Starting Over

It was another seemingly typical evening. My family and I were sitting in the living room with the TV on, trying to relax. In my family, there is my mom Angela, my dad Saul and my grandma Ernestine. Times on Earth were as different as they had ever been. Wars were going on, life was a struggle and every day people lived in fear. I sat at the coffee table playing checkers, my grandma watching some game show when it happened. The dreaded siren went off. The siren was a warning that the enemy was coming. Everyone dreaded hearing it because it meant that bombs would follow soon after or that the enemy would arrive on foot to capture you and put you in their prisons.

Over the years, technology changed and the good side created vehicles called hovercrafts. We had one ready to fly out to a new planet that had been discovered. It was like Earth but had different rules, a different setting and most importantly, the enemy had no way of getting there due to some galtic force in the space around it that would not allow them to enter.

            I leapt to my feet grabbing a duffle bag as the siren rang out. My mom got my grandma and my dad and they started for the hovercraft that was waiting for us. I grabbed what I could as we ran out. I was scared. We climbed into the hovercraft. So far the air was clear and no sign of the enemy as of yet but it would only be a matter of moments. People in my neighborhood were running in terror, running to their own hovercrafts or running on foot to escape.

            “Please don’t let me see any bombing.” I begged to no one really, as my dad started the hovercraft and we lifted off.

            Tears were in my eyes as we went up. I pressed my hand against the window and I looked at the house I had lived in all my life and prayed that I would some day see it again and it wouldn’t be blown up by the enemy that was trying to take over the world. I had no idea why neither the president nor any other world leaders had failed to over power the new force of humans that were only known as the enemy. It seemed impossible to stop them and now, we were fleeing our homes and lives for some strange world we had never been to.

            We flew away from Earth and headed to the emergency planet. I looked in the duffle bag. I had only managed to get a couple of pieces of clothing for each of us. I felt tears of frustration.

            “Darn! I forgot my cell phone charger!” I complained to my mom, Angela. Cell phones were the important parts of communication. We needed them to survive.

            “We will figure something out.” She promised as we landed on the new planet, which would serve as our new home.

            I sighed holding the bag following them off the craft. This sad looking dreary place would be our new home. It looked like Earth but more run down and depressing. Not high tech like what Earth had turned into. This was a place of new beginnings but of the old way. We climbed the steps to our new home, which had been purchased before ahead of time that way we would have a place to stay when the siren went off. I got out my cell phone. The battery was full, for now. I sent a text my boyfriend Justin.

            “Are you still on Earth?” I typed.

            “No, we got the Siren too. I just landed.” He replied.

I shot to my feet and ran out side. After my family, Justin was the most important person in my life. I did not see how it would be possible to live on a new planet with out him too. Though I was sad that he also lost his home to the enemy, I was glad he would be with me. I ran to where the new comers were gathered exiting the harbor of hovercrafts and found him.

“Do you have a place to stay yet?” I asked after we hugged hello.

“No, I am not sure where my family is. Maybe still on Earth.” He said hoisting up his bag. Being slightly older, Justin no longer lived with his family. He had his own apartment a few streets away from mine.

“You can stay with us for now then if you want.” I told him taking his hand and leading him to the house where my mom, grandma and dad were.

We entered the house and found my mom in the kitchen cooking dinner. I explained to her that Justin didn’t have a place to stay.

“He can stay here with us for now if he would like.” My mom said.

We thanked her and I led Justin up the stairs. I showed him the room that he could stay in and set his bag on the bed, and then we went outside together. We took a seat on the steps in front of my house. Our jeaned legs were touching, and the sun was beating down on us.

“I can’t believe this is happening.” I told him staring at the people bustling about who were already there. “Home is gone, we have to start all over again.” I shook my head and sighed.

“We are going to be ok. The enemy can’t get us here.” Justin reassured me patting my knee.

“I have to go back home. There is so much I left behind that we have to get. My cell phone charger, my autograph collection. We need more clothes too.” I said giving him a sideways glance.

“It would be dangerous to go back. Ok maybe a cell phone charger is important here but seriously? Your autograph collection?” He argued.

“That is a risk I have to take!” I shot back and ignored his question about the autographs. There was no way he would be able to understand.

“Fine, we will go tomorrow.” He finally agreed. I guess he could tell that I was beyond serious.

