In the hills of Manchester lied the symbol of the Royal Government, the headquarters of the Queen, and the birth home of many of the elder HRH’s: Holygrove Palace. It stands in splendor, amongst the other buildings of the government, but much grander. The palace sat in a square, designed for the public, complete with fountains, statues, and Her Majesty’s Gardens. Great, wide steps lead a visitor to the front of the palace, where the gates denied them a chance to get too close, but also gave them an opportunity to see the splendor of Holygrove, adorned with regal brilliance of a royal line dating back centuries. Palace guards, there more as symbolism than protection, lined perfectly against the perimeter, standing in their summer outfits opposed to the usual, as despite this being a day in late October, it was sunny and mild in weather, favoring toward the warm. In the palace, Her Majesty the Queen was adhering to official Royal protocol swiftly attended to and aided by her assistants and aides. Her husband, the Duke of Ely sat in one of the many drawing rooms of the palace, quietly reading the newspaper. Amongst the nation was the issue of the couple; three royals, two princes and a princess, all with the intent of service on the behalf of Her Majesty. Of these issue, many bore their own line of issue, creating branches of the family tree known collectively as the Royal Family. The grandeur and lavish the Royals faced was that of imagination to the common man. They were treated with respect and dignity that many could only dream.

            Her Majesty the Queen, the head of the Royal Government, is briskly walking through the palace hallways. The Royals were holding one of their annual fall garden parties today, and it requires immense planning and preparation to allow for it to be swift and successful. An attentive ruler she is; Her Majesty felt it to be her duty to watch over all events of her realm, especially ones of importance, such as these.

“I’m not quite sure if these should be here. It would give obstructed access to the Grand Staircase,” the Queen said, her accent clear and her wisdom evident.

“Of course, Your Majesty,” her assistant, Roger Barnes.

“I just feel it would be more at place here, as all.”

 “Of course, ma’am” said Barnes, who quickly called an usher to side to tell him the new arrangement, which was changed with haste.

The garden parties were important to the Queen, it gave her a chance to mingle with the “commoners”, her ever-faithful subjects, many of which born under her long tenure as Queen. Yet, it also serves a purpose to the family, separated by all of their official duties as Royals, who now see each other less often than they used to. The parties are their duties, and so all attend the event.

            It was now 12 o’clock; the party began a 1 PM sharp. The ushers and organizers swiveled through Holygrove Garden, placing the final touches to make it to perfection. There are always the guests who arrive too early, and now there were a great amount of people outside of the gates of Holygrove, waiting for their entry into the most prestigious party imaginable. If the staff found that they were complete, then they would allow for the guests to enter ahead of schedule, which would allow for ease of the entire evening. Suddenly, from the road’s horizon, clearly visible from the slight plateau that Holygrove Palace was located on, a black car could be spotted, donning the official Royal seals. Behind the initial car, followed another, and one more, a total of five cars in all, the third, middle car was the largest, it was a limousine to be exact, and in addition to the seals, it had the two flags at its hood, one the Royal Coat of Arms, and the other the nation’s flag. This was evidently the motorcade of a Royal, and this was confirmed when Palace guards opened the gates for the vehicles, which briskly enter the open courts of the Palace’s interior. Once inside the gates, the formation was broken, so that now only that one, largest car headed toward the Palace inner-gates, and into a tunnel, which included a door that lead to hallways and corridors that made up sections of the Main House. The tunnel was added to give the Royals protection and privacy when they enter the home, which at times, and especially depending on the Royal, was quite essential. Yet today, there was no concern of the prying eyes of the public, as the only spectators didn’t watch with the intentions of intrusion but instead of awe of who was inside the car. The Royal’s identity was kept a secret until the car reached inside the tunnel, where the Queen’s eldest stepped outside, with no fear of the public spotting his presence.

            HRH Prince Alexander, the Crown Prince was his official title, the “Crown Prince” section was actually a privilege, and tradition states this title is reserved for the eldest son of the Sovereign. A fairly young man he was, in his forties yet still very handsome and young-looking for his age, and quite tall and with a nice build, the Crown Prince stood there, only a few feet or so from where he exited his state car, yet towards both his left and right we’re guards and Secret Service agents for his protection, the guards in their usual outfits while the agents dressed in their standard, black suit and tie combinations. The Prince’s suit was black as well, yet one could see the faint pinstripes in a certain light, and one could also see well the suit fit his body, how it was cut and tailored in its appropriate places. He stood there, as if to allow all the marvel in his splendorous presence, then he gave a few, Royal waves to the adoring public, watching his every move. After doing this, guards guided him to the tunnel door, and he entered to the sight of Barnes, who received word of the Prince’s planned arrival at this time the previous day.

“Good afternoon, Your Royal Highness. It appears you arrived on time,” said Barnes.

“Of course, I did. Is Her Majesty available?” said Prince Alexander, terse and sharp.

“Why, yes, of course” answered Barnes, with a few stutters prior.

The Royal Assistant led the Heir to the Royal Throne through the hallways of the Palace until he reached the study, where the Queen, his mother, was currently working in one of Holygrove’s many drawing rooms.

With a quick stand, the Queen stated, “Alexander! It’s been too long, it has.”

“Yes, Mother,” said the Prince, who greeted his mother properly with a steady bow from the neck, “it has been quite some time.”

A attendant in the room pours a cup of tea for the Prince, who takes a seat across from the Sovereign.

 I’d say about a few months or so, yet I believe that the Royal duties of the Heir to the Throne would suffice of being the reason of our absence from each other.”

“Of course, of course. Your responsibilities are far greater than those of your siblings, and also are more imperative, as they will teach you how to become a proper monarch.”

“Yes, they will. So all is well?” Alexander quipped.

The Queen dashes a familiar, mothering look, and then said, “Yes, all is fine here.”

There was a silence after that. The Prince’s face smirked of hesitance, and the Queen could clearly see it, and pondered at its presence. The Prince instead sat on one of the chairs in the study and gently clasped his hands together in the proper manner. With that, Her Majesty sat at the desk and continued the final revisions. At last, after she sat, the Prince finally gained the courage to speak.

The Prince gulped, and with his voice faintly cracking, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I arrived so early. To be honest, I chose to arrive earlier than the others would.”

“And by ‘the others’, I’m sure you truly meant Jacob?” said the Queen, sure of her response.

“Why, yes. Jacob, my son, your youngest grandson, and third in line to the Royal Throne. And from the lack of television cameras or photographers outside, I’m assuming he hasn’t arrived yet?” The sarcasm was evident with this Royal father, speaking of his son, a media deity and target.

“Why, no, not yet,” said the Queen, equally sarcastic in her voice as well.

            HRH Prince Jacob of Wales is the younger of two boys of Prince Alexander, and his lineage to the Heir of the Throne has him at third in the Line of Succession. He was the Queen’s grandson, and his looks, as well as his persona caused for much public and media attraction, and at times scrutiny. Though the likelihood of Prince Jacob becoming King was very small, in order to do that, he would have to survive the reigns of his father and his older brother, HRH Prince Andrew of Wales, yet his public appeal was unprecedented, yet at times his behavior was despised by his family.

            Nevertheless, Prince Jacob was a member of the family, and was treated as such. The Queen and Prince Alexander continued their conversation; the opinions clear in their speech. As they talked, their solidarity in their perspectives of Prince Jacob’s celebrity status was prevalent.  The speeches of the elder Royals ceased, however, when Prince Andrew arrived in the room.

