Looking at the skies , on a rock that's in another solar system called Selenium, she stared at the four suns and took in the ozone in the atmosphere. What a strange world, Venus thought, a world where plants are bases of life for everything. Venus laid on the grass during recess as she took in her environment and enjoyed the beauty that is nature.
Her dreads laid flat on the ground, standing above her she looked like a pretty palm tree, her dreads like the leaves. In her hair you could see visible green vines, her mother had always told her hair was special. She said this as one of the reasons for not cutting her hair at a little age. Venus laid and basked in the glory of the 4 suns, her blue skin glittered under the heat of the suns.
She remembered stories her mother told her about the dark edan, a large forest at the edge of the world, a place of monsters , believed to house the door to the underworld as the legends told, she had recently been having a strain of strange dreams where she always saw herself in that forest, but she always waved the idea aside saying it was just her imagination.
Although farming activities were done at the entrance to the forest because of the fertile soil, her mother had given her strict warnings never to go close to that area.
She felt a tug at her head, she looked up and saw Sarah, her worst enemy. "What are you doing staring at the skies like a witch you weirdo!", Sarah said. "Recess is over to get to class you witch!". Venus bit her lips as she stared at Sarah with dread. She took a tug at her as she made fun of it. Venus closed her eyes in anger and one of her dreads gripped Sarah's wrist. Sarah became scared, freed herself and walked away, with her glam squad following behind her. Venus didn't notice what happened, she only felt anger and hate for the Sarah that walked away now.
Venus stood at 6ft tall with hair that were 5ft touching her lower legs, she stood and stared at Sarah with a clenched fist. She grunted and waved away the stupidity that was, being annoyed by a person like Sarah and went forward with her day as she walked back to her class.
Her home, an overgrown purple lily tree, the compound covered with giant yellow mushrooms, a colorful sight, was grown by her great grandfather who got the seeds from his own father. With a prominent looking door the house sat in the middle of the city, the house was like a tree and Venus' room was like the basement of the house with roots which she slept on. "What a sight to behold".
On getting home she remembered what had happened earlier in school and marched straight to her parents room. Venus opened the door with tears in her eyes, she said,"Dad why am I a freak". Her father could see the tears in her eyes and hugged as she cried on his shoulder. "What happened at school, Venus?, come on, can you tell me", he said. They were making fun of my hair. Why am I the only one with this hair? Her father kissed her forehead as she cried, "Oh my baby girl you're special, they don't understand how special you are". She sniffed and looked up at him, "That's not enough, I need answers ".
She let go of him and walked out through the open door, her father tries to explain but she storms out.
She went to her room to put a call through to Calvin, the only friend she knew, "going to the library to do some research, I need to know more about this abomination on my head, it's ruining my life", Venus told her friend Calvin over the phone. "There's no need to think like that, you are not an abomination but i will meet you there though".
The old town library was a giant mahogany tree, planted about the day she was born, it grew to the height of the planet's stratosphere, with vines as elevators it had a thousand floors. The most prolific structure on her planet.
She got to the first floor where she asked the libarians where to find the dada archive, she was given a tag and directed to the 800th floor, she used the elevators which where so scary, she hadn't been this high up before.
She got to the right floor and started her search, venus looked for books talking about dada girls like her in the past, but she didnt find anything reasonable. She decided to just wait for calvin, he was probably caught up by something she thought.
She looked up at the large shelf in front of her and she saw a box of old newspapers and materials. She shuffled through it and she found an organic flash drive.
Venus immediately took it to the organic computers at the side, she inserted and waited for it to display its content, at that moment Calvin walked in, "what you doing"? he said, going through this flash drive I found, Venus replied.
They both heard a soft sound from the back of the computer and it went off, they complained to the librarian's and they were informed the computers in the library where all faulty. "You could get some organic computer seeds at the market, and you need to get there soon before it closes" the libarian said.
Venus and Calvin immediately set out to the market to get the organic computer seeds. Venus knowing that her mom owned a shop at the entrance of the market suggested they go through the back gate, she had no answers to her moms inevitable questions,
Venus and Calvin spent minutes searching shop by shop for the computer seeds but it seemed they where out of stock, they asked around and they where directed into the Dark Market, a gloomy part of the market where weird stuffs and animals were sold, " I aint following you in there", Calvin told Venus. " Come on you scaredy cat , we would just be in and out in no time" ,Venus told him. Calvin nodded his head in disapproval she could see that he straighted up his posture and became serious as he said,"Am sorry". Venus became angry with Calvin for being scared and continued to the Dark Market on her own.
