Caterpillar and I both laughed.
“She talks like she’s 500 years old, but acts like a five year old.” Caterpillar continued. “She should be very lonely living there all alone, but she seems to still enjoy every moment of her life. It’s like she has something mysterious, powerful and great in her heart that no one can understand. ”
“I’ll be around even when you can’t see me.”
11
Stop
When I lived with Mommy Taleah there was this one time I caught a really bad cold. I didn’t feel like eating anything and my body was so weak that I had to stay in bed for days. One night I needed to use the bathroom but I didn’t want to wake Mommy Taleah up. So instead, I forced myself off the bed to go myself, but as soon as I stood up everything began to spin. After gathering myself for a few minutes, I finally had the strength to step outside my bedroom. The first thing that caught my eye as was a picture hanging on a wall at the end of the corridor. It was a picture of Mommy Taleah gently kissing her grandma on the cheek. I stood there staring at it, completely mesmerized, so much so that I couldn’t move. At that very moment an invisible but powerful force coursed through my body and transported me into the picture. The next thing I knew I was there with Mommy Taleah and her grandma sharing their happiness and the love they had for each other. I woke up from my trance like state in my bed like nothing had happened.
I never knew if it was real or just a dream, but I always wished that time could somehow stop at that moment forever - the moment when I knew what love was.
In the tree house that night Caterpillar fell asleep quickly just as before. I, on the other hand, was wide awake and gazing at the stars through the hole in the roof. I pulled out my necklace and held up the pendants against the moon light. The pendants consisted of a square, a circle and a triangle. If I had never been to TUH Valley I wouldn’t have known what it meant; but now I knew it symbolized the UNIVERSE, and when I overlapped three of them together into a new shape, it meant HOME.
Dear Universe, if you really can hear me, please give me courage to overcome whatever is going to happen tomorrow?
The morning sunlight shined on my face, causing me to awaken from my sleep. Caterpillar was already up and sitting by the door staring outside with an apple and a bottle of milk in his hands.
“Where did you get those?” I sat up, as he jerked back.
“Oh, you’re awake! I went back to Laketuh house to see Ms. Crystal. She gave us these.” He picked up a bag sitting next him to show me.
“You could have at least wakened me up. I could have gone with you.” I walked toward Caterpillar, grabbed an apple and sat down next to him.
“You were snoring. I didn’t want to wake you up!”
“NO I DIDN’T!” My face turned red.
“Hehehe. Some new kids just came yesterday. Ms. Crystal said they cried the whole night. She said it was probably a good idea that we didn’t go back last night.”
“Poor kids.” I sighed, as I took a bite of an apple.
“Yeah, I remembered I cried every night when I first came here.” Caterpillar scratched his nose.
My first night? I slept like a log. Second night, I got locked in the bathroom. Third night, I found a lizard under my blanket…
We sat next to each other eating breakfast, laughing and reminiscing about our time at the Laketuh House (mostly on how Achilles and Einstein used to bully us). This particular morning seemed peaceful and full of joy for the time being.
After the breakfast we went to Laketuh Lake. For few minutes we just stood there without saying a word, and then Caterpillar broke the silence with a shocking revelation.
“Beanie, I’m not going in with you.”
“WHY NOT!?” I shouted.
“Blue Pearl told me those two monsters will come back again. I have to stop them from getting in. So, you’ll have to go in alone.”
“How are you going to stop them!? You saw how scary they were!”
“I know. So I’ll have to stop time.”
“Stop time? What do you mean?”
“Listen to me very carefully, Beanie.” Caterpillar turned to me and said in a very serious tone.
“Blue Pearl gave me this clock to stop time. The plan is I’ll go into the lake first and start playing the music to attract the monsters. Once they get close enough I’ll push the button on this clock. When I push this button, time for anything in contact with me will stop for three minutes. You’ll have to use those three minutes to open the gate and get inside as quickly as possible. It’s very important to remember to close the gate once you’re inside, don’t wait a second more.”
“What are you going to do after the three minutes are up?” I breathed anxiously.
“Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine.” Caterpillar gave me a confident smile, but I wasn’t as sure.
“If the clock could have helped why didn’t Blue Pearl give it to Popcorn?” I asked.
“She did teach her another way to deal with the monsters, but Popcorn failed. I guess it was fate...”
“Oh…” I lowered my head. “But have you pushed the button before? Are you sure it will do what it supposes to do?”
“NO.” He started to laugh. “I wish it’s not another one of Blue Pearl’s jokes!”
“HEY!” I angrily shouted.
“Don’t worry! I’m sure Blue Pearl won’t joke about something like this. She knows it’s very serious. Oh, and I made this for you.” Caterpillar grabbed my hand and tied a bracelet on my wrist. The bracelet was made from a slender brown leather rope with a small sunflower glued on to it.
“Blue Pearl taught me how to make it with some special materials, so the flower won’t welt and the bracelet won’t break. My mom always said that sunflowers bring good luck. I want you to have it so you’ll be safe and to able to bring Achilles back home.”
