My Journey
Boxborough, MA
2024, Junior, Creative Writing
My tribe, the Valtorrins, have been living on Stargrove Island for over 1000 years. We know of a land many miles away from our remote island—the land from the ancient stories that my ancestors fled from. Over the years, we have had no contact with anyone outside. That’s why we have no idea why everything is changing. Animal migration patterns are going berserk, temperatures are rising at an alarming pace, and our island is shrinking every day. Finally, my people decided to hold a meeting. We needed to find out what was happening, fast. Our elders decided to send a young man to the land far away. That young man happened to be me.
A couple of days later, I was on the sea with just my boat, several days’ food, and a knife to arm myself with. The elders picked me because I was too young to be of much use on the island anyway. Sixteen years old? That was nothing. Yet they trusted me to bring back answers, answers that would save my tribe.
Days later, I reached shore. The land I was standing on–-Avalorida, as the elders informed me before I left—is not actually that far from Stargrove. It just seems like it to my tribe, because we have been cut off from the rest of civilization for centuries.
I journeyed for days and the routine was tedious. I walked for hours in the blazing sun, stopped to hunt and eat, and kept walking until nightfall. I noticed how different Avalorida was from Stargrove. Instead of the lush green forests and beautiful mountains I was used to seeing back home, here I saw dried-up lakes, wetlands, and lots of tree stumps. As the days went on, I noticed the landscape changing. I saw many things I didn’t recognize. I saw tall wooden poles with black wires connecting them, and weirdly shaped shelters. They had straight edges and corners, so unlike the mud huts I was accustomed to living in. The streets were bustling, and as I walked deeper into the city, I was more and more impressed. Everywhere there were things that I had never seen before. I saw lots of strange contraptions, one being something resembling an ice sled from back home, except it wasn’t pulled by any animals. It drove on the road by itself. In the shelters, I saw glowing lights on the inside of the roofs. I wondered how they worked, with no fires powering them. My tribe has been missing out on a lot, I realize. Is it better to live like this? It certainly seemed so, but I was sent on a mission, a mission to save the Valtorrins.
Not knowing where to start, I walked aimlessly into one of the wooden shelters. I assumed this was okay, as many others were going in and out. Inside the structure, it was surprisingly cool, a temperature much lower than outside, where the blazing sun burned down on one’s back. In here, I was finally able to stop sweating. On the walls, big rectangular things hung. They displayed blaring images. I stared in awe. I had never seen something that could display moving images. Maybe it would be better to live here than on Stargrove? I could have nice cold rooms in the summer and self-driving dogsleds! Perhaps I could just stay here…?
Suddenly, a man with a shaggy brown beard grabbed me on the arm. He dragged me over to a table and with a heavy accent, said: “What are you doin’ here? You ain’t lookin’ like a normal human, you’re dressed like a viking.” He pointed to my animal skins.
“Um.. I come from the north,” I said nervously.
“Ah. Not from here? I gotcha.” He said, nodding his head. “Welcome to Avalorida. Nice to meet ya. Name’s Leo. Why’re you here?”
“My tribe was hoping that, by sending me here, they could find some answers.” I replied.
“‘Bout what?” He asked.
“Why the weather is changing and our island is shr–” I began.
“Climate change,” he interrupted, “caused by us. We release gasses inta the air, it traps
the heat or somethin’. Ya see those cars out there?” He pointed at the self-driving dogsleds.
“Those are called cars? They seem great, they can drive by themselves.” I replied.
“Yuh, they’re convenient, but harmful. They release the gasses causing climate change.”
He told me that the shelter we were sitting in was called a restaurant, a place where food was served. He explained what the rectangular things displaying images were: Television. And he said the reason that the restaurant was so cool was the air conditioning. As he pointed out many other things, he revealed that almost all these were impacting our planet in some way. I started to feel overwhelmed. All the things I thought were awesome just an hour ago were hiding a dangerous truth. If you looked under the comfortable life and technology, you’d see melting islands, temperatures rising, everything changing. Humans are destroying the world.
As I realized this, I was faced with a hard decision. Go back, tell my tribe, and give up all the things I have seen so far? Or stay here and enjoy this comfortable life? If I go back, I might never be able to see these amazing things again. Just the thought of that makes my heart ache. Two hours here, and I’ve already become attached? But on the other hand, my people are waiting for me. Waiting for me to bring back the answers that will save their lives. Once they know what the problem is, they can work to stop it. It could take months, years, even decades, but my people will save our land, our tribe, and our culture. They’re depending on me to save them, to find a better life for them. They are my family. How could I give up on them so easily? Suddenly, Leo asked: “Now that you’ve found yer answers, you’ll be headed back to tha North?”
Last chance, part of my brain whispers. Just say no. Forget about your tribe. Say no.
“Yes.” I responded. “I’m going back. I can’t give up on my tribe.”
“I know a friend who can give ya a ride,” he offered. “It’ll be faster, this is urgent.”
I nodded and he beckoned me to head out.
With newfound determination, I left the restaurant and headed north. Even if I don’t live to see it, my tribe will be saved, and we will make the world a better place.
Reflection
Reflection
My creative writing piece is about an imaginary tribe who have never heard of climate change, and live far away from technology and machines. They never did anything to cause the crisis our world is in, and yet a sixteen year old boy knows that they have to work to solve it. If he can dedicate his life to saving his tribe and solving a problem he never contributed to, can’t we lift a finger to help? The problem of climate change is urgent. We only have one Earth, one home. We need to share it with all the plants and animals here, and work to save our home.Technology and machines are really just double bladed swords. The longer you hold on and enjoy the luxuries they provide, the deeper you cut yourself and harm the planet we all share. Making the decision to let go of those swords is extremely difficult, but that is exactly the same decision that the boy in my story had to make. He had to choose between the comfortable life he never got to have, and his tribe, his culture, his family, and his planet. I’m not saying you have to completely let go of the luxuries, but you must always keep in mind that you should never consume too much, keep it at a sustainable amount. My climate story is about spreading awareness and I hope that if you never believed in climate change, you do now and you will work to solve it so all the species on Earth can live together peacefully on a healthy planet.