In the Dark market she saw shops that sold different monsters in cages, some of them had multiple eyes or more than one tail, some of them looked like they could kill her in a second. In the midst of the fear in the Dark Market she came across a woman that caught her attention. Just within the shops, in the middle of the Market, a lady sold monkeys in cages, the monkeys looked very attractive and colourful, people bought them as pets. But what brought her attention to the lady, was that she appeared to be bald, she had an oval face and full lips, she was beautiful, her skin was blue and raident as she basked under the glory of the four suns. Venus felt connected to this lady but she had never met her before in her life
Venus decided to ask her where she could get her seeds, Venus walked up to the woman. "Hello madam can you point me to where I can get some organic computer seeds, "with obvious shock on the lady's face", she asked Venus what she was doing in this dangerous parts of the market on her own. She said,"this is not a place for children",she told Venus. "I just need my seeds and i will be out of here ma", Venus said. "Check the shop on the right in the next row and get out of here once you are done!",The strange woman replied.
Without hesitation Venus made her way to the shop and got her seeds. but instead of leaving like she was told she went back to the strange woman with monkeys,
"Have we met somewhere before madam", she asked.
"No we haven't, now get out of here child!", The strange woman replied.
Getting home that evening, Venus didn't even care to check if her parents were at home, she made her way straight to her room and planted her organic computer seeds. Her computer grew in about 4hours,
She inserted her special hard drive from the libary, scrolling through the content of the hard drive she saw pictures of girls with hair like hers, she saw pictures of old news papers with headlines about dada girls who where labelled witches because they where believed to be able to fly.
Fly! That would be awesome Venus thought. According to what she read, It was belived people of her kind came from Ados a dreadful forest at the edge of the planet. Venus suddenly remembered dreams she had about herself in Ados. "This is so weird, maybe I need to go to Ados to find my answers", Venus thought. On the computer she saw a picture of a lady with hairs like hers and she stood on a high platform and all the monsters in the forest surrounded her. She wondered what this meant. She knew all her answers lay in Ados and that was where all the answers to her questions lie. So she gave Calvin a call and after alot of persuasion he finally agreed to accompany her to Ados.
On the entrance to Ados they saw people planting at the entrance of the great forest. They had but signs at edge of their farmlands warning people to stay away from the forest. Mostly around these place farmers go missing often because they are mostly eaten by something or lured into the forest. Some people believed Ados was a living being that could sense and feel. At the entrance, stood Calvin and Venus they just stared as they stood in fear rethinking their decision. They heard strange noises like someone singing sweet melodies, it lured them deeper into the forest.As they walked into Ados following the sweet sound they heard, Calvin yelled out in pain.
"Ahh I think something bit me", he said. Venus ran towards him, catching him before he fell, she lowered him to the floor slowly asking him if he saw what bit him, "I don't know but its so painful Calvin groaned in pain". Venus screamed for help and a farmer in a nearby farm heard and ran to their aid. In minutes they where in the town's hospitals I.C.U quick and instant checks where done on Calvin and it was discovered that he was bitten by a mutated addar snake, Calvins parents where devastated, they kept asking Venus what they where looking for in Ados.
The only remedy to Calvin's ailments was the blood of an elgort, a dreadful monster that lived only in ados the doctor reveled. He had only 5 days to live without the antidote.
Getting home that evening Venus was so scared, she didnt know what to tell her parents, she had made a very foolish mistake which might cause the death of her bestfriend. She decided not to tell her parents what happened and set out on a journey to Ados that night for the cure.
She got home and packed a small bag of food, fruits and some snacks and set out for the forest without saying goodbye to her parents. She got to the entrance at about midnight, she was so scared something within her told her to go back but she just couldn't let her friend die.
That first night she had no encounter with anything, her first few kilometers into the forest was smooth, she spent the night on a tall tree after 4hrs of hiking.
Waking up the next morning Venus saw a big colourful toad which just sat and starred at her, at first she was scared but it didn't seem to be dangerous Venus thought, suddenly the toad spoke calling Venus by her name, Venus almost fell off the tree out of fear. "How can you speak", Venus asked the toad, "I am a special toad Venus", the toad relied. "I know what you are looking for and if you are not careful you will die in here so just get down turn back and go back home". Venus looked at the toad with much amazement, "I am not returning home without my friend's antidote" .
In that case you are going to die so I might as well help you" . "the monster you seek lives in the northern part of Ados but I doubt you can get its blood without help, on your way you will find a small village of people of your kind am sure they will lend you a helping, be wary of beasts as they are a lot here, eat only what you brought from home as fruits here are poisonous ",the toad said.
Venus stared at the strange animal confused and also in shock," why are you helping me", Venus asked . " I have nothing to lose", the toad said hopping off the tree.
Venus thought about what the toad had told her," what did it mean by people of my kind ",she thought.
She ate few cakes she brought from home and set out on her journey, she traveled north as she was told. After a few hours Venus encountered a pack of hungry mutated monkeys which chased her, she ran for her life, but she fainted when she fell and hit her head on a stone.
She woke up in a small hut naked, her hair was soaked in honey and she felt so clean, she tried getting up but she felt a sharp pain in her stomach, " don't try to stand up, you are hurt" an unknown voice told her, "where am I" ,Venus asked, "you are in ados, or have you forgotten" ,the voice said, Venus suddenly remembered what had happened to her, she remembered Calvin and pictured him on his sick bed. She felt so sad, tears dripping from her eyes". "Don't feel bad girl, you are in my village, my name is Radwa" .
