Have you ever imagined what it would be like to visit a universe where you get everything that you want? A place where your wildest dreams can come true and no one nags you? Let me explain.

It was 1967 and the radio was playing All You Need Is Love by The Beatles. My mom being the fun and dancing and party all night type, was just having the time of her life dancing and almost flying out the window because she was swaying her hands and her whole body. She might as well have been a noodle, because she  was just going ooze and squiggling around with her body . She was happiest when she was booming music, especially when she was booming a big hit of the year. My dad, plugging his ears, to try to cancel out my mom’s somewhat awful voice and trying not to let my mom ruin his drive by making him crash and burning off his ears. My mom and dad love eachother very much, but they really can get on each other’s nerves. Like the time when my dad was driving, my mom was jamming out and hit him in the head with her knuckle, my dad blew up. He told her that she was going against his driving rules. My sister, being a very crummy teenager was just freaking out at my mom telling her to shut up. She had just gotten the privilege to say shut up, and I really think that she was taking advantage of her power. She is SUPER annoying to me and to everyone, except her friends.  I was just calmly looking out the window trying my best to not fall asleep because we woke up at 2am to get on the flight to Boston and I was squeezing my eyes open and every once in a while I looked at the clock waiting to get out of the car. It was October 23 1967 and the time was: 8:10. 8:10 then 8:11 and then 8:12 and then 8:13. The minutes dragged on. 

13 years ago my family and I went on vacation. We were driving on a freeway. There was a car crash so we had to stop because everything was blocked off. I saw a billboard that said: “Pay NO money to visit the universe of your dreams. The place that you’ll be going to is called A.L.L.” I thought that it sounded like fun but I wondered what A.L.L meant.

I hatched a plan.

I told my parents that I felt sick and encouraged them to go have fun without me. 

“Mom & Dad, please let me stay alone, I am a responsible 13-year-old.” I begged 

My mom, being the kind person that she is, said: “Honey, I trust you, but you have to be responsible.” 

My dad warned my mom “Are you sure about this? She has been irresponsible before. Like the time when-”

“I trust her.” my mom firmly said

My mom then turned back on herself “Sweetheart, I have never been without you when you don’t feel well.” She paused and her eyes got teary and I knew that all the memories were coming back to her from our fun sick day adventures. Like watching Alice in Wonderland and pretending we were our favorite characters, of course I was Alice. “I will stay home and we can have fun.”

Rats! I thought that she made up her mind.

Then for the first time in my life I liked my sister; not loved her because she was trying to get me out of her life, but it was better than her screaming at me. 

“Let her stay alone,” She fake smiled and her absolute perfect teeth reflected in the sun.“You should just leave her here because she is so responsible. More than me.” 

“Mom, can I please talk to my favorite sister?” The way she emphasized favorite, was like a thunderstorm of spit flying at my face at top speed. Of course she said favorite so then she would be on Mom and Dad’s good side. She did only have one sister though; 

We left the room and she told me “I will have a day with my parents, not yours,” Wow, what a cruel thing to say “You will stay home whether you like it or not,” She smirked and then left the room.

I heard snippets of my mom, dad and sister’s conversation and they were talking about my sister’s lies. Not that she was in trouble; that she was such a great sister and such a supportive daughter to her mother.

This is how their conversation went. 

“Mom, Ashley wants me to have fun with you guys and she doesn’t feel well enough to go,” what a liar she was “You need to learn to not always be around her when she has an issue,” she turned around and smirked at me and then went on “I know she is your little baby, but you need to understand that she is responsible,” she turned back around and then gave me a sly smile and then mouthed “You are a baby,”

My mom said “Thank you so much Amelia, you are the best,” With all of my life, I cannot believe that she fell for it “You are right, she isn’t a baby anymore, I will leave her alone.” She smiled and went on “I can now really tell that Ashley has grown up because you were blond when you were born; the doctors said that when you get brown hair, you will be full grown up, I guess you are,” I did have brown hair, so I guess I was grown up. I mean I was grown up, I was 13!

I said in my most responsible voice: “You won’t be sorry.”

Thank goodness, they fell for it. 

I snuck out to the lobby 15 minutes after they left, jacket on, and ready to go. I hopped into a taxi and I got driven to the airport. I went to the terminal called ‘A.L.L.’ and hopped aboard. At the time I thought that I would get everything that I want. What I didn’t know was that I would face some troubles too. 