            His Royal Highness Prince Andrew of Wales was Prince Jacob’s elder brother, and the two were very close. The straight-laced future heir to the throne was very in tune to his brother’s sense of fun and freedom, as he would never have to endure the responsibility of the Crown, and often defended his brother’s behavior and conduct.

“Father, grand mum” the Prince greeted his elders.

“Andrew, how are you, darling”, the Queen uttered in clear delight, as Andrew walked across the room to greet his grandmother in the customary fashion.

Prince Andrew swiftly pours himself tea as he takes a seat next to his father and across his grandmother.

“I believe that today will call for a very pleasant party,” stated Andrew cheerfully.

“As do I,” his father chimed in with delight.

The young prince sat with his elders.

“You know, I was talking to a man in crowd the other day during some of my military training and above all else he couldn’t stop talking about what the monarchy meant to him. It really makes this all seem worth while.”

“So before, did it seem like a waste of time?” Prince Alexander joked.

“No, father”, Prince Andrew chuckled, “However now, I think I see what the monarchy truly does to the morals of this country”.

“I see that the Crown will rest safely on your shoulders, Andrew,” the Queen stated.

“Thank you, grand mum,” Andrew concluded as he placed his finished cup of tea on the coffee table. He rose to leave.

“I’m sure everything will go exactly as planned today; it’ll be great. I’ll be off now.”

The second in line to the throne proceeds to exit, but stops at the door.

“Has Jacob arrived yet? I’d like to practice some polo with him before the game today.”

“I suppose you would know where he was more than we would,” the Queen stated sharply.

“I haven’t the slightest clue. Father, do you know?”

“No, I have not,” stated the Crown Prince.

“Predictable, I suppose. Your brother does have a reputation for such behavior.”

The Prince was very willing to defend his brother, as he often does, but didn’t. He was wise enough to know not to argue not only with the Queen, the Sovereign, but his grandmother. Instead, he said his good-byes and went off his way.

Prince Andrew was very popular not only amongst the public, but with many of the palace workers and government official as well. To them, the Prince represented the new monarchy, with his younger, looser approach to certain aspects of duty. His blend of dedication to duty as well as ability to modernize had many very optimistic as his future as King. This unique method of duty was evident on the day, as the Prince spoke with many of the staffers of the Garden Party, giving his input and sharing his suggestions when needed. Soon after, other members of the family arrived.

Prince Benjamin, the Duke of York, Andrew’s uncle, arrived first, with his children, Their Royal Highnesses Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret, and Prince Robert. The Duchess of York completed the set of the family. Another one of Prince Andrew’s strong suits is his indomitable ability to socialize. Within minutes of greeting his cousins, a polo game was already in the works, between the two young princesses and the Princes Andrew and Jacob; even if he hadn’t arrived yet. Prince Andrew soon became a bit concerned; he had enough faith in his brother to believe that he wouldn’t arrive late, and he did know that he had a Royal engagement earlier today, but feared for the worst, as he usually did. The Prince had no more to fear, however, as His Royal Highness Prince Jacob arrived.

Prince Jacob had no flashy entrance, as he knew such a thing would be frowned upon. In fact, his arrival was less ostentatious than many of the other members of the family earlier. His exit from the car, and subsequent entrance to the palace, however, was conducted much differently than all previous Royals, as it was a very rushed ordeal; both the Prince and the guards knew that absolute media frenzy would ensue should a photographer spot the popular Prince. When Prince Jacob arrived at the Palace, there was a different aura than that of his brother. With Prince Jacob, it almost felt as if one was in the presence of a celebrity instead of royalty. There have been many occasions when one forgot to greet Prince Jacob with the customary bow upon meeting him. However, as a member of the Royal Family, he was treated with the respect due.

The Prince was lead through the halls by Palace guards, in the search for his older brother. He and his brother’s close relationship was highly evident at social events, as one could often see the two sticking together. After a while, the Prince spotted Andrew outside, with their cousins and greeted him with a hug, a break in formality.

“The traffic was dreadful today,” the Prince said, excusing his nearby tardiness.

Alex let go of everything that had once held him back and let his hands fly. Smack! In an instance one was down and his mind went racing. He couldn’t believe he had killed the um well he didn’t know what it was. His mind raced to find an answer it wasn’t a human not anymore; at some point it had pushed past the ability to be called human. It was now a, a… just then another body raced towards him anger and rage in its eyes. Alex squeak in the pure fear and confusion that had took hold of him. He yanked the ax free of the head of his last victim tears ran down its face as he swung it again. It was only 13 he had once called his neighbor, his friend, Tom. But it wasn’t Tom anymore now it was just another freak like all the other freaks he had seen since he had open his eyes this morning. He tried to tell himself that it wasn’t tom but every thing inside him burn with the desire to take back the blow that had stopped the boys charge. Alex was 14 the biggest worry he had before this was whether he’d pass algebra this quarter or not. He heard a screech from the house next store his heart raced as he glanced at the clock on the wall, 3:30. It was 3:30 eight hours ago his day had started with his mother standing in the door, not to say good morning but to rip his neck off. He knew that the house next store did not hold his family the people that he loved but a load of the freaks that had 4 ago had tried to end his life. Another scream shattered the thought.

            Alex ran outside and found the source of the screaming. Two girls were cornered by a load of the freaks. Everything inside of him told him to run to leave them and run for his own life. But the thought of this new world scared him more then the freaks on that lawn. Alex did not know what lay beyond this block. Whether there were more or if everyone else didn’t know what was happening. Either way he knew he couldn’t leave these girls these, people. Alex saw a boy running by, Mark Coleman a juniors at his school. “Mark stop!” Alex was able to pull the words from his gut. “Grab that bat! Help me.” Alex chocked as he took off in a sprint towards the girls. He had no way of knowing if the boy followed but he did know he would be able to take on the freaks alone. There were three of them once full grown men. As he grew near the junior joined his side looking almost as scared as Alex did.

            “What’s the plan kid?” Mark shocked Alex the human interaction seemed wrong to him after the day that had. The only people that had try to interact with him today try to bite his neck off. “Well I was, um.” Alex dug threw his mind for an answer. “Oh come on kid you have to have to plan you didn’t just call me over to die with you.” Pure panic now leaked from Mark but he nee lost his cool tone. “Yea, I do.” Alex stuttered, Marks words had sparked something in Alex’s brain an answer. Pictures of old video games Alex play ran threw his mind, it was crazy but it just might work. “Go to the right of the freaks ill take the left, you take the heads I’ll take the legs.” “Freaks? I like that, by the way kid what’s yours name, you know just in case it doesn’t’…” “Its Alex and it’ll work.” They swung Mark distracted them so they never saw Alex coming as he took out their legs. The boys took up their weapons and started bashing into the creature that lay on the ground. For a moment the boys were animals drool slid from Alex’s lip veins popped out of Mark’s head. For a moment the two boys had completely left their old sense of reality and entered the new world where they were united not just a freshman nobody and junior sports star that that walk the same hallways, but as teammates, survivors.

