Planet X (Revised)

Chapter 1: Running

Today was a rough day, and my family wasn't helping any, they're all on my case, trying to make me mad. I eventually decided I had had enough, and after a heated discussion, I told them that I hated them and ran to my room; thank goodness no one followed me. I only heard my sister yell, "You're really living up to your nick name, Ice." I ignored her, as usual. Yes, she did call me Ice, it's on account of my ice blue eyes. My real name is, Alice Hill, I am fifteen years old, I have wavy golden brown hair, I am short and mosty thin, and have a child shaped face.

Right now, I am packing up some things to take with me. I take out my biggest back pack and start stuffing it with my warmest blanket, two jackets, fivten shirts, six pairs of pants, twenty pairs of socks, all of my cash, both of my flash drives, my pocket knife, flint, three pens, and two new notebooks. Then I went and got my tooth brush, a new thing of toothpaste, my hair brush, a handful of hair ties, bobby pins, berets, ten feet of rope, two big water bottles, a jacket, my best boots, and a few other things.

Now that I had everything in my room, I waited until every one was asleep. to go down stairs to the kitchen. There, I loaded the rest of the back pack with pleanty of food. I filled up the water bottles, got the warmest sleeping bag we had, and put on my trench coat. After pulling on my boots, I snuck out the door, and walked about fifty yards into the woods to set up camp and sleep for the night.

* * * * *

I almost slept all night.

Almost, because everything suddenly became too warm, I quickly pushed myself out. It looked to be noon, but my watch said it was five A.M. Confused, I shoved everything in my back pack, and replaced my boots with my tennis shoes. The other weird thing was, yesterday, it was spring, close to winter. This place was in the middle of summer. I was still in the woods, but different woods. It was obviously different by the fact of the tropical colors of certain plants. That didn't make sence though, because it was too cool to be a tropical forest. It felt temperate, but looked tropical.

I headed north, hoping to find a trail, or stream to follow, but that's not what I found. The voice of a man could be heard, so I followed it. I almost called out to him, but it's a good thing I didn't. There was a boy, about sixteen or seventeen years old, forced to his knees, chin up, and a dagger to his throat. I hid as soon as I saw it. They were all dressed strangely, as if I had stepped into ancient Rome. The man who's voice I had heard was speaking to the boy.

"I have a job for you."

The boy replied angrily, "I won't do anything for..." He got a kick to the back by the man holding him.

The other man sneered, "How much is your sister's life worth to you?" He waited for a reply, he got it in the form of an angry look from the boy. "Bring me the fire crystal and she'll live."

I don't know what made me do it, but I pulled out my own dagger and put it to the throat of the man who was obviously in charge. "Tell your man to let him go," I say. He starts to struggle a little, "Do it, or I'll slit your throat," I press the dagger closer to emphasize my words. I was bluffing. I didn't have the guts to kill another human being, but I hoped my bluf was good enough. The man did a flicking motion with his hand and the boy was let go. "I also want your word that you won't pursue us." He grunted, "That's not good enough. Say it aloud."

There's a pause of annoyance, "I give you my word that I won't pursue you."

"Close, but not quite. I don't want to be pursued at all."

"Fine! You won't be pursued at all."

"Good enough. Follow," I say to the boy and dash off.

The two men didn't follow, but the one in charge yelled, "You have three months to bringthe fire crystal to me, or your sister dies. Bring it to the Birooch Blooming Grounds; a man will be stationed there at all times." Then he and his men headed in the opposite direction.