Alina and the Quest for Old Earth

Chapter 1

"Many, many years ago, people just like us used to live on a different planet. You know how our planet is called New Earth? Well, their planet was named Old Earth, or just Earth is what they called it. They lived in a way pretty similar to us. People had families and jobs and the kids would go to school every morning and learn and listen to stories, just like you. There was sometimes war or discontent but most of the time, people were happy with life on Old Earth. But then, one day, something terrible happened. A horrible plague broke out. Nobody knew when, where, or how it began and nobody knew how to stop it. The plague spread across the whole planet and killed every living thing it touched, even animals and plants. Luckily, a group of very smart people quickly figured out a solution. Far off in space, there was another planet that could sustain life perfectly just like Old Earth. These people built big, powerful ships then packed up all their things and escaped with their families and the few people that were left on the planet. They came to this planet and named it New Earth. Here they rebuilt their civilization. They grew new food and made new clothes and built new homes and new schools and new stores. Things weren't always perfect but everything seemed to go pretty great. These people worked hard to make this planet their new home so their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren and great great grandchildren could live here happily, which, might I add, we most certainly do. And that is the story of how our planet came to be!"

Alina looked down at the little first-years in front of her. Each child's eyes were as wide as saucers and their tiny mouths hung open in awe.

"Alina," squeaked one of the first-years, waving her hand in the air. "Is that story really for real?"

Alina smiled and nodded. "Of course. You can even ask your teacher." 

The children all turned their heads back to their teacher, who was standing in the back of the room. She nodded and the class let out a collective gasp of astonishment. 

" Can you tell us another true story?" Asked the same little girl excitedly. 

"Sorry," answered Alina. "I have to get to my class now. But don't worry because I'll be back next Monday and I'll have another awesome story for you guys."

"Okay, what do we say?" Said the teacher, walking up the front of the class.

"Thank you, Alina." Replied the disappointed students in unison.

Alina picked up her bag and made her way out the door, waving at the kids. She closed the door behind her and took a deep breath in. She wished she could spend her whole day in that first-year classroom instead of in her regular, boring tenth-year classes. Alina was the top student in almost all of her classes, but that didn't come without lots and lots of hard work. Every day seemed to be harder than the last and every lesson more complicated and confusing. 

Alina hopped down the steps of the school building and jumped onto her bike. She rode down the street toward her school as dreams of long summer days full of friends and music filled her head. She only had to endure school for one more week before she could spend her summer doing whatever she wanted. Alina's heart raced at the thought of reading fairy tales instead of textbooks and singing instead studying. 

But what she was most excited for was the long, sleepless nights spent star-gazing with her older brother, Justin. Justin had left home at the end of the last summer to go study the history of Old Earth and become a teacher in Rubria City. Justin was Alina's best friend before he left and she missed spending time with him more than she had ever missed anything. Justin was the only person who understood Alina. He was the only one that would listen to her songs and enjoy her daydreams and fantasies. To Alina, Justin seemed like the only person who actually thought she was important. In one week, Justin would be coming home and Alina would finally be able to spill out her wild thoughts and wondrous ideas to someone who would actually listen for the first time in months.