            The boys were snapped back by the sudden hugs they received by the girls shaken to the core by the terror of a day they have had. The four took up shelter in a shed trying to avoid the sight of the freaks who chased people down the streets ripping at their skin. Once in the shed they all proceeded to share the events of their morning the girls who Alex learned were seniors from the all girl catholic high school two blocks from his. They were on their track teen and were on their morning run when shit went to hell. Half of the team turned into a swarm of freaks every one left on their team torn apart fell but then got up again and joined in on the madness. They were chasing them, they ran for almost an hour before the whole team broke off and took shelter in Alex’s house probably very shortly after he had abandoned it. But then those freaks them and they lost all strength to run. They had only been able to get outside before they were cornered. They thought it was end. Their names were Jamie and Kara typical names in their boring suburban area. Before today they were probably typical seniors addicted to their go-jo-pro juice and always up for brain links. As mark was sharing his life as a jockey junior who everyone loved even though Alex couldn’t figure out why he thought about what he would say when they got to him. He was just a lame freshman. He wasn’t allowed to drink go-jo-pro because his mom thought is poison even though she had like five a day. He had never ran like the girls or played football like mark. He never linked in to someone’s brain either he just played video games all day and watched TV. The coolest thing he had ever drinking was a sip of wine at a wedding. He was a nobody. Mark finished up the tale of his day one of heart breaking loss with the same cool look he always wears then looked towards Alex. What was Alex gonna say he woke up that morning expecting hugs from mommy and instead almost had his neck torn off. He proceeded to push her off run next store where he was almost murdered. He the killed Mr and Mrs jackson then Tom. He’d found the girls and now he was here in a shed trying to explain himself. He had to make up a better story.

“I was drinking my daily go-jo-pro and I then…” Alex was interrupted Jamie. “ Ew you drink that crap its nasty I never would it’s nasty almost everyone on our team drank it before every run expect me and Jamie that stuff man….” Mark jumped into the end of Kara’s sentence including something about how it would mess up his prefect body or cause cancer or something. Alex didn’t really know he was lost in his own head to confused about what just happened to move forward with marks lecture. He had lied to sound cool but ended up just sound even dumber then he already felt. But under the embarrassment Alex start pasting together facts in his head one his mom drank go-jo-pro every morning before she went to wake him up, the girls who turned drank it before they ran, and tom drank  it all the time cause he thought it made him cooler. This thought only past over his mine for a moment before BANG! A loud nice came from behind the shed followed by screams. The teens dropped to the floor Jamie starting crying. “Shhh” Alex hissed after the first whimper. He edged over to his ax as the sound of footprint made its way closer to the shed. Alex grabbed an ax as a shriek marked the presences of freaks outside. The shriek shock all the teens to the core except Alex whose eyes glowed with determination. He wasn’t going to die inside this shed he wouldn’t let it happen. His thin wall had already been shattered autopilot was off now and he was in charge he rolled towards the door ax in hand. The door slammed open a swarm of zombies looked Alex in the eye he did not blink he raised his ax…. THE END

October 13^th, 2434

He lies there. Blood gripping the outline of his body, bold red.

His eyes.

Both eyes open.

His left eye had rotated to the left. About 1.5 centimeters.  His right eye rotated up by 1 centimeter, and to the right about 1. His brain lies 2 feet away from his skull.

Still functioning.

His brain sends waves through the eyes of the body. The brain begins to search back through the memory cells to recall the events. In fatigue, it goes straight to day 1, when the brain developed.

October 13^th, 2433

            Jonathon awakes in his bedroom perfectly dosed with sleep and energy for the day. He pushes on the glass box surrounding his bed. The top opens at first touch but Jonathon was in a hurry. He was in a hurry to go to Enhancement Facility. He wanted to be on time to be able to receive his award. He stands on the Transportation Apparatus and selects turbo. Jonathon had no time to waste. As he stepped off the TA he caught a glimpse of himself. Jonathon wouldn’t waste time on anything except for one. And that was himself. He examines himself in the mirror and gives a quick wink. Jonathon is very conceited and has the truth to back it up. “Oh hey Kayla. Yea yea I know its big. I won it just for you”. He says in confidence. He then looks down and thinks of what can go wrong. He can either win the 32^nd grade science fair trophy and get the girl, or loose the fair to his nemesis Kevin Muleon. He then shakes off the thoughts reassuring himself that his project will definitely win for he has been studying all year and the neurologic vitamin tablets were a key to his success. He then preceded two steps forward and 5 steps to the right. The halls were narrow and short. He approaches a clear cylinder about 10 feet in height and can fit 2 average people in width. He dials the machine to “light breakfast “ and enters the cylinder. He steps out and gathers his belongings for the Fair and flees out the door.

            As he stepped on the TA he began to feel light headed. His vision came to a blur. His blood pressure was on the rise. His heart racing.

December 30^th, 2433

            Jonathon’s parents came to visit him at the hospital. His mother. Short and pudgy. Her complexion so pale as the white cows Jonathon learned about in Enhancement Facility in grade one. Since that day Jonathon called his mother “moo-ma”. But today. Her cheeks were a soft yellow. Her eyes low and sweat covered her face.

“Jonathon is diagnosed with bran cancer…we are not sure exactly…Creutzfedlt… no cure…sorry for your loss…” The voice of the doctor played throughout her mind as she slowly left the hospital. There was no hope for her son. His disease is found one in every million persons and there is no cure. The protein in the brain mixed with unwanted prions causing his brain to slowly deteriorate. One cell killing 10 every minute.

January 1^st, 2434

            Jonathon has entered a coma.

January 2^nd, 2434

            Jonathon awakes from his coma. His eyes have changed from a brown to a light hazel. The diagnostics made by the doctor turned out to be wrong. Actually, it was a complete opposite. Jonathon’s brain cells were actually developing and reconstructing themselves. He develops brain cells 10 times faster than an average human. He bursts out of the wires hooked onto his body. As he arose from the bed his face showed no expression. The veins on his temples were pulsating. His body moving but not with his intention. His mind has taken complete control of the body. With one glance Jonathon changes the walls in the room to dust. His body then moves towards the control center of the city.

As he levitated across the city windows shattered, buildings were collapsing and the ground shook. The frequencies sent from the brain have taken an inhumane toll. As he approached the control center his eyes changed from hazel to clear. The brain was attempting to reach the city’s control tower. The tower was capable of communicating on a global level. Once the tower was under the brains possession he can control the world. The amount of destruction the brain caused left no chance for any army to stop him. Within minutes the brain used the tower to gain complete control of all humans in the world.

February 3^rd, 2434

            It has been one month. The brain is commanding the world and reconstructing the environment, creating monuments devoted to Jonathon.

October 13^th, 2434

            Jonathon’s brain continues to develop. In size and in strength. Jonathon’s brain is growing by the minute. Jonathon’s skull was not. The brain soon began to push against the top of the skull. As the pressure increased Jonathon began to feel pain. Every bone, every nerve, and every muscle in his body felt as though electrocuted simultaneously. The top of his head began to tear starting from the back of the neck to his far head. Jonathon falls to the ground and his brain rolls out of his skull. The brain has exactly 24 hours to stay functioning. With no legs or arms there was no possibility for the brain to find an alternative body. 