I nodded and got up. It was time to find a job. You had to work fast and secure a job before more and more people got to the new planet. At this point and time good jobs were rare and there was no way to survive with out one. Justin and I split up for the job hunting. I got one with an old lady. My job would be to read to her and I would be paid $1 an hour. It seemed like nothing but it was worth more on the new planet than it was on Earth. I felt slightly better having secured the job. My mom had to stay home to take care of my grandma so I had to make sure that I had a job to be able to take care of them. I started right away and took my earnings to my mom that evening.

I did not tell her of the plans Justin and I had to return back to Earth to get more of our personal items. No need to worry her. We spent a relaxing evening at home that evening. Just being together, being a family. It felt so good joining together and even though we were afraid and in a strange place, at least we had each other.

“Don’t forget, we have an important job to do tomorrow.” I whispered to Justin as we headed upstairs to our bedrooms.

He rolled his eyes. He had always been annoyed at my habit of reminding him of things. He accused me of acting as if he didn’t have a brain. I couldn’t help it though. It was the nature of the beast.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be ready.” He said just to satisfy me.

I flashed him a grateful smile and headed into my bedroom. It was set up simply. I just did not have much to put in yet. The floor was made of wooden boards, I had a full sized bed, and curtains covered my window. Opening a door would show my small closet in which hung a pair of pants, two tops and a jacket. A pair of tennis shoes was on the floor. The bookshelves that line the under part of the window, only held five books.

It could have been worse, I thought. I could still be on Earth in danger or worse, dead. I flopped down onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling arms tucked behind my head. I was pretty wound up and not yet ready to fall asleep. I was afraid that when we went back to Earth that Justin and I would find that our homes no longer existed. I sighed hard and prayed until I fell asleep. It took a long time.

The next morning, I woke up and got dressed. I got a shirt and jeans from my dad to lend to Justin. We ate a simple breakfast and headed outside together. We were able to secure a hovercraft for two people. Justin was going to drive us so I climbed in and secured myself to my seat. We flew back to Earth. First we stopped at his apartment. Luckily it was still intact. We went inside and he filled a bag with some of his clothes and items that he would need to survive the New Planet. We carefully left and flew carefully to my house. My breath caught as we landed. There was my house, exactly the way we had left it. Once again, we slowly entered the house.

“We can’t take very long ok?” Justin told me in a soft voice.

I nodded and began to fill my duffle bag. First I grabbed my cell phone charger, then the binders that held my autograph collection, some clothes for not only my self but my family as well, some books and what I could.

“Geez, what is with you wanting your autographs so badly?” Justin asked after he saw me pack them.

“I worked hard to get these autographs, I am not about to let them get destroyed in a fire by the enemy. Besides, if worse comes to worse, I will sell them on the new planet to keep us from going hungry.” I told him in a slight defensive tone that was hard to hide.

“Anita, we better hurry.” He urged also packing some things. “We are staying too long.” He whispered urgently.

I grabbed a couple of more books, the ones that were autographed, figuring I could use them for my job.

“Ok, let’s go. We got what we could.” I answered right as a siren began to scream.

“Run!” Justin screamed and we ran for the hovercraft as the enemy started coming after us.

We lifted into the air racing to get away. I gripped my seat in utter terror as we flew up into the sky and into space.

“Hurry Justin!” I pleaded looking behind us as silver hovercrafts chased ours.

With a groan Justin stepped down harder on the pedal and shot us forward. Suddenly I felt a weird sensation, almost as if we had hit a rubber pad and we crossed into the line. I glanced back. The enemy was unable to cross into this section of space. We were safe. I breathed out shooting Justin a grateful look as we got to the new planet and landed.

“That was a little too close.” I panted shaking a little. I had never actually seen the enemy and to be this close to them had shaken me up.

“Much too close.” Justin said removing his seat belt and helping me out of the craft. We grabbed our bags and headed home.

Holding hands, we stepped inside the house and I began to unpack our prized possessions. I hung the clothes I had been able to retrieve for myself, I put the autograph binders and books onto my bookshelves and gave the rest of my family what I had been able to get for the.

“That was a huge risk that you took going back but thank God you are home safely and thank you for getting these items.” My grandma said.

We smiled at her and got bowls of stew and biscuits. Eating a meal with my family and Justin from the money I had earned, I silently thanked God that we were home and safe again. After we ate, Justin and I headed to work.

I took one of my books I had gotten from home and headed to the old lady’s house.

“Welcome back.” She greeted me.

“Thank you. I am glad to be here today.” I told her and I settled into the oversized, flowered chair. “Are you ready to begin?” I asked her.

