THE PICTURE JUMPER

by Vivian | 5th Grade

    It was from Amy’s birthday. Her grandmother bought it for her at a garage sale and even then, it was a Black Friday there. The picture had a sun at the top, bright and blossoming, a half moon-half sun with birds on the sunnyside, and stars at the moon’s, and at the bottom, just a moon with stars. Amy really liked the picture. It reminded her of peace, which also reminded her of her family who, with the picture, are polar opposites.

 

   Amy’s brother, Dylan, was a pain in the butt. He was twelve years old, only one year older than Amy, but treated her like she was a three year old who had just come home from an exciting day at daycare, riled up and wild.

    “Hush, Amy.”

    “Remember to eat with your fork and spoon, Amy.”

    “Amy, don’t get that on your dress!” she would say. She knew he was just trying to be nice, but it was so annoying! Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Brookes, were always fighting. But the weird thing was that they would make up as quick as a wave starting to settle, and come back like a tsunami. It was crazy. 

   

   That night, Amy sat on her bed and looked at the picture her grandmother got her, that was just cradling above her bed. 

   “You look so peaceful up there,” Amy sighed to the picture,”sometimes, I wish there was a place to go. Into your picture, maybe. It would be much nicer than staying here.” Amy waited for a response. Of course the picture wasn’t going to talk back. What was she thinking?

   “Nine o’clock, Amy. Lights out!” Her brother called from his room. He was always so nosy. 

   “Mind your own business, Dylan. Anyways, it’s not nearly close to my bedtime,” Amy lied, hoping her mom or dad didn’t hear.

   “Amy, listen to your brother. Time for bed!” Mrs. Brooke yelled.

 

   Amy groaned and snuggled into her cozy, pink bed as it let out a loud creak. Her bed was as old as 1800. Not actually, though. It was about twenty years old. It used to be her mother’s, but when they moved, her dad didn’t want to buy her another bed, so they improvised. Amy snuggled her stuffed rabbit and closed her eyes. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. 

 

   Amy woke up alarmed to clambering feet and shuffles. She sat up and looked around. She could see figures in the darkness moving around her room. 

   “Shhh!” One said.

   “Sorry,” said another. Amy looked around. They weren't moving anymore so she couldn’t see them.

   “Who-who’s there?” Amy stuttered. Nobody answered. Amy considered calling her parents, but that would only create more drama, and that meant more fighting. 

  “I said, who’s-”  Suddenly, the figures started walking again. And then one ran towards her bed. 

   “Hey!” she screamed. It walked up onto her bed and popped into the picture. The others followed, running into her and popping into the picture from her grandmother.  Then the last one came and Amy saw her chance to grab them.

   “Let go of me!” The person screamed. She sounded like a little girl. Amy held on tighter, hugging the girl's ankle to her face. The poor girl kicked and thrashed, trying to make Amy let go.

   “Oh no, you don’t,” Amy whispered.

 

   Suddenly, Amy wasn’t in her bed anymore.  Amy opened her eyes to a bright beaming light. She looked around her to a bright room with lots of different colors and items. Then, she noticed herself, strapped onto a sturdy table. There was thick rope around her that cut into her ankles and wrists. She squirmed, trying to move the rope around her. 

   

   “Where am I?” Amy called out to the silent room. The room was filled with all different colors. There was a green couch that was shaped kind of like an odd looking mushroom. There was a small little section of the room that looked kind of like a kitchen, except less updated. Of course the mini kitchen was filled with beaming different colors like golden, pink, periwinkle, and orange.It wasn’t that Amy wasn’t used to colors, it was just that in Maryland, all the colors they used were more dull like, gray, blue, and white.. There were a couple more desks and stools that were connected, and a shining rug that was filled with stripes of golden, periwinkle, pink, and orange. 

   

   “Helloooo?” Amy asked again. She wiggled again once more but it was really no use. The rope was very hard and thick. It was very hairy and tickled Amy's chin. A hair from the rope must’ve slipped under Amy’s nose because she started to sneeze.

   “Achoo!” Amy sneezed.

   “Bless you!” came a high squeaky voice. Amy stopped sneezing. She looked around, startled by the voice.

    “Who’s there?” Amy asked. There seemed to be no one in the room, though Amy had swore she had heard a little voice bless her. 

   “Shhh! I told you not to say anything!” said a voice from behind her. Amy looked up and tried to look behind her.

   “Uhhh,”she said nervously.

   “I told you I’m trying!” said that same high squeaky voice.

   “Yeah! You know Julia has the fastest bless in the West!” came a low voice. Amy looked all around her once again. 

   “I said who’s there?” she asked again. Suddenly, the table she was tied to started rocking and titling. She looked below her as one of the table legs cracked and broke! 

   “Woahhhh-” she said. The table toppled over with a thud and Amy fell to the ground still strapped to it. Amy’s knee throbbed. She looked down at her knee that was now bleeding and hurt terribly. 

