in the big huge world
June 9th, 2004
PART ONE: The strange picture
1: The New House
12-year-old Sarah Miller was the only person in the family that
didn’t like the house. It was old, the paint was peeling.
The floor creaked if you walked on it in certain
places. Sarah didn’t like the purple dining room. But
all that was before she found the picture. The creaking
only occurred before then. And Sarah even said that,
after she found it, the dining room’s purple walls
didn’t seem so dark. But no one can be quite sure.
Sarah found the picture in the attic. It was colorless
and bland, no one would ever like it. Except Sarah. She
loved the picture. And no one could figure out why. It
was only a picture of a brown field. Sarah saw it
differently. To her it was a ruined castle by the sea,
the waves crashing repeatedly upon the rocks. Christie
and Johnny Miller tried to see it too. Sarah said, “Oh,
there’s a little tide pool by the beach. Can’t you see
it?” Johnny laughed and said, “You’re making it up. I
know you are.” He walked away. “Sarah, I know you’re
joking. Everybody can see it’s just a brown field,”
Christie told her. Sarah knew it was there. She was
determined to know who had done this painting.
Sarah looked on the back of the painting. Nothing
there. She took it up to the attic. IT was an ugly brown
field. She took it downstairs, it was alive and bursting
with color. Sarah told Johnny and Christie it was NOT her
imagination, she was NOT playing a joke, it was just…
THERE.
Sarah ’s face went white. Before she had seen just a
ruined castle on the beach. Johnny and Christie had left,
and Sarah was very quiet. She heard a faint voice, but could
not make out the words.
Sarah looked at the picture. There was a girl there now, in
a flowing white gown and a seashell necklace. To Sarah the
picture now looked more realistic than ever. And as soon as
she had appeared, the girl disappeared. Sarah left the
room.
Sarah could not sleep. The strange voice she had heard that
day was still in mind. Sarah knew the Girl was familiar,
but a stranger. The Girl had brown, fine hair, and it was
circling a fragile white face. Her eyes were dark blue,
piercing you when she looked you in the eye. It gave
Sarah the chills. She would not tell Johnny and Christie
About the Girl. It was too preposterous. They would never
believe her.
The next morning Sarah went to look at the picture. The
Girl wasn’t there, but Sarah could hear the voice as
faintly as yesterday, though the words were not English.
Sarah saw the girl, only a little closer. But instead of
staying there, the girl WALKED toward Sarah , staring at her
with her piercing eyes. Sarah turned around. The hall,
where she was, was getting smaller and smaller. Sarah
screamed. Then she was in the hall, and the picture was
the same as she always saw it.
The night after Sarah heard the second voice, she had a
dream. She was walking on a beach when she heard a girl:
“Come with me,” the girl cried. Sarah just stood there.
She couldn’t move. The Girl kept walking, until Sarah could not
see her.
2: The Trip Into the Picture
Sarah woke from her dream. It was very strange. Yet Sarah
knew it was just a dream, it wasn’t real. Sarah had a deep
feeling, though, that it couldn’t just be a dream. Besides,
it was a one out of a million chance that she would have
had that dream and not find the picture. Sarah sat in bed
wondering about this, when Christie entered the room. Sarah
stopped wondering and sat up. Christie’s eyes were bulging
so much, they looked as if they weren’t meant for her body.
“I saw the castle, and the beach!” Christie cried. Sarah
listened intently. Christie went on and on about the
beach. IT had tiny pools all about, and there were crabs
scuttling across it. “There were millions of starfish,”
Christie said. Sarah nodded as Christie told every detail.
So Christie HAD seen it as well, but what about the
Girl? What about her? Had she seen her also? Sarah thought.
She probably didn’t, Sarah decided, or Christie would
already have told Sarah about that.
Sarah was all alone. She went to look at the picture, when
she realized that she shouldn’t now. It was dinnertime.
After dinner, Sarah went to look at the picture. It was the
same as she had always seen it. Except the Girl was there.
That was the only thing different. Suddenly, Sarah felt the
way she had the day before her dream. This time though, the
feeling didn’t stop. Suddenly, everything went dark. Sarah
felt sand under her feet. Then the sky was light again.
She was on the beach in the picture, and there was a girl
on the beach. Sarah went over to her. The girl was looking
around, as if she was confused. Her eyes were dark,
piercing blue, so Sarah guessed it must be the Picture Girl.
“Are-are you lost?” Sarah asked the girl. A tear fell from
each of her dark blue eyes. “No, I-well, I’m just looking
for someone.” The girl told Sara. “Well, what’s your name?’
asked Sara. “Haley. That’s my name,” She replied.