I quivered and shook. There was blood drenched in various pools across the cloths that my mother had presented me with when I became of age. This was also the same day my skills had reached their prime and I became the special woman of my village. Unlike most, my power to control the sacred talismans, had developed unusually fast. Along with the three princesses, our world’s moons, the talisman allowed the ability to travel in and out of the present. The gift to control the talisman was a gift that was within only worthy women, the few of them that remained. Although, the other women were forced to wait for the alignment of the moons to begin their journeys through time, I did not. My natural born power allowed me to travel at various cycles of the princesses. However, no matter how special my power was, it only allowed me to venture as far as a few years.

 My father was the only one who had forewarned me of the allurement to disobedience my gift would bring. The temptations urged me to abuse the gift other chosen women did not have. The priestesses, the most powerful of the women, were law and as law they forbade the travel to the past in fear that it would alter the future. The chosen women, such as what I once was, were limited to only the future and to explore what we did not know. As new women were born, the priestesses deemed worthy only few and bound the sacred talismans to them. The power to control them was something that you must posses at birth, it’s in your blood.

The place where my implanted talisman, the key to my venture home, located in the palm of my right hand, was beginning to fade and along with it the flesh that surrounded it to bind it to me. I had disobeyed and I was paying the price. The price that had been only rumored about among the chosen, for no one had ever tempted to do what I had done. I then understood that even the curious ones that may have tried and strayed from altering the future had no key home. Even with all the power flowing through us chosen ones, we are subjected to time like all others without the precious talismans.

Although clear in color, I could see the stone burn with crisps of red and black. It was dying and my chance to return along with it. The pain of the burns made me scream with agony and beg for the princesses to just take the hand in whole. Soon, there was nothing left but a hole, a permanent reminder of just what I scarified.  

“Priestesses of Uriel, please, save my fate and grant me the power to return to my origin!” I begged to nobodies.

I pleaded for another alignment but alas the three princesses of our world had not yet been created and for all that I knew they would never be created due to my presence. I had tampered with the balance and was destined to be here, in the past, for, what appeared to be, the rest of my life force. I was stuck in an ancient world; one much like my own but was surrounded not by moons but instead plasma and stars. One detail in particular made me especially curious if not fearful of this world; it had a star brighter than any star that had lived in my world. The star was burning, ending its life, I imagined, but not even the death of any of our large stars could compare to the light that radiated from this time’s star.

I redirected my attention from the emptiness in my palm to the streaks of pure heating energy, skewed once more to a haze in the far distance of the sands. The desert that I had landed into when I made my venture was visibly dense containing grains and tiny unscathed pebbles and met the sky at every border. The haze, foggy and mysterious, crept out from behind a sand dune and almost hovered in my direction. With the sand’s unique abundance of purple quartz, I began to recognize this desert as the desert of Aliquam, a desert infamous in my time for it’s luxurious treasures and stones. In my time, however, there was not such an extraordinary source of the stones.

I wrapped my hand, now numb with constant heat, in a patterned sash that my father weaved for me when I was still a youngling. I screeched in utter agony as I pulled it tighter to prevent further bleeding. The blur, once so far in the distance, had made its way to only but a short distance from me. I saw what could be none other than a man, strong and balanced, that walked with such grace that it was as if he were walking on stone instead of caving sand. His wisps of hair slapped around through the fog of air and sand particles.

As he approached me I observed his hands, they appeared as if molded by clay, his entire body had this resemblance. His face, a beautiful mix of lone and wild, only implied other speculations of who he really was. His strange presence tickled my imagination the way not even this forsaken time had once done. I knew not a name but a legend of this creature that was rumored to be born of the sands it self.

“ Why do you travel in this desert? This is the desert of Aliquam and I forbid those who seek petty jewels for mere appearance. Speak your title or my hand shall be forced to steal your life force from your body and spill blood on these already drenched sands.”

  He spoke gently but I could note the piercing fierceness in his tone. He underestimated my persistence and sheer impatience at that point. Disappointingly, I was all but ignorant to this type of being, despite the legends.

“ Peasant,” my voice crackling still rattled with subdued pain, “ you are unknowing of my abilities and my uniqueness among women. I am not who you believe I am to be. I am not an enemy to this time, I am a victim.”

            He stood like stone only but a few steps in front of me, in clear view of my steady drip of blood and yet was not phased, affected, or concerned in the least bit. Although, I didn’t expect much of a reaction to my self inflicted misfortune. He responded contrary to how I believed a warrior would act.

“ Leave.”                                                                                                                                                                                           

With that he turned and walked with such grace it made me stare in awe, never had I seen a man with such pose.

“Wait!”

 I swiftly moved to grab for him and surprisingly for his lack of distance from my reach he managed to evade me and had disappeared from sight.

“ My vision must be deceiving me he must not have been…”

He was gripping the wrist that acted as a passage of blood flow to the empty palm. In that instance I felt nothing but anguish and the instinct to reach for my dagger concealed under my cloths beside my hip. I struck, and missed. The air but only made a hissing sound as the blade sliced through the spot where he was standing only a moment ago.

“ How do you manage to move so swiftly?”, I questioned.

He replied but left himself cloaked or hidden, unsure but surely he was not visible to my eyes.

“ I am not. I am here with you. I wish not to hurt you. Injured as you are you pose no threat to me and any battle will end with haste”

“ Present yourself. Only the sly cower and disappear.”

I threateningly said but the confidence was a mere façade.

Making himself known, he came forth.

“ My name is Abeo. I am a child of these sands and firstly protector of its existence. If have come to posses their crystals for your greed you shall be vanquished at my hand.”

“I wish you and your giver no harm. I am from a foreign world, a different time and place. By my own doing I am now apart of this world and wish only to coexist if no other option of returning home presents itself. My name is Adalia.”

“Adalia, why have you traveled to this world if residing was not a desire?”

I stood my position although I was visibly swayed by the question. It was a question I had never once thought to ask myself. Suddenly, without warning, Abeo drew his blade and stood on guard, his eyes were peering at something in the distance behind me. I turned to face the place of his focus and I began to see what he saw. There was thousands, an army of men. When I turned to face him with questioning eyes I saw another strip of men lining the horizon where the sky met the desert.

“Abeo, what is this? What knowledge have you had of this?”

“Nothing of the sort of treachery your tone accuses me of. These are greedy men having war for power. Leave, now.”

“If you are not my enemy and here we are both victims, I shall stay and fight. I do not cower like most women.”

He grabbed at the sand beside his feet and although there was nothing but grains that initially slipped through his fingers he picked something of solid matter. He tossed me the blade and regaining my composer, I stood with him and waited for the catalyst that inevitably changed what I knew about the world forever.

Should There Be Hope?

I feel like I’ve been with her before. Vividly I can picture her in my mind, yet she still seems so foreign. This plan cannot fail; I don’t know how much longer I can go without assuring my motherin’s existence.

“Elisa! Elisa!” my fatherin screamed over the intercom breaking my thoughts.

“ Yes fatherin?” I replied

“Antonion is here for you…”

Before he completed his sentence I was in front of the door unlocking it. I hadn’t seen Antonion all weekend and craved his presence. I dragged him up to my room before I said anything. When we reached the room he was flustered.

“ Um…Harty Elisa…” he greeted me in-between breaths.

“ Sorry I’m just very anxious, I haven’t seen you all weekend.”

“Yeah I know, I missed you. But what is this plan that you want to inform me of?”