   

   “Owwww,” Amy groaned. Suddenly, three figures came out of nowhere. There was a little boy who looked seven or eight. He wore pleasantly neon green overalls and a dusty old train conductor looking hat. There was another boy who looked like he was either eleven or twelve. He was very tall and had strawberry blonde hair. He wore a loose, white blouse and some old, dusty jeans. The last one was a girl who looked about the same age as Amy as well. She had the same hair as the older boy and a rugged, old pink dress that dropped to her ankles. What Amy did notice was that she had an old satchel wrung around her shoulder. It looked old and dusty, and had stains or dirt on it. 

 

   They came to Amy’s side and started un-tying her. Amy looked up to them with panic. Who were these kids?

   “Who are you guys and why are you un-tying me?” Amy asked, confused.

   “We’ll explain later. Are you in pain?” the older boy asked. He had dark brown hair with olive colored skin. 

   “Well, yeah I guess,” she admitted, sitting up, “Who are you guys?” The girl sighed and brushed a hand through her strawberry blonde hair. 

   “That’s not important. What’s important is getting you out of here,” She said . Amy got up immediately as she said that. Get out of where? And why? Amy was so confused about the whole situation. She didn’t know where she was, or who these mysterious kids were, either. And why they were helping her, too. 

   “What do you mean, ‘get me out of here’?” Amy asked. They stood up and looked her in the eyes. Then they looked at each other.

   “Well…” the boy said. 

   “You're not exactly where you think you are,” the little girl said. Amy gave an exasperated look.

   “I don’t know where I am!” She exclaimed, putting her hands up in the air. They all shushed her. She looked back down at her bloody knee and grimaced. She hadn’t noticed it much since she was talking to the three kids, but no, it really stung. A lot. 

​

   “Do you need help walking?” one of the boy’s asked. 

   “I can carry myself, thank you very much,” she replied bitterly. The boy put his hands up in surrender. Amy ignored it and spotted a door. She was getting out of that place. She started hobbling towards the door until the three kids rushed in front of Amy, stopping her. They spread their arms apart so she couldn’t get past them.

   “Hey! What gives?” she exclaimed. They looked at each other confused by her word choice. 

   “We haven’t given you anything,” The little boy responded, matter of factly. Amy raised her eyebrows and sighed. 

   “I mean, what are you guys doing?” 

   “You can’t leave,” the older boy said. Amy was confused. First, there are intruders in her room, second, she wakes up tied to a table, then, there are a bunch of weird kids untying her, and last, they are not letting her leave? 

   

   “What do you mean?” she asked, relaxing her body. The girl sighed.

   “Come. Sit.” the three kids sat down on the floor and looked up to Amy. Amy looked at them and then went back to the door. It was her chance to escape. But then she looked back at the kids. Amy sighed. She joined them on the floor and criss-crossed her legs.

   “Ooooh! Story time?” Amy asked, jokingly. Not one of them laughed or showed any signs of humor. 

   “Get it? Cause-ya know? The, uh. Yeah, nevermind.” she said, blandly.

 

   They all sat there for a moment of silence and just stared blankly at the floor. Then one of them spoke up.

   “We have something to tell you,” the older boy said. Amy looked up, glad to finally hear a voice. 

   “What is it?” she asked. 

   “You're special.” the girl told her. Amy sat and stared. Well that was a mind blower. No one had actually ever told her she was special, not even herself. She just thought she was some plain, dorky girl who lived in Maryland who had never really made contact with anyone at her school besides her teachers. But her being special? No way. 

   “In- in what way?” Amy asked in a quiet voice. 

   “In lots of different ways. For one, you're a picture jumper.” The little boy said in his high squeaky voice. 

   “A what-what?” Amy asked. 

   “You're a picture jumper? Someone who can go through pictures. We figured that out after you held onto my leg and I pulled you into the picture. Usually if someone normal ever tries to jump pictures, they will have a mental disconnection with reality and become- well- you know. Mental.”  What was Amy hearing? She was a picture jumper? She had never even heard of that being a superpower. 

​

  “So, would that mean that I’m in my own picture in my room?” Amy asked excitedly. The three nodded. Amy squealed. She didn’t know why she was even believing them- but she was. She had to. Maybe it really didn't make sense, but to Amy, it somehow did.

  “Wow. This is amazing!” Amy screeched. The three nodded calmly. 

  “Are you also picture jumpers?” Amy asked.

  “Yes. But I'm also a telepath. And so is Jason.” the girl pointed to what looked like her older brother. He nodded. Amy kneed down to the little boy’s level. 

  “What about you?” she asked nicely.

  “I’m just a picture jumper.” he replied sadly. He looked up to Amy to see if she had any words of wisdom. She looked at him blankly. 

  “Well, that’s still cool.” Amy replied. 

  “Yeah, right!” the little boy mumbled under his breath. She stood back up and looked at the boy and girl.

   “What are your names?” she asked.

 

   They both smiled and looked down at the little boy. The boy was still sitting on the ground with a sour look on his face. He looked up at them and rolled his eyes. He stood up slowly and Amy thought she heard him say something under his breath. Nevertheless, she shrugged that off and smiled at him. 

  “I’m Johnny.” the boy muttered. His sister kicked his ankle and smiled uncomfortably. They boy immediately put a fake smile on his face.

 

…to be continued