One Story

College. What a wonderful thing right? All the things everyone could become and the excitement of it all rushing in on you when you think about being independent. Well I realized none of that can happen without an application. Yes my dear friends college applications, the most wonderful thing on earth, no? You wanna know what was on my application. Absolutely nothing. Blank pages flashing before my eyes I was drowned in a burden I could not come out of. In the top left corner there were only three words: I play piano. That is the ONLY thing I had. I ran my fingers through my hair and banged my head against the desk. Unless best snapper in the first grade counted I really don't think I had anything interesting to put on my application. I pushed it away, got up, and went for a walk. I went to the library. It was the one place where everything was a true quiet. No random pitter pattering of feet from your little brother, no random cheeping birds, just peace and quiet. I waved hello to the librarian and started to skim through books. I found one and slid it satisfyingly out from between the other smooth hard cover books. I opened it and smelled the paper, the strange crusty grandma smell was familiar and kind to my nose. I gave a satisfied shudder and closed it. An eleven year old looked at me as if I was insane and rubbed his fingers into his forehead. As I passed him I was sure I heard him say, "This generation is doomed.", I walked up to the librarian and handed her the book. "What's going on Jonah?", she knew practically everything about me. She had been seeing me since I was four. "Oh nothing" I said in an airy tone, "Just my future on the line, it's nothing much at all." I sigh. "What do you mean?" she scanned the barcode of my book and put her hand out for my card. "I don't have anything to put on my application. I haven't done any internships, no clubs or extracurricular activities, no instruments, no volunteer work. Zero. Zip. Zap. " I hand her my card. "Well Jonah you do have a very meticulous character-" I cut her off, "Do I though?" I ask sarcasm sprayed on like a dirty stench. "Yes Jonah you do. You're just putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect. Applications aren't all about interesting things you did or clubs and what not. They just kind of, support your main point." she gives me back my card. "Wait. If you really want something you could volunteer here! You know read to the kids and stuff. Story time! Remember I used to do it with you!" she smiled fondly at the thought. Me and story time? How do those words even make sense together. I haven't had a story time since preschool! "I don't know..." I hesitate, "Oh come on Jonah! What else could you do huh? Please?" she looked at me with her librarian eyes that were kind of like my mom's. I acquiesced and left the library. What had I just done? Well I was desperate and desperate times call for desperate measures. The next day I was at the library waiting for all the little kiddies to come forth and sit as I read to them. They all settled down excitedly chattering amongst one another. "Alright settle down now." the librarian said "Mr. Jonah is going to read for you all today. Enjoy your time and please stay quiet." she put her finger to her mouth, smiled, and moved away. I began, "Happy little monkey, Sad little bear, Cool little crocodile, mad little hare, too many animals, all around. Let's listen up for that big loud sound!" I sucked a breath in, "ROAR!", many of the kids jumped and one cried. The ending might have been a little much because the kids stared wide-eyed at me, practically frozen with fear at the petrifying sound of a lion. After story time was over the librarian came to me. "Maybe you would be a better fit for our 9-13 year old audience. They tend to be a little less scared of people's roars." she chuckled and left to her counter. The next day I was sitting in a room with a bunch of tweens and teens, surly and horribly dressed. "Um, alright are you ready for story time?", one of the kids booed me and another spit on the floor. "Ay you, no spitting on the floor it's disrespectful." I said. I really felt like a nerd saying it but it was the only way to talk to a kid. Particularly a kid with black hair, eye shadow, and black lipstick with a nose piercing and a dozen earrings. "Oh boo hoo disrespect. Such a surprise seeing a kid spit on the floor! Poor little baby." she mocked. I felt anger boil inside me but I kept it down. "Just don't do it again." I said as calm as possible. "Kay" she said in a falsely sweet voice. I rolled my eyes. "So what kind of books do you guys like to read?" I asked, "We're only here cause of our parents. It's just free childcare so.." a girl chewing gum said as she blowed a hot pink bubble. "I like the Wings of Fire series!" a 9 year old exclaimed. "Cool want me to read it?", they bounced in their seat, "Yes!" I began reading. "BORING! I'm sure you're tired, want a cigarette, I stole it from my mom." the black eye shadow kid said. "What! NO! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? Kid you need some therapy!" I snatched the cigarette out of her hand. "Already been to six what's the point?" she replied carelessly. "SIX?" What the fu-" she tutted, "No cussing young man, it's against the rules and very disrespectful." I flipped my lid. "I'LL SHOW YOU DISRESPECTFUL YOU LITTLE RETARD!" I lunged at her and she scurried away screaming louder than a siren. I stopped as she fell to the floor. I laughed hysterically. "Not so tough now you little turd huh? Once you get to my age THEN you'll have an excuse to act like this. For now, eat your Lunchables kid. Oh and also you may need to use paint thinner to get that off your eyes." I walked away chuckling, the sounds of a child crying sweeter than honey. I went back the next day. "Jonah" the librarian said sternly, I already knew what was coming. "I know I know. I messed up. But I can't help it if she was a little sh-" she put a finger to my mouth. "No. You have no excuse. I put you in a group with the special kids so keep your mouth closed and read." she growled dangerously and stalked off. I sat with the special kids who all had their own helpers. "Hi guys! Ready to read?" one kid jumped around joyously another didn't even react. One kid simply growled. Another couldn't talk. They all reacted differently but didn't boo me or anything so that was nice. "Little Red Riding Hood" I read the cover. The kids were all different ages and I knew this would be boring for the older ones because one kid around fourteen rolled his eyes at the name. "You know what guys I'm gonna go full improv on you. Let's start the tale in a far away land" I drift away to my own world...

