The Journey to Mars

This story with illustrations is from Ruchita Prasad, 10, India. 

Max and his crew were going to Mars.

They were all feeling very nervous and excited.

10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… BLAST OFF!

“Here we go”shouted Max.

 Everyone cheered as the rocket flew up towards the sky.

By now they could see all the planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and of course the big hot burning sun.

They could also see constellations, stars, meteoroids and asteroids.

In space there is no gravity so Max and his crew were floating in the space shuttle.

They could see Mars by a special instrument.

“Ohhh there is Mars” bellowed Emma.

“Hold on tight we're going to land now” shouted Max, 3… 2… 1…  Landing.

“We landed hooray” cheered the team.

“Now get ready into our space suits” commanded Max.

“Yes sir” shouted the team out loud.

So off Max and his crew went out on to Mars.

Max was the first one to put foot on Mars.

Max said “Now it is time to explore Mars”.

“This place is terrible and I don’t want to go” said Polly.

“Don't be such a scaredy cat” said Emma.

“Look at the automatic rovers, they've made a cabin for us to sleep and eat, and the lab, and so many other things” shouted Jack.

“Let's explore the cabins then” said Max.

“Yeah” said Jack doing punches in the air.

“This cabin is ok” stated Polly.

“I’m thirsty after that long trip” said Emma.

“Luckily there is lots of water that the rovers have put for us” said Emma with a relief.

“I’m thirsty too” stated Polly looking tired.

“Let’s go and eat and drink now” replied Max.

“Ok” said Polly, Emma and Jack together.

“This banana, spaghetti, dates and fish are way better than Earth’s” said Jack with a shock.

“Mmmmmm... this food is definitely awesome” mumbled Emma and Polly together with their mouth’s full.

“It sure is” answered Max.

After eating they bounced off to the South Pole to see if there were any creatures there.

Finally they got to the South Pole.

“Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr... its cold” shivered Polly.

“Sure is” mumbled Max.

“Come over here guys look what I found - a sort of fish” said Jack.

“Is it alive?” asked Emma.

“Nope”responded Jack.

“Cool, let's take it back to the cabin and study it in the Lab.” said Max, excitedly.

So off they went to the lab.

 After all that research they could not find the answer.

“I think we should name it... what about ‘Camel Fish’?”muttered Polly.

“It does look like a camel so let's keep it like that” explained Max.

 They all high fived each other.

 Max exclaimed “Well done guys”.

 “Now let's head to the North Pole” remarked Max.

“North pole here we come” yelled Emma.

“Yeah!” cheered the team.

Finally they reached the North Pole.

Max shouted, “Look it's a kind of bug-like creature”.

“Good spotting, Max” stated Polly.

“Thanks” replied Max, ”Now that we've found a creature let’s go to the lab”.

 “Lab, here we come” yelled Emma again.

“Yeah” said Jack, jumping up and down.

When they reached the Lab, Max exclaimed,

“Look what I found – the bug that we saw at the North Pole. It is the Assassin bug. Great work, team”

“Thanks” beamed the team loudly.

“Now let's go back to our cabins and get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we'll go to see the rocks, craters, and mountains” said Max.

The next morning … 

Ring ring ring

 “Ahhh it's morning already, I’m so tired” yawned Polly.

 “Me too” said Emma and Jack sleepily.   

                                                          

“Enough of sleeping let’s get to work” bellowed Max.

“Fine” said Polly, Emma and Jack together.

“Let's get into our space suits to go and see the rocks, craters, and mountains. All up now, let’s go” commanded Max.

“Whoooo hoooo” cheered the team loudly.

“First the rocks” yelled Jack.

“Look at that rock – it looks like a human” bellowed Emma.

 “And that looks like a bed... and that looks like a duck...

 and look at everything... it looks like something...Ahhh, are they real?” screamed Polly.

“No way, they’re rocks” answered Jack.

“Good” replied Polly.

 “Now let's move on to the mountains then” bellowed Max.

“Sure” replied Polly in a worried voice.

“Now the mountains” yelled Jack excitingly.

“Did you guys know that the Mount Olympus is the largest mountain on Mars, even larger than Mount Everest?” asked Jack.

 “Wow” exclaimed Polly.

“Cool” shouted Emma out loud.

“Look inside there’s lots of rocks” screamed Polly.

“Better to not go any closer” she mumbled to herself .

“The rocks are going to tumble down. Runnnnnnnnn, guys, run” screamed Polly.

They reached a safe place, away from the mountain.

“Phew” said the crew of four with relief.

“Let's move onto the craters then” said Max holding his breath.

“Good” said Polly with relief.