At that moment Antonion gave me his full and undivided attention. I explained how I couldn’t go any longer without my motherin and how much I yearned to have one moment with her. I poured my heart out to him and he took the time to listen. For this I am greatful.

“ So are you going to go with me?”

“Anything to support you.”

The plan is to leave early in the morning without my fatherin catching us. Then we will head North to Nerm where my aunt lives. I haven’t spoken to let alone seen her since childhood but hopefully she will be able to tell me a little about my motherin, enough for me to start a search for her.

The anxiety stressed my mind enough to keep me up for half of the night. Eventually I trekked downstairs to find something calming to drink. With my back turned to entrance I heard footsteps. Slowly I turned around to find my fatherin standing in the doorway.

“How are you down here but I heard movement in your room?” he questioned me.

“Well um..” I stammered.

“ I know you and Antonion are planning something so it would be best if you told me now then waiting for me to find out myself which requires me to go through your belongings. Sit.”

“I guess I have no choice to be honest…You know fatherin as I get older I begin to wonder about my motherin. I mean I can’t go through life without knowing she is out there somewhere and she cares about me.”

My father gave a loud sigh, “ I’ve been preparing myself for this conversation. The story is extremely complicated.”

“ I’m willing to listen…” I urged him on.

“ Your motherin made a great sacrifice for her family. Your greatmotherin died a few months after your motherin was born. Because your motherin was so young the line of rule was past to another family. To get the line of rule back to her family, your motherin made a big decision.”

“Fatherin please get to the point. Where is she?”

“ Elisa you are her.” He mumbled.

“ For a second I thought you said I am her.” I chuckled a little knowing that isn’t possible what he said.

“ Elisa that is what I said”

“Wait how is that possible? How can we be the same person?”

“Elisa when you made a big sacrifice for your family. I know you don’t understand that right now but in the future it will become clear. I’m here as a support to show you what you have to do in order to get your families rights back.”

“ So you are not my real fatherin? ” I replied utterly confused

“ No I’m not.”

No human experiences anything identical to another. We may search the ends of the earth attempting to make my experience your own. It is as if to make you see what I see through my eyes is some unwritten obligation of the human way. Nevertheless, it is impossible. We are too individual as a people. Progression of ones’ self no matter how we try to deny it, is at the forefront of human focus in life. And this so called life is nothing but a collection of decisions made in an allotted time by people who choose to live.

Life day #25185 Events:

• Completed daily morning routine
• Wake
• Fulfill standard hygienic requirements
• Eat breakfast of 1 multi-vitamin tablet, oatmeal topped with rehydrated assorted fruits, and 2 liters of water, and 1 protein supplement.
• Left home and traveled to the university
• Conducted three lectures and lessons on Time Travel 101, Future Time, and Human Time
• Left lecture hall for the Rhoneart’s Sciences Auditorium and accepted the Stielgermier’s Award for Advancement of the Human Race Award
• Returned home and consumed an evening meal and medications intravenously 
• Journal until overcome by sleep

This schedule is my fathers life and he follows it too the letter. When a new event is introduced to the entire schedule it is documented for future research purposes. My father was was a man that lived through his work. As a child I begged for his attention, cried even. I remember at my most desperate moments, I would hold my breath and threaten suicide. Even when I was on the verge of death, his work was his priority.  It was my hope that uniting them change that. I am still hoping. 

Skhi-Lee walked into the doors of her mentor’s office expecting the worse. She was late and knowing his obsession with time, he was bound to scold her. 

“Time, Ms. Smith,” he said as he briefly peered above the pages hiding his face, “ May occur different to you than it does for me. In order for this relationship to work, you must learn to operate on my time. One o’clock means one o’clock. I operate on the time that humans have universally agreed upon. Normal time. One-fifteen is not one o’clock. Your time with me has passed. You are dismissed.”

“Mr. Smith, I”

“ You mean Dr. Smith,” he corrected, “Again, if you are expecting this relationship to be beneficial, things must be done in order.”

“Dr. Smith, my mother is extremely ill and I was on the phone with her doctor in Sacramento. Her kidneys are failing and they are looking at me as a donor. I apologize for being late for our first meeting but you must understand. She is the only...”

“Quite frankly Ms. Smith, Aarina’s health is no longer my concern.”

  “How did you know her...”

“You are dismissed Ms. Smith,” he said sternly

As she walked out of his office she could not help but think that he did not like her. The semester had not even officially started and her mentor and professor already did not like her. Great start to the school year, don’t you think?

“Time, class as you will learn is relative to the human who is experiencing time,” Professor Smith said at the lecture hall podium. “You all  are here because you have demonstrated an accelerated understanding of physics and shown promise,” he continued, “ on your applications that you are the best the world could offer. In this class you will be experimenting with my discovery of high speed time travel. Unfortunately, because I have simply proved its existence, it now becomes time to prove its applications for the human race.”

A student rose his hand. “So basically what you are saying is that we are igors for your scientific endeavors. And hear I was thinking that is would be an honor to learn from Father Time.”

“Your insubordination will not be tolerated in this class!” he said as he slammed the podium with a fist. “If igors are what you would like to consider yourselves, then so be it. I have no time for human emotions. Time is science. Humans have carelessly muddied the waters between science and emotion.”

Skhi-Lee attempted to sneak to her seat.

“A prime example of this is your fellow igor, Skhi-Lee. She again is late to an event where she is to be engaged with me because her mother’s time on Earth is coming to an end. Look at her class. She is in tears. Take Ms. Smith as an example, if you are late or insubordinate in any way you will be dismissed and this opportunity to work alongside the award winning Jarold Smith,” he briefly paused to scan the room of students. “ Ms. Smith this is your last opportunity. If you are late again you will be dismissed from my company.”

As a girl Skhi-Lee was the happiest of people. She was funny to. When ever someone was down or she saw the need for a smile, she would be right there with one of the jokes she found on a popsicle stick. My daughter was the light was the light of my life. 

“One day when I get real big and go to college, I am going to invent a money tree and I will wrap it up and give it to you for Christmas Mommy,” she’d say. “But, only you and me would know I invented it. So, then only us would have money forever and ever.” Money was the least of our problems. When I got sick the light drained from her eyes. She became remote from all things joyous. I wished there was something I could do, but my illness had made me weak and all I could do was try to stay alive. The only thing she seemed to find purpose and remnants of happiness was in her work. She and I used to do mini science experiments. The last one we worked on awarded her the Young Physicists of America award and a full ride Umkington University. UU was all she talked about. I was her dream school and now we didn’t have to worry about student loans and scholarship hunting. She was set. 

In the following weeks of class Skhi-Lee was on time and on point. She lived right under Professor Smith’s wing and for that, other students seemed to resent her. They would often go out to eat.

“Well that was exhausting, come on everyone. How’s Thai sound tonight?” one of the students said.

“I love Thai,” Skhi-Lee said. 

The other students turned to her and sighed. She understood. Her only friend was her work and I was no longer there to cheer her up. My baby was on her own. Life can be a scary place when you have no one. It can change a person, force them to do things that contradict who they are.

“Today we will be transporting small invertebrates with timers,” Prof. Smith announced.

Students immediately went to their assigned stations. Skhi-Lee worked alone.

“You will need to make sure that both the timer at your station and the one being transported transported are started at the same time,” he continued, “You will do this nine time and record all data. I will need all quantitative and qualitative data for my records. I will return in one hour, twelve minutes, and twenty-four seconds. Begin.”

