Assignment #9 - Alien Contact

   

    She slammed on the brakes but it was too late. The windshield shattered into pieces so small they were hardly tangible. All she saw were oncoming headlights. Then her world went black as she was claimed by unconsciousness. An off duty officer was passing by the damaged car and called it in. Ambulance rushed to the scene but there was a delay. The reported victim in need of immediate medical care was no longer in the vehicle. The car had been pried apart and not by the Jaws of Life. There was no other vehicle within miles of the accident, and no witnesses could be found. The police searched everything within the near by perimeter and accomplished nothing. Flummoxed by such a strange scenario, the police had no choice but to call of the search and return home.

    Sally returned to consciousness just as terrified and confused as she had been in that split second before she left it. That split second where all she could make out was the bright light and the sound of the tires protesting against the asphalt as she pleaded with the brakes on her car. Now she is surrounded by lights and what appear to be average people. Her head is throbbing so she blinks persistently in a failed attempt to clear this fictional place she has conjured. Dismayed, she begins to tremble in realizing this is no delusion. She knows she was in a wreck, she knows she should seek medical attention, but she also knows this is no hospital.

    Eager to run, for she is not yet aware of the actual situation, Sally struggles against the straps of the gurney. Wait a second...Gurney? Straps? “Is this a hospital?” Sally only means for this to be a thought but the words left her lips with great volume. The man nearest to her strides over, gracefully closing the distance between them in a matter of milliseconds, and studies her demeanor. She seems calm now. Maybe it’s the thought of being in an actual hospital, being close to home, or maybe she knows she will not get an explanation if she lets herself be overwrought by fear. Either way, she does not appear to frantic and this humbles the man.

    “You are not in a hospital but you are in good hands.” The man’s voice is so genuinely tender Sally almost completely ignores the words his voice has formed. “I’m sorry?” Sally is unsure whether he noticed her lack of consideration to whatever this man said but she is hoping an apology will buy her another chance to hear his stunning accent. He clears his throat and tries again. “You were in accident Miss, in which I sincerely apologize for on behalf the ship. We…” Sally cuts him off. “Ship.” She’s not really asking, rather she is trying to collect her scattered thoughts and make sense of this puzzle. “Not a hospital. Good hands. Ship.” Her fragmented thoughts are given volume yet again. “Yes ma’am”, the man is unsure if she is about to become frantic but he does not want to give her the time to do so, “Our ship had a malfunction. We did fix it but unfortunately we did not fix it fast enough. The edge of our ship slashed the front end of your vehicle causing horrible destruction. The guilt we felt was tremendous and we knew we had to take you into our care. You are aboard our ship and will remain so until you are well enough to return to normal human conditions.” His words come out fast and all she understands is that he is not referring to himself as human. “Hu-human? Normal human conditions?” She stammers and this time it is a question. “Look Miss..” He pauses and waits for her interjection. “Sally, n-no Miss, j-just Sally.” Still stuttering she manages a response and he continues, “Sally, I may explain things to you under one condition.” He is scrutinizing her again. Upon finding no change in her now concerned character, he proceeds with, “You will not speak of this again to any other human.” There is a long pause before she realizes she must respond. “I…I…Sure, of course, you h-have my word.” The man contemplates this and says, finally, “We are not of your species but we cannot have permanent contact with humans until we are sure how they will react toward our kind. Do you understand?” Without thinking Sally blurts out, “You mean to tell me I am aboard a UFO and aliens are providing my medical care!? Aliens!? But you all look so much like humans and you’re so…so” it takes her a while before she finds suitable words, “civilized and kind-spirited.” Now the man is irresolute as to if he should feel flattered that she thinks highly of them or insulted that she assumed such undermining things of them. After much deliberation he decides to remain neutral. “Sally, do you believe everything your human media spits at you? This is why we cannot reveal ourselves to your people. Humans do not wish to adapt to even the smallest changes. So we are not of your world. That is what makes us outcasts? We have so much to offer you as you have much to offer as well. Still, humans will not easily accept an”, he pauses to recall the manner in which Sally referred to them and tries to mimic her, “an ‘alien’. Dear Sally, please understand that we are not outcasts. As a black man is different from a white man merely in skin pigment, we are different from you only in culture.”