This year for the first time we are sharing several of our short story submissions publicly! Please enjoy the following story by middle school student Amelia Protas:
Aliens and Little Sisters
Amelia Protas
1
What I Did This Summer
School Report by Henry Hill for Ms. Ulrich’s 3rd Grade Class
This summer we went to Florida. My dad works as a space engineer, and they were doing this big rocket launch in Cape Canaveral. I love space and rockets and aliens and cool stuff like that, so I begged my dad to let me come with him. He agreed, but said that the whole family had to come too. Including Alice. Alice is my little sister and possibly the most annoying human being on the planet. Sometimes, I think she isn’t even from this planet. She is five and a half and going into kindergarten and steals my model rockets and covers them in glitter. Also, Alice loves glitter. She has a pink sparkly sequined backpack that she refuses to take off.
Anyways, before the whole rocket launching thing happened, we went to Disney World. I liked all the rides, except ‘It’s a Small World After All’. Unlucky for me though, that was Alice’s favorite ride. I had to go on it
7 times in a row! This drives me crazy. Just because Alice is younger than me, she gets everything she wants! It’s not fair. Plus, she gets away with everything, but Mom will yell at me for even giving her a dirty look. If you've ever had a little sibling, Ms. Ulrich, you know what that’s like.
But then finally, it was time for the big rocket launch. My mom and Alice stayed in the hotel because Alice needed her nap. I got to go with my dad to the launch. The night before, my dad told me that some official people are picking someone to go in the rocketship to Mars. I got so excited because Mars is my favorite planet. It is all red and rocky, and it has volcanoes and craters and aliens and cool stuff like that. I really wanted to be the one to go to Mars. I wanted it more than anything I ever wanted in my whole life.
We rode a bus and a taxi to get to the rocket launch. Today was all boring stuff, the actual launch happened in two days. Some men in hot uncomfortable suits started talking, but it was pretty boring, so I got out my drawing pad and turned to a new page. I was working on a pretend spaceship called the Henry Flyer. I like to draw out blueprints for rockets and stuff. My mom is an artist and my dad always said I got her talent of drawing. I’m not really paying attention to the presentation, because they’re mostly just listing the names of rich people who paid to build the ship. Bo-ring! I was working on the design of the jet engine, when I heard one of the suit men say, “If you’d like to go Mars, please raise your hand.”
At this my head snapped up and I raised my hand super high, as high as it would go. As you know, Ms. Ulrich, I am not exactly the tallest tree in the forest, if you know what I mean, but I wasn’t going to let that stand in the way of me going to Mars. I jumped up so high that the tips of my finger were over my dad’s head, and he’s a really tall dad. And guess what! I know you aren’t going to believe me, Ms. Ulrich, but he chose me. The guy in the ugly blue suit picked me! I was the one going to Mars!
I skipped and danced all the way back to the hotel. “GUESS WHAT!” I shouted at Mom and Alice. “I’M GOING TO MAAAAAAARS!!”
“Oh my! Mars? That is an awfully long way,” my mom said. I could tell she didn’t want to let me go. But did I let that stop me? NO! All night I stayed up, working on my argument. I got to say, Ms. Ulrich, it was mighty impressive. I did lots of research, and used the persuasive skills we learned in second grade. I presented my argument early the next morning. The launch wasn’t until late afternoon, so I had some time. I told them all sorts of cool things about rockets, and showed them how safe it would be. I would paste my argument in here, but my chameleon ate it.
After I was done talking my parents said they wanted to think about it. It seemed like they were ‘thinking about it’ for like an hour, but it was probably only ten minutes. Finally they told me I could go. I was elastic! No, not elastic. I was ecstatic! But then little Alice had to go and ruin everything.
“I wanna go mommy,” she whined. I rolled my eyes at her.
“Alice, you’re only 5. There’s no way Mom and Dad will let you go to Mars!” I told her. Then I picked up one of her horse dolls (which was covered in glitter) and shoved it in her hands. “You can play with this and pretend to be in space. Because you’ll never get to go!” I stuck out my tongue at her, then smugly walked away. Unfortunately, we were in a pretty small hotel room, so there wasn’t anywhere for me to go.
“That wasn’t very nice, Henry. I want you to apologize to your sister.” I rolled my eyes at this, but apologized before my mom could give me her death glare. You have not truly experienced fear, until you have seen my mom’s death glare.
Well, after that my parents talked for a while, and guess what? They decided that I could go to Mars, but that I had to bring Alice along. How crazy is that? I bet she didn’t even want to go, but she’s little and likes glitter
and can’t pronounce her r’s right, so everyone assumes she’s queen of the world. Mars with Alice is better than no
Mars at all though, so I said ok.
Then Mom sent me to bed, which sucked, but we had an early morning. We’d go back to Cape Canaveral, where we would get our space suits. Then they would show us the basics of being in space. Of course, I already knew about as much as there is to know, because of all my space books, but Alice still needed to learn. I thought I could keep her company, and show her the ropes.
I couldn’t fall asleep that night, I was so excited. It was way past my bedtime, and I was still up, so my mom came in and told me “If you don’t fall asleep right now, you won’t be able to go to space tomorrow.” She shook her finger in my face, too, so I knew it was serious.
In the morning, we went to the training center and got our suits. I looked so cool in mine. You should have seen it! I would have attached the picture, but my penguin ate it. Training was cool, and we got to float around in these simulators, which was fun. It was kind of like a roller coaster, but cooler.