A girl emerged from the corner of the hut, her hair was so long it was touching the floor, she had green vines growing through her hair just like Venus.
Looking at her Venus was so amazed, at last she had met someone like her. "You have lots and lots of gift you don't know about Venus and I will teach you how to control them",Radwa said.
The next day Radwa introduced Venus to other members of the village, they all looked like her, after the introductions she was taken to an Arena, she was told she had the power to fly and control the mind of beasts.
But she had to perfect the skill as it was critical for her mission and quick.
With the help of everybody in the village Venus mastered her two skills perfectly and was ready for her expedition the next morning.
She set out the next day early in the morning, the last day she had before it was too late for Calvin, "keep traveling north toward the mountains, the elgort's cave lies there" Radwa said to Venus before hugging her goodbye.
After about 7hours venus sighted the cave, with fear running through her vains she moved and crawled quietly into the cave she could already hear the breath of the monster that lay within. she remembered her training and she encouraged herself within, she knew she had no choice but to do this for her friend.
She finally got into the cave, she had to be so quiet as elgorts spend 80 % of their time hybernating, she sighted the elgort lying down in the middle of the cave.
it was so massive, it looked like the combination of an elephant, a mandrul and a jaguar, it smelled horribly, "it probably just had its first meal of the day" Venus thought.
She moved closer and she could see what looked like gaint eggs just beside the monster, "it's a mother" I need to be extra careful she thought, she took out her syringe and slowly inserted it into the wrist of the elgort, it didn't seem to care it was deep in slumber, she filled the syringe with its blood and pulled it out, she secured it properly in her bag and made her way quietly out of the cave, but on her way out she tripped over a rock and hit one of the elgort eggs, it cracked and a weird sound came squeaking out of it.
With fear running through Venus's mind and body she quickly got up and started running towards the entrance of the cave but this made more noise which finally woke the elgort up. Behind her she could hear the monster get up and make an angry cry, she didn't look back she just continued running out of the cave. It ran after her, hitting her in the back and forcing her to the ground, she was definitely hurt, she lay with her back on the ground looking up at the monster, it made a loud cry and was about to land its final death blow to the intruder. Venus just shut her eyes and in that second of a moment she had a flashback of everything that happened in the past 5days, she remembered her friend in the sick bed, she wasn't about to give up and let him die, she once again remembered her training, using her impaling power she stretched out her hands towards the monster, her eyes shining like gold, for a second she looked like a divine being, she floated above the ground, the elgort just stood there motionless with its eyes blank, she flew above the elgorts and sat on top its head holding one of its three tusks for support, she was gonna ride this beast all the way back to the city.
She controlled the beast out of the cave and into the forest, it was so massive it cleared out trees on its way. She rode the elgort as she stared at the suns set, the day was almost over and so it was a race against time.
She gripped the hairs at the back on the elgort and rode it like a might battle horse. The floor leading outside the farm began to vibrate as the farmers fled for theit lives.
Venus could see the hospital so she stood up on the might beast and bought to a hault at the entryway of the hospital. People fled due to fear but she gripped her side due to her injury and gave them the blood at the counter and collapsed on the floor. Doctors rushed her attention, as she had fainted on the floor .Her parents were contacted on the phone that their daughter was in the hospital .
On getting to the hospital Venus parents saw the giant elgot as it lay like a gentle lamp awaiting orders. They held hands as they walked into the hospital to meet their special daughter.
The End
Enjoy what I & @sonofremi has baked for you.
Open a door in your imagination and I will walk you through it- @sonofremi & @miles101
Cc:
@jayna,
@agmoore
@gracielaacevedo
Thank you @miles101 for sharing this complex tail of quest and self discovery. It symbolizes the journey many young people set upon as they approach maturity.
Have you read and commented on the work of at least two other writers this week? (See The Ink Well community rules on our home page.) This helps our community thrive, and also makes you eligible to be chosen for a spotlight in our weekly highlights magazine. Thank you!
Thank you @theinkwell
What a lot of colourful and interesting elements this story has, (I don't know who to allude to, @sonofremi or @miles101).
It's a story that demands a lot of attention if the reader doesn't want to get lost among so many details. I notice the enthusiasm, the strength and the time invested in building the story.
Perhaps you could consider a clearer plot, one that the reader can easily remember, without giving up the fantastic character of this text.
You might want to check out the writing tips on our home page.
Keep writing.
Thank you. @gracelaacevedo
I will check out the writing tips as u advised
This is such an imaginative fantasy story, @miles101 and @sonofremi. You did a great job of creating a kind of epic journey, with lots of twists and turns that build tension and create a splendid story arc, culminating in the den of the monster. I was wondering how she could possibly get back to Calvin with the antidote in time. Riding the monster was a great resolution. And in the process of this entire story playing out, she found people like her, which also enriched the story nicely.
Well done! That's really neat that you have collaborated on the story!
Thank you!!! @jayna the collaboration continues.. Expect more stories!!