Time travel had become common knowledge to the students, it was the speed at which an  object could travel that would set one students findings apart from another.  Skhi-Lee was the only student who was seeming to show progress. The rate at which her invertebrates were traveling doubled every other trail and her invertebrates were demonstrating less abnormalities. The worked diligently for one hour, eleven minutes, and  twelve seconds. At that time Skhi-Lee’s phone rang. It was the hospital calling about me. The nurse told her to come immediately. They needed to talk about other donor options. Immediately, she broke into tears and darted to the door. By this time, one hour, twelve minutes, and twenty-four seconds had passed and Prof. Smith was walking in. He grabbed her by the arm.

“Where do you think you are going Ms. Smith?”

“The hospital called. I have to go. It’s an emergency.”

“Our time is not finished here. You will stay,” he replied.

“ All you talk about is time!” she nearly shouted. “  Time this and time that. Sir, my mother is very low on time and I am all she has left. Her time is my time and because of that, today my time is finished here.” She walked around him and out the door.

“Your time with me is finished Ms. Smith.”

At the hospital the nurse explained that Skhi-Lee was not match and could not donate her kidney. Without a donor, I had only three days left to live. Time was not on our side. 

“Are you sure that there is no other family?” the nurse asked.

“No,” I replied “The last of my family abandoned me a long time ago.”

“Mom , they died.They didn’t abandon you. It was just their time.
My medications got the best of me. “No Skhi! Yo don’t understand. He turned his back on us. His work was his life not his wife and daughter.” By now i was sitting straight up, my eyes blood shot red. “ He is alive and doesn’t even care that I am on the verge of death!”

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“That man is horrible. Every time I hear you on the phone nearly in tears because of him. it brings back the nightmare that was my childhood. I can’t bare it.”

“Who are you talking about. Nurse can you come in here please.”

I was panting like a dog, gasping for air. “Your professor...”

“ Step back ma’am. we are going to have to sedate her. Don’t want her to go into shock,” the nurse said.

“... is your grandfather,” I whispered as I slipped into a medically induced sleep.”

Through her tears, Skhi-Lee some how found her way back to campus. For a day and a half she did nothing but cry. Her body was heavy with the weight of what now lay before her.  Should she ask the callous man that turned his back on his family for science for a kidney to save his daughter’s life, or live not knowing his response, without a mother.

Covered in tears, but dressed as if she were about to be interviewed, she dragged herself to Prof. Smith’s office.

“I can’t believe that in all this time, you knew and still you punished me,” she started.

“I am not sure why you are here Ms. Smith. I dismissed you all of two days ago. Why are you in my company?” He never removed his eyes from the documents before him.

“My mother lies on her death bed and the only one who can save her is you, her father.”

“My daughter has run her course and her time is coming to an end. That is something that I can not avoid. Something I will not avoid.”

“You can not possibly be that heartless she is your daughter! I am begging you.”

“I chose a life, Ms. Smith, that was detached from emotion. That means that I have no family. Those ties were slashed at my discovery of high speed time travel, at my success as a professor, at my superiority in the scientific community. I have no family. You have no grandfather. And my daughter has no father.”

Within an hour of that conversation I was dead. My funeral was brief, Skhi-Lee my only attendee other then the minister. Her life went to a dark place after that. Prof. Smith let her back on is team of igors and she began to excel even beyond her master. But, the dark of my death clouded her mind. She blamed  my father for my death and dreamed in revenge.

He claimed to have removed all human emotion from his life. To him sadness, regret, and true loneliness were irrelevant human creations. To make him feel this things would cripple him. But, how do you make a man with no heart feel? You attack the one thing that he does love. His work. With the research that she was already breaking into, Skhi was already ahead of Prof. Smith’s research. High Speed time travel would soon be a thing of the past.

“No!!”

Jin shot up in her bed, screaming into the darkness. Once silence overcame the room again, she brought her fist down on her pillow, clenching her teeth. Every night was the same: she woke up screaming, sweat trickled down her forehead, she felt sick to her stomach, and she trembled in fear.

She buried her head in her hands, silently sobbing. ‘The same dream.’ she thought. ‘The same damn dream!’

Out of all the dreams she had for the past weeks, this was the worst. Everything was just so vivid, clear as day. There was maniacal laughter, the glint of a knife, a splash of red, screams, and the unmistakable sound of metal piercing skin again, and again, and again. It was all over in a flash, but it still chilled her to the bone.

            Still groggy, she walked into her bathroom. Tiny motion sensors installed in the doorway activated, filling the room with a warm, yellow light. She was never very tech-savvy, even when technology reached a new high with hover cars, robots, and microchips, but she was extremely grateful for these motion sensors. As twitchy as she’s gotten over the past few weeks, she had trouble handling simple things like a lightswitch.

She looked at her mirror, studying her reflection. She was a mess. Crust was built up in her sunken eyes. Her skin, instead of its usual tan, was a sickly pale. Her black hair was unforgivably frizzy, resembling a giant hairball on her head. Great. She felt sick, and she looked even worse, and how couldn’t she? These days, she was lucky to get three straight hours of sleep before the nightmares came back. They would be the death of her. It was clear: she needed help, and needed it soon.

----

Once morning came around, the nightmare still lingering in her mind, Jin stumbled into her living room. When she did, a robotic voice echoed from her personal P.A system.

“Good morning, Ms. Walker.” it greeted in a robotic, female voice. The blinds slid open, allowing stingingly bright light to pour into the room. Jin shielded her eyes from the offending light, groaning in protest.

“Power off!” she growled. The blinds closed back shut immediately, leaving Jin in her shady home. She let out a reluctant sigh. She didn’t want to use that ‘revolutionary helmet’ that got everyone all giddy, not with the way it worked. Apparently, through some technobabble nonsense, it allowed you to enter your nightmare, sort of like ‘living’ in it. That way, you could find the source of your nightmares, confront it, and overcome it. Why anyone would want to meet their nightmare in person, Jin didn’t know. There were even complaints about physical pains experienced in the dream world being carried over to the real world, though those people didn’t seem to mind too much. Then again, those people probably didn’t have nightmares involving death.

On the other hand, Jin wasn’t going to blow five-thousand credits so some jerk in a nice suit would waste three hours of her time just to tell her to ‘take it easy’. It looked like she didn't have much choice. After all, desperate times.

After retrieving the helmet from her closet, Jin sat down on her living room floor. As much as she didn’t like it, she had to admit, the design was appealing. It was round and sleek in design. Its chrome finish seemed to shine even in the shade of her house. At first glance, it seemed to be a very nice-looking hovercycle helmet, with a visor, padding inside, and a chinstrap. The only real difference was a controller connected to the helmet’s side.

Jin picked up the controller. It was small, rectangular, and black. It had only a switch and a dial, so it seemed simple enough. There was the ‘On’ and ‘Off’ switch, and the dial seemed to be for setting the time.

“Okay. Let’s give it a try.” Jin said, though doubt lingered in her mind. Was this thing really going to help end all of this? Could it? Only one way to find out.

“Now, let’s see…” She picked up the helmet and placed it on her head. The next thing she grabbed was the controller, focusing on the time dial. “Let’s go for a…thirty minute test-run.” She turned the dial until it was pointing at the 30-minute mark. All she had to do now was turn the power on.

