Just finished my

Chatterbox: Inkwell

Just finished my

Just finished my Nano book

Annoying. The one word I can think of to explain this horrid place. 4057, new ages call for new changes they said, if that where true we wouldn't be living like this. A gust of wind tries to knock me off me feet, but I grab hold of a low hanging tree branch, side stepping my blowing nemesis.

I hear the sweet melody of a flute, I didn't know exactly who it was, but I did have somewhat of a clue. The flutist, must have been graceful since it was so soft, and of coarse, a girl. of coarse a girl, since that was the only instrument that we were allowed to play. normally we would be at home cooking, or grocery teleporting. the music slowing pulls me into it's clutches, mesmerizing me. hoping the flutist to never stop, but of course, my phone rings.

"Hello?" I say unhappily, holding the phone in front of me, a small version of my father appears.

"Lizbeth, where are you? You were supposed to be getting Josh!" he says upset. honestly, it wasn't much of a surprise, he seems to always point out the flaws in my plans.

"He wasn't home, so I decided to wait by the old willow tree," I lie, he doesn't need to know I got distracted, right? he gives me an exasperated sigh, with a knowing glare. He might suspect but he knows nothing for sure.

"Well you should go back now, I need you home soon, and Josh still need to fix our hover craft," he complains. I give a nod and end the call rolling my eyes. knowing I shouldn't be any later than I already am, I start my journey.

Josh is the same age as me 14, he opens the door as soon as I knock. he has been expecting me-for a while. his dusty brown hair is gently swaying in and out of his eyes, because of my earlier said nemesis, the wind. despite me making him wait, he seems clam, but a little unnerved.

"You okay?" I ask, worried I had made him like this. Josh was normally one of the most laid back people I knew, to make him nervous, is like trying to make me believe that the rules here are fair.

"So I'm fixing your hovercraft?" he questions, ignoring my former words. I nod giving him a very spectacle look. he stares at me blankly, clearly not understanding, witch was getting on my nerves. I balance on the balls of my feet feeling very awkward all of a sudden. "So...should we get going, or-"

"Yes! I mean yeah," I cut him of surprising myself at how loud I sound. he stands still for a moment, then walks out the door, silently closing it behind him. my house was a bout a mile from Josh's so it took as a bit longer than expected with all the people milling around the area.

I hear a branch crack in the wind, and watch Josh flinch. "STARS, JOSH WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" I yell, which causes many angry looks from the many people around us. he jabs my arm with his elbow, making me give a hiss.

"If I tell you will you be quiet?" he mummers I nod unsure to be reassured or worried, Josh acting very abnormal. "They declared another disappearance," he blusters. I open my mouth, ready to ask why this was so important, girls have been disappearing for months, he never seemed this worked up before. he seems to read my expression before I ask, "It was Kyra." I wanted to yawp in surprise, but Josh seemed to notice that, he puts his hand over my mouth. "Don't scream, I'm not supposed to know," he murmurs. I nod of course, Joshes father, Jed, was head of the TSI (top secret investigators). Though, when he said Kyra, I nearly fainted, she and I had been best friends, heck, if you don't count Josh, she is my only friend.

he takes his hand away, and we walk in silence. my house comes into view, but still we say nothing. Josh walks past me and gets to work, my father walks up to me, clearly upset of how late I am.

I sit on my widow sill, watching the stars, thinking. how could Kyra just disappear? she seemed so happy-or as happy as a girl could get here that is. I hear a shout from below, my mother yelling at me to shut off the light. I can't stand to think of her anymore, sleep has always been on my side, maybe I can escape this awful life, for just a few hours. Sleep, you betrayer.

DREAM

"Kyra! stop running! slow d-down," I pant as I race toward her. no matter how fast I am she always seems to be one step ahead of me. trees go past, but I don't bother looking at the surroundings, I just focus on one thing, Kyra. all or a sudden, she stops.

"You, shouldn't have come here, only the worthy can come!" purple smoke bellows out of her mouth as she speaks, I'm dumbfounded standing there watching silently. I reach out, and put a hand on her shoulder. she seems to pale at my touch. "Lizzy? Y-You have to come, help me, please," she spoke this time it was the real Kyra. I stand there dazed watching as my best friends fights with what seems like herself, finally Kyra 2.0 wins. "YOU MUST LEAVE AND NEVER COME BACK!" but before Kyra vanishes into smoke, she speaks one more time, "Look for the clue."

END OF DREAM

I jolt awake shaking from the nightmare, I lean over to check my alarm clock, which had been blacked out. I groggily get up, and look out my window, the sun was slightly pink and orange. I decide I might as well go down stairs and see if all the power is out.

