Emma Rinders

“Emma, you are to be given just a few months for you to complete this mission.” A low voice jolts me from my sleep.

“Whazzuh?” I ask, confused. I had only just gone to bed when something hit me-I assume a tranquilizing dart. 

“You might be wondering: ‘Why me? Why not someone else?’ I chose wisely.” The low voice rumbled. I couldn’t find the words to express my feelings, but when I did, I found it hard to say them. Oh, stop being so childish, Emma. Just quickly get over with it.

“I-I don’t understand…” I stammer. “Couldn’t y-you pick someo-…” My voice decided to fail me there. I couldn’t get any more words out. 

“I wouldn’t want to pick someone that’s not shy.” The voice hissed from the shadows. I could only stare into the darkness as the voice echoed around me. “I’m not a bad guy, you see.” That barley calmed me. “If you don’t get this whole story out on the news, the one everyone watches-the world will end.” I wanted to ask a million questions; I just couldn’t get anything out. “I repeat. If you do not say this whole entire article on TV-the most popular news channel that everyone watches to be exact, the world will end. Everyone will know it’s your fault because I will tell them. Get. The. Word. OUT!” 

I was once again, knocked out. I opened my eyes in my bedroom, and saw possibly the worlds thickest book-or article sitting on my bed. A note was attached to it.

“Save the world.” The note read. I sigh and plop into my bed. Couldn’t the voice have picked someone else? There’s a billion other people out in the world that can do this job. I don’t understand why I have to! I groan and turn on my lamp. Sleep was not going to come to me for the rest of the night. Might as will get stared on the “Saving the World” project. 

I didn’t believe this “Saving the World” project. But I didn’t want to be ashamed in front of the whole world. Yet, was this true? Or was it just a dream? But if it was a dream, what about the book sitting on my bed? How did that get there?

“I cant wait to finish this, what glory it’ll be.” I grunt, flipping through the book. I paused when I realized I didn’t see who this book was by. I close the book and stare at the cover in shook. Unable to process. 

Saving The World-Writing by Emma Rinders.

I couldn’t have written this book, it was impossible! I couldn’t read any longer, I left the book on my bed and run downstairs to get a glass of water. Perhaps this was all just a dream. Liam was sipping some milk in the kitchen when I arrived. Liam was my twin, and the only one who understood me.

Liam has brown messy hair and green eyes, just like me, exepct I have smooth, long brown hair. Liam has light freckles sprinkled across his cheeks, and I have nearly the same. 

“Hi, ‘M.” Liam greets, a bit groggily. ‘M is my nickname. I wave and get my water, not looking at the milk-drinking Liam. “Bad dream?” He asks. I can feel his gaze burning my back. I shakily place the cup down.

“I…I…Hav…ve t-to sa…a…ve th…” I gasp. Liam tilts his head at me.

“You have to save something? An animal?” Liam guesses. “Oo! I know, the world!” I nod frantically at that. “Why do you have to save the world- how?” I point to my mouth. “By making a speech!?” Liam sounds surprised yet sympathathetic. I stare hard at the floor, as if it would swallow me up. Why couldn’t I speak probably and get everything out? Why did I have to stutter-or always just suddenly stop on my sentences?

I pick the cup back up and finish my water in one gulp. I stayed downstairs and listened to Liam talk. Liam’s a chatterbox, I’m not. 

“One time, in school, our teacher was chewing bubblegum; which is not allowed in our classroom. He did it secretly until someone found out and exposed him. After that, he gave each of us a piece of gum. He still does it.” Liam dreamily murmered. I lay down on the cold, hard, titled floor and smiled.

Liam always made life better.

***

“Emma, after your done eating breakfast, go wash the dishes.” My called as she headed upstairs to do her hair. Even though my parents didn’t show it, I could tell that they disliked me. They never made Liam do the dishes, and whenever they asked him to do something, they always said please, or thank you. But to me, they just asked me to do something. I sigh and finish eat my waffles (with syrup of course.) And head to the sink. 

