Forever Changed (a short, complete story)

Forever Changed (a short, complete story)

Forever Changes (a short, complete story - with some B5)

Were you there when the first Babylon 5 movie came out? We were. Did you all cheer when the title came up and Joe Straczynski, dressed as a janitor, threw the switch to bring the Babylon 5 Space Station on line? We did. Do you remember the first time you saw the Shadow's attack and were right in the middle of the battle with the 3-sided screen? I remember every detail of that day. My sister Jewel and I had to wait until the second week of release before we could get tickets and then we had to go at 11 a.m.

We were still disoriented when we came out into the bright sun and made out way to the local IH Store (remember those old Information Highway stores?). Jewel always stopped in so she could ask Sam (the college, nerd, sales guy) a carefully researched computer question. It was fascinating to watch her carefully turn so Sam never saw her profile (big nose).

Jewel was happy as we peddled home. Yes, we peddled home on old bikes! Our parents wouldn't buy Segs and wouldn't let Jewel dirve the Skimmer so if we wanted to go to town we had to peddle. I didn't mind too much because it was a relief in our otherwise boring lives and besides it was fun racing downhill at breakneck speed.

We had moved to the lake house after 9/11 and the Texas oil field destruction but before Boston. Our father was in Boston at the time of the attack and was in quarantine for 3 months. Once, our parents took us to New York City to the museums and to a play. We beg to go again but we never did.

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Re: Forever Changed (a short, complete story)

(continued from above)

The first thing we saw, when we arrived home was our younger brother, David and his friend, playing one of their favorite games on the back porch. They built tall block towers and stood behind a line they had drawn and threw their small metal planes. David was an expert. He could ususlly take down both towers with one hook throw.

We were hot and sweaty and went in to change for a swim. Our parents called us to come and watch a special report on TV. A U.F.O. had entered our Solar System! There were a lot of graphics and speculation but no real pictures. Monitoring devices, located on the outer-most moons, and various probes were collecting data. The President was scheduled to address the nation at 8 p.m. The story repeated, with no new information, so we changd and went down to the lake.

I swam deep underwater all the way out to the raft. All the usual guys were there and everyone was talking about the U.F.O. and aliens. After awhile we talked about the B5 movie and the fast approaching school year. There was some hope that the school opening might be delayed!

I watched Jewel as she floated around with a dreamy look on her face. Later, our mother and David came down to the lake. She had been working most of the day in her garden and she was writing a book about raising and preserving food in order to become self-sufficient. I watched them wade in and as they began splashing they were surrounded by a sparkling halo of water. It was an image that I would carry with me long after I left earth.

The news that night was filled with more speculation and as we waited for the President's address the announcer said, "Life as we know it has changed forever." My mother laughed. My father met her eyes and smiled and shook his head and siad, "How many times in these last years have our lives changed forever."

Later, we learned that the U.F.O. was headed straight for earth.

The end.