 On a warm summer morning one fine day I took a stroll down the street. I walked all the way to Crescent Drive breathing in the fresh air and feeling the sun on my cheeks. The day couldn’t be more perfect, until I tripped. I got back up on my feet and brushed my knees off. I lifted my head. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped in awe. The most magical place appeared before my eyes! The tree’s glowed a light blue and grew at an astonishing pace, dying and growing again right before my eyes. There was a river and it changed colors, glimmering in the light of the trees! There were animals the size of mack trucks but in the real world were smaller than a fingernail! There were dinosaurs roaring and stomping all over the forest floor crushing trees breaking them in two! But the trees would instantly grow back full, lushess, and fluorescent as ever. It was as if I was in a dream and the whole world was exactly as it should be. But then I saw figures. They had masks on so I couldn’t see their faces, the masks decorated in red ,black, and white painted to look like a screaming face, intimidating and agonizing to the eyes. Looking at the mask I noticed the world grew colder and fear brewed inside of me brimming to the top of my head and it spilled. I shrieked the most horrifying scream and tumbled over, my breathing rapid, beads of sweat dripping down my face, my heart beating a mile a minute, my thoughts scattered. I shook so violently I bounced on the floor and then everything went black. I woke up with a bag over me, I could feel a bump swelling painfully on the side of my head and voices murmuring beyond me. The bag was snatched off and I looked up. The cold fearful feeling hit me again but worse as I saw the most horrific figure I had ever seen. His hands were rotting away, his mask was pitch black, you could see his eyes but only the blood thirsty glint it shone through the mask. He had a crown that was at least 4 feet tall and a long billowing black cape, he seemed to float even as he was sitting down. “What have you brought me?”, his voice was raspy and cold, it could pierce your soul if you heard it. “Another one my king.” I noticed there was a tall skinny man next to me, his hair long and wispy, black as night. His eyes had bags under them and his cheeks were hollow. “Have you now?” a slit appeared in his mask and slowly turned into a grin, “Excellent Lucifer.” two men grabbed me, they also had rotting hands and that awful cold feeling in their aura. They brought me to the king and crushed me into a kneeling position. The king grabbed my neck and held me in midair. He started to crush my throat, I couldn’t breath, and slowly my head got lighter, but then I was released from the cold grasp of the rotting hand and taken away by another. Everything went black once more. I awoke again with a bag over my head but this time it was taken off much quicker and calmer than the last. “Who may you be?” a voice boomed, he was not visible. “Please I mean no harm, I didn't mean to come here!”I was still slightly convinced that I was in a dream but was petrified at the same time. “That is not what I asked.” the voice boomed again “I asked who may you be?” I hesitated and then said, “Kate?” unsure what this unknown man was going about. “Last name?” He seemed to be waiting for a very specific answer. “Carter?” He is finally visible and looks me straight in my eye “the time has come.” He walks toward another man tall with broad shoulders, blond hair, and baby blue eyes, with a rugged handsome look about him. The man that spoke to me in a booming voice was elegant and grand. He practically shone in broad daylight with a kindly look about his face, his robes billowing around him as he walked, they were white as snow just like his hair and beard, he was very tall and slim, his eyes were hazel, and he also had a big ring on his index finger. He looked very impressive. “Come Kate, there are many things to tell.'' He motioned me to come over and he brought me to a path where we walked. Before we went he threw a bag of what seemed to be coins to the man who supposedly captured me. The tall rugged man nodded his head in thanks