Two hours later, I hopped off the plane, ready to begin my fun. 

It all started out being good. I got dessert for breakfast and a morning snack. I played all the time and bought everything that I wanted, and watched endless TV! Best of all, no one told me what to do.

Five hours after my arrival I was having the time of my life – swimming in ice cream and eating it too! Then a dolphin surprised me by speaking.

The dolphin said: “You better go back home”

I shrieked: “You are a talking dolphin! Am I in a dream?!”

The dolphin calmly said: “I used to be a boy who came here to escape my crazy parents. I turned into a dolphin because I stayed too long. You should leave now.”

“I am not ready to leave yet. I love it here.”

He said: “You should go back, you probably have a kind family and people who love you. I came here because I was unloved and unwanted.”

“I am sorry, but I don’t believe you.”

“Do you want to know what A.L.L. Stands for?” he asked me

I really did want to, but what if it was bad? What if it would make me realize it was a big mistake to sneak out of the hotel and lie to my parents? 

I took a breath, but it felt like I was blowing down a mountain. I was so tensed up, I felt I was walking on an about-to-erupt volcano. Then, out of nowhere I saw a bird fly over my head. I was so shocked by it, by accident I nodded my head. 

The words bursted out of the dolphin’s mouth, like a fire extinguisher on a fire. 

“Amazing Land of Lies.”

Now I felt as if the volcano erupted. All over me.

As soon as he said those words, my fun started going downhill. I could only eat vegetables. All the toy shops closed and the land was invaded with wild creatures and poisonous stuff. Worst of all, I missed my parents. 

Was I being punished for lying to my parents and sneaking out? Or was it just time to go back to the hotel? 

My mind was jumbled.

Then out of nowhere, a scorpion started chasing me. 

I pleaded: “get away! Stop chasing me!”

He yelled back “You will regret leaving your home and your family.”

Those words echoed in my head over and over again.

As soon as my chase was over with a scorpion, I ran towards the airport. Wild creatures kept chasing me.

I was just boarding the plane ready to go to the hotel. The plane was going to the hotel, but somehow I felt that I wasn’t.

That’s when my feeling that I wasn’t going back to the hotel got dumped on me,  I saw an uninhabited, un-taken-cared-of ocean. It was full of trash, I thought I saw a whale. But when I looked closer, it was just tin foil and bottles. I knew it was wrong to just walk by trash. So I leapt out of the plane and into the water. 

I was just about to drown, (because I don’t know how to swim) when a fish leapt out of the water and said “Come aboard!” Bless that fish. I asked him where we were and he told me that this place was called ‘Sweeter’ . I had no idea what he meant until I asked. He said that it was an ocean full of sweet treets and it was warm water just like a sweater. How was it full of sweet treats? I thought it was full of trash. I asked the fish that too. He responded 

“We make it look like there is trash in the water so we get the sweet treats and get to enjoy the warm water.” Then he smiled “You are a smart and kind girl.” I looked confused. He said “Most people are like ‘it’s full of trash, what good is it?’ so number 1 you are smart” he continued “and number 2 you are kind, trying to help the earth picking up trash.” 

I just then realized that I was better off living in an ocean that’s warm and full of candy. I just thought that my family didn’t matter. 

We were off for an adventure, I was meeting the turtle’s family! He was so nice, so I was pretty sure that his family was nice too. We arrived about fifteen minutes later, when we came there was a huge part. 

“Sorry,” the turtle said 

“What are you sorry about?” I responded confused

“I am sorry that I didn’t tell you that it was my brother’s birthday,” he said“I hope I didn’t surprise you too much,”

“No, it’s totally fine,” 

I noticed that some people do not care about you, like my sister. But others do care about you a little too much, like the turtle. I realized that he liked me; I had made up my mind completely that I would not like him back. Nope, I will not marry or date a turtle.

The parents ewre

“I am so happy to see you!” I said hugging my parents.

“We missed you too and we brought you back a healthy snack to make sure that you’re okay! Celery, Carrots, and Broccoli.” They replied kissing me from head to toe.

I left the hug and said: “Thank you for caring!” Then I dove right back into the warm hug and thought about the sweets that I ate. This was better.

I might not be able to watch endless TV, eat dessert for breakfast, and swim in ice cream…but what really matters is that I have a family who loves me, takes care of me, and makes me feel safe and happy.