Sky Watching, the First of June (youngsters:science fiction, 12787 words)
Author: Loren	Added: Dec 10 2008	Views/Reads: 11852/6463	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
"Champ" a small child, waits with his family in Taejon Park, where a celestial wonder is expected to occure! But there are no promises of what exactly is going to happen...

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

"All right, we finally made it!" Dad said, opening his side door. 

"Do you want me to get the blankets?" asked Mom, opening her own door. 

"Sure, Honey. I'll take the icebox.” 

As they opened their doors I could feel a cool, wild, dusk wind blowing
in. I couldn't wait to walk outside and scamper about on the wide, 
grassy park...and then wait... 

Mom opened the trunk of the car, while Dad excitedly let me out of my
booster seat. I stretched my arms real quick, then hopped down and 
climbed my way out onto the blacktop parking lot. I bathed in the the 
atmosphere of the moment as I set foot outside, relishing the gray, 
cloudy and unusual skies, the blowing grass, and the light evening 
breeze. 

I followed Mom and Dad close by while we headed for the grassy fields,
Mom with the blankets under her arm and Dad carrying the icebox in one 
hand. 

I jumped up at my father's side as we set foot onto the fields. “When
are we gonna see them, Daddy?” I shouted. 

“When it gets darker, Champ,” he replied with a smile. “Pretty soon.” 

I looked around at all the people we passed by. I noted a family like
mine, but with three children instead of one, all of whom were seated 
on their picnic blanket, warm in their jackets. I noticed a family with 
older children and their two grandparents seated in folding chairs on 
the grass. I noticed many, many other families. In my young perception 
they seemed to go on forever like the grassy plain—the plain was much 
smaller than I perceived it of course. 

Finally we reached a small clearing on the floor of the crowd. “This
looks like a good spot. You think so, honey?” my dad checked with my 
mom. 

“Looks fine to me,” my mother approved. 

My mother set the blue, corduroy blanket across the floor while my dad
set down the snacks. Soon the three of us were sitting together on the 
thick blankets. I was quickly up and about again, running around in the 
tall grass and letting my childhood imagination run free... 

...I was an odd child, to be candid, more than I knew. I could be very
quiet for my age, but randomly I could phase into looseness and run 
around, dance and utter strange chatter. Other times, however, I would 
seem to behave normally for a young child. 

My mom and dad sometimes could not figure out the games I used to play
when I was that little. They could only wonder what the unusual words I 
was uttering, only wonder what I was pretending to be or pretending to 
do. 

My parents took note of my behavior more and more as I grew a little
older. Once or twice they considered professional advice on whether or 
not I ought to be tested. Nevertheless, I never saw my father or mother 
upset about me, and rarely were they upset with each other. They seemed 
to believe together, with heartfelt conviction, that I had my own 
special language and that I could see beauties in the world invisible 
to everyone else. As long as I had my other side—the part of me that 
could think and communicate with them too—they were happy for me. 

As I grew older to understand more about my parents, I realized that's
what I loved best about them when it came to any difficulty. They never 
dreamed of a life that was supposed to be perfect. My parents knew that 
happiness in our family had to come not from good times or a life 
without problems, or being young. My parents knew that happiness in our 
family had to come from inside our hearts. 

They treasured their love. 

*** 

Soon it was getting much darker on the field. The tall stadium lights
around Taejon Park  lit up to accommodate the oncoming darkness. I sat 
back down on the family blanket, regarding how my parents were snug in 
their jackets. They were helping themselves to Lay's and Ruffles potato 
chips, which we had brought for the trip. They were talking together 
and laughing, but I was too small to mind what they were saying. 

I sat down on the blanket and helped myself to some Oreo cookies. Often
I would look up at my parents while they talked and laughed, spending 
their hours waiting... 

I noted how my mother's black hair blew in the breeze against the
horizon, which blended from bright blew to turquoise to purple and 
black. I could never remember a more beautiful horizon. The silvery 
white stadium lights glowed on her hair strands. 

