Once upon a time,
There was a little girl named Mariette. She wasn't popular, but she wasn't weird and geeky either. Mariette was average. She had short, light brown hair. Billions of freckles popped up on her cheeks that caused the grown-ups to ooh and ahh, "Such a cute little darling!"
But Mariette didn't want to be a "cute little darling". Mariette wanted to be a tomboy, strong enough to make bullies cower in terror. Mariette wanted to be the daughter of a pirate, the last sight of sailors walking the plank and plunging to their death in the dark, icy, shark-infested waters. Mariette wanted to be an evil pixie, filling victims with awe and wonder at her beauty before she bit them and stole their souls.
Alas, Mariette would never be any of those things. She would just be a cute little girl with freckles and big blue eyes. Besides, as the grown-ups always said, "You're so sweet!" Mariette was too sweet, and it sickened her. She wanted to be tough, yet cowered away from any danger.
One time, Mariette was walking home from school. She had to walk through alleyways, or else busy highways stood in her way. Mariette's mother strictly forbid walking across busy highways. Sadly, her mother had no idea of the other danger apparent in walking home through alleyways.
Gangs.
Actually, Mariette didn't know if they were really gangs. After all, she had never seen one before. But several older boys enjoyed loitering around in the back-alleys, pretending to own them. If Mariette had been older than a mere second grader, they would have been no disturbance at all. However, she was petite, and had to endure their crude comments of "mouse" and "baby doll".
While walking home, Mariette could either avoid the boys or tolerate being treated like class-pet. At some time, she poorly made the mistake of thinking she was tough and strong enough to deny the gang. They responded to her actions by pelting rocks at her while she ran for dear life. From that moment on, if they were in a good mood, they let her be. But if they were in a bad mood, Mariette would be forced to dodge rocky rain.
This paticular day, the gang must have been feeling awful. Mariette took off at a run as dust skidded up around her boots. A gray clammy stone whizzed past her right cheek. A tan chunk of brick tickled her hair on its intercept path to the concrete before her. A crystalline rock fell from above Mariette. Her eyes followed the magnificient stone as it fell. Without thinking, her arm lunged outwards and grabbed it.
Mariette stopped running and gazed dreamily at the stone she now held. It was cold, almost metallic, yet its shiny blue surface glowed with luster similar to that of the ocean. And then, reminding her of the present danger and vulnerability, a rock thunked against Mariette's shin. She pocketed her pretty crystal and charged onwards again, leaving footprints in the gritty road. The jewel pulsed cool in her pocket.
Once upon a time,
There was a little girl named Yonder. Yonder was trapped inside a body, trapped inside a world she couldn't survive in. Yonder knew she would probably never exist, and she would stay trapped inside a body trapped inside a world she couldn't survive in. Yonder would probably never go to her own world, and she knew that.
But Yonder was only a little girl, and she couldn't possibley understand she would never get home. So when rocks were thrown at the body she was trapped inside, and one of the rocks glowed with the signature of one of her own kind and own world, Yonder reached out, and caught it. In her palm, she held a piece of her home, and Yonder was filled with glee.
She had tried to move before, but it wasn't her body (she was just trapped inside) so her thoughts didn't matter. However, something about Yonder's longing to go home allowed her to reach out and cup the stone in her hand. Hope was powerful. Yonder wouldn't have to move anymore, this body would finish what she began. Soon she would be home, and Yonder knew that.
Yonder was happy.
