“Finally,!” thought Cathy as she settled on the couch to read through her mail from work. She rummaged past the memos and charts and graphs. “What's this?” she wondered as she spotted the envelope. She opened the envelope with her ivory letter opener, and was surprised to see that it was from David. She slowly began to read.
Dear Mom,
I have gone to Culver Library. Over the past two weeks several crazy things
have happened. I know that you may find this letter hard to believe, but I need for you
to trust me. I went down into the archives of the library and these “people” found me, but
they don't look human. I think that they are aliens. They said they needed to retrieve an
artifact from the museum in order to get home, but they needed help. They sent me to
steal the artifact for them, but something has gone terribly wrong. If you don't hear from
me in the next 24 hours, contact the police. If this happens, I just want you to know, there
was nothing else I could do.
Love, David
* * *
Richard jumped quickly up the stairs, skipping two at a time, until he was in the hallway. He walked down the hallway and saw the sign that said 'Room 228'. He pulled out his card and scanned it in the lock on the door knob. He opened the door, expecting David to be there, and called out, “David, you better have a good explanation!” No one was there – only an empty desk and their beds.
* * *
“Why would someone do this?” Professor Hudson asked herself as she prepared to view the surveillance videos. “Why did someone take it? Why did they need it?” She scanned until she found what she was looking for. She paused for a moment and then gasped, “Oh my goodness....that's David.” She quickly shut down the machine, put on her coat, and hurried out the door.
* * *
David thought to himself, “I need to get out of here, no you don't!” exclaimed a voice in his head. David jumped at the sudden sound. Then he saw a shape come out of the shadows. The figure was very tall, and it's body was wrapped in a silver cloak. David took a step back and looked up in awe.
* * *
Cathy stared at the letter confused, “Oh, David....what have you gotten yourself into?” She put the letter into her pocket and glanced over at the phone. She didn't even know who to call. “What if he doesn't come back?” Her eyed glossed over and she began to cry. Wiping her tears away, she went looking for Steve.
* * *
As the being slowly walked toward David, he raised his hand in friendly reassurance. “Do not be afraid, David we will not harm you.” he said gently. David let out his breath slowly and took a step back. “We know you were successful in retrieving the tesseract, but are you brave enough to give it to us?” David took a deep breath and spoke. “Can I trust you not to harm our planet?” The alien smiled.
“We have come to far to turn back.”
* * *
Richard picked up the phone and dialed David's number again. He waited anxiously while it rang....once again it went to voice mail. Richard was surprised by a knock on the door. He rushed to open it. He was surprised to see Professor Hudson standing outside. “Is David here?” she asked nervously. “I need to speak to him right away.” Richard swallowed and let out a sigh. “I'm sorry, Professor, but I haven't seen David all afternoon. I'm starting to get worried about him.” Professor Hudson stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. “Richard, do you know what David has done?”
* * *
Professor Hudson sighed. “Let me explain to you what has happened. I was walking through the Liberty Museum and saw the Lanto stone in it's display case. I left to go to my office and when I came back, it was gone. I asked the museum curator, Dr. Brown, if I could see the museum security footage. Thankfully, he was not curious. He let me view the footage, and I was shocked to see David take the stone.”
Richard stared at her in disbelief. “David would never steal from the museum,” he said. “The reason I know this is because he loves God, and believes stealing is wrong. He also love the college. He knows that stealing from the museum would get him expelled.”
“I'm sorry, Richard, but I looked at the footage several times and I'm sure that it is, in fact, David,” Professor Hudson said sadly.
“Please, Professor Hudson, don't say anything until you have spoken to David and get his side of the story,” Richard pleaded.
“When I was looking at the footage, I saw something drop out of his pocket, I went to look for it to see if it was still there, and I found a cellphone. It had a message open that said, “Culver Library 5:30 P.M. Today.”
Why would David go to Culver but not the library here in the college? He said he was doing some type of research, but I think he is hiding something; he's been acting very strange. David has kind of changed over the past few weeks and I don't like it at all.”
Professor Hudson shook her head, “Richard, this could not only expel David, but he could be arrested. This is a serious crime!”
Richard looked at her disbelief. “Have you contacted the police?”