I saw how the hood of my father's gray jacket and his soft, brown
whiskers blew in the thrilling breeze. I saw the stadium light glow on 
his teeth when he smiled bright and I noticed how it gave a lustrous 
silver hue to his blue eyes. 

Years later, my mother would recall how I looked during our wait. She
smiled at me while I sat on my knees on the blanket, warm in my red and 
gray sweater. To her, the silvery white stadium light stood brightest 
behind me, outlining my strange little form like a halo. 

I distinctly remember her smiling brightly at me while I sat there
waiting and watching and enjoying our snacks. 

The sky cleared up very fast while I we sat on our thick blanket under
the light of the stadium lamps. 

And just then, I heard a voice far and wide from the speakers. It was a
woman's voice, which was beautiful and exciting and full of life! 

“Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of the Century! In a few
moments, we hope to witness a spectacle in our skies, brought on every 
First of June! Today we remember the event that changed our world as we 
know it, which occurred this very day twenty years ago. During that 
time, we as a race looked up to the our starry skies and felt lost. We 
feared our planet might be dying. We feared that any day our greatest, 
most feared weapons would be unleashed, forever changing our world for 
the worst. Twenty years ago, this very night...our greatest fears came 
true! Someone launched the first batch of our destructive missiles. 
Fear became dominant of every country on our planet. Others unleashed 
our destructive weapons on those we feared and regarded as our 
enemies.” 

“Then...before our very eyes, our missile complexes began shutting off!
Base after base could not so much as get their deadly weapons to launch 
before the power was shut off again. The same hour this was 
happening...we watched the skies and were amazed at the spectacle of 
our century! Fiery lights began surrounding the skies of our entire 
planet. We watched in fear and confusion as they gathered, dreading 
that the life of our race—and all life on our planet—had reached its 
end. But when we saw our missiles detonating in our atmosphere, far 
from where they could harm us, our minds were lost and our fears 
subsided! Soon the very last of our destructive weapons had burst far 
away in the stars...” 

“The strange lights haunted our skies in their ethereal beauty for
another month, always lingering. Many of us wondered who they were. 
We're they our friends, or our enemies? What were they still doing up 
there? Could they possibly be watching us closely for any more signs of 
destruction?...Could it be that they were concerned about us...and all 
living beings on our small, fragile planet?” 

“To this day, we still don't know who they are. But every First of
June...our visitors come to places all around our planet, including 
Taejon Park, where a dazzling spectacle in our sky is performed! We 
must warn you that there are no promises on the First of June. 
Sometimes the spectacle is grand and astounding. Other times there may 
be little or even no activity. Most often, they do appear...and tonight 
we can only hope that our memories of that day, twenty years ago, will 
be accompanied by the Ship's of Light: our mysterious neighbors from 
the great unknown reaches of our universe...” 

After those words, the families returned to conversing with each other,
laughing, smiling, and enjoying the evening. The sun's dusk light on 
the horizon continued to sink, and the sky above grew dark with the 
subsiding of the day. 

*** 

I had heard of war...but I had never seen it. None of the children in my
generation had ever seen war. I distinctly remember in my preschool 
class how my teacher, a kind elderly man whom we affectionately called 
Grandpa Hal, told us stories of battles. He would tell of the horrific 
suits and masks that soldiers would wear, and of the deafening banging 
of bombs and cannons. He would tell us of giant metal monsters called 
tanks that would roll over any kind of terrain. He would tell us about 
robots in space called spy satellites that could look down on anyone on 
the earth and show men where their enemies were. He went on to tell us 
about many other horrors, and we would listen with fervent dread and be 
glad that there wasn't war anymore... 

“How do you know so much about war?” asked Emily, a girl in our
preschool class. 

“Yeah, Grandpa Hal! Where did you hear all this stuff?” asked Miguel. 

Grandpa Hal smiled at us and chuckled. “Because I used to be a soldier,”
he replied. 

Our eyes popped open and we looked on him with amazement. 

“You were a soldier?” asked Yvonne. 

