My Brethren from the Stars

The wind was blowing against my face in a gentle manner while I sauntered along the pavement bestrewn with leaves. I tried to tread along the road in a brisk pace so my brother wouldn't be ambling near myself. He was in the same age as me, but our temperaments varied a lot. Although the two of us looked akin since we both had blue, zircon-like eyes and brown coloured hair, I felt myself superior than him. It was due to the fact that Tim was determined to have autism in a hospital few years ago when we were still in the age of six. From that day, my life changed greatly while I wasn't myself anymore. Although I never uttered a complaint of his bizarre actions and particular behaviors that were extremely irritating, I knew deep in my heart I was ashamed of having him as a brother. On the streets or at school, he'd often rock back and forth as if he was a rocking chair or scream at the other students. I never disliked him, but I knew in my mind that I'd want a normal person as my brother instead of Tim, who could never control his emotions.

Before the day the doctor announced the fact Tim was a victim of autism, I had never felt embarrassed of him although I had always knew that my brother was quite absurd. We shared the same room and would play together exuberantly while the house was pervaded of our laughter. I had realized since I was young that Tim gets infuriated easily and would often be flushed with anger in the middle of a frivolous game. He got exasperated frequently due to trivial matters that I barely noticed while he was a person with incredibly impulsive and rash mind. My brother had been known as a bad hat to our preschool teachers while I was an obedient child on the contrary. Tim had possibly been the most essential reason why I was modest since I dreaded creating troubles and felt obliged as if it was my responsibility to solve the problems my brother caused.

I had began to withdraw from him at the age of seven as if the rapport between us was a door which I had locked. It was at the age of ten that I had the most peculiar dream which was emblazoned in my mind for the rest of my life. I had moved into a room at the third floor since Tim was diagnosed with the mental disease, and I lied on my bunk while looking out of the window. There was snow drifting down softly from the heavenly sky and in the serene atmosphere, I soon fell asleep. When I woke up, I realized I was still in my bed except the wooden ceiling which was once bestrewn with spiderwebs had turned into a pale, glossy surface. The floor covered with dust and the rickety stairs which connected my room to the other floors vanished, and I noticed how my surrounding was completely white. I was overwhelmed with an impalpable fear as I paced around the exotic room repeatedly whereas my calls for help echoed throughout the place without any effects. Soon I spotted a window at the recessed corner of the room, and with a feeling of hope, I dashed toward it delightfully. As I opened the sash, I felt as if I was about to faint. Outside, there was not a sign of any dwellings or pavements but rather luminous stars and a ginormous brown and red-coloured planet. I was in floating in a spaceship and lost in a galaxy far afield from my planet.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the wall, and as an instinct for self-protection, I cowered behind the bunk. A creature with green face and massive eyes sauntered in while a dozen of the aliens followed it in a casual manner. I was panting heavily and perspiring and screamed as a timid reaction to the realization of an alien positioned behind my back. The alien stood still and let out a rather cunning than amiable smile, and the rest of the creatures all waved their hands at me. I frowned and continued yelling for help while the others stared at me as if I'd suit the proper role of being their meal. An alien approached me and to my astonishment, it spoke to me in the same language as English except with a novel accent.

"Why are you screaming?" it questioned while my face was still pale of shock.

"Of course I'm screaming, where am I?" I inquired while the others scowled.

"You are in a spaceship. Don't be frightened," the alien resumed.

"How can I not be horrified?" I queried. "Where am I? Why am I here?"

"You're fine. You're good. We're good too." That was the answer to my befuddled mind. The aliens were patronizing me and caused a rather displeased feeling to overwhelm myself.

They talked to me in a soothing manner and send several affable greetings as I continued my position of crunching beside the bed.

"You are exhausted?" one of them in a puny height asked.

"Not exactly. I just feel...." I couldn't find a vocabulary that matched the description of the state of my mind at that moment.

"You will be greeted by the King later, so you are granted the freedom to do whatever you wish right now," the alien explained.

"Which planet is my destination?" I asked.

"It is known as 'Kepler- 442b to your human civilization," one of them answered.

"Is that where your is from?" I stated another inquiry while the others groaned slightly as if I was wasting their time with witless questions.

"Yes."

After the journey of half an hour which seemed perpetual and everlasting to myself whom suffered from both boredom and fright at that moment, I was escorted out of the room and along a hallway made of translucent glass. The technology of the spaceship was impressive, and I realized myself being present at an advanced civilization of affable but abnormal citizens which terrified me slightly.

"Drink this before visiting the planet. We do not know whether our thin atmosphere may sustain human lives," one of the green creatures demanded while holding a jar of liquid to me. It seemed to be a potion made from the witches, but the taste was surprisingly acceptable. With a scent of sweetness pervading through my mouth after the drink, I felt no change to my body at all.

"What did that drink did?" I noted.

"It is made from one of the elements not available on your planet. It's named Symnegen on our planet and can serve as a replacement of oxygen which you humans need for survival," an alien explained.

"Wow. Pretty cool. You mind if I bring some home? It tastes quite good to be true," I commented while the others wrinkled their eyebrows again.

"Don't linger here. The ceremony will start soon," the creatures remarked.

"What ceremony?" I was still suffering from extreme confusion as the door of the spaceship opened suddenly. In front of myself was majestic buildings all made from translucent glass and in bizarre shapes, and I felt my feet glued to the spaceship's floor or possibly just due to the fact I wanted to flee back to my room desperately.

A large screen was placed in front of me while an alien which looked similar to the rest except of its extraordinarily massive forehead was shown.

"Hello. You are a human, I believe?" the others knelled to their leader while I stood still with a puzzled expression printed among my face.

"Yes, your Majesty," I answered in a courteous manner.

"Thank you for your arrival. It is a pleasure of having you present to our kingdom. Let the ceremony begin then!" the King demanded. I had no knowledge of the proceeding events but had rather enjoyed it thoroughly. There were dozens of aliens lined up in an organized pattern and marching while reciting the kingdom's anthem with clarity. I noticed it was a parade that they had planned to welcome myself, and with delightful music played by their exotic instruments, I watched their performance not knowing whether to cheer with the rest or run for my life.

I was in some means overwhelmed with joy from their likable greeting to myself, and I wondered the reason why these aliens treated myself in such a hospitable manner when I varied from them in numerous prospects. Their intelligence and technology were far advanced than my own knowledge, but they did not show a sign of pride nor a signature of narcissism.

I felt the floor twirled suddenly, and I began tottering from side to side in misery when the whole ground vanished. I was surrounded by absolute darkness without a shaft of light. I knew however, that I was dropping slowly and soon, I landed on something soft. I was on my bed when my eyes opened, and my room was transformed back to its normal state. Sighing of relief, I sprinted from my bunk and dashed downstairs once I dressed. I found my brother still clad in his striped pajamas while I smiled at him. He shrugged and scowled at my sudden entry to his room, and from the sunshine that penetrated through the windows, I could deduce that it was morning already.

"Hey, Tim," I spoke to him in a rather anxious mood.

"You know, Tim," I resumed, "we're different, but.... it's kind of alright. Isn't it? Maybe.... you're just an alien from another planet.... possibly you're from the stars of a far afield galaxy!"

He did not spoke a single word, yet I understood him for the first time.

"You know, brother... welcome to Earth." I embraced him.