Chapter 12: S. America - Colombia

Warnings: Violence at the end

The next day, I arrived in Colombia. It was covered in green palm trees and green vines. A woman with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a white shirt and a purple skirt approached me. "Are you lost?" She questioned. I nodded. "Would you like to come to my house?". I nodded. She took my hand.

She led me to a big, white house with a blue roof. A man wearing a yellow suit came out. "Hi, Valentina, who's the girl?" He asked her.

"I'm Anna." I replied.

"Anna, my name is Andres." He told me. He beckoned me to go inside. I stared at him. "Go inside.". I went inside.

Inside, there was an older lady with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a purple dress and an older man with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing an orange suit standing in the middle of the tan room. Off to their left was a woman with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a white shirt and a pink skirt standing next to a man with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a green suit. In front of them was a little girl about three years old with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a pink dress playing with a pink cat stuffy on the tan floor. Off to the far right was a teenage girl with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a white shirt and a bright orange skirt talking to a teenage boy with brown skin, eyes, and hair wearing a blue suit. "Valentina, Andres, who's the girl?" The older lady asked the couple that found me.

"I'm Anna." I explained.

"Anna, I'm Daniela and this is my husband, Pablo." She explained. I waved. She turned around. "Time for dinner!".

Everybody sat down at a green wooden table. The teenage boy passed me a white plate with orange yams, a fruit salad made of mangos, oranges, and pineapples, and yellow buns. The teenage girl passed me a glass of purple juice."Thank you…" My voice trailed off, not knowing his name. "I'm Ivan and this is my sister Isabelle." Ivan explained. "Thank you, Ivan and Isabelle.".

"No problem.".

I ate the yams. They were sweet. I ate the buns. They were cheesy. I ate the fruit salad. It was delicious. I drank the fruit juice. It was delicious.

After dinner, it was time for bed. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

2/14/1630

Dear Journal,

There was a hurricane in Hawaii yesterday, so I fled. I arrived in Columbia today. I am living with a very big family. They're all very nice.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

Four months later, I found Isabelle's and Ivan's cousin, Luz in the front yard. He was sculpting something out of gold. "Hi, Anna, want to join me?" He questioned. I nodded. I picked up a silver, metal chisel. I carved a gold phoenix out of the gold brick in front of me. "Good job, Anna!" Luz praised me. I smiled.

After dinner, it was time for bed. I pulled out my journal and began to write.

6/14/1630

Dear Journal,

Today I carved a statue out of gold with Luz.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

Two weeks later, it was time for the lantern festival in "I'm going to a festival in my hometown." I announced after I finished my breakfast of coconut milk.

"Okay, have fun." Daniela Leilani told me.

"I will!" I replied as I ran out the door and to the ocean. I jumped on my raft and headed to Corona.

I arrived in Corona an hour later. The baker was selling cupcakes at his booth in the street. People were dancing and making chalk art in town square. Some people were also selling flags, dolls, and other souvenirs along the sides of town square in wooden booths.

I went over to the baker's brown, wooden booth. "Can I have an orange cupcake?" I asked him. The plump, red-headed baker nodded. He handed me an orange cupcake with orange frosting. "Thank you so much!" I told him.

I went into the town square and spun around. The people in the market cheered. I smiled.

I went over to the chalk art station. I outlined baby Rapunzel with the black chalk. I colored her skin with tan chalk. I drew her eyes with the white, green, and black chalk. I colored her lips and gave her some blush with the pink chalk. I colored her dress with purple chalk. I stood up and wiped my brow. "Hey, she drew a picture of the Lost Princess!" A man with tan skin, brown hair, and eyes, wearing a white shirt and brown pants announced. I smiled.

Suddenly, I heard a strong, male voice announce: "To the boats!". I rushed to the docks.

I rowed into the middle of the ocean. As soon as we got to the middle of the ocean, I noticed lights arising from the island. I just watched the lanterns for the rest of the night.

That night, after I got back to Columbia, I got out my journal and began to write.

7/4/1631

Dear Journal,

I went back to Corona today for the Lantern Festival. Again, like last year, nobody recognized me and I didn't get caught. I had an orange cupcake. It was good. I danced in town square. I drew a picture of baby Rapunzel with chalk. I saw the floating lanterns! I hope Rapunzel sees them and knows to come home.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

Three months later, I found Ivan in his blue room painting an orange monkey. "Can I paint something?" I questioned.

"Of course!" He replied. I sat down on a brown, wooden stole.

I dipped my hands in the pink paint. I pressed them up against the white canvas. I dried my hands with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my fingers in the purple paint. I pressed them up against the canvas in between the fingerprints of my pink handprints. I dried my hands with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my index finger in the brown paint. I pressed it up against the canvas in between my pink handprints. I dried my hand with the dirty, brown rag. I dipped my index finger in the yellow paint. I pressed it up against the canvas on the pink and purple wings several times. I dried my hand with the dirty, brown rag. I took a brown paintbrush and dipped the end of it in the black paint. I painted a smiling face on the butterfly. "Good job, Anna." Ivan praised me. I smiled.

That night, after I got ready for bed, I got out my journal and began to write.

10/31/1631

Dear Journal,

Today I painted a fingerpaint butterfly with Ivan. He liked it.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

Four months later, Isabelle asked me to chaperone her to a dance. I agreed. The dance was in a big building, in a black room. They were pink, purple, and green candles lighting up the room. Kids with brown skin, hair, and eyes were jumping up and down in colorful clothing and screaming. I was in the back reading a book and covering my ears. I saw Isabelle approach me. "Anna, do you want to join?" She asked. I nodded. I went to the center of the room and spun around. Kids cheered. I covered my ears.

That night, after I got back to the house, I got out my journal and began to write.

2/14/1632

Dear Journal,

Tonight I escorted Isabelle to a dance. It was loud.

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

Four months later, I was in the rainforest surrounded by tall, green trees. I was up on a brown, wooden platform above the treetops. I grabbed a white rope tied to a bigger white rope. I jumped off. I zipped through the treetops. I laughed. I saw a red, orange, yellow, and green parrot with a yellow beak flying through the air. I smiled. I saw a black and white toucan with an orange and yellow beak flying through the air. I smiled. My ride stopped.

That night, after I got back to the house, I got out my journal and began to write.

6/1/1632

Dear Journal,

Today I went ziplining through the Amazon Rainforest. It was thrilling!

Sincerely,

Arianna

I put my journal beside my bed, laid down, and went to sleep.

One week later, I and the rest of the family were eating a breakfast of mangoes, pineapples, and orange juice. After we finished breakfast, a group of men on horseback came storming towards us. I got on my raft and sailed away.