Chapter 2: The Earth Journey

Hey babe, want a lift? “ Felicity pondered awhile, did people on earth have a really long life span, she was sure she didn’t look like a child anymore, yet the full grown human in front of her was calling her ‘babe’

“Yes kind sir, where are you headed to?

“Wherever you want to, your highness” The man said with a leering laugh

Felicity was too busy being happy as was her wont, to notice the leer or the fact that nobody knew she was a princess on this planet. The people here
are so kind and polite; I shouldn’t have let the old eagle get to me, thought Felicity to herself and got into the car with a cheerful smile.

As Felicity sat in the car and tried to ask the human more about earth and the amazing life span of people, the man suddenly increased the speed of the car and the volume of the loud thumping music.

As Felicity watched round eyed, he started taking a swig from a long brown bottle and held the foul smelling bottle to her lips as well. Felicity shook her head, but the man just laughed and forced the liquid down her mouth.
Felicity almost gagged on the foul smelling brew and was feeling very worried and scared by now, feelings she had never felt before. Before she could act on her feelings, the man suddenly stopped the car and started pawing at her.

Felicity was too taken aback to know what to do, she started hitting out and screaming at the top of her melodious voice, but the man just laughed at her attempts. Now petrified than ever before Felicity suddenly felt some age old instinct taking over. She swiftly re- acted by reaching out for the long brown bottle near the wheel and smashed it on the man’s head.

Felicity hastily got out of the car with her packet and started running along the road without stopping to look back. Her dress of shimmering gold kept getting caught at her ankles making her stumble now and again. She swiftly tore at it and stopped to wear her ‘earth’ clothes. She kept running till she was out of breath and the sun was low on the horizon.

Seeing the sun low on the horizon, she suddenly felt very alone and helpless. Feeling very home sick, she sat on a boulder along the road and began to cry. After a long while as she sat wiping her tears, she realised that she surely didn’t feel happy anymore. But she was also surprised at the realisation that she did feel more alive than she ever had on her planet.

Soon she started singing to herself, to cheer herself up. And as if drawn by the magic of her voice, a car stopped right next to her and a kind looking woman asked her if she wanted to be dropped somewhere.

Felicity nodded with a smile, and gathering her packet she placed her fate in the hands of a stranger for the second time in the day

“Where do you want to go honey?” asked the old woman kindly
Felicity was not going to make the same mistake again, “I was on my way to meet the King, can you please take me there” said Felicity with as much bravado as she could muster.

“Isn’t it a coincidence now, I am headed just that way” saying that the old woman smiled at her again
Felicity began to relax, though she felt alive more than ever before and she was feeling all these new feelings, she was longing to go back. The king would understand her plight and help her get back, she would also offer him all the money she had so that he could start work on it right way.

The old woman was humming along to a song sung by a man in a rich baritone voice, and she urged Felicity to sing along too. Felicity loved singing and started humming along, now quite enjoying herself.

Soon the old lady brought the car to a halt, and she saw many men and women milling around a huge white mansion. Wondering what kind of palace this was, she noticed all the men wore the same clothes, a white suit, all of them wore a wig, large sunglasses and all seemed to walk with a swagger.
Felicity began to feel the now familiar tinge of fear again, “Margaret, where does the King hold his court? I want to see him quite urgently, just tell me and I will go find him”

Margaret started laughing, “Is this your first time to Graceland, my dear? "This Felicity is his court and all these are his loyal subjects, you and me included. Elvis still lives Felicity, come let’s celebrate his birthday as it is meant to be”

Saying this Margaret dragged a now completely bewildered Felicity by the hand and took her to meet the ‘King’.