Adventures of Nature Girl

Nature Girl Origin Story Part 1

I get off the crowded school bus and walk down my long driveway. It feels so good to get out of school, the kids are beyond crazy in 4th grade, not to mention the annoying teachers. As I'm walking, I feel a cool breeze that lightens my spirits even more, and I walk into my house. We live in a quiet neighborhood, with a few kids here and there. On the outside, it's your average looking brick house with plants and lovely flowers everywhere, my mom is obsessed with them, considering the fact that she is a botanist. Only, our average brick house isn't that average. Although, when you walk inside, it isnt that obvious. It doesn't look that big on the outside, but our basement is at least two times bigger than the house. I am greeted with the warm sweet smell of something baking and a well decorated home, the workings of my mother. If you steer towards the small door at the end of the hallway, behind it is a two story lab, where my parents conduct all their experiments. When I was little the huge machines, loud noises, and weird smells always scared me. But I'm 10 now and I've grown out of it. I actually enjoy helping my parents with their experiments, well, the fun ones anyway. One time they even helped me with a science project, it was on photosynthesis, I won first place of course. Anyway, back to me getting home. My stomach starts to rumble as I smell food being cooked. I caught my dad just as he was coming up from the basement.
"Hi dad! Still working on that big 'surprise' project?"
"Hi, sweetheart. Yeah, so far no luck, but I am still working out the kinks. How was your day at school?"
"OK. I got an A on my science quiz, Kevin kept teasing me in school about it though. He calls me a nerd. But I don't let it bother me, he is probably just jealous. The highest grade he has ever gotten on a quiz is a D."
"Wow! Well I'm proud of you! Let's go see what your mom is cooking, it smells delicious!!!"

~Later that night

I climb into bed and pull my blankets up to my chin. My parents should be in here soon to tuck me in. While I'm waiting I look around my small, turquoise painted bedroom. It looks dark grey because of the night that seems to swallow my room. Even though its dark, I can still see the green letters just above my dresser that spell out my name: Emerald. I find myself looking at my bookshelf that is beside my TV stand. I thought about that book Mrs. Watson, my english teacher, assigned for us to read, called The Book of Wonders. My thoughts are interrupted by my mom, who walks swiftly into my room and sits gently on my bedside.
"I heard you got an A on your science quiz today??"
"Yeah mom! It wasn't too hard, especially with your help when I study."
"I am glad honey, keep it up. Maybe one day you'll become a famous scientist like your father and I."
"Maybe. Speaking of, where's dad?"
"Oh. He's still working on his project, he told me to tell you he would be up here to tell you goodnight as soon as he finishes this last thing."
"Ok. He said it's not going so well, and that he's still working on the kinks."
"Yeah, I am trying to help him as much as I can. We figured out that a certain gene in plants was the key to solving one of the kinks. We just have to figure out which plant. Good thing he's got me, right," my mom says as she winks at me and let's out a small giggle. I giggle as well, "yeah, plus he can't cook. So he'd starve to death without you, mom." She smiles as she tucks me into bed and stands up, "and you wouldn't get any sleep without me, time to close those beautiful green eyes of yours and sleep. You can sleep in tomorrow since it's  Saturday but I still want you to get a good night's rest."
"OK mom," I say as I get comfy.
"Goodnight my sweet angel, sweet dreams."
As she leaves the room and closes the door I turn to my side and think. Think about today at school. I think about my mom and dad. I think about how I don't know what I'd do without them. We were a family, if anything ever messed with my family, they'd have to answer to me. I start to doze off, when I remember that my dad never came in to tell me goodnight. That thought grows into worry, and that worry grows into fear. What if something happened? My parents have told me about how their experiments can be very dangerous, although nothing serious has ever happened. Unless you count that one time when I accidently knocked over a beaker, creating broken glass all over the floor. But even then, nobody got hurt. Curiosity got the best of me and quietly climb out of bed and tip-toe to my door. As I open it, I hear a strange noise coming from below. I walk out of my room and make my way down the hallway. It's dark. Usually this wouldn't bother me, but this time the darkness sends shills up my spine, creating an uneasy feeling in my gut. I hear that strange noise again, but this time louder. Something is wrong. I quickly run to the door and fling it open, as I run down the stairs leading to the the basement where my dad works, I think of all the possible things that could have happened. I have to save my dad. What if he is hurt. When I arrive at the familiar sight of my dad's work space, I am relieved when I see him still working on his project. I run to him and wrap my arms around him, startling him a bit in the process. When he realizes who just gave him the biggest bear hug of all time, he hugs me back, chuckling.
"Emerald! What are you doing still up?"
"I heard strange noises dad! I was worried..."
"Sweetheart, it's ok. The noise is just part of my project. See, your mother and I have put both our expertise together in one experiment."