Professor Hudson walked over to the window and looked out at the sidewalk. “I haven't. The only people who know are the two of us. I put a sign on the display case that says, 'Exhibit closed for cleaning.' I have bought David some time.”
* * *
David cautiously handed the alien the stone. He wasn't sure why he handed it over so fast. It was almost as if he had too. “By helping you I am putting myself in jeopardy of being arrested. I don't even know who you really are.”
The alien frowned. “I am Alderbaren, and the others are my comrades. I was of the royal family of the Celestial Kraken of Alderbaren Beta. I dishonored my family by trying to take over and rule before it was my time, and so brought shame to my family. I and my comrades were cast off our planet to live throughout the galaxy for 3,000 years. The Lanto Stone would enable us to return home, when we have fulfilled our sentence. We have been on your planet for 2,000 years in hibernation. One of our comrades stole the stone for himself, and was killed. We not only lost him, but we lost the stone. Ninety-three years ago, an archeologist found the stone. Everyone thought it was a relic of the Egyptian race. When we woke from hibernation and realized it was gone, we started our long search. The stone is the lifeline to my planet, and I long to return home.
“So, you're not here to invade our planet?” David said skeptically. “I have been living in fear for nothing?” David let out a sigh of relief.
“I'm sorry that we had to scare you,” Alderbaren said, “but I needed the stone. There was no other way. To show how thankful I am for your help, I would like to give you a gift. I will give you anything in my power.”
“I know exactly what I want. I need a copy of the stone so I can put it back into the museum exhibit. I know that the security cameras show me taking the stone and I will be arrested.” Alderbaren then took the stone in his hand and concentrated. He put his hands around the stone and said words in a language David had never heard. The stone emitted a bright, intense light and when the light died away Alderbaren held two stones. David stared at the two stones in bewilderment. “David, follow me,” Alderbaren said quietly.
David followed him into a corner of the library, then Alderbaren pushed back one of the bookcases to reveal an opening. Inside was a small room. When David's eyes adjusted to the light, he saw a small circular device and four alien creatures.
* * *
Steve sped down the highway as Cathy sat in the passenger seat, praying quietly to herself. She stared at the beaded rain drops falling down the window. “Dear Father, please help us get there in time,” she prayed as a tear rolled down her face.
Steve looked over and reached for her hand. “Cathy, it's going to be ok.”
* * *
David noticed Alderbaren's long pointy fingers as he gingerly picked up the device. He paused for a moment and said, “We need to transport from outside. Luckily it is nighttime and our skin won't be harmed by the sun. We just have to get to the roof without being seen.”
David led them out of the room towards the stairwell. The stairs would be the safest route to the roof without being seen. As the six of them made their way quickly down the hall, the stairwell doors burst open. David and the aliens swung around quickly to see Richard and Professor Hudson standing in the doorway, staring at them in disbelief.
“David!” Richard exclaimed. Professor Hudson ran to David and threw her arms around him. “Oh, David,” she cried, “please tell me you still have the stone.”
David pulled away slowly and reached into his jean's pocket. He pulled out the copy of the stone that Alderbaren had made for him and handed it to Professor Hudson.
“Why did you take it?” she asked. David looked over at Alderbaren and smiled, “I needed to help a friend, and this is an exact copy of the stone. I can only return this copy to the museum. The real stone belongs to Alderbaren.”
“David, why did you take such a risk, and why or how did you make a copy?” Alderbaren stepped forward and gazed at the two of them. His eyes slowly turned red and he lifted his hands in a calming gesture. With his mind, he relayed to Professor Hudson and Richard the same story he had shared earlier with David. When he was finished, they shook their heads in disbelief. David told them that they had to get to the roof quickly so that the aliens could return home.
They flew up the steps as fast as possible and burst through the door onto the roof. The aliens quickly formed a circle, and Alderbaren placed the device in the middle of them,with the stone in it's core.
Suddenly a bright light surrounded the five aliens engulfing them in it's light. They slowly ascended into the sky as Alderbaren called a a last farewell to David. “Goodbye my friend.” In a bright flash they were gone.
* * *
Cathy and Steve pulled into the driveway of the library as a powerful light rose from the roof of the library. They ran into the building and up the stairs. They flung open the door of the roof just as the aliens disappeared. David ran over and threw his arms around his mom. “Mom, have I got a story for you!”
The End