Sarah and Haley looked at each other for a second, then
Sarah said, “well, where am I?” Haley laughed. “You don’t
know? We’re at Chiewan, the capital of Ryger.” Haley
replied. Sarah was confused. How could this girl- Haley-
live in such a place? Sarah meant, the name was weird.
I hope no one back home thinks I’M weird because of my
street’s name, Sarah thought. Haley led Sarah across the
beach.
PART TWO: Chiewan of Ryger
3: The SC
Haley and Sarah walked across the beach. Soon they passed
the castle. As they walked more, Sarah saw increasingly more
buildings, and less and less beach. Haley turned on to a
cobblestone street. Sarah followed her. A little girl walked
up to Haley. “Haley, have you brought us any food?” the
girl asked. Haley almost forgot about Sarah and said, “No, I
didn’t bring any food, but I brought Sarah of…” Haley looked
at Sarah for a moment, and then asked, “Where are you from?”
Sarah replied, “The house on Cabestry Street.” Haley told
her that this little girl was who she had been looking for.
Sarah felt like she was dreaming. But she wasn’t, she knew
she wasn’t. It was too real. “What’s your name?” Sarah asked
the little girl holding Haley’s hand. “My name’s Trish.”
Sarah walked with them as they turned onto another street.
The sign said:
Cabestry Street
Sarah couldn’t decide whether she was dreaming or not. It
couldn’t be a dream, yet Sarah felt it couldn’t be real either.
Haley pointed to a huge house on the street. “Is this where you
live?” Trish asked. “No, my house is small,” Sarah answered,
“and there are more houses on my street.” Haley led them onto
the next street over. “That’s my house,” declared Trish as she
pointed to a clean crisp house at the end of the street. “We
have a secret compartment in our house,” Trish exclaimed loudly.
Just then, a young boy came over. He had sandy blonde hair and
bright blue eyes like Haley’s. “We do?” he asked Haley. “No
Henry! Trish just wants some attention. Now go away.” Haley
answered. Sarah guessed these two were twins. They looked almost
the same, except Haley had brown hair. Haley led Sarah to the
house. The inside was just like the outside; clean and crisp.
Trish told Sarah to follow her. Henry was still tagging along,
but no one really cared. Haley and Trish knew he could keep any
secret. Trish opened up a trapdoor in the bottom stair of their
staircase. “you mean you lied?” Henry exclaimed. “yes, but I
was just trying to get you to go away. We all know how you are
when you’re curious.” Haley said. Henry blushed. Then, one by
one, They all climbed into the secret compartment, which Trish
called the SC. The SC was exactly opposite the house. It was
messy and papers and books were scattered everywhere. Haley sat
down on an old leather couch. Trish, Sarah, and Henry sat in
hard wood stools with thin blue cushions on the seats. Then
Haley said to settle down. So they all, even Trish, sat down on
their stools to listen to Haley.
PART THREE: The Adventure Begins
4: Haley’s Speech
“We are about to start our first meeting,” Haley said. “I am
going to tell you some things that you need to keep to
yourselves.” Everyone nodded their heads.
“As you all know, Sarah came from a different world called
Earth. She is the only one here who can help us. No one except
for us four know this.” Haley said. “What do you mean?” Sarah
asked. None of this was making sense.
“Ok, I guess I should back up. The picture you saw was really a
Warp Zone to Armwill. Now I can get back on track. The reason
only you can help us is because I am sure you are smarter than
anyone of us in this room, at least in making up plans.
We need to get to the other side of Armwill to retrieve a
special root. It is called Kotsenroot. It will help our mother
get well. She is very sick.” Haley paused for a moment, half
expecting Sarah to say anything. “Well, how come we need a
plan?” Henry asked. “So Queen Jarideen won’t find us out,”
Haley said. “Who is she?” asked Sarah. This time it was Trish
who spoke up. “Queen Jarideen rules over us and Armwill. She
has so many rules. That’s why we need a crafty plan,” she said.
“Yes. If she finds us out, she will put us in prison for good.
“Queen Jarideen doesn’t want anyone to get the Kotsenroot. IT
will bloom about the time we arrive, if we leave next week. The
Kotsenroot only blooms every fifty years. Queen Jarideen wants
it because she is very sick. She has the same illness our Mother
has. It is called Kotsen,” Haley said. “and there is only one
Kotsenroot. When we get it, we must plant one seed on Mt.
Clormont. That way, in fifty years, someone else can have it.”
Haley ended her speech. “I guess I could make one,” Sarah said.
