Everything Will Change

Karen woke up to blinding light and loud cheers. She started to move her arms and legs, but she felt the rope around her wrists and ankles. When she was fully awake she saw that she was stuck in a glass cylinder case on a platform with thousands of other things inside. She then noticed the crowd of people cheering. The more Karen saw and heard she realized that aliens did in fact exist. The proof was right in front of her eyes.

Suddenly a face appeared in front of her. She gasped and tried to jump back. The face was ugly and made of stone. It reminded her of one of her sisters, which made her laugh. The alien was surprised that her fear did not last too long. The alien grunted and moved on. Karen saw that the crowd slowly formed a line and walked onto the platform to see all of the specimens and alien life forms.

Many hours passed by and the crowd had thinned down. There were not many aliens. Many of the aliens in the glass cases had disappeared as well. Karen understood that it was an auction. Her family was gone, and she did not feel any sadness. She figured she would not be bought and would be disposed of somehow.

Soon a burly general walked in. He looked more like a human than most of the aliens Karen had seen. The man talked to one of the Spiny-Necked Aliens, as Karen started calling them, and started looking at what was left of the buyable aliens. The man stopped to look at Karen.

“Do you have any special talents?” The voice of the man asked in Karen’s mind.

Karen thought for a second then shook her head no. The man smiled and called over the Spine-Necked Alien. There was an exchange of money, and Karen’s case was opened. The alien forced her out of the case. The man glared at the alien.

“Don’t hurt her.” he barked.

The alien backed down with his hands up in the air. Karen looked at the man trying to figure him out. He noticed that she was studying him. He smiled at her and led her to his spacecraft. He opened the door and showed her around.

“You are a very brave child, I do not see any fear in your eyes.”

“Should I be afraid?” Karen asked quietly.

“No, you are safe now. My name is Den Zark, but you can call me Zark or General Zark.”

“I’m Karen.”

“Soon we will arrive on my planet, Tarknos. We are currently in a war, but I assure you no harm will come to you.”

Karen smiled and Zark smiled back. Zark showed her a food area on his ship. There was a lot of earth food that Karen loved. They soon headed to Tarknos. Karen sat and ate some Cheetos. A new life was coming, and she was ready for it.

Hours passed by as they rocketed through unknown constellations. Karen stared out a window in complete awe of what she saw. Such beauty in a place she did not know about until today. The shapes the stars made fascinated her and her imagination went wild with creativity on what the shapes could possibly be. She was surprised to see the desert-like surface, the sand a glistening layer beneath a canopy of clouds. Far off mountains were huddled together in a meandering range, their giant peaks forming a rickety fence that separated the land from the sky. For a place that was supposed to be so alien, it felt just like home to her.

When they exited the spacecraft they felt a wave of heat. In the distance, one could hear gunfire and the echoes of cannons. Karen looked around to make sure she was safe. Zark noticed this and assured her that everything was fine and that she would not be harmed. Zark led her to a large square building. Karen figured it was the headquarters for the military. Once inside she saw many computers, soldiers were rushing around with paperwork, and she saw cells holding prisoners. Zark looked down at her and smiled.

“This will be your new home now. We are currently at war with the planet Flunesh. The people are half metal which makes them extremely dangerous and they constantly need new territories. We have fought them for up to three years now. Here on Tarknos, we believe that everyone is capable of having a mutation. We are not born with a mutation, so we must work to gain one. Since you are now a resident on this planet you will have to go through tests like all of us. What is your age?”

“I’m five.”

“That is the perfect age. Get ready to be one of us. Let’s hope you are quick to gain a mutation.”

Two guards grabbed Karen’s arms and dragged her away. Karen was thrown into a vast room with only two doors. The one she was pushed through, and one at the far end of the room. A man with saber teeth walked in. His face was dismayed once he saw Karen.