines. And the Lakota brothers, they destroyed an orphanage of disabled aliens. Just for the fun of it” she sighed, her eyes started to water.
“Now THAT'S evil, why are these people so mean? So many innocent lives were taken”
“They're not evil, they're just VERY greedy, and will stop at nothing to get what they want” mom explained.
“Oh, well i’m gonna take a nap” I yawned.
“Bet you haven't gotten a good night sleep in forever” mom exclaimed.
“How have I been gone?” I finally had gotten a chance to ask the question that had been itching inside of me all this time.
“About 2 weeks probably” she said, much calmer than I would have.
“2 WEEKS! Has anyone noticed how long I've been gone?” I questioned, raising my eyebrows.
“Yeah probably, they have also started to question where I am, but I just told them that I went on a trip to the Bahamas to try and cope, about you being missing and all that”
“Oh, well I'm gonna take a nap. Wake me up once we get there won’t you?” I asked.
“Ha!” Mom chuckled.
“What?” I asked.
“Well… this isn’t exactly a normal road trip. Like you know, we are in outer space, you may not know where we are. But one thing I can tell you is that we are a VERY long way from earth. It’s gonna be 3 days until we get home. So I don’t think that 1 nap will be enough to cover 3 days” she chuckled.
“Oh, well I'm still gonna take a nap, and I plan on it to be a long one” I said.
“VIOLET!” my mom hollered.
“Uggghhh” I groaned, mom had woken me up from my nap and I was NOT happy about it.
“What!? If you couldn’t tell I was taking a nap!” I hollered back at her.
“We're home!” mom called in a very cheerful voice.
“Wait, hadn’t mom said that it would be 3 days since we got home? Uggh, probably just a dream” I thought to myself. I ignored my “mom” and went back to bed.
When I did wake up it was too my mom shaking me awake.
“Violet! Look outside! Look!” I opened my eyes to see my mom in front of me, shaking my shoulders.
“What” I groaned.
“Just look outside!” she told me once again. I stumbled off the couch uneasily, my legs still asleep. By the time I got to the circle window and looked outside I was fully awake. What was outside that window was something I had never seen before, a meteor shower. Now I had seen a meteor shower before, but not like this. Instead of rocks flying past our ship were black circles with eyes. The rocks themselves were about the size of a small apartment. And the eyes were about the size of a football.
“Will they harm us?” I asked.
“Well of course not” she said, which sounded like she was teasing me.
“They may be large but they won’t harm us, they just do the same root every couple years” she continued.
“But mom, you still haven’t told me how I got here” I finally asked.
“Well… by the looks of it the Lakota brothers took you. The reason they took you is probably because they thought that you were me. Here they imagine that all humans are short. When I finally found planet earth I realized that I had to disguise myself. But they must’ve figured out that I was hiding there” she explained.
“Ooooooh, well how much longer until we get home? It has been about 3 days by now” I asked.
“Probably about 1 hour,” she answered.
“Ok, well i’m gonna take a nap until we get home” I told her. I got a blanket and huddled up on the couch for my nap. I dreamt of my friends, seeing dad, my brother, and cat. By the time I woke up the aircraft had come to a stop, I jumped off of the couch and rushed to the door. Mom was waiting there with a large smile spread across her face.
“Violet! We're home! Come on!” Mom called with a cheerful voice, and this time it was real. I rushed toward where mom was, but instead of hugging her I ran past her and out the door. We were in my backyard.
“Can I go inside?” I asked mom, without looking back at her and just staring at our back door.
“Of course” she told me. I ran toward the house. I opened the door, and breathed in the sweet scent of my cat's unclean litter box.
“Tappity tap tap tappity” the satisfying sound of the clicking of my dad’s computer. I started to walk toward the door to my dad’s work room, wondering if he had heard the back door open. I started walking toward the door to his work room. I creaked open the door, and saw he had his headphones on.
“Oh, honey, your home. How was your trip to the bahamas?” he asked, without looking up at me.
“Dad” I said. His head shot up from the computer this time.
“Violet! Your home!” he called, tears starting to roll down his face. He jumped up from the chair and embraced me just the way I had embraced mom. My little brother waddled into the room, and he too embraced me. My mom came into the room last. (must have been hiding the aircraft).
“I missed you all so much” I sobbed. Tears had also started to flood my face. We were all a big happy family again. 2 days later dad had asked about how mom found me, but we both said it was a secret.

By Louisa Ferreira, 10, Montpelier, submitted by teacher Lauren Chabot at Main Street Middle School