I stood there, frozen in shock. The words ran through my mind like a broken record. Each time I heard the words a wave of pain and insult went through my body. How dare she say that. She has no right. She’s gone too far this time. I clenched my fists as I turned to face her. The demon who plagued my life. I imagined a target on her forehead. I took a step towards her. She didn’t move. I could feel the eyes of the crowd gathered around us. They were all waiting. I walked right up to her and whispered in her ear. "Burn in hell." I turned and pushed through the crowd. I could feel tears stinging my eyes. I sat down on the grass of the oval, waiting. Waiting for her to reply. Someone sat on the grass beside me. I didn’t turn to see, I already knew who it was. The tears started running down my cheeks and I felt his arm around my shoulder. " That took courage. I would have knocked her dead!" I couldn’t help laughing. He always made me smile.

I opened my eyes with a start. That was so real. I sat up and looked around. White walls. White bed linen. No windows. No furniture other than a bed. I had absolutely no idea where I was. Maybe a hospital? I tried to remember what had happened. Nothing. My mind was a blank. Who am I? Quinn Leister. I am 16 years old. I live in Brisbane, Australia, the Earth. Wait! Where did that come from? The Earth?

Just then a door flew open and a tall man dressed in a white coat walked into the room. He looked human but as he came closer I started to notice that he walked stiffly, as if he were used to some other mode of transport. His skin was pale and sickly, he had no tan and it was as though he had never been exposed to light. He stood by my bed and stared at me with dark piercing eyes.

" Where am I and who are you?" I tried to keep my voice under control; I didn’t want to sound desperate or scared.

" You are playing games, Nique. You should know I don’t play games." His voice was cold and harsh.

" But I’m not! I don’t know who you are, but my name is Quinn. I . . . . " My voice trailed off as he snapped his fingers. This time a lady walked into the room. She took a metal object out of her pocket and passed it across my face.

"Please explain." The man’s voice had a tone of annoyance. She handed him the instrument, waited for him to give it back and then left the room.

" You’re lucky, you are telling the truth. But your amnesia still annoys me. It brings our plans to a halt. You will remember. I will help you to remember." He took a needle out of his coat pocket and injected me with the green liquid.

" Wait, who are . . .yo . . .u . . ." I started to feel sleepy. My eyes closed and I began to dream.

Julian was tall with black hair and a great smile. As I walked towards him, I saw his smile grow and spread across his face.

" Hey you! Excited about tonight?" His voice was clear as he gave me a hug.

" Of course, how could I not be ?!" My words were cheery but I had a feeling of dread. I had a destiny to fulfil. But first I had to tell him the truth. Julian deserved to know the truth. About . . .

I sat up. The images had gone, but the feelings remained.

" Ah, you’ve awakened." The man’s voice seemed softer and sweeter.

" Do you remember me yet or do you need more guidance?" His voice had lost its harsh tone. He sounded as though he cared.

" Please, can you tell me at least your name?" I had to find out who he was.

" My name is Neole. I am the leader of our people. You must remember. It is imperative for you to remember."

" Why?" I was intrigued by his hurry for me to know the truth.

" You will remember." Yet again I was given a shot of the green liquid and fell to dreaming.

Julian and I were walking alone down a path in the park. I again had the feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. There was another feeling in there I didn’t recognise and it puzzled me.

" You said you wanted to talk to me." Julian’s voice was serious and the smile had disappeared from his face.

" I want to tell you the truth."

" Truth?"

" The truth about me and about. . . ."

" About what? You’re always so honest about things and I value that. Just tell me what you have to say. I promise I won’t hold it against you."

" I have to tell you the truth about you and me." I stopped to think about what I was going to say. " I have to leave. I am needed elsewhere. I don’t want to go but . . . well . . . . you see . . . I . . I . . "

" I love you."

" Yes.’

" Do what you have to do and come back soon. I’ll be waiting for you." I took off my bracelet and pressed it into his palm.

" Remember me always. I’ll never forget you." I turned and walked away. I just couldn’t bring myself to tell him I’d never see him again. My heart had broken into a thousand pieces.

I woke up with tears in my eyes. And yet I still didn’t understand.

" You are confused. I see I shall have to explain." Neole was sitting beside my bed. " You are Nique of the Leister people. Your mother - Aujil, took you to earth. Unfortunately your mother died. But she left you in the care of her friend, your human mother. When you were sixteen you were told the truth about you and your family. You were told to return home to our planet with the vital information that your mother had been gathering. On your way here your transport crashed and you received a blow to the head which resulted in amnesia."

"So you expect me to believe that my whole life was a lie and that I am not human."

" There is nothing to believe, everything I tell you is true. But down to serious matters. Do you remember the password to the transport files?"

" What are you talking about?" He was talking nonsense.

" The information that your mother gathered was protected by a password, what is it?"

I tried to think of a word that my mum could have used. Then it hit me. On my bracelet had been engraved the word ‘Manukau’. That was the only thing I could think of. I told Neole the word and he typed it into the keypad of an object he had pulled out of his pocket.

" It would seem you are right. I thank you for your help." He turned to leave the room.

" Wait, what about me? What am I supposed to do?"

" You are free to leave and live with the rest of your family."

" But I don’t know them. I don’t belong here."

" Of course you belong here, and you will get to know your family. I see no other option for you."

" Can’t I go back to earth. I have unfinished business there."

" You realise that if you went back, everyone you know will be 20 years older?"

" It doesn’t matter. I belong on earth, not on this stupid planet."

" Very well then, if you insist. I will arrange a transport for you. But know that if you leave, you cannot come back."

" I won’t come back. I want to live on my home planet."

I followed Neole out of the room and down a narrow corridor. He opened a door and I went inside. He gestured to one of the transports and I stepped inside of it. I sat in the chair and prepared for the trip home. At last I could be with my true love, Julian.

" Goodbye Quinn, thankyou for your help. Just lie back and you will sleep for the rest of the trip." Neole’s voice came over the speaker. As the transport took off, I was injected with a shot of the green liquid.

I was walking down the path in the park. I just hoped my hunch was right and that Julian would be where I left him. I heard a familiar voice. My heart stopped. Julian stood up and walked towards me. He smiled his terrific smile and started to walk towards me. I couldn’t believe it. He actually recognised me. He came closer and closer and then, he was gone. Julian had walked straight past me.

" Julian! I missed you so much. Why didn’t you meet me at the airport?" The woman’s voice was sweet with a familiar tone.

" The plane was early and I decided to catch a taxi home." Julian sounded just like he did when I left him on that fateful day, years ago.

" But why the park?" The woman not only sounded familiar, she reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t quite remember whom.

" I was just reminiscing about my high school days." Julian was playing with something, passing it through his fingers.

" Still thinking about that girl. The one who broke your heart." She looked like me. Julian had chosen a wife who looked like me. He never got over me. But he said he’d wait for me. He said he loved me.

" She said she would return, but she never did. She said she loved me." Julian put his arm around the girl.

" But you have me now."

" Yes my love, I do." They walked along the path holding hands, snuggling against each other. Something dropped from Julian’s fingers and lay on the path, shining in the sun. I picked up the object. My bracelet. With the inscription ‘Manukau’. True love.

I stood watching the sunset. The beautiful colours – reds and oranges and yellows. So beautiful. The waves were lapping at my feet. Beckoning for me to join them. I walked into the water, feeling the cold against my skin. As I floated out to sea I stopped fighting against the waves. I gave my body to the water to let my soul fly free.