Time Travellers
by Becky Barnes, age 15

It was a normal day in the summer holiday, Kate was bored, as per usual. She turned on her computer to see who was chatting. She normally spoke to her friends from school, but John was away in France and Ellie was banned from the computer. A message popped up, it was a link to another website...or so she thought. After clicking on the link Kate felt really strange, the screen went blank and her head started to whirl. Suddenly, she felt suction, from the screen, she shrunk in a whirl of confusion and was hoovered into the screen. Kate's mouth opened to cry out but she made no sound.

She was in a dark room, there was no light except a small candle burning away. She noticed a boy sitting in the corner, he was thin, poorly clothed and shivered.

"Hello, where am I?" questioned Kate. The boy did not reply but beckoned for her to follow him through a wooden door. He led her outside. It was almost completely dark except for the few candles burning around. She could just about make out shapes of what looked like a burnt out world.

"Candles and darkness?" thought Kate..."Have I really gone back in time?"The boy seemed to read her thoughts,

"No, this is what the world has become, people are dying out, the sun has gone and we cannot live anymore." uttered the boy. Kate was afraid, this was a nightmare. She cried out.

"It's no good Kate," said the boy, you can't change things now, but if you promise to stop this from happening, I will send you back. You must be more environmentally friendly and encourage those around you to do so."

Kate was shocked, she never really thought about things like that. "I can't make a difference, surely this will happen anyway...?"

"Everyone can make a difference Kate, you must do this, the world is in your hands now.."

Kate knew what she must do, "I'll do it," she said.

The boy faded before Kate, she felt dizziness and suction and then to her amazement she was in front of her computer once again.

She immeadiately clicked onto a children's environment site, she planned out recycling and encouraged her friends to help her campaign for environmental issues. Kate had had nothing to do all summer but now she did...she could make a difference.