Grandpa Hal nodded. “Yep. I sure was...” 

“Was it scary?” asked Mitch. 

“Very scary!” exclaimed Grandpa Hal. 

“Grandpa Hal?” asked Saki, “Is there ever going to be war again?” 

Grandpa Hal looked at us with a strange twinkle in his eye. “I don't
know,” he said. “We haven't had war in years. Not ever since the First 
of June.” 

At that, our thoughts turned to the spectacle in the skies. We began
turning to one another, our minds dancing with thoughts on the luminous 
event... 

*** 

The evening progressed into night. But nothing happened... 

The winds had steadied over Taejon park. The sky had gone cloudy again
and after a long wait, I could tell that my parents, and many other 
families on the hill were quiet and placid with doubt. 

I sat on the picnic blanket with my legs crossed, warm in my red and
gray jacket. I watched the black sky with anticipation. After a long 
wait I turned to my mother and asked, “When will they come?” 

My mother smiled at me with cunning eyes. “We'll see,” she said
brightly. 

My father rose up from his chair and headed for the ice chest. “I think
it's a good time for sandwiches,” he said. He opened the ice chest and 
pulled out the sandwiches he had bought at the local Chevron station 
last night. 

“Here you go, Honey,” he said, handing my mother ham and cheese. 

“Thank you, sir,” said my mother, humorously. 

He reached in the ice chest again and pulled out yet another. “One for
you,” he told me, handing me my own. I took it delightedly and began 
opening it from its plastic film casing. “And here's mine,” said my 
father as he opened his deviled egg sandwich. He reached into the ice 
chest and pulled out an ice cold glass bottle of V8 to go with it. 

I managed to open my sandwich and found it to be tuna with bits of
celery. I bit into the delectable, soft, cold bread and savory tuna 
with crunchy celery. And just as I did so, the woman's lively voice 
came on the speakers again. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, Children of the Century, we understand that the
long awaited spectacle in the skies has not occurred tonight. We ask 
you to remember that there are no promises on the First of June, and 
anything is possible on this night. We will continue to monitor the 
skies for activity, and hope...that we just might be visited by our 
neighbors from the stars, yet...” 

I watched as my mother and father gazed up at the cold blue, clouded
skies hopefully, taking bites out of their sandwiches, their faces 
aglow in the stadium lights. 

I ate some more of my sandwich, feeling the brisk cold hand around me. I
too, looked up at the deep-blue, clouded skies, hanging darkly, yet 
beautifully and peacefully overhead. I longed to see a spec of light 
amidst the clouds...or the reflection of metal...but nothing. I took 
yet another bite of my sandwich, beginning to feel lonesome and 
worried. 

I looked over my shoulder at my mom and dad and said softly, “When are
they coming, Daddy?” 

My father looked down at me, and I sensed some uncertainty within him.
Nevertheless, he nodded to me and forced a smile. “We'll see, Champ,” 
he replied. 

I faced forward and looked to the skies another time, regarding how they
mysteriously the clouds floated. I then looked out among the people 
picnicking over Taejon Park, watching as they lingered over their 
blankets and in their chairs. I sensed that the excitement among them 
had subsided, replaced by quiet hopefulness. Many were putting on their 
warmer coats. 

I paused in my eating for a moment and tried to understand what was
going on. I sensed discouragement from the crowd, and this made me 
puzzled and discouraged as well. I looked over my shoulder at my mother 
and asked, “Are they coming yet, Mommy?” 

My mother's lips shifted to the side of her face and she tried not to
show what was daunting her. “We'll see,” she replied. 

I looked out on the crowds of people yet again, watching as they sat on
their picnic blankets and in their fold-up chairs, searching the cold 
blue skies... 

I think I understood on an intelligent level that this First of June was
going to be disappointing. But in my childhood faith, I still believed 
with all my heart that they would come. 

Yes, they would come. I knew they would. 

