"You're joking! Momo, you're seriously going to do this?"
"Don't call me Momo, Marissa! And yes, I am. Right after school. I said my goodbyes to Mom, Dad, and my uncles before school started. Stefi and I're stopping by the Science Center right after this day is over!"
Oh, sorry. Didn't notice you were there. Hey. I'm just a normal 12-year-old girl living in 2075. Oh, those girls I were talking to, she's my best bud, Marissa Rodriguez, and her mute twin sister, Sylvia. Stefi is my 10-year-old sister, Stephanie. As much as I hate it, call me Momo for now, kay?
"Miss Rodriguez! Miss McGuire! Would you like to share with the class?" our American History teacher, Mrs. Glimmer asked.
I nodded quickly, eager to share my information with whoever I could. "I was telling Marissa about the job I got at the Science Center. My sister and I are going on a time travel mission for them!"
Thirty pairs of eyes were trained on me. I was definitely more exciting than the Louisiana Purchase, that's for sure!
"Oh?" Mrs. Glimmer asked. "What kind?"
"I'm going to pick up some animals to bring back and turn into humans. Nothing major, but it's so exciting! I'm going to go to the time I'm most interested in! The Ice Age!"
"Well, since you know so much about your mission, Miss McGuire, will you please come up and tell us about why they are needed?"
I nodded enthusiastically. I quickly got off of my chair, and went to the front of the room. Everything came out in a gush.
"The reason Animal Retrieval Missions are necessary was because, after the Three Days' War of 2012, nuclear radiation, from bombs, had all but wiped out humanity. The last survivors of the human race tried to repopulate via the natural methods." A giggle went up through the classroom. "But they didn't work. It wasn't enough. Mankind struggled for survival until the development of time travel in 2030, and discovery of the Humanity Drug in 2050. Then, they had the idea of taking animals from the past, and transforming them into humans. This has increased the amount of humans in the world drastically, and saved our species. Missions like this are still going on, trying to increase the population from mere ten thousands to millions. My younger sister, Stefi, and I are going to the Ice Age, because my uncle has taught us survival methods, and we are well-adapted for cold weather. We are to retrieve a small, unorthodox herd of animals, and take them to the year 2064, where they will be Humanized, and made into normal American citizens, and help our population grow."
Halfhearted applause came from a few of the kids in the classroom, and I sat down. I twirled my caramel braid in my fingers, and braced myself for the embarrassment of having Mrs. Glimmer saying I was wrong, but to my surprise, the teacher said I was right.
"Miss McGuire is correct. Indeed the Three Days' War killed the majority of the Human Race. In fact, a good bit of the human population has once been an animal, or has been descended from one. My husband was a flamingo from the 1500s."
The rest of the day followed in a blur, and I blocked everything out, until next thing I knew, I was standing next to the Chief Scientist, Lorena Chun, with Stefi next to me, giving our vows for the mission.
"And do you, Misses McGuire, say that you will do all you can in your power to ensure the success of this mission, and only back down if you or your sister is at death's door?" Chief Scientist Chun asked.
Stefi adjusted the dark-brown hair around her hearing aid, and said, "I will."
My words caught in a lump on my throat. I swallowed, and whispered, "I will. As firstborn daughter, I take on the responsibility of my sister's safety."
Oh, I never told you my name, did I? It's a stupid name to some, I guess, but I think it's kind of cute. At least it's easier to say than my mother's name, Eleanora, is. It's Peaches. Peaches McGuire.