It's a long story, but somehow I made it out, And live to tell it. My name's Kyla. I'm 14 now, but this story begins in February, 2023, the 12th to be exact.

"Kyla! I won't ask agian, get up" my mom yells, while turning on the lights. "Fine!" I mumble, still half asleep. The light quickly turned on, blinding me. I rolled out of bed, as I shuffle through my drawers, unfolding everything. I wanted leggings. Black, plain, leggings for that day. I couldn't tell you why, I guess I just felt like it. I found some leggings, and quickly slipped them on. I grabbed my blue hoodie and put over my grey Nasa t-shirt. I went into the bathroom to brush my hair, and get ready. I didn't use makeup, just the essentials, like deodorant, and stuff like that. I really never cared for looking good at school. I was only in 7th grade so it didn't really matter. I quickly put my pink, worn out, crocs on, and ran into the living room. I passed by, my little brother, Sam, on the couch. He was on his blue tablet. Sitting right next to my binders. "Sammy, give me my binders! Please." I asked him. "Ok." He said, reaching over and passing them to the end of the couch, where I was standing. "Thanks bud" I said, grabbing my binders. He was the nicer one. 8 years old, bright red hair, pale white, with many freckles. Oh, and don't forget he is very tall. I walked over to their, room, and knocked. "Chris?" I asked. "Dad, where's chris?" I looked in the kitchen to ask. "Oh he's sick. Leave him alone." He responded, making coffee, as normal. I opened their door and walked over to Chris's bed. "Hey bud." I said, looking at his face, that was more pale than normal. "Are you faking?" I leaned in, and whispered into his ear. "No! Get out kyla!" He said. Throwing his feet in the air trying to kick me. I often see Sam, in chris. They looked just alike, but with a two year difference, and they were the opposite. Chris, looks just like Sam. The same, hair, eyes, everything. It was often hard to tell them apart. Their personalities, the opposite. Chris, rude, gets his way alot, and often thinks he's stronger, and smarter than me. Half the time it's like I'm getting bullied by a 6 year old. Sam, is nice, loving, and almost never says no to me. Either way I don't have a favorite. "Time to go, guys!" My mom said, standing by the door." Sam got up and grabbed his Mario backpack, and opened the door. Quickly after my mom walked out the door. "Hurry up kyla!" She said. I left their room, grabbed my purple, mini backpack, and headed out the door.

7:06, we dropped Sam off at his school.

7:18 I got dropped off.

"Finally, it only took 40 years." Riley said joking, as I arived to breakfast. Riley, one my best friends, tall, blonde, white, with blue eyes. One of the most funny people that I've ever met. We ate our saugge biscuits, and went to math class together.

I sat next to Dawson, witch as normal, was horrible. The day flew by. First math, then secince, then english, then band, then we had pizza for lunch, then socal studies, then reading, English agian, and then last, choir. Before I knew it I was home.

When I got home my cousin Ayden was there. He's basically another brother. He comes over 24-7, and he's just as annoying. We got along sometimes, and sometimes not, but this time we were. I did my math homework, and right after, the four of us went into the woods behind my house. We weren't supposed to, but we were rough kids, and that's how we played, and bonded. It was just normal.

Half way into the woods, Sam and Chris started making fun of the sticks. Sam would pick one up and say something weird like, "my dad after taco bell" then both of them would bust out into laughter. While ayden was in the front leading the way, I was in the middle recording everything, as normal. The video kinda warmed my heart, watching it back. It just showed that there good times. We walked further into the woods, until we got to a part that lead down. Kinda like a hill. Me and ayden had been through the whole woods, and never came across this part. Chris's inner child must have kicked in, as he stated running down the hill. Quickly after Sam followed. Me and ayden, at the top, watching. Until chris flew forward, landing straight on his face. Aydens first reaction was to laugh. I elbowed his side, indicating for him to stop laughing. I sprinted to chris, as ayden started to come too. I picked him up off the ground. Luckily there was no blood. "No blood, you'll be ok." I said setting him on his feet, and wiping tears away. Sam came over and patted him on the back, and made another stick joke, to get him laughing again. "Umm, guys?" Ayden said, looking at the ground. "Chris triped over a box." He added picking it up. The box was old, and dusty. "Oooh. Look, it's locked" Sam said getting a closer look at it. "Lets go home and investigate" ayden suggested. "Yeah" I agreed. We walked back up, and made our way to the house. "Mom? Dad?" Sam said as we walked into the house. No response. We got no response. "Hello? Anyone home?" Ayden added, as we walked around the house and peeked in each room. Empty. The whole house was empty. "I'll call mom" I said, keeping everyone calm.