“Of course. Ready when you are.” She replied.

I opened the book in my lap and sat back. I began to read to her, taking her into a world of fiction, an escape from the reality we were now living in. I love reading and writing so this job was perfect for me. From time to time, I looked up and checked on her. She had a blissful expression on her face from the words I read. I smiled to myself as I continued.

Time began to pass for us on the new planet. When we could, Justin and I snuck to Earth to our houses to get items from our Earth life for the new planet. It was always dangerous, but it was important to have things to survive with. When we weren’t doing the raids, he and I had our jobs. I missed home, being with the familiar of Earth but at least on the new planet, there was no war.

After a few months on the new planet, one of the guards that helped run the city called me into a room.

“Anita, we have some news for you.” He told me.

I was nervous. Maybe Justin and I were going to be in trouble for sneaking to Earth so often.

“The old lady you work for has passed away. Being as you worked for her and were like family, she named you in her will. You will be receiving one million dollars.” He informed me.

I gasped stunned. One million dollars was an unthinkable amount on the new planet. I could not believe my luck. My family would be able to live better than what we had been. The old lady’s death was also completely unexpected. Just yesterday she was enjoying the newest adventure we had been exploring.

The guard placed a ribbon with a token around my neck.

“Due to the events that have happened, you are the new plants Princess, our future Queen.” He said.

I was speechless. I fingered the token that hung from my neck. It mean huge changes, it meant the real security that I craved. I hurried home to share my news with my family. Justin, my mom, my grandma and my dad were already around the table ready for dinner. I did not even notice the rich smells of dinner that filled the house. Instead all I could smell, see, taste and hear were the promises of a stable future.

“Mom! The old lady I worked for died! She left me one million dollars in her will and I am a Princess for this planet!” I exclaimed. I could hardly contain my excitement. I wasn’t trying to be rude of the death for my former employer but stability for my family is something I craved.

Everyone’s eyes grew big and they jumped out of their seats crowding around me all talking at once.

“Really? One million dollars?” My mom asked.

“One million.” I confirmed firmly.

I met Justin’s eyes. He was apart of the family now. I conveyed that in my look. We sat down to eat. My hands trembled as I lifted the forks of food to my mouth. Later that night, Justin knocked on my door.

“Come in.” I called out sitting on my bed. I had just changed into my pajamas. From our several trips to Earth, my room was looking like a normal room instead of the empty cell it had been before.

Justin walked in and sat on my bed next to me. I rested my bare feet in his lap.

“So do you think we will be moving out of here?” He asked.

“I am not sure. I have grown rather fond of this house. It is good and sturdy. It might be too hard to move my grandma and really, we don’t have need for a bigger house.” I replied.

“Yeah, I like it here.” Justin said looking around my room. His expression was wistful. We never had found out what happened to his family.

I squeezed his hand letting him no he was not alone. He squeezed my foot and met my eyes. We read together for a while until he retired to his room to get some sleep.

The next day, my uncle Paul, his wife Katharina and their kids, Cody, Tyler, and William were several people in front of me in the food line. While the families of the new planet made meals at home, there was also a square that served food for larger gatherings. I waved at my other family members and smiled. They had found out my amazing news.

“We will have more food, healthier food, we won’t have so many worries, maybe we can finally stop sneaking off to Earth for items to survive. We can just get them here.” I was telling him.

“That is unbelievable!” He said with a laugh, giddy with excitement.

“You are coming with us.” My uncle Paul said suddenly pulling me forward to stand in line with the family, laughing. Justin moved up with us and I looked around at all the strange faces. I would soon be the ruler of these strangers. I hoped that I would help lead the new world in a peaceful manner that would keep war away from the new planet.

One of my cousin’s Peter worked serving the food. I showed him the token around my neck.

“You can give my family food for a discount, I am the Princess and future Queen after all.” I told him

We were served and looked for the rest of my family to sit down. I set down my tray of food as Tyler and Cody took off running. They were excited by the changers that were coming and couldn’t stay still. I chased after them pushing through people. I wanted to laugh with the feeling of freedom even though I was worried with the cars zipping past us.

“Guys wait! You can get hit by a car!” I shouted as my mom and Paul suddenly ran past me grabbing them.

“It is dangerous!” Paul scolded.

“That is why I was chasing them!” I told him as we walked out of breath back to the food area.

I sunk into a chair next to Justin, maybe on the new planet; things wouldn’t be so different I thought as we began to eat.