Then, finally, it was time for the launch. Mom and Dad said goodbye, and we got strapped into the rocket. We had to stay strapped in during the launch, and then when we were in orbit a red light would blink, and we could float around. The launch was so cool! It was loud, and crazy, and awesome, and exciting, and everything I’d ever imagined it could be and more! It was really fun, but Alice got scared. What a crybaby.
Once we were on Mars, I told Alice that we had to get used to the gravity before we could explore. We bounced around for a little bit, and played with the inflatable beach ball Mom bought us. Though I’d never admit it, it was kind of fun having Alice with me. I guess it would be kind of lonely up in space with nobody to play with.
After that, we went to go look for martians. As we snuck around, we argued about what they would look like. I said they would be green, with 60 billion eyeballs, but only one leg and a tail. Or maybe they would be yellow and slimy, like a booger. Alice thought they would be pink and sparkly, with whipped cream hair and cherries on top of their heads. I told her she was ridiculous.
It had been a long time, and we hadn’t found any martians, so I thought maybe we should go back to the rocket and take a nap. Space travel is exhausting, Ms. Ulrich. But then we heard a noise, so we ducked behind one of the red rocks. The voice was low and grumbly, definitely an alien voice. It sounded like a green and slimy alien for sure. Alice’s alien would have sounded really high pitched, like a princess.
Alice, who obviously knows nothing about interacting with space species, stood up, and waved to them. Can you believe it! I stood up, because I was actually kind of curious, plus, she’d already blown our cover.
The aliens were nothing like I expected. Actually, they were just like what Alice thought they would be! Pink and sparkly with an ice cream sundae for a head. So unfair! She got to come to Mars with me, and the aliens were what she wanted! She ran over to say hi. I tried to stop her, but it was too late. The aliens already had her trapped! I couldn’t bear to look. I covered my eyes, but then peeked out through my fingers because I actually wanted to see what was happening. I couldn’t believe it! They were playing with her! Alice was dancing with the aliens and singing her favorite song. I started to walk away. Alice called me over, but I ignored her.
I moped all the way back to the ship. This was supposed to be my special trip, but now Alice was taking away all the fun. I was the one who loved space, not her! Why was she the one the aliens liked best?
When I saw the rocket, I had an idea. I could blast off, and leave her all alone on Mars! It wouldn’t be a problem, she had nice alien friends to take care of her. Plus, mom gave us an extra change of clothes, just in case. She would be fine. And then I wouldn't have a little sister again! It was a perfect plan.
I marched into the rocket, and scrawled out a note. I would put it in here, as a mento, but my pet gorilla ate it. Wait, not a mento, a memento. Well, I left the note under a rock, so it wouldn't float away, along with Alice’s tiara, extra clothes, and some crayons, in case she got bored. I was all set to fly back home but then I decided to do a little more exploring. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity after all! I was floating around, when I heard the alien voices again. I ducked behind a rock. If they found me, they might ask me to play with them, and then I couldn’t go through with my plan. I overheard them talking in their misleading voices.
“Mmmm, looking forward to dinner tonight.” one said.
“Yes sir!” said the other. “She’ll taste great with oregano.” At this, I got worried. Usually I don't refer to my pizza as a she.
Then the alien said, “Little girls are my favorite. They’re so tender and juicy.” Now I was really worried. But when the aliens started singing Alice’s name as they skipped away, I freaked.
I was fine leaving her on Mars with nice aliens, but aliens who would eat her? No way! She is my sister, after all. As the aliens skipped away (still obnoxiously singing), I followed them. I was like a ninja. I was so quiet. You would be proud of me, Ms. Ulrich. I know how you always want me to be quiet in class. They got to a cave
like thing and skipped in. I stayed on the outside and peeked in, to make sure they didn’t have Alice yet. One of the sundae alien monsters was at a stovetop, and had a huge chef’s hat on.
“Just making the marinade,” he called to the ones I had been following. “Just some soy sauce, and rice vinegar, and a hint of paprika.” I don’t even know what paprika is, but I definitely didn’t want my sister being cooked in it!
I dashed away from the cave, looking for Alice. I shouted her name over and over, but still couldn’t find her. I sat down on one of the dusty red rocks.
It’s no use. I thought. I’ll never find her, and she’ll get cooked and they’ll put the puperica on her and the aliens will love it so much because she is so juicy and tender because she’s only five years old and-
Then I thought I heard something. So I stopped thinking, and listened a little harder. I heard… singing! Someone was singing Alice’s favorite song. And by golly gee, it was Alice! I grabbed her and started racing back to the ship.
“No! Stop it! Let go of me!” she shouted. I shushed her and quickly tried to explain, but she was not having it. I made her sit on a rock, and tried to explain things to her.
“Listen Alice. I was jealous at first, because the aliens like you so much better than they liked me. Space is kind of my thing, but then you made it your thing too. And I was mad, so I was gonna leave you with the aliens. But then I heard them talking about how they wanted to eat you, and I got really scared. They were gonna put
puppyrica on you, Alice! I don’t want you covered in puppyrica. Even though you can be annoying sometimes, and like the stupid rides at Disney World, I still love you. Because you’re my sister. Please believe me.”
Alice just looked at me for a minute, but then grinned and hugged me. “Ok,” she said, and started walking back to the ship. I was relieved, but also a little disappointed. I mean, I just poured my heart out to her, and she didn’t even care. I guess that’s just how five year olds are.
Well, in conclusion, I had a very fun summer. I learned that little sisters don’t suck as much as I thought they did, and also that aliens are not very nice. Even if they have whipped cream on their heads. Especially if they have whipped cream on their heads.
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