*ring ring ring* no answer. Then I called dad,

*ring ring ring* no answer. "They didn't answer." I said, starting to get worried. We went into the kitchen, where Ayden, set the box on the table. A little light came from the box. "Guys....it's glowing" Chris said, to get our attention. We all stopped to look at it, and nothing else happened. "Wait....cookie? Ricky? Miles?" I said looking for our pets. Cookie is my little dog, she's white, with the sweetest eyes. I couldn't imagine life with out her. Ricky, and miles are out cats. Ricky is grey, and is so sweet. Miles is orange, and way more feisty. There the best, and they were all gone. Tears quickly took over my eyes just thinking about everyone being gone. I held them back tying to be the most mature.

"Ahhhh!" A loud scream came from the woods. "Ummm I'll go check it out." I said, walking towards the back door. "Sam, come with me, ayden, you and Chris try to figure the box out " I added. Me and Sam walked out the door, and ran into the woods. We saw a huge grey, trap door, covered in leaves, and dirt. We bent down and wiped it off. "Oh my gosh, let's go tell chris, and ayden" Sam said, as he started running back to the house. I stayed in the woods. I wiped dirt and leaves off it, to reveal the words *just listen* I was confused, and looked around at the woods. Suddenly, sounds of cracking sticks, leaves, and shuffling through branches, started. The sounds grew louder. Until they ran to me. "It was a key!" Chris said, as all of them ran towards me. "What" I yelled to them in the distance. "Look it, looks just like the key whole for grey thing" sam said handing it to me. I put it into the key hole. It opened!. It was dark, plain blackness. I turned on my phone flash light and ayden turned his on too. "I'll go first" I said. "Why, I'm the oldest" ayden said back. " by six months, and I'm more mature." I said, stepping on to the ladder. I climbed down, and looked to the top. They all came down. Boom! The door shut, and locked. "THE KEYS ARE STILL OUT THERE!" ayden screamed, in panic. "Hey, don't worry, I know another way out." A small voice said "where are you?" I replied. It was so dark I could barely see Sam, right in front of me, even with the light. "Just go left." The voice replied. I grabbed Sam's hand. "Ayden, chris, are yall there. " I asked. "Yeah" I heard Chris's voice from behind us. I turned around. My phone light went out. "Chris?" I said again, putting my phone in my pocket. "Over here" I heard him a few steps in front of me. There was water on the ground. "Chris stomp your foot." I said, tying to pin point where he was standing. He stomped very loud. I pulled Sam, up. "Grab his hand sam." Sam felt forward, and grabbed Chris's hand. I pulled them both close to me. Holding the both very tightly. "Ayden, come on, where are you?"

"I'm still on the ladder." He said. "Then come down. He came off the ladder, and started walking forward. He got to us, and grabbed chris. We saw a split path, and we went left. Down the hall way. We're many eyes, and creepy sounds. We got to the door at the end and opened it. It was a town. It look destroyed. "Hi!" A small bunny walked up and started speaking English. "Umm. Hi" I said bending down, to pet her. "I'm sweets. I'm a food con, and this is Candyville. Well it was. It's not anymore. They took over." "We're looking for our way home" I said. "Oh, I'm guessing your from earth, right?" She asked. "Yeah."

"CLEAR THE PATHS!" A bunch of guards started yelling, entering everyone's homes. "Hurry, follow me" sweets said, as she started running down, a bridge and into a small cottage, with candy covering it. We all ran into the house, and hid behind a table and a wall. Guards, busted through the door.

"Someone get in! We're taking one from every home."

"Aaaa cheww" Chris couldn't hold back his sneeze, giving all of us away. "Don't move!" They yelled pointing a gun type at us. More of them came grabbing all of us. I remember grabbing chris, and Sam, and pushing them behind me. The guard threw some mist in my face. I remembered seeing sam and Chris getting away through a side door. My vision became blurry, it was hard to make out faces, and before I knew it, everything went dark.