This is a painting of the aurora borealis in Alaska that I just finished. (Setting) This was Laika, the first dog to go to space. She was sent by the Soviet Union. Sadly, she aircraft was required to be blown to pieces when they didn't know how to return her home. | I based this story off of a prompt in class that talked about what aliens would look like if they landed on earth. All the alien stories that I have heard always contained an evil tone so I wanted to incorporate that but add my little twist. With aliens it's always the same outcome, people die or get abducted. WOW, WHAT A GREAT STORY! So I wanted to give it that horrifying feel but give it that "plot twist" outcome. I even wanted to add in a nonfiction character in the story. I can't tell you any more or I'll ruin the story. |
Outside the window, skies raged a vibrant blue color and streams of green ribbon danced across the midnight back drop. Here in Alaska it stayed nighttime for a while so the night sky was still visible. Something felt very off about today, but I couldn’t make out what it was. Bringing the sheets with me, I rolled off my springy bed and hobbled over to the kitchen. Eagerly, I snatched a half eaten granola bar off the counter and snarfed it down when I realized I was late for school. I did find it odd that my parents were both gone, I just assumed that work started early today. Quickly, I snatched my empty backpack and leaving the house half undressed I realized that the bus must have left because it was not at the curb like usual. There must have been at least a foot of snow settled on the the earth beneath me. Busting open the fence with my foot, I swiftly clutched my bike handles and leaped onto my battered seat. My tires were flat, but I didn’t have time to fill them so I took a different path with more of a downward slope.
Glancing side to side every once in a while didn’t benefit me because it raised my concern as to why no one was out. No dogs barking, no cars running, just absolute silence. I shook it off as I realized I had a bigger problem, I forgot my homework. Of course I didn’t do it so I suppose it doesn't matter. My left pedal made a loud mechanical noise every time I thrusted my foot downward. Finally, arriving at school I made a shocking discovery. Each car slot lay vacant and bike stands stood against the wall serving no purpose. I threw my bike to the floor and reached for my head noticing that I forgot about my helmet, but that didn’t matter right now. I ran for the sign located in the front of the school that give you the date, time, and temperature. Panting, I finally made it. In large pixelated blocks the sign said February and the a few seconds later it transitioned to Saturday 8th. I sigh of rage dawned upon me. I had been know to run to school on Saturday before. This still didn’t explain why there was no one here. The steamed floated from my mouth as I started jogging sternly to my bike.
I glanced back at the school to make another astonishing discovery, there was a large black cloud oozing out of the school’s crevices. I jogged towards the building slightly concerned but mostly excited. WE ARE FINALLY BURNING THIS PLACE DOWN I shouted, in my head, of course. As I neared the school I examined the flakes of ash dancing like butterflies around me, just to come to the conclusion that there was no one burning anything down and the air smelled like we were near a hot spring. I heard shards of glass shift around and scrape against one another, abruptly, I froze in my tracks. I heard loud panting and the door that lead to the smoke cracked open a sliver. I took a few inaudible steps towards the building and grasped the brass handle. The knob tilted to the side steadily, as if it were scared of what waited at the other side, too. The door opened at a snail’s pace and the thing that made that noise was looking straight at me. It was lurking in the shadows.
I got harder to breath as the creature vaulted over the small craft that stood in front of the beast. I shut my eyes and covered my face. I heard the faint clicking sound of its nails agist the solid tile floor. I felt a soft gust of wind hit the hairs on my skin and I peered out a crack that lay in between my fingers. I saw a patch of white, then a patch of brown, and then felt a wet nose on my arm. I uncovered my face and saw a dog. She looked to be old and had an astronaut suit on. Her fragile tail began to wag and she jumped up and licked my face. The bristles on her tongue caressed my cheek. Was this a dog that was sent up to space? I searched for a collar and found a torn rope and a rusted tag with the name Laika poorly etched onto it. I’ve heard of this name before, in matter of fact we talked about a dog named Laika that was sent to space by the Soviet Union and was blow to pieces due to difficulties. I grabbed the slender dog and carefully walked over to the odd craft it emerged from.