“I love it, Caterpillar. It’s so pretty!” I hugged him. “Thank you so much!”
“No, thank YOU, Beanie. I wish I could go and help you to find them? I hope it’s not too dangerous in there.”
“I’ll be alright but I’m more worried about you Caterpillar.”
Caterpillar jumped into the lake and reached the rock where Popcorn first played the invisible piano. He pulled out the shinny white clock from his pocket, placed it near his lips and whistled through it. Magically, a soft melody began filling the air.
“GAAAAAA - GUOOOOOWWWWWW!!!!”
As Blue Pearl predicted, within 10 seconds the two monsters appeared. They swooped down frantically and hovered around Caterpillar. The purple and yellow one looked especially intimidating, screeching angrily, but this time I could understand what it was saying.
“LET US IN!!”
Caterpillar ignored them and kept on whistling through the clock. Losing patience the green and yellow grabbed Caterpillar with its slender claws and lifted him up into the air. Caterpillar struggled to free himself as he dangled helplessly. Then the purple and yellow one flew over and grabbed onto Caterpillar’s foot and the two monsters began spinning him. Caterpillar struggled frantically as he tried to push the button on the clock in his trembling hand, but he kept missing it, again and again. At one point as the monsters spun faster and faster the clock actually slipped out of Caterpillar’s hand. He twisted his body and stretched out his arm with all of his strength trying to get it back.
My heart was pounding so fast I thought it was going to burst. And then…
He had stopped.
They had stopped.
Caterpillar’s thumb was right on the top of the button.
Time had stopped.
The three of them were frozen in midair.
I let out a short shriek, amazed at the sight in front of me, but then I remembered what Caterpillar told me and without hesitation jumped into the lake.
I stood on rock the where Caterpillar was standing just moments ago. The three of them were floating above me. Caterpillar’s face was contorted and his bo
dy twisted in an awkward position. The two monsters were frozen with their wings opened in a frightening gesture, their fearsome glowing red eyes were fixated on Caterpillar and their long protruding tongues made it seemed like they were going to eat him.
Tick- Tick- Tick....
I could hear ticking sound from the clock and I could hear it counting “152-151-150…” It was actually counting down to when they would be unfrozen again. My heart was beating fast and I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking. So I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
FOCUS, BEANIE.
I opened my eyes and switched my vision to Snow White mode. I now found myself standing in an empty featureless white field with the three strangely shaped Snow Whites that were once Caterpillar and the two monsters floating above my head. Directly in front of me, floating at chest level was a small white rectangular box resembling a piano key. I pushed the key and as expect a clear musical note was produced and then a second key appeared right after. So I pushed again and another note was produced. And then, the third one, the forth one, the fifth… Suddenly I found myself performing an enchanting tune that I could never image myself playing.
Tick- Tick- Tick…
99- 98- 97…
My fingers were frantically following each key. I felt the drips of sweat rolling down my forehead. In front of me a small black opening was beginning to materialize.
Tick- Tick- Tick…
55-54-53…
I took another glance. No, not big enough yet.
Tick- Tick- Tick…
45- 44- 43…
Time was running out.
I looked around anxiously, took a deep breath and jumped into the opening.
“See you tomorrow, Caterpillar!”
“I’ll be alright but I’m more worried about you Caterpillar.”
12
Secretary
To me the ‘First Time’ you experienced something, whatever that something was, tend to be the most memorable. Take me for example, the first time I realized that I was an orphan and therefore different from most kids, I was utterly shocked to my core. The first time I was ever adopted by a real family, I was so excited that I couldn’t sleep for a week. And the first time I knew I was being sent back, I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. The first time I received a new pair of shoes at the orphanage, I was so happy because I never had a new pair before. But then I was very disappointed when I saw the holes in the shoes and realized that it wasn’t new, just donated by someone who didn’t want it anymore.
I remembered a few of us kids were watching TV at the orphanage. There was a car commercial with this bald guy and he said - “The best first time experience ever with a brand new design.” When the commercial ended, one of the kids asked: “I don’t understand, what’s so bad about the second time experience? It won’t be as good as the first time?” Another kid said: “I don’t know, I guess not. Just like us orphans, we’re secondhand. That’s why no one likes us that much.”
It was my second time in the tunnel, but unlike the first, I wasn’t frightened. Instead, I was just anxious to complete the task at hand. 30 seconds of sliding downwards in pitch darkness felt like an eternity, and even though the water beneath me was freezing cold it couldn’t cool down my nerves.
I can make it. I can make it.
Finally, I fell into the white room and landed safely on the ground. I turned back almost immediately and lifted up the pendants upwards to close the gate. I stared at it intensely, watching the gate shrink until it was completely closed. After making sure that nothing else came through, my legs went soft and I collapsed on the floor.
“This is crazy…” I panted. “I hope Caterpillar’s okay.”
In front of me was the dark and mysterious tunnel Achilles and Popcorn walked through the last time. I tried stepping in but hesitated.
