World War III

Dakota is thirteen years old with long, blond hair. Such a dreamer she is. That's all she did through out the day, dream. There she sat in Mrs. Nadia's 3^rd period creative writing class. Dakota was off in some land, when she realized the board. It read: short story (fiction) due Wednesday!!! She sighed, thinking, another assignment this week. There she crouched at the back of the room while her teacher gave the details. An hour until lunch, and food was calling her name. Dakota slowly laid her head upon her left forearm. She opened and closed her eyes for several seconds then finally gave up, and drifted off to sleep. Dakota flew from her seat as if it shocked her. The teacher yelled for kids to get under their desks. Students started screaming as they lined up at the windows. Fire was coming from the sky and bombs coming from the ground. The desks shuttered and moved feet at some points. Dakota made her way to the window and saw the worst sight.

Cars were blowing up, and boats on the water in flames. Is it a terrorist attack? Is it the Japanese? Nobody knew what was happening. Seconds later, a voice came on the school radio. Teachers keep your students in their classrooms, everyone will be safe. That didn't last long! Students trampled the teachers to get out of the building, and home to their families. As Dakota ran out of the classroom she passed a window. She could have sworn she saw a man covered with fur. She glanced again, and couldn't believe her eyes. There were large men drenched in fur, which looked as if someone had sown it to them. They were the strangest thing Dakota had ever seen. Finally, the man looked back at her, and she ran from the window. Dakota launched home faster than she ever had before. Her parents were standing in front of the house.

They attempted to pick up Dakota, but trees fell and blocked the way. Power lines were on the ground and other families were attempting to drive somewhere better. Her parents screeched at her to go in the house. Dakota listened. She looked out her front window and watched the adults around the neighborhood speak of what to do. Dakota's father is an officer and took the lead. They decided to leave, there wasn't another choice anyway, Dakota thought. Dakota ran to her room and packed what mattered most to her, a journal, a bracelet from Australia, and her backpack. Then once again lead her self to the front of the house. People moved the trees and began to get their loved ones out. Dakota climbed in the car following her parents. She glanced at her house and wondered, what was to happen now? The family of three left, and made it to the freeway, where there was a lot more damage. Dakota looked out her window and stared at a passing sigh that read: Leaving Portland Oregon. Tears streamed perfect down her face like someone was guiding them. Dakota and her family were from Australia originally. That's where she did most of her growing up. The whole family had beautiful accents.

They drove for hours and all of the sudden there was a stop. Hundreds of cars were backed up, and no one could see to far. Dakota and her family waited in the car. Women and men walked by the car crying, and weeping for their children. It made no sense, they thought. Dakota heard her dad whisper. He said, "Dakota hide, hide now." She did as he said and piled things on top of her body. She didn't move a muscle or barely breathe for minutes. What was happening, she thought? "No" "Please, don't" screeched her mother. Dakota felt a huge hand grab her out of the pile. The bag on her back made it hard to get her out of the window. Her father reached for her and was tackled by two of the strangers. They looked at her and said "listen up girl, and nothing will happen". She did as the strangers said. They lead her to the train on the side of the freeway. Being tossed into the boxcar, Dakota noticed many other children. Staring at every face possible, she was pushed forward by another girl being thrown in also.

None of the children were talking, and every face looked terrified. Seconds later, the train began to move. The strange men were still putting children on the train, but it moved faster, and finally the men jumped on too. Every child aboard that train imagined a different idea of where there were heading. Some thought space, some thought Japan, and some thought a room with no windows and no light. It became dark outside, and Dakota put her head on her knees, and rested.

Dear Diary, December.3.2008

Early today I was boarded on a train with many others. We are still here and the train is still moving. The others say, that their parents think, it is World War III. I don't believe them. I don't know what to believe actually. I'm not scared, I will be strong and I will see my parents again. These strangers are intimidating and harsh. Maybe they're scared. Dakota L Rock

Dakota looked up, "the train, its stopping." All the children became scared and anxious to see where they were taken. The doors of the boxcar flew open. "Snow" Dakota whispered. She looked out and it was almost beautiful, until she realized, she wasn't suppose to be there. All the kids stared in awe. Finally, there came movement. Women stepped out in front of them. Where were the strange men? Had they left? The women were gorgeous, with hair longer than their bodies. They looked like models, but they felt evil. They commanded the children to step off the train. Dakota jumped off and looked to her left and then to her right. Hundreds of children leaped out of the boxcars. She was amazed.

There were trails in front of Dakota and the others. They were instructed to follow the trails. So out of the ordinary... there laid bright green grass in the winter time. Dakota looked at the path of green almost every step she took. In time she looked up, and stopped. The snow was ending, and there was water. There were mountains and lakes, but small lakes. During such a horrible experience, everything was so beautiful. A woman with red hair that could reach the sun touched Dakota's face and said, "Hurry now young girl" She shook her head and started to walk once more. They soon entered a slim valley of mountains. There were children to my side that soon regrouped behind or in front of me to fit in the crevasse. Dakota peaked slightly over the girl in front of her and was in shock... waterfalls and perfectly clear blue rocks. There were other children there as well. They didn't look like Dakota and the group. They looked pleased and of no fear. They all gathered and sat on the rocks. They were treated good, and enjoyed the heavenly place. Night came and the children wondered off to sleep.

Dear Diary, December.4.2008

Today was more pleasant than yesterday. I still don't know where they are taking us or why. I'm sitting under a waterfall, believe it or not. These beautiful women brought us to this place. There are rocks that look of glass and mountains with no end. Everything is bright and nothing is duel. Dakota L Rock

Morning came and the children woke. Where were the women? Had they left us here? Most of the kids jumped in the water and rinsed. Dakota stared off in to the distance wondering what was to come of today. She played with the cracked ends of her hair and slowly swiped it behind her neck. Dakota looked up and everything was calm. Swoosh! Dakota looked at the water. Children were climbing out and screaming. The water bubbles and roared. There were fish, and they were huge. Dakota stared, and realized the creatures were every color she could think of. The rock she laid upon started to shake. She quickly climbed higher, as the rock crumbled beneath her. As the fish would come to the top of the water they would form into small children. Dakota could not believe what she was seeing. Every child stood at the top of the rocks and looked down at the morphing fish. When the fish changed into children they didn't lose their weird colors. It looked as if a rainbow was reflecting on their bodies. The new children wore barely anything, just what needed to be covered. "Hish hane foe plast yenh." One of the creatures spoke. A different language, Dakota thought. What was happening now? They pointed at the water for us to come with them. What were they to do?

The beautiful women were gone and they had nowhere to go. As the creatures turned hot red the children realized they didn't have a choice. Every child was to grab the hand of a creature and dunk in the water. Dakota became nervous. She couldn't swim, and barely ever tried. She became neck deep in the water and suddenly became sucked under. She didn't open her eyes for a few seconds, but when she did, she was amazed. She looked at her hand and followed it up the arm of the creature. It was a girl, about the same age as Dakota. Dakota became scared of not breathing but then minutes later realized, she could breathe. She could breathe very well.

The creature grabbed her hand tighter and stared back at Dakota. Then the creature held up her fist. She put up one finger, then two, and then three. Dakota jumped from her seat like it had shocked her. She was back in her 3^rd period creative writing class. All the students were staring at her. "You missed the directions Dakota," said her friend Misty. It was a dream, she thought. Just another dream.