I peek around the corner from behind the stair well, the light in the corner is slightly flickering on and off, which is strange since I just fixed the lightbulb. I reach up feeling for the metal chain, but I feel a rough, thin, substance. Pulling on it, a small yellowing paper falls from the lamp. I stare at it there was no possible that it was there before. I slowly open the paper careful I don't rip it, the parchment seems to feel as if it will disintegrate in my fingertips.

go to the place I loved most watch the glint over head you will find the entrance.

I read and reread the note several times. could this Kyra? or was this just my annoying next-door neighbor trying to trick me? I pick up the note, feeling how fragile it is.

"Josh," I whisper, he would know. on a sticky note I quickly scribble a note as to where I will be when my parents find the note. I throw on my faded army green jacket and dart out the door, making sure the note is in the pocket. I feel the brisk morning wind blow against my face, I shiver despite my jacket, I watch, all the lights seem to be out, which was strange, since people usually get up way early than this. I close my eyes and imagine Kyra's face smiling at me, the last memory I have of her besides the scarcely realist nightmare. the grass, damp from the morning dew, soaking my shoes through, but I couldn't care less. I finally make it to Josh's door, and pound as if I'm being chased by a masked murderer. he opens the door glaring at me, I didn't need him to talk, his eyes said enough, why in the world am I at his door so early. he wouldn't question if he new what was going on.

"What-why are you here?" he says, tiredly. I push the note in his hands he looks at me spunkily as if he is still dreaming. his eyes grow wide, I remember giving him a hologram, about my dream, right before I found the note. "You don't think..." he trails off.

"Her favorite spot!" I yelp "It was the forest we have to go now, make it so we see the sun rise!" I grab his wrist pulling into the cool morning bring him out of his dreary half awake trance. we race along the sidewalk, not a single car rolls by us. I paid no attention to anything, but reaching the leafy trees that forma our deep dense forest. finally, when were both out of breathe, the entrance, which isn't very welcoming practically swallows us up. I turn around, but we seem to already be in the middle of everything, I can no long see the familiar roads and people, only long tall trees that block out the sun.

"Josh!" I yell. walking around looking for him. "Hello? JOSH!" I scream out.

"Sheesh, Liz, no need to yell," he says coming out from behind a tree, I glare at him as he laughs. We walk forward watching our surroundings more carefully this time, trying-but failing- to find anything that could help us find our way back out. finally, I come to an abrupt stop, and let out a small whimper. Josh notices me shacking and tries to look over my shoulder, despite my trying to keep him away he succeeds. there in front of us, is the grave that seems to have been here for years, the only way we know it hasn't, is the careful gentle engraving. the spot dedicated, to my best friend, Kyra Jennings, was underneath a small patch of grass that had grown over the grave. I give a cracked gasp, I soft white spirit floats up, Kyra's slender form egging me on.

"there," I say. pointing to the path way seeming darker than all the others. I know exactly what it is and what it is said to be, but all I can think is that I have to get through.

"No way, no man has ever come out of that alive," Josh says catching my arm.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not a man," I retort yanking my arm away. I take a step towered the trees and I seem to be gone into a different world. the dark trees have transformed into small colorful saplings the dreary morning sky was bright with sunlight and a baby blue sky for miles. I turn around, and find it easy to see every little detail about this new magical land, there were girls everywhere. But the one I was really focused on was the one with especially pale skin and shoulder length brown hair.

"KYRA!" I scream running to her. we seem to run towered each other in slow-motion her arms wrap around me and I ready myself for one of her bone crushing hugs, but all I feel is a sharp wind zip through me, chilling me to the bone.

"You-you aren't a ghost yet," she whispers. I stare at her, not a ghost yet? of course I wasn't and neither was she, because ghosts aren't real. I blink, and I find myself, a whispy see through sprite. I watch Josh kneeling and some girl with long blonde hair in a braid, how weird, I think that's how I wear my hair.

Oh. My. Gosh

"THAT'S ME!" I scream. but no one seems to notice me, all focused on the girl who used to have contained my soul. My father and mother and Josh, all huddled around me, I could swear I saw a tear drip from Josh's eyes.

Kyra stood behind me holding her hand out. she lead me away.

I watch smiling to myself as a young girl beats a boy at soccer. at a girl at the age of thirteen plays. the only remorse I have, is for Josh, I would never see him again, but then again, there were so many famous girls here who were known for making a difference and I, am one of them.

 

what do you guys think? 

submitted by Annabeth C., age 13, CA Sacramento
(November 11, 2016 - 8:48 pm)