“This had better work.” With a deep breath, she slowly flicked the switch to ‘On’.

Immediately, a tingling sensation wrap around her head as the machine hummed to life. The feeling persisted for nearly ten seconds until Jin felt a sudden drowsiness overcome her. Her body became weak, her eyes became near impossible to keep open, and soon enough, she fell back on the floor, eyes shut as she drifted into sleep.

----

            Jin’s eyes snapped open as she shot up from her place on the ground. Her vision was blurry and her head was aching. Did it work? Was she dreaming? Once her vision came back, a quick look around gave her an answer. She was no longer within the confines of her home; she was sitting on the cold, hard driveway of an average, two-story house. As plain as it was, Jin recognized it. It was the home where she grew up. Strangely enough, she couldn’t remember much of her childhood. The only real significant things she could remember were that her mother was ill, and her father, a doctor, was trying to find a cure that always eluded him. Everything else was a blur. But what was she doing here in the first place? What was so important about it?

            Jin was so caught up in thought that she nearly failed to notice something else. Looking around, she found herself surrounded by an impenetrable shroud of fog. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t see a thing, save for the house, as if she was being directed towards it. Not only that, but Jin couldn't hear a thing either. Nothing, not the chirping of birds, or even gusts of wind, like they didn't even exist. The place was just silent, eerily so.

            Jin tried to shake off the worry, telling herself that it was all just a dream. A nightmare, yes, but still a dream. She got up to her feet, looking up at the house.

She heaved a heavy sigh, trying to dispel the hesitation built up inside. "Okay, let's do this."

            She approached the front door. Aside from the surrounding fog, it seemed safe enough. However, when she tried to open it, she found that it was lock. Of course it was.

            “Couldn’t be that easy, could it?” Jin muttered, chuckling to herself.

            “What have you done?”

            With a shocked gasp, Jin whipped around, darting her head side to side, trying to find the source of the whisper. There was nothing around her, no one in sight. Jin knew that it was a man’s voice, a strangely familiar one at that. Even stranger, Jin could’ve sworn that it was right behind her. She couldn’t be that paranoid already, could she?

Jin turned back around, calming her racing heart only to have it speed up again once she saw that the initially locked front door was open. Well, not open, gone, hinges and everything, like it was never even built in. The new entrance lead into darkness, one that Jin would have to brave if she wanted to find the answers for her nightmares.

“It’s only a dream. It’s only a dream. It’s only a dream.” Jin kept saying, which didn’t help much. With her breath held, she crept into her childhood home, unaware and unprepared for the answers she would find.

As her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, Jin could see that she was in the living room. It was rather cozy, if not antique in design. Instead of the fancy holograms and streamlined furnishings she’s grown used to, the decorations seemed to have come from the 21^st century. A nice, red couch sat in front of a fireplace. If Jin wasn’t scared out of her mind, she may have taken a rest.

Jin observed an end table next to the couch, spotting a framed photograph. Picking it up, she saw that it was a photo of her parents before her mother’s illness. It seemed to be a vacation photo, because they were both at the beach, wearing swimsuits. However, Jin noticed that a piece of the photo was missing, torn out. Jin turned the photo over, looking at its back. Despite the darkness, Jin was able to make out ‘Florida ’59’ written in black felt-tip pen.

“2259?” Jin mumbled to herself. “I was five back then.” Then where was she in the photo? For some reason, her place in the picture was torn out, but by who?

She didn’t have much time to think of an answer before she heard something that nearly made her heart stop. In the dead silence, Jin could hear slow, heavy footsteps. They were faint at first, but slowly grew louder, and louder, and louder. Someone, something was approaching her, each step growing louder as they pounded in her mind. Jin flipped into a silent panic; her body was stiff, but her mind was racing a mile a minute. What was she going to do? Could she run? Would it catch her? Where would she go? All the while, those footsteps were getting louder, getting closer, until...they stopped. They stopped behind her. Jin froze up; she didn’t move, didn’t even breath. It took all she had not to shriek as she felt cold, musty breath brush against the back of her neck. She could feel it staring down at her with its cold, dead eyes. This was unbearable! Why wouldn’t it just leave?

Then, for reasons Jin couldn’t describe, maybe stupidity, she found herself slowly turning around, keeping her eyes shut as she did. Only when she was certain that she was facing her stalker did she muster up the courage to open her eyes. She expected to see a ghost, a demon, a man slapping a goat, anything but what she did find: nothing. Again. Even after the fear passed and her heart calmed down, she was still left speechless, confused, and above all, angry. Really angry. Angry that this place was teasing her, toying with her emotions like it was all some sick joke. There was no way in this nightmarish hell that there was nothing the whole time!

Jin clenched her fists, trying and failing to contain the anger bottling up inside. Just when she was about to explode, a door next to her swung open, slamming into the plaster wall. In an instant, all of Jin’s rage left her in a very shocked, not-angry yelp. Once she got a hold of herself, she stared into the darkness of the room beyond. Somehow, it was even darker than the living room, but Jin could hear something coming from it. Whispering? Yeah, it was whispering. Jin couldn’t make it out, but it sounded like something was calling her. That was when it hit her. This place, this dream, was leaving signs and signals for her to follow. They were leading her somewhere, but to what? Jin just had to decide whether or not she wanted to find out.

She didn’t have much time to come to a decision. A sudden sense of drowsiness came over her, making her brain numb. Her legs became jelly, her eyes became heavy, and her whole body in general just grew weak. It didn’t take very long before Jin collapsed, unconscious before she even hit the ground.

Her thirty minutes were up.

"Yes, the chip has just been activated. Everything is in place and working Sir."

"Marvelous, now I just need to take him to the Commander. (Snaps twice) Guards please escort Alex to Commander Mitchell's Space Room. "

Something was different about me. My hair was fine. There was nothing in my teeth. There were no wrinkles in my clothes. I couldn't quite put finger on it but I know something was up. Where am I even at? I had never seen this place ever in my life. The room's walls were covered in outer space wallpaper. The floor carpet was jet black. The weirdest thing in the room was the desk that was shaped and painted yellow like the sun. Whoever room this was must have an extreme obsession with space. Walked in was a tall slim male saying, "I am not obsessed, I just think outer space cool." How did he hear me? I didn't say it out loud. Can he read minds? If so, that is incredibly cool. He laughed saying, "No I do not read minds that would be cool though if I actually could. But let's focus, I will explain everything in a moment. Do you know who I am, Alex?

“I am Commander Mitchell of the Human Fleet Assembly. The reason you are here is because we need your help with destroying the Martians for good. The reason we chose you is because you’re different. You may not know this but you were developed in a lab. Dr. Sylvia, your creator, actually used you to test her new instantaneous thinking chip. You were the only survivor that is why you are so valuable. You are the weapon to defeating the Martians.”

Wow, so that explains how he heard what I was thinking and replied so fast. I not sure on how I feel about everyone relying on me to defeat the Martians. I am just a kid. That is a big responsibility. Wait, if I am capable of thinking instantaneously then Commander Mitchell just heard everything. Way to go Alex. “Sorry, Commander this is all new to me.”