and left. We began walking, “This is Arenia City of Lost Souls.”, he said simply “You are here from another world are you not?” he waited for me to answer but I could not, I was amazed at how he knew. “Y-yes.” We kept walking. “Well the reason behind that is Cronor Emperor of Death, he has been breaking the boundary between your world and this one. To capture more and kill.” he paused for a moment “I should probably explain a little further before I go too deep. There are seven tribes in Arenia, Excor the tribe of Death, Caemep the tribe of Wisdom, Scaote the tribe of Peace, Patel the tribe of Love, Wateol the tribe of Caution, Reot the tribe of Legality, and Mandelim the tribe of Life.'' We walked into a deep dark wooded area “These tribes came together because of their emperors, Cronor, Bacel, Marcus, Hanor, Galaf, Dempra, me, and one last leader above all, Frendleluck. They came together to form this world with everything it needed. But Cronor, emperor of Death betrayed the tribes because of greed. He could not hold in his hunger to kill any longer so he started to lure people in. The more each tribe captures the more they get. But Cronor’s greed was so large that he broke the balance between everything and it all crumbled. Then came the explosion which destroyed all living things here. The explosion was not from our world but from yours. The balance was broken. But the world repaired itself more beautifully than ever.” he paused and looked fondly at the color changing river. But suddenly the ground rumbled and shook, bouncing everything around and then a ginormous beast made entirely from rocks stretching 20 feet into the sky came stomping about. It snapped a tree in half and ate it. This did not startle the unknown man at all. My eyes widened at the enormity of the giant. “Oh of course I forgot to explain, everything here is alive, the rocks, trees, grass, river, absolutely everything.” He smiled at the rock monster “Hello Jerald!” the rock monster grumbled back “Hellooooooooo”, it echoed off everything in the forest. “By the way my name is Heronine and I am the emperor of Mandelim tribe of Life.” he must’ve noticed I was still wondering many things about him from my peculiar expression. “Anyway. Cronor is still out there trying to drag more people into this land to kill and feed on. That is why you are here. This land may seem beautiful but it is broken and if I’m not mistaken, it needs you.” He stopped walking and looked directly at me. “Kate Carter, the fate of this world is on your shoulders. You must find the lost souls of Arenia.” The thought was an awful lot to bear that suddenly and it was as if a giant rock were thrown on top of me. “You must find Frendleluck and get him here. Only he can save us and only you can get him.” he snapped his fingers and we were back in his throne room. “How did you do that?” I asked bewildered. “Each tribe has its own power, none can be used to harm anything in nature or to destroy the land. That is a law Cronor has already broken.” Heronine said bitterly. “Now you must go, I will send you to Bacel emperor of Caemep, tribe of Wisdom.” he was about to snap but then I blurted out “Wait I still have more questions!” he stopped “Bacel can answer them for you.” he snapped and I was in another throne room. “Welcome.” Bacel called out. He was frail, with glasses at the brim of his nose, he really did look wise.” I hesitated and then said “Emperor Bacel?” He shifted his gaze toward me. It was as if he could see through me and it was a strange feeling. “Kate Carter” there was a moment’s silence until Emperor Bacel asked, “Heronine sent you?” he tapped his finger patiently in a slow and steady rhythm. I nodded. “Well, ask away.” He crossed his legs and waited patiently. “Um, ask what sir?” He tilted his head curiously “Well your questions of course."

My fantasy world ended and the kids all clapped with joy, even the older ones. "THAT WAS AMAZING!" said the more eccentric kid. One girl used her talking machine to say. "Thanks for that."

I realized I could help these kids, all through my stories.

The next day I arrived in a more peppy mood and I had my story prepared.

To be continued...