“Why do they always have to make things so dark? Why can’t they just make it brighter?”
I cautiously stuck one of my hands into the tunnel and it vanished in the darkness as if my arm was missing a hand. Not feeling anything I pulled it back.
“Oh well, whatever.” I stepped my foot in.
As I moved through the darkness, I could feel the temperature drop, the further I moved forward the colder it got. It got to a point where I started to tremble violently, and my body, from top to bottom began to go numb. I started to panic.
Just then a tiny glittering dot appeared before me, guiding me to it like lighthouse in the distance. I walked towards it and as I got closer I realized that it was a door. As soon as I touched it, the door became transparent and I was able to step through. Through it was another white room with five additional doors. They were rectangular in shape but with no doorknobs. I tried knocking on each of them, but no answer. I tried opening the doors by pushing on them, but they appeared to be locked.
“Umm… still scary even when it’s brighter…” I muttered.
“Din!”
I spun around and a human shaped silhouette appeared behind one of the doors. I held my breath, not knowing what was about to happen. The door then turned transparent and a young lady stepped through. She was very tall and skinny and her skin was pale. Her face had sharp features and her eyes were small but with noticeable orange pupils. The tight blue jump suit she wore made her looked even taller and thinner.
“Hello, Key Holder.” Her voice sounded digital, like a machine.
“Hi.” I responded nervously.
“I’m the Secretary of the Earth Office. Here is your uniform, please put it on.” She handed over a blue coat and a pair of boots that was in her arms.
“I need to wear a uniform? Where can I get changed then?” I asked.
“Just put them over the clothes and shoes you have on now, they’ll fit.”
I sat down and tried the boots first. They looked very small, like a pair of tiny boots for a baby, but amazingly the material it was made from was tough and incredibly elastic. The boots stretched and formed over my shoes and leg warmers perfectly. It was surprisingly comfortable. Then I put on the blue cloak, which had multiple layers in different lengths. A short white poncho with a hood was the very top layer, and a pair of white gloves was attached to the cuffs. Even though I had multiple layers of clothing on, this uniform made me feel very light, like a feather.
“Usually,” Secretary looked at me in the uniform and continued speaking. “We send those who enter TUH for first time to the Operation Center. But since your time is limited here, I just went ahead ordered the uniform for you. We’ll postpone the surgery everyone is required to have for next time.”
“Surgery!?” I shouted. I had to be cut open before I could get in?
“It’s just a simple procedure to test each student’s mental and physical attributes before we assign them to different schools. Also, the procedure is necessary to assign identification for the key holders in the TUH system. So, for example, next time when key holders come back to TUH, they’ll automatically have on their proper uniforms as soon as they arrive.”
“I see.” I nodded.
“Also, different uniforms have different features. It not only represents your position in TUH but also helps you with your work. You’ll learn more about it next time.”
“Secretary, do you know how much time I have until… the earth…”
“Earth time 20 hours 8 minutes and 8 seconds.”
“That’s it!? So how am I going to find the others? Can’t you just call them back here?”
“NO. The Key Holders are the only source who can connect with their fellow students. You have to find them yourself.”
“But I have never been here, how am I going to find them all in… less than a day without any help!?” I protested.
“You won’t be alone in there. You’ll have a Fairy with you.”
“A FAIRY!?” My eyes widen.
“Yes, each Key Holder can be assigned a well trained Fairy for assistance. It will guide you through your journey.”
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My own cute FAIRY!? This was SOOOOO awesome!
“Din!”
Another door became transparent.
“Perfect! Your Fairy is here!” Secretary said with a smile on her face but her robotic tone made her seemed emotionless and cold.
“THIS IS MY FAIRY???”
This ‘FAIRY’ was bigger than me and looked like an old man in his late 50’s. Half of his face was hidden behind a messy beard and another half was covered by a huge old-fashioned glasses. His clothes looked as if they were from the 30’s. The excitement I had about getting a cute fairy immediately faded.
“Hi, you must be the new Key Holder.” He spoke with a deep and comforting voice, like someone’s grandpa. “My name is ByZzZBzCC. I understand it’s very difficult to pronounce, so you can just call me Fairy.”
I forced a smile and politely nodded back. I tried not to judge his appearance but I just didn’t understand how he could be a FAIRY????
“Secretary.” He turned to her. “I assume the Key Holder is not going to the Operation Center at this time.”
Secretary shook her head and said “No, and I have requested the MAP for her.” She gently waved her hand and a small silver card emerged in between her index and middle finger like a magician. She then handed it over to me.
“This is the TUH MAP. You can find your students’ locations from here. Please put it on the back of your hand, on top of your glove.”
I did as I was told and magically the card attached itself to the glove.
“Now, please turn your hand.”
As soon as I turned my hand, a dazzling hologram of a large square board materialized in front of me. One by one, different landscapes and buildings began to appear, turning the once blank board into an incredible 3D map.
“You see all these tiny dots?” Secretary pointed to the countless blinking dots in different colors throughout the board.
“They’re either the students or the workers in TUH.”