Monday, January 17, 2011

Outside the Walls, Chapter One-The World beyond the Walls

    "Boing, Boing."  The springs under Esor bounced along with the young girl.  It was a bright day with not a cloud in the sky.  She bounced high over the net, higher, higher, she could even see over the tip of one of the walls that surrounded Notnac.  Notnac is a small town in North America that is blocked from the rest of the world by four tall walls that keep the city enclosed.  Esor often complained she feels as though she is in a cage.  The language in Notnac is also very different.  They say English words backwards.  So, we would call Esor, Rose.  Notnac is backwards for Canton.  Esor jumped higher and higher on the trampoline, wanting very badly to see the world beyond the walls.  She got her wish and even more.  Before she knew it, Esor was bouncing higher than the net, higher than the wall.
    Esor opened her eyes slowly.  Time seemed to have passed, because the sky was growing slowly darker.  "I tsum evah nellaf peelsa." Esor said quietly, sitting up and looking around the new world.  This could not be Notnac.  "Say what?" asked a voice beside her.  "Tahw?" Esor asked, as an unfamiliar girl helped her up.  "Ym eman Esor." She said quickly.  The girl asked something that sounded like "Where are you from?" Esor had no idea what the girl meant.  "Tiaw a etunim!" She suddenly understood.  Amam had told her that people in the other world said things backwards from them.  The girl asked her about Notnac.  Carefully choosing her words, she said slowly "I am from a different world."  "Well, that was kind of obvious, you can't even speak English."  She was talking too fast for Esor.  Esor knew she needed a new way to communicate with people in this world.  The question was, how?  How would she tell them about home?  How would she tell them about her life?  How would she tell them that all she needed was a way back home?