I didn’t hate washing the dishes, but there was a lot of other things I could’ve done. I was barley a quarter of a quarter through the book. Actually, I was somewhere between page 50-51. I wish Liam could’ve done it, I didn’t want to do it. Perhaps it was a mistake. 

After I finished washing the dishes, I head to my bedroom to see if I can take a nap. The voice only visited me when I was alseep, so if I slept again maybe the voice would visit me again. 

My eyes closed and I pulled the covers up.

“Emma.” The rumbling voice greeted me. “I did not choose the wrong person.” I could only stare into the darkness that hid the voice. 

“N…Name…?” I stammer. There was a pause before the voice whispered.

“My name shall be concealed for now. Wake up, little one. The world is ending soon. Better hurry up.” With that, I opened my eyes and stared up at the white ceiling. 

Life is so weird. I thought while I open my laptop. YouTube was opened in google chrome, so I scrolled through. A video in the corner caught my attention. 

Voice. 

I click it.

***

I take a deep breath and hug my books tighter to my chest. I had one mission today. An easy mission you might think, but not for me. I was at school, and I always wanted to be friends with a group of girls in our class. They were really nice. Today was the day. I take another deep breath and brace myself. 

They were coming. Laughing and talking with ease. As they pass by I open my mouth as if words would come out-

But no words came. The girls passed by without noticing me. As if I was just a shadow, hidden in the darkness. I sag and swing my backpack over both my shoulders. The spark of hope in my chest had been washed out by a wave of dispair. 

Why couldn’t I just be normal?

***

That night as I lay in bed, I flip through the book. There’s on chapter about speech, and other chapter about…I stare hard at it. A different language? Or, perhaps, was it a drawing of some sort? 

I turn off my lamp and stare into the darkness. The Shadow would be visiting me soon.

***

“Emma…Emma…Emma…” I heard the voice rumble. “You can’t expect to hear me every time you close your eyes. What question is it now? You’ve summoned me. Do hurry, I was in the middle of a card game.” I hesitate before speaking.

“W…wha…t…t d…o…oes…Cha…S…” I croak. 

“What does this chapter say?” The shadow asks, appearing in front of me. It was just a shadow.The shadow held up a book and flipped to the page. “Ooh,” it muttered. “That is for you to figure out.”

“N…Name…?” I whisper, but the shadow was already gone. I dream myself in front of the whole world, but I couldn’t make the speech. I opened my mouth, but my voice was stuck in my throat. I wail, but no sounds comes out. Everyone is laughing at me…Even…I jolt awake. My palms are sweaty as I reach for my lamp.

No, no, you were dreaming. Liam would never… I can’t shake the feeling of something…I knew Liam loved me as a twin…But…Why couldn’t I just shake off that feeling? That feeling that Liam was up to something…

***

I was ready. I had practiced my speech.

All in my head, of course. The deadline was coming up soon. Two more weeks. I had time, I didn’t need to worry. Currently, I was trotting to my living room, which is far from the kitchen. I’d just made myself a nice sandwich, and I was ready to watch some movies. Voices floated from the living and I stopped short. I quietly placed my sandwich on the nearest table and crept to the living room. I ducked behind a couch and listened.

“Liam, your not trying hard enough!” 

“Of course I’m trying hard enough, Mom!”

“Son, put some more effort, please.” My dad added. I was just about to get up and protest for Liam when Liam spoke again. And it shocked me.

“Well, it’s hard to pretend to like her, Mom! I hate her, she can’t speak at all, she’s useless! All she ever does is just eat, drink and sleep! She doesn’t even speak! She’s pathetic! Emma is weak. She’s never spoken a full sentence. When has she? Tell me, tell me! I’ve seen her at school, Mom and Dad. She embarrasses me. I’m ashamed to have her as a sister. What a weakling, she is. Aren’t you ashamed you gave birth to such a poor child? I am. Last night, she said she had to ‘Save The World.” How stupid is that? Isn’t that childish?! I played along, I told her a fake story. Why don’t you try, Mom and Dad? You try!” Every word Liam said hit me like stone. Every word hurt. Every word did damage. Liam was now yelling as he continued. And after a pause, my parents agreed to every word Liam said. 