*** 

When I was very young, I had no concept that I grew up in a very unique
and special world. The thing I loved best about the First of June was 
that my family and I went to Taejon park along with hundreds of other 
people. Although we were strangers, we were all friends. We shared, 
more than ever before in our human history, a realization of 
brotherhood. 

We would all looked up at the skies together, waiting to see the ones
who had taught us that. 

*** 

When I was four years old, Skip escaped from his leash. It was not the
first time he had gotten loose, but every time was frightening, 
nevertheless. 

I chased him eagerly down one avenue and the next around our
neighborhood along with my father. But I was no match for his four 
legs. I chased him as fast as I could, while my heart throbbed in my 
throat with fear. Nevertheless, I believed we would catch him again. 

Skip eventually found his way into the highway just outside our
neighborhood. I called to him imperatively while he weaved in and out 
of two-lane traffic. Then he ran into the path of a white minivan and 
before my very eyes, he was soon rolling under the carriage of the 
vehicle, and once the car had passed over, Skip fell limp on the road. 

I had never seen anything like that happen to someone I loved. My heart
leaped with shock and the tears came quickly. 

I heard my father curse. 

The minivan pulled over and out emerged a concerned woman who appeared
very distraught. I watched with wet cheeks as she and my father met. 
From a distance I could see that the woman seemed to be apologizing. My 
father nodded occasionally and I noted his gracious, and sad, 
expression. 

A police car pulled over as well. Two officers, a man and a woman,
stepped out and asked if my father and the woman needed help. I could 
clearly tell the two officers had kindred intentions from their 
expressions. 

After speaking with the two officers, my father came toward me. The
woman officer accompanied him, while the other called the SPCA. 

When my father made it back to me and knelt down with a solemn
expression. “Are you okay, champ?” he asked. 

I held back my sobs. “Is Skip all right?” I asked. 

“No,” said my father remorsefully. “Skip's dead.” 

I collapsed on my father's shoulder with tears. My father patted my
back. 

“Poor kid,” said the woman officer kindly from behind. 

My father sighed. “Yes. At least he's around some good honest people
around him,” he told the officer. “I remember when my dog was hit, the 
guy just drove off...” 

I remained on my fathers shoulder, while everything around me was all a
blur. 

That evening, I, my mother, and father buried Skip in our backyard.
While I was still heart-broken, my Mother and Father decided to say a 
prayer with me for Skip. Afterward, I felt consoled, trusting my 
beloved dog was happy now... 

While the sun set on that fateful day, I rested in my father's arms out
on our back patio. I remember feeling very cold outside, and also very 
safe in my father's warm grasp. 

“He was a good dog, wasn't he, son...” said my father. 

I nodded, laying my head close to my father's heart, and out of the
corner of my eyes I watched the sky, an transposing into an ethereal 
sunset... 

The clouds floated away in the light of the pink and golden dusk
horizon. I saw the silhouettes of larks take wing into the heavens. 
Although the dusk air was frigid, I just focused on how warm and pink 
and lofty the sky looked... 

“...Daddy?” I said. 

“Yes, champ?” my father asked. 

“...Do you know why I think the sky glows pink sometimes?” 

“Why?” 

“Because...because maybe heaven comes to check on us. To see if we're
okay.” 

I felt my father rubbed my back. “Aw, champ,” he told me. “...Maybe
you're right.” 

Another hour or two passed, and together, my dad and I watched the stars
come out. There were so many stars that night. I gazed up into their 
depths, and felt watched over by something big, mighty, and loving. 

*** 

While I, my mother, and my father lay on our picnic blanket on the
grassy fields of Taejon Park, the sky continued to grow very dark. Deep 
blue clouds accumulated above our heads, so mighty and vast that they 
almost seemed to be leading up to a thunder storm... 

I had finished my sandwich, and I sat crossed-legged, gazing up
hopefully. But nothing happened. I felt the cold breeze blow in my face 
and I could hear that the people in the park had fallen quiet. 

I turned around to check on my parents. 

My mother lay her head on my father's shoulder, the wind blowing her
hair. My father held my mother's hand, and together they watched the 
skies dauntedly. 