“Craters, here we come” yelled Emma who was over-excited than the others.

“Oh look over there – lots of craters” exclaimed Emma.

 “Yeah” said Polly.

“They look like cookies” exclaimed Jack.

“They do actually” said Max.

“Look inside there ....are...green, hairy , furry things” screamed Polly.

“And they have three eyes, two antennas, and they have a fruity scent. I think they look like aliens” said Polly.

“Ahhhhhhh, run run run, guys” screamed Jack.

Emma was not scared at all because she loved pets and they looked like pets to her.

“Look guys, don't be scaredy cats. Be calm, they are nice cuddly, cute creatures” said Emma calmly.

“Oh” bellowed the other three together.

“I’ve got a even better idea – we can train them, feed them, teach them English and do all sorts of things with them” regarded Jack extremely excited to do all of those things and maybe more.

“Good thinking, Jack, well done” beamed the team.

 “Thanks” said Jack proudly.

“Lets get on with it then” told Max.

 “So let’s first feed them, they might be hungry” suggested Emma.

 “Ya” bellowed the team.

 “But there’s one problem ….. what on earth do they like?”

“I don’t know” said Polly in a worried voice.

“Let’s just give them some vegetables” said Polly.

“Good idea” mumbled Emma.

“But some of the aliens are doing it wrong – they are putting them in their ears, and all sorts of places” said Polly.

“Then we better teach them how to eat” suggested Emma.

Emma started to demonstrate.

“Step 1 : take a vegetable

Step 2 : put it in your mouth

Step 3 : chew it

Step 4 : swallow it” said Emma.

“Look they are eating it!”said Jack.

“Yeah now let’s teach them English” shouted Max.

They taught them English and the aliens learned very quickly.

“I didn't think they were going to learn English so quickly” bellowed Polly.

“Ya I know” said Jack.

“Hi kids” said one of the aliens in the crowd.

“Look they’re speaking” beamed the group of four.

“Let's try to move them in a neat, clean, perfect line” explained Max.

“Who wants to move them then?”asked Max.

“Me me me me ” begged Jack as he was putting his hand up.

“Ok, Jack will do it then” said Max.

Jack started to move and the aliens did not move.

“Let me try now if you can’t do it” exclaimed Emma.

 Emma started to move and the aliens followed in a neat, clean, perfect line.

“Wow, we’re training them to follow a person” screeched Polly.

“Emma, can you lead them to our cabins? We’ll put on disco music and then eat something” screamed Max.

“Yeah” said Emma with pride.

So Emma took the aliens in a line to their cabins.

“So let’s have some chips, fries, chocolate, ice creams and lots more” said Polly.

“Jack, please get the disco bulb and music sorted out” shouted Max.

“Sure will” mumbled Jack.

“Disco check, food check and music check, let’s gets started” said Max.

Booom boom boom went the loud music speaker.

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhh this is awesome” said Polly.

“Sure is” stated Emma.

“Look the aliens are dancing” shouted Jack excitingly.

“Whooo hoooooooo” screamed Polly.

“Laa laaa la laaaaaaaaaaa” sang Emma and Polly to the tremendous tune of the music.

“Laa laaa la laaaaaaaaaaa” sang the aliens back to them.

“Now let's eat” suggested Max.

“Sure” sang the other three.

“Mmmmmmmm... yummy food” sang the team and the aliens.

“Now let's start to pack away because we’ve got to return to Earth and with these aliens it will take longer” said Max.

They started to pack away.

“Let’s now get our bags and put them into the space shuttle” suggested Polly.

“And don’t forget the aliens too” stated Emma.

“Let's get into the space shuttle. And make sure you haven't forgotten anything” shouted Max.

“I’ve made a checklist and we’ve got everything” announced Jack.

“Then let’s get into the space shuttle with the aliens” commanded Max.

3...2...1… Take off.

“Look I can see Earth from this special instrument” said Polly.

“We’re almost there” screamed Jack wildly.

3...2...1… Landing.

“Yeah, we’re back to Earth” told Max.

“Let’s go to our home, sweet, home” said Polly sweetly.

“There’s no place like home” remarked Emma.

“Look, the crowd is waiting for us. Look, they’re going to give out prizes” screamed Jack.

“First Max may collect his award, then Emma, then Jack and then Polly” announced the President.

As everyone collected their awards, the crowd got louder and cheered.

The team of four were very happy that they were the first humans on Mars.

The aliens came on stage too. And the crowd cheered even louder.

The photographers took pictures and the four people came in newspapers and became celebrities.

Emma took the aliens to her house and kept them as pets.

“Are you ready for our next adventure?” announced Max.

“Of course, we are” beamed the other three.