“Yeah! Mother is going to get better!” Trish said. Haley opened
up the trapdoor, to see someone looking at them straight in the
eye. He was dressed in a dark blue uniform and a red hat.
“Going to find the Kotsenroot, eh?” he said. Haley bit her lip.
Henry, Trish, and Sarah hid behind the couch. “Who’s he?” asked
Sarah quietly. “He’s the head police in our city. He checks to
see if anyone is hiding something, like we were.” Henry
whispered. “Is Haley in trouble?” Trish asked. “I hope not,”
Henry whispered. The head police called into the SC, “come on
out, kids.” Trish, Henry, and Sarah had no choice but to do
as they were told. Haley looked at them to see their reaction.
“come out of that room,” the head police told them. Out climbed
Henry, then Sarah, then finally Trish. They all followed him
to his office.
5: Run for it!!!!!
The head police took them all through Chiewan. Sarah felt like
everyone was looking at her. The busy streets were crowded, and
it took them a while to get to the police headquarters. When
they finally got there, the head police asked two guards to
watch Trish, Henry and Sarah. “ I know why you’re trying to get
the Kotsenroot. I don’t have a problem with that, but I have a
little advice: DO NOT GET CAUGHT.” The head police said. Haley
rolled her eyes. “That’s a big help--” she said. “Rob.” The head
police said. “OK. That’s a huge help Mr. Rob.” Haley
exaggerated. “I’m serious!! You and I both will be in major
trouble-for the rest of our lives. Now you better get going—
I’m the only ‘nice guy’ from here to Tashgel. Now get a move
on.” Rob told her. Haley nodded her head and ran out with
Trish, Henry, and Sarah.
Sarah was having a hard time making up a plan. Henry had said
that Queen Jarideen had her guards scattered all over Armwill.
If that was true, Sarah might have to make up more than plan A
and plan B. “You have to have one good plan,” Henry said.
“Because if you’re caught, you’re caught and there’s no going
back. Haley had other ideas though. “Well, you should have a few
emergency plans. Then we would have a better chance of not being
caught,” Haley said. Trish just said, “Maybe we shouldn’t go. I
mean, maybe if Queen Jarideen did get the Kotsenroot before us,
maybe she would be nicer.” All three others objected. The
silence went on for about two hours. Then Haley heard shouts
coming from Chiewan. “Run!” she said. Everyone ran, except for
Trish. Henry was carrying her. Henry was small, but strong as
well. Haley hadn’t really trusted Rob at all. She pulled
everyone into the bushes while the Queen’s police went by. “WE
obviously can’t go back now, we will get supplies in
Barrentown,” said Henry. After the Queen’s police went by, the
Four ran in the other direction. “Are we wanted?” Trish asked.
“Yes. That’s why until we get the Kotsenroot, we can’t go back
to Chiewan.” Haley explained. Sarah was scared. She wanted to
know if her family wondered where she was. But now wasn’t the
time. Now was the time to run and find a safe haven. Sarah told
Haley, “I think I have a plan.” “There’s no time to stop now,”
Haley said. Henry was still carrying Trish. WE need to change
our identities,” he said. “That way we’ll be safer.” Haley,
Trish and Sarah agreed. But now wasn’t the time to think of
names. Now was the time to RUN. Henry even said so. Trish wanted
to think up their names then, but she knew they could not. So
Trish kept quiet.
PART FOUR: THE ADVENTURE IS REALLY STARTED
6: From Chiewan to Tashgel
Trish finally found a haven. It was a dark cave in
the side of a mountain. IT was far off the path, and no one
could find them. “What are we going to do for food?” asked
Trish. Now Haley realized that Trish hadn’t had anything to eat
since Sarah came. “Well, Sarah and I will go look for berries,
and you two will stand guard,” Haley said.
Sarah wasn’t sure about the blue-green berries in her pockets.
They surely weren’t ripe. Haley assured Sarah they were,
but she still was doubtful. “What if they’re poisonous?” asked
Sarah. “They’re NOT. Before she was sick, Mother used to make
Stickerberry Pie. That’s what kind of berries these are,”
explained Haley. Sarah still wasn’t sure, but she popped one
into her mouth. It was delicious.
Sarah and Haley came back with their pockets overflowing with
the berries. Luckily, Haley had two aprons that they
had put berries into. “WE can only stay for one night,” Henry
told Trish, who wanted to stay there a while. She finally agreed
and fell asleep. Henry stayed up al night making sure nobody
found them.
The next morning, Henry woke them all up to start back again.
Their run from Chiewan had given them a good head start. Trish
walked this time, stuffing her mouth full of stickerberries all
the way. “Stop eating! We won’t have enough to get to Tashgel,”
Haley told her. So Trish did and walked by Sarah, who was
telling her a story.
