NaNoWriMo 2016-2017

Fifth grade Heritage Elementary school student, Michael Dooley, won the prize for best fiction in our NaNoWriMo contest this year. Not only did Michael write 10,000 words, he did so with a strong voice, a unique concept and tons of enthusiasm. As his prize, he won a classy ink pen, and thirty minutes of editing time with me. His parents, teacher Lori LaBoe and I are so proud of Michael’s accomplishments. He came to Mrs. LaBoe’s class as a disinterested writer. All that has changed and we couldn’t be happier for him.

I’d like to share his piece now. It will knock your socks off! CONGRATULATIONS, Michael!

It all started when I was looking for more trouble and came across something I didn’t know about. Of course, I had to figure out what it was. In case you didn’t know my name is Shift. I got that name when I learned I could travel through dimensions. No, I am not from your earth. Think of my earth as a long lost relative of yours, only, in this case, mine is long lost through dimensions. Unfortunately, you guys don’t have what you call superpowers. Me on the other hand, well…I am different. I come from a generation of super-beings! As for my appearance, for the safety of you, the reader, that’s for you to decide.

What? Now you’re interested? Let’s get right to what happened. I assume you want to know the details.

I have a weird connection with technology. I was traveling through dimensions one day when a radio signal came directly to me. I was able to track down the signal’s origin. As soon as I was about to fly off, (You heard me. While I say this, I should also say I don’t need anything to breathe.) I remembered I was so deep in space that the signal was probably a few years old. When I flew toward the signal I saw a planet. Specifically, your planet. I was jealous at the sight. You probably now realize why I travel a lot. My planet didn’t fare too well, but I’m over it. Maybe. Your place looked marvelous! That blue, green, and white colour. Wait, is it color or colour? I’ll just go with color… Anyway… Enough of that. Once I got inside your atmosphere, I started to regret my statement. Smog from big factories was inefficiently producing goods and destroying the atmosphere. A bad move for humans. Just use Grenicienobodian!

Everyone started screaming and taking videos of me. I shut all that off with technology disabling signals from my brain. Awesome, right? As the commotion continued, I had no choice but to turn invisible temporarily. I started searching for the signal. Looking around, I noticed earth’s civilization. Their technology was a few thousand years behind most. I’m thinking maybe, in about…100 years, Earth will colonize most of its solar system. I assume that earthlings assume that there is no life anywhere besides Earth. They will be surprised. That is, if they find out. But I’m sure they will.

Once I found where the signal was coming from, I flew to it’s location. It took me a few thousand miles, but eventually I got to a unnatural looking island in a place you call Bermuda. The signal was a strong one. Just as I was scanning the code, it shut me out and unleashed the most powerful EMP signal I have ever seen. In case you’re wondering, EMP stands for electromagnetic pulse. It is basically an intense burst of electromagnetic energy caused by an abrupt, rapid acceleration of charged particles, usually electrons. Confusing, right? An EMP also happens to be a way of disabling machinery. Which is part of what I am. I’m not a cyborg. That doesn’t exist. If you’ve been following along I’m an alien–teleporting, bionic mix of a normal human, except I’m not human. As I just said I’m an alien.

Suddenly, I plummeted out of the sky at maximum terminal velocity. “Okay, Xavier, get me out of this signal,” I shrieked. Xavier is a robot I programmed to help me. I like how almost nobody I know (and I know a lot of people, most of them are out to get me) know how to pronounce Xavier. Say it like “ah-vee-air.” Then you will sound professional. I still need help once in awhile and, this is the best help you can get. I’ve probably been in worse situations, or so I thought, but as soon as I said those words, Xavier teleported from my lab and launched into me, hitting me sideways and out of the greenish-black signal.

Keep on writing, Michael! We are so proud of you!