On a Clear Day: A Science Fiction Short Story

We both lived in a beautiful place. A log cabin in the high hills of north Georgia. We both had just celebrated our eightieth birthdays here. Our home. We loved it. Our children had been long gone for many years now. They came home on holidays. No grandchildren yet, but they were coming, we were both sure. We are Ma and Pa to all we know. We wouldn't have it any other way. Been married for sixty years, we have. We retired to this lovely pine wood log cabin nestled in the high north Georgia hills. Such beauty. We adore it every day.

Near about every evening, we go down to our favorite place. A patch of our land that has a magnificent view of all land below us. We have lawn chairs set up there. Me and Ma hold hands and relax, watching the sun go down. In a glorious sunset. It is a nightly ritual. As the sun sets, the night comes to life. We always wait until darkness and wish upon the stars. We have been so blessed. For many years. This particular night, a balmy June summer breeze greeted us. We enjoyed. It grew darker. A perfect end to a clear day. We both smiled and squeezed one another's hands. Then we both saw it.

It was a bright light in the sky. Yellow. Gold and shining. It seemed to dance about in the sky and then it swooped down just in front of us. Ma gasped and I was struck silent, in awe. It was large and appeared to be a craft, but I have never seen such a plane. I quickly realized that this was no plane. Nor was it a helicopter. It seemed to land a few feet from our chairs. Yep. There it was. I looked at Ma and she looked at me. This was not normal. The golden craft was diamond shaped. The front of it glowed bright white and we saw a walkway sort of thing come out of the front of it. It reached a foot from us. We were frozen. I could not have moved if my very life depended on it. Ma seemed the same. We stared like poor deer in headlights.

This man came down the walk way from the golden glowing diamond shaped craft. He was covered in shiny dark black plastic or something. Looking a bit like Darth Vader, in the Star Wars movies. Except, the black shiny mask he had showed his eyes. They were a brilliant green. They shone and seemed to glow. For some reason, I was not afraid, just amazed by him. Then it hit us. He spoke into my mind and I suspect, he spoke into Ma's brain, too. He relayed peace, greetings and wanted to ask us an important question. Well, we were all ears, as you can imagine. He asked us if we would like to journey with his people and see far away worlds, sharing our earthly knowledge with others from distant galaxies. He informed us that we would have to leave all earthly things behind. He also said that they were aware that we did not have many earthly life years left on this planet. He told us we would live forever, if we journeyed with his people. We were told that we would see impossible things and great beauty. If we chose to accept the trip. I blinked.

Well, Ma looked at me and told me that we would be fools not to go. If they meant to hurt us, they would have by now, don't you think? Pa, we can be together forever. Well, nothing sounded sweeter than that. I had to agree. We smiled at one another. I thought that we would be ready to go in a jiffy. The man from the space craft nodded. We will be waiting, he mentally transmitted to me. I heard his words in my head. I tried not to freak out. Ma and I started running for the log cabin. It was almost like a race. We both were giggling like little kids. In my head I heard that we only needed to bring along a few sets of clothes and pictures. To remember our loved ones. One suitcase each. No problem. Ma hit the door first and burst through it. She tripped over Ben, our old German Shepard and sprawled across the living room hardwood floor. I heard a sickening thud and then realized that Ma had taken quite hit to the skull. Soon, blood was pooling underneath her head. I went into shock. I somehow made it to the phone and called 911. I told them that my wife had fallen, then collapsed. I guess I fainted. Ma died that night. She shattered her skull in the fall. I tried to answer questions from the police and when they went to leave, I asked the head deputy to take Ben with him. He looked at me strangely. "You have lost your wife, you might want to keep old Ben around. He is a part of your family." I nodded. They took Ma away in the ambulance. Tears were rolling down my face. What in the world happened and why did it have to be this way, I wondered. Ben trotted out into the front yard and started wailing. I thought that I would lose my mind.

I sat down on the front porch and thought for a long time. If the aliens were as smart as I figured them to be, they already knew what had happened. I sighed. Then I got up and went into the front yard. I gathered Ben up into my arms and carried him to the where the space ship was still waiting. I handed him to the man in shiny black with glowing green eyes. "Take him. Ma is gone. I can't go. Don't want to live forever without her." The alien nodded. I sat down in the lawn chair, and watched the shiny gold craft lift off and shoot across the stars. "Well, at least Ben will get to see other worlds." I muttered. Damn old dog. I know he couldn't help it. We just got too carried away. I try to console myself with the fact that we are all only just one step away from our fate. If we are not careful. Heck, Ma and I believe in God and maybe God did not want us to take this journey. It was such a clear day. I still am waiting. Maybe for a sign or for death. Never know. I do know that I will see Ma again soon. I don't tell anyone what happened. You know why.