Once there was a little girl. She had two brothers and one
Sister. But her oldest brother moved away. The girl, Karen,
Was very sad. One night, Karen decided to…
“Stop it! This story’s scary!” Trish cried. Sarah stopped
telling the story, although it had a happy ending. “Come
on, let’s go. We need to get to Tashgel tonight,” Henry said.
Sarah carried Trish a while. She was tired. They finally
got to Tashgel. Henry found them an old house to stay in for the
night. This time, Sarah had to stay up and make sure nothing
happened. Nothing did happen, except for Trish kept crying.
Sarah asked her not to be so loud, someone would hear them. “But
I’m scared the p’licemen will find us,” Trish said. “No they
won’t. I have a plan that will help us,” Sarah told her. “But
first you must get the others.” Trish ran to get Haley and
Henry. “Come on, Sarah has a plan!” Trish told them. They
followed her to where Sarah was sitting. Sarah started telling
them her plan.
7: Sarah’s plan
“First we need to change our names,” Sarah said. “OK. My name is
Kelly,” Haley said. “And I’m Kevin,” said Henry. Trish decided
her name would be Emily. “And I will be Vicki,” Sarah said. So
Sarah started telling them her plan.
“Now that we’ve changed our names, I can tell you the plan.
We get to the next city, and there we stay for a day. If we
meet any policemen we will tell them our new names if they ask.
But if not we don’t say anything. We should also keep our heads
down,” Sarah said. “Does anyone have a map?” pulled out a
map from her pocket. “Yes, so now we need to plan a route.”
Trish tapped her forehead. “What is a route?” she asked. “It’s a
path you take to go somewhere,” Henry told her. Sarah looked at
the map. She looked for the shortest route, with less big
cities. Sarah finally found a good route.
“First we go through Hilltop to Draemet. Then we go through
Stalker’s woods and stay there a day. We will carry on to
Vlaston. Finally, we go from Vlaston to Rutton, go through
Clormont City, and up the mountain to where the Kotsenroot is,”
Sarah said. “That’s a great route, except for the end. You see,
there is a pattern for the Kotsenroot seed. Fifty years ago,
someone planted its seed at the bottom of the mountain. When we
plant it, we will have to climb all the way up Mt. Clormont,”
Haley said. They all agreed on the route.
“I also have two emergency plans. If the city we are in is
filled with policemen, we need to take back roads. If we are
spotted and/or discovered, we scatter. Then it will be harder to
find us,” Sarah said. Trish started crying. “But I want to stay
with you,” she told Sarah. “Alright. If we scatter, you can stay
with me,” Sarah told Trish. Trish stopped crying. “Well, then
when are we going to start?” Haley asked. “Tomorrow morning,”
Sarah answered. Then they all went to get some rest. “Wait, I
have a little more,” Sarah said. “We need to cut the plant in
two. Queen Jarideen might be there, so it would be fair to give
her some, and it might make her feel better. She might be nicer.
Maybe since she has Kotsen and is royal, maybe that’s why she’s
so mean.” Everyone agreed, except Haley. “I heard she was like
this before she got Kotsen,” She said. “Maybe, but this stuff
might make her feel better and be nicer,” stated Trish. She
wanted Sarah to be right. AT last they all agreed that when they
found the root they would cut it in half to give it to Queen
Jarideen. Then, at last, they ALL had a good night’s sleep.
PART FIVE: THE JOURNEY BEGINS
8: To Hilltop
The next day they started out early to get a good start. They
had to travel through uncharted woods to be safe. The kids
traveled through a few small towns, cautiously keeping their
heads low. It was important not to be seen. If Henry was right,
then all of Armwill would know what they were trying to do.
All this time Sarah was beginning to be more like the people of
Armwill. It was true she would hate to get caught, not knowing
what could happen. But if this had happened on Earth, Sarah
would have never even taken the chance. Now she had to. If she
didn’t, this place would be ruled wrongly by Queen Jarideen.
Sarah knew that would mean her friends- her only friends- would
be in trouble. She still didn’t know how to get back to Earth.
Maybe she couldn’t. Maybe she could, but it wouldn’t really
matter.
“Hello-Sarah,” Haley said, bringing her back from her thoughts.
“Uh? Oh-what?” Sarah answered. “What do we do now?” She asked.
Sarah looked around. They were still in town, but it was
crawling with police! Now they couldn’t just keep their heads
down. They had to take alleyways and make sure no one saw them.
“We can’t let anyone see us- especially you Trish,” Sarah said.
See more stories by Katherine