“Alex don’t beat yourself up about it. I understand this a lot to take in. As you said your just a kid, and I making it my mission to get you fully prepared for the Martians. So don’t worry. Just remember what you think the whole planet will know, so watch what you say buddy!” he said with a funny giggle.

Commander Mitchell was serious when he said he wont stop until I was fully prepared to fight. We have been training together for six weeks now. I learned so much since then. He taught me everything from mathematics to army techniques and even literature. We played the game Battleship everyday also. I never quite understood why. He simply answered saying “it will come in handy some day, you’ll see.”

Although I felt mentally powerful, I felt the physical features were not present as much. So it was to the gym I went. After 3 weeks of non-stop exercising I became extremely fit and muscular. Now I was definitely mentally and physically strong and ready to fight. I just needed the thumbs up from the Commander.

“Now Alex if you pass this test, with out a doubt you would have proved to me that you’re ready.” Rumor has it that no one has even been close to passing Commander Mitchell’s special test. I also heard that this is the hardest test known to man. Hearing those rumors did not scare me at all. My confidence was high as ever. I was ready.

There was still unfinished business with the Martians. The fight was still on and serious as ever. They invaded our land and killed many and we did exactly the same to them. It was uncertain to say the winner just yet of the battles. We were similar in so many ways it was hard to understand why we hate each other so much. The last fight was the “Battle of the Seas”, whoever won the fight was in control of everyone and everything. This meant the opposing opponent would have to surrender.

The Martians were absolutely ruthless. They threw cannon after cannon at our naval ships. The smallest boat of ours was hit, killing 1,000. That was it. I was fed up and needed a plan as soon as possible. That’s when it hit me, Battleship! I can use my skills to find the exact latitude and longitude of the Martians ships and eliminated them.  

“G9 Go! Shoot it!” I screamed to the men regulating the ammunition.  A minute later, on of the Martian ship blew up into a million pieces. Commander Mitchell was right about the game battleship being useful. With the biggest grin on my face I began shouting out all the coordinates of their ships. “B7, A1, E3, C2, D4 & F6 Let’s go, fire them up!” After the last missile was launched, each Martian ship was taken down. Every one on the boat screamed with joy. We did it. We won. We defeated the Martians.

Once we sailed back to land we quickly celebrated our victory. Commander Mitchell patted me on the back and said, “Great work Alex. I told you could do it. I am also glad I got to watch you do it. You turned from a fifteen year old kid to a young warrior. I am so proud of you!”

 I was extremely proud of myself also. I was the fifteen year old that was the brains of an operation that defeated the powerful Martians. This was an experience I’ll never forget.

"Don’t let your age prevent your from doing something amazing." – The Great Alex Za 

From then on it was my dad and I. He on the other hand was quiet, to him self, and had a stern look that could make a MMA fighter wet himself. With my dad you were better off not talking to him unless you were bleeding to death. Two years later my dad married again, to a woman named Demetra. She, like my dad, could be quite intimidating.

Piling on the fun, Demetra had a son named Richard. He was my age and had a sour face. As I grew in this dysfunctional family he became known as ‘Dick’ to my friend David and me. Believe me the name fit. Dick tortured and bullied me all through out middle school up until high school.

“What’s up Luis-And-Clark?” David popped into my room in the front of the second floor.

“Nothing much my werewolf compadré.” That was my friend David Lucian, hence the werewolf nickname. He was kind of short, and weird, but he was my best friend.

“So have you talked to Rora yet?” David elbowed me as I sat at my desk doing math homework.

“Nah, she wouldn’t want to talk to me.” I shrugged it off. Aurora Lynn was a popular girl in our school who I used to be friends with until her jock boyfriend and his boys threatened me.

“That’s right dork. She is way outta your league.” Queue the annoying and abusive stepbrother from hell. “But I totally wouldn’t mind hittin that fine piece of –“

“Don’t talk about her like that!” I yelled. She was the girl of my dreams, beautiful respectable and brilliant. Yet he talked about her as if she were one of the other girls. With in seconds of my outburst was a fist aimed at my lower stomach. As I doubled over from the blow I felt the mop of dark brown hair on my head being pulled upwards.

“Listen here Nerd-Turd, I’ll do what ever the hell I want, and you wont do a damn thing. Got it?” Vigorously I nodded my head as well as I could. “That’s what I thought douche bag.” As he walked out of my room David came and helped me up. I never looked at him for help since he was shorted than me, and just as scared of Richard.

“No . . . more.  David. No more. I can’t take this. Its time for a change.” As if fire was running through my veins I dashed to the door, locked it, and back to my computer. Fingers like lightening I typed the only way I knew how to beat Dick.  I was going to find something using the almighty Internet.

~One Month later~

How did it turn out like this? All I wanted was a normal life. One where I was cool, had fun, and could be with the girl of my dreams. I never should have gone to that website. I can still remember the words it said.

Youth, Strength, and Agility

Have all you’ve ever dreamed and more.

The elixir of the gods.

I never thought that when they meant youth, that I would stay 18 forever. That ‘special’ elixir they were selling was vampire blood, and it came with a price; Eternal Damnation.

A week after receiving and drinking the elixir, I started to change. My hair, once stringy and almost black, turned full and grew golden tints. My brown eyes, turned completely black, my naturally tan skin slightly paled. I didn’t know what was happening, but it felt good. I felt stronger, looked it too since I was no longer lanky but filling out my skin. There should have been a damn warning on the bottle.

-WARNING! Don’t drink this unless you never want to see the sun again. -

Yeah that would have been good since my first day as a vampire I ended up getting a huge burn on my arm from the light coming though my blinds.

I’m not proud of my choices in life. I never thought I would kill people, or scare the only girl I cared about.

A week after my change I went to a school party that was, thankfully, after sundown. The only one who knew about the ‘new me’ was David. He didn’t take it too bad. He was scared of me at first but soon realized that I was still the same person. So we went to the party, and I tried to keep a low profile. I didn’t buy into the idea of the animalistic cravings for blood, but I didn’t want too many people asking questions that I didn’t have answers too.

Then I saw something that made my, nonexistent, blood boil. Richard was holding Aurora in his arms, but she obviously didn’t want him to, since her arms where bracing herself, and pushing away. He gripped her butt, sucked her neck, and I was seeing red, specifically the veins in his neck and arms. I couldn’t help my self. I lunged, flying past people so fast that there was only a dark blur, and gripped him by the shirt. He was frightened at first since I had appeared from nowhere. Then after he realized it was just me a cocky smirk was on his face as if I posed no type of threat. He was painstakingly wrong.

I dug my hand into his neck as I walked to an empty room. He started to turn pink, then red, and almost purple from my vice grip. Now I’m going to spare the gruesome details, and just say he didn’t stay purple too long before there was crimson liquid covering the beige walls. I killed him out of fury never expecting that the love of my life was close behind me and saw the entire thing. I turned around when I heard the door knock into the wall. Aurora in all her golden hewed glory stood staring at me, but never running away. Out of shame I opened a near by window, jumped landing in a crouched position and ran for ever-lasting life.

I ran, ran away, ran to make distance, and ran for almost an eternity, simply to make a space between my past and me. I stopped only to land in Canada, in a forest, surrounded by trees. I found a cabin, which had been vacant for a long time, based on the lack of electric work and abundance in dust and cobwebs. This would be my home; I would feed off of animals, keep a low profile, and distance my self from the world.

Hopefully