I inspected the remans of the capsule and underneath a pile of glass and wires I found a tattered note. I unfolded the letter with caution so that I wouldn’t destroy the authenticity of the message. The note read:
This is Laika. She is a stray that was found on the streets and was used as the first dog to venture where no man has. We are going to fake her death and freeze her and someday she will rocket back down to Earth and defrost. The only reason we are faking her death is to hopefully end space travel of dogs and encourage space travel of men. Watch after her, for she is a true hero.
From, Lieutenant ————--
The note ended abruptly due to a fragment of the paper charred off by the crash. I folded the note and tenderly slid it into my pocket. I stared into the dogs stained wood colored eyes. The note didn’t make much sense but all I knew was that this dog was something out of this world.
Glancing side to side every once in a while didn’t benefit me because it raised my concern as to why no one was out. No dogs barking, no cars running, just absolute silence. I shook it off as I realized I had a bigger problem, I forgot my homework. Of course I didn’t do it so I suppose it doesn't matter. My left pedal made a loud mechanical noise every time I thrusted my foot downward. Finally, arriving at school I made a shocking discovery. Each car slot lay vacant and bike stands stood against the wall serving no purpose. I threw my bike to the floor and reached for my head noticing that I forgot about my helmet, but that didn’t matter right now. I ran for the sign located in the front of the school that give you the date, time, and temperature. Panting, I finally made it. In large pixelated blocks the sign said February and the a few seconds later it transitioned to Saturday 8th. I sigh of rage dawned upon me. I had been know to run to school on Saturday before. This still didn’t explain why there was no one here. The steamed floated from my mouth as I started jogging sternly to my bike.
I glanced back at the school to make another astonishing discovery, there was a large black cloud oozing out of the school’s crevices. I jogged towards the building slightly concerned but mostly excited. WE ARE FINALLY BURNING THIS PLACE DOWN I shouted, in my head, of course. As I neared the school I examined the flakes of ash dancing like butterflies around me, just to come to the conclusion that there was no one burning anything down and the air smelled like we were near a hot spring. I heard shards of glass shift around and scrape against one another, abruptly, I froze in my tracks. I heard loud panting and the door that lead to the smoke cracked open a sliver. I took a few inaudible steps towards the building and grasped the brass handle. The knob tilted to the side steadily, as if it were scared of what waited at the other side, too. The door opened at a snail’s pace and the thing that made that noise was looking straight at me. It was lurking in the shadows.
I got harder to breath as the creature vaulted over the small craft that stood in front of the beast. I shut my eyes and covered my face. I heard the faint clicking sound of its nails agist the solid tile floor. I felt a soft gust of wind hit the hairs on my skin and I peered out a crack that lay in between my fingers. I saw a patch of white, then a patch of brown, and then felt a wet nose on my arm. I uncovered my face and saw a dog. She looked to be old and had an astronaut suit on. Her fragile tail began to wag and she jumped up and licked my face. The bristles on her tongue caressed my cheek. Was this a dog that was sent up to space? I searched for a collar and found a torn rope and a rusted tag with the name Laika poorly etched onto it. I’ve heard of this name before, in matter of fact we talked about a dog named Laika that was sent to space by the Soviet Union and was blow to pieces due to difficulties. I grabbed the slender dog and carefully walked over to the odd craft it emerged from.
I inspected the remans of the capsule and underneath a pile of glass and wires I found a tattered note. I unfolded the letter with caution so that I wouldn’t destroy the authenticity of the message. The note read:
This is Laika. She is a stray that was found on the streets and was used as the first dog to venture where no man has. We are going to fake her death and freeze her and someday she will rocket back down to Earth and defrost. The only reason we are faking her death is to hopefully end space travel of dogs and encourage space travel of men. Watch after her, for she is a true hero.
From, Lieutenant ————--
The note ended abruptly due to a fragment of the paper charred off by the crash. I folded the note and tenderly slid it into my pocket. I stared into the dogs stained wood colored eyes. The note didn’t make much sense but all I knew was that this dog was something out of this world.