Every word brought a tear. Every word fueled the spark of anger in my chest. Every. Single. Word.

I stood up and glared at Liam, tear rolling down my cheeks.

“I am not pathetic. I am not weak. If you don’t believe that I have to save the world, then don’t. If your just trying to help Mom and Dad, stop. It’s not like you care after all. Worthless family. I hope you don’t get saved with the rest of the world.” My voice cracks as I speak, but I keep it my words flowing. My anger only kept my voice going. I could’ve never spoke a sentence-nevertheless a whole paragraph without stuttering, or stopping. That’s the most words I’ve said in my whole twelve years of life. Almost thirteen though. 

My family members are staring at me in shock.

“T-that’s the most words…” Dad stammers. I glare at them. Liam sneers at me.

“Babyish project. How can one worthless child save the priceless world?” Liam snickers. Even though I’m awake, I feel the presence of The Shadow.

“This is not such of a babyish project, Lamby.” The Shadow rumbled. Liam turned pink.

“How do you know my actual name is Lamby?” Liam whispered. The Shadow paused before replying.

“I can see into your past, present, and future. When the time comes, when you save the world, Emma. Prove them wrong, make the PPFS proud.” With that, The Shadow disappeared. I can feel my parents gaze burning me as I stare daggers at Liam.

“Traitor.” I whisper. My last words to my family. My last words before I walked out the door, only clutching my book. I had a feeling the book was all I needed. I could sense the presence of The Shadow, and I knew what it was about to say. 

“I know, it’s my time. I’m ready.” I say, turning around and staring at the floating wisp of blackness.

“Emma, don’t stutter, alright?” The Shadow adds. I gulp before nodding. Everything was already set up. I walked to the news station everyone watched. Oddly, they just let me in. Perhaps The Shadow did something. I automatically walked to the desk, and The Shadow began to film. 

***

“Ooh, look! They got this cute little girl on the news today! I wonder what’s she’s going to tell us about?” A young woman exclaimed in New York, looking up at the big screens the showed Emma on the news. 

“Perhaps “Stay away from drugs,” or “Stranger danger!” A man laughed nearby. 

“She’s so young.” Another woman added. 

***

“Guarda le novità! Mi chiedo perché hanno messo una ragazza lassù?” A man in Italy asked. 

All around the world people stared at their TV’s or phones. All TV’s and phones showing Emma Rinders. 

***

I talked about the world ending. I talked about how we had to leave on spaceships inton another galaxy. I told them that we had to move to another plant called “Earth.” I told them that there we would have only one sun, not ten, and only one moon, instead of three. I told them about stars that burned on gas, which we didn’t have here. I told them about my life. My story. How this became my mission. I told them about how I used to be so timid at talking, yet, here I was. Speaking in front of 7 Billion people. Perhaps more. 

I told them about my family, how they didn’t believe me. 

Most of all, I told them to never give up. I told them these exact words:

“When your timid at something, keep going. Keep walking towards the path. The path will always be there, waiting for you to place your footsteps on it so other people can follow you. The path will always be there for you.”

***

After my speech, I look at The Shadow. Yet, I was tired of calling it an it, and just The Shadow.

“Shadow?” I ask.

“Yes?” It replies.

“What’s your name?” I inquire. The Shadow pauses. A long pause.

“My name is Emma. Emma Rinders.” Emma Rinder’s reply’s . Everything hit me so fast I nearly fell over.

I did write that book. I was The Shadow. It was just all confusing. After my speech, I’d written a book before leaving. A presence of me was left behind because I chose to leave it behind. And The Shadow-me-helped me. Helped save the world.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.” I was no longer afraid of speaking. 

“The path will always be there for you.” Emma replies.