A Girl From Earth: Chapt. One: I Dial A Number

     Alisa isn't sleeping. Its ten 'o clock at night, and she's still awake. I said to her:
  - Alisa, go to sleep immediately or Ill...
  - What will you do?
  - Ill videophone Grandma Yaga.
  - Who's Grandma Yaga?
  - Well, kids your age need to know that. Grandma Yaga is a scary, grumpy old lady who eats kids who
     don't listen to their parents.
  - Why?
  - Because shes grumpy and hungry.
  - Why is she hungry?
  - Because she doesn't have an automatic food dispenser.
  - Why doesn't she have one?
  - Because her house is very old and is deep in the woods.
   Alisa got so interested, she even sat up on the edge of the bed.
  - Does she work in The Reserve for Fairytales?
  - Alisa, go to sleep this instant!
  - But you promised to videophone Grandma Yaga. Please, dad, videophone Grandma Yaga!
  - Ill videophone her. But youll regret it.
     I went upm to the videophone and dialed a random number. I thought that a connection wouldn't be established and Grandma Yaga "wouldn't be home".
     But I was wrong. The videophone screen lit up, then it turned brighter and I hear a click: someone had pushed the answer button on the other end of the line. Befor an image even appeared on the screen, a sleepy voice said:
  - Martian embassy speaking.
  - So what, will Grandma Yaga come?", Alisa yelled out of the bedroom.
  - She's allready asleep.", I angrily said.
  - Martian embassy speaking.", the voice repeated.
     I turned to the videophone. A young martian was looking at me. He had green eyes without eyelashes.
 - Im sorry," I said, "I must have dialed the wrong number."
     The martian smiled. He wasn't looking at me, but at something behind me. Of cours, Alisa had gotten out of bed and was standing barefooted on the floor.
  - "Good evening," she said to the martian.
  - Good evening, little girl.
  - Does Grandma Yaga live with you?
     The puzzled martian looked at me.
  - It's just that can't get to sleep, and I wanted to videophone Grandma Yaga, so she would punish her. But I dialed the wrong number.
     The martian smiled again.
  - Good night, Alisa, he said. You need to go to sleep or your dad will call Grandma Yaga.
     The martian said goodbye to me and hang up.
  - So, now will you go to sleep? I asked Alisa. Did you hear what the martian said?
  - I'll go to sleep. Will you take me to Mars?
  - If you behave yoursef, I'll take you there in summertime.
     Soon, Alisa went to sleep, and I went back to work. I sat and worked untill one 'o clock in the morning. Then, the videophone started ringing. It was the martian from the embassy.
  - Im sorry that Im bothering you so late, he said, but your videophone isn't off, and I thought you werent sleeping.
  - Of course.
  - Could you help us?" he said. "The wholle embassy is awake. We have read all of the encyclopedias, re-read the videophone number book, but we still don't know who Grandma Yaga is, or where she lives..."