“Get on, lets go.” I was directed. I couldn’t identify who was talking to me, but I heard the urgency in the message. “This is our last chance to go.” I moved forward in blind faith. Wherever we were going had to be better than here. I knew this to be true, and there was no room for fear or hesitation. I was here for a reason and the choice had been made.
I stepped onto the ship to take the last available seat. The vessel resembled a plane without wings. It was oval and hollow on the interior except for two rows of seats on either side with small windows above them. Nothing separated us from the cockpit, so I could see everything ahead of us.
I barely buckled my seat belt before the ship took off. It rumbled as we broke away from the ground and lifted into the sky. We ascended at such a rapid speed that in seconds I could see the clouds surrounding us, then the pitch black sky.
“Wait, where are we going?” I asked. I’d never flown high enough to see the stars beneath me. I was thinking out loud, and no one was paying attention. Looking out of my window I saw Earth drift steadily away. It was beautiful. The bright blue and green planet was wrapped in a blanket of clouds. I could see pieces of the sea and the land that I had called home.
As we pushed forward, the vast, dark space around us was filled with large white stars. They were everywhere. I leaned forward and asked the pilot, “How are you not hitting the stars?” I thought of playing Starfox with Albert on the N64, and I’d always lose a life by not dodging some meteor in front of me. How could this be different?
As soon as I posed the question, we accelerated again. This time I could feel my body suctioned back into the cushion behind me. The stars in my periphery transitioned from white masses to streaks of light, until it felt like we were pulsing forward through a tunnel. We were traveling at the speed of light.
I watched in awe as we defied any physics I’d learned in school. The ship moved forward effortlessly, until we reached an unseen barrier. The tunnel turned into a dense, gray, fog and I felt the resistance slowly push against us. It was like swimming through molasses; we’d move forward some, then slow down to reset. The ship shook and creaked as we struggled through the turbulence. I sat with my eyes closed, talking to myself in my head. “Breathe. We’ll be okay. Breath.” For a moment I thought “Well, this is it,” and I started to pray. Eventually, we broke through to the other side, and were back in the stillness of a calm night’s sky.
The ship got ready to land as we approached a new planet. I couldn’t wait to get off. We touched down and were released at what seemed like a bus stop. I was happy to see my mom and brother file out behind me. We hugged and laughed, letting the joy flow between us. We made it.
We took our place in this little town surrounded by green mountains and lakes. It felt like a summer day on Earth, except the sun gave everything a hazy glow. We came with nothing, just the clothes on our bodies. But we didn't need anything here. The sun didn’t beat down in an exhausting heat, and the air was comfortable and still. There were no delegated jobs, there was no money; just people living and playing. This was Peace.
The first person I saw was Alex standing on a wooden dock near the lake. He hadn’t changed at all except for his hair, which was long and pulled back in a bun. “This is where he’s been all these years,” I thought. I’d failed to connect with him since we’d parted ways, and I’d wondered where he was and how he was doing. I approached him, and he smiled like he was happy to see me here.
“How long have you been here?” I asked him. He couldn’t answer. I don’t think he had any sense of time.
“I’m not sure, but I know I’m leaving tomorrow,” he responded.
“You’re leaving??” I asked, “Leaving to where?” Of course he’s not staying now that I’m here.
“Back to Earth,” he answered.
I was confused. I looked at the world around me, wondering why anyone would want to leave. Everything felt vibrant and warm. I saw people walking together, chatting and laughing like children. Everyone seemed so light and care free.
Then I said to myself, “Is this all just temporary?”
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