“Such strange clouds...” said my mother. “Kind of menacing, huh?” 

My father nodded in agreement. “Yeah....they almost look solid, like a
big layer or blanket or something,” he concurred quietly. 

They were silent for a long while. 

I turned around and gazed skyway faithfully. When my mother spoke again,
I turned around once more. 

“Honey, I don't think they're coming tonight...” she said. 

My father cringed just slightly and then sighed. “Well, like they say,
honey, there are no promises,” he replied. 

My brows came down in puzzlement. What did they mean they weren't
coming? Surely they had to come soon! 

Before I could ask my mother and father what they meant, the woman from
grand speakers spoke again with a familiar message. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, Children of the Century, we understand that the
long awaited spectacle in the skies has not occurred tonight. We ask 
you to remember that there are no promises on the First of June, and 
anything is possible on this night. We will continue to monitor the 
skies for activity, and hope...that we just might be visited by our 
neighbors from the stars, yet...” 

I turned my hopeful eyes to the sky to see that the deep blue clouds
were going strangely black. I had never seen a sky like this before, 
and I was uncertain as to what it meant. 

My mother cringed softly in puzzlement, looking skyward as well. She
tightened her jacket around herself and folded her arms. “Looks like a 
storm might be brewing,” she said, the wind picking up speed and 
blowing her hair. 

“Nyah, who knows,” replied my father, tightening his jacket as well.
“That is a weird sky though.” 

I gazed heavenward, bedazzled by the deepness of the mighty clouds. The
black mists amidst the blue leviathans crept eerily, but beautifully, 
high over my head. I'll admit I was excited to behold the unusual 
activity. 

I kept my eyes open for silver bodies or colorful lights...but nothing
happened. 

*** 

The earliest Christmas I can remember was that of my second year. 

The sun was not yet out when I awoke, but I distinctly remember that it
was unusually bright outside... 

I climbed out of bed, which was low to the ground, and wandered alone
through the hallway of our small, humble house. I felt something in the 
air around me. Something grand and quiet. Treading calmly, slowly, and 
peacefully, I found my way to the dining room. 

The blinds were shut so I could not see outside. I regarded the old
chairs stationed round about our octagonal dining table, and I found 
that it was oddly laid out with a green table cloth and purple candles. 


I then turned around and found that an array of colorful lights were
coming from inside the living room. Curious...I approached the living 
room entrance and walked inside. 

They were Christmas Tree lights. I had never seen a Christmas Tree
before. I distinctly remember it being very tall and handsome, but my 
mother and father insist to this very day that it was small. It was a 
living tree, with its scent of pine filling the room with a homely 
incense. It was decorated with many lights, white, blue, green, red, 
and purple, and it was so bright it nearly lit the whole living room 
all on its own. 

I came around the tree and stood dazzled by its countless ornaments,
each of which bared a special, individual theme. 

Among my favorites was a round ball with a window in it. It was just
above my eye level and when I stood up to look inside it, I saw a 
wondrous sky with a bright star...and beneath the star were the 
children of many countries and nations, playing drums and dancing 
festively under the starry night. 

When I turned the ball around on its branch, I found a lofty inscription
in green, embroidered by a drawing of a wreath. “Peace on 
Earth...Goodwill to all People...” 

I was too young to read, of course; I only ran my little fingers over
the text, admiring its beautiful writing and embellishment. 

I turned my head just then to see my mom and dad sitting cozily together
on our deep red sofa. Both had mugs of hot chocolate in hand. I 
distinctly remember my mother's night gown aglow in all the colors of 
the Christmas tree lights. My father wore cinnamon red pajamas, which I 
thought suited his smile and twinkling eyes too well. 

When my parents turned and saw me standing by the Christmas tree, my
Mother gained a gleam in her eye. “Hey there, sunshine,” she whispered. 


“He's awake,” my father exclaimed with a  grin. 

I turned to the fireplace for just a moment, and for the first time I
saw a fire burning in it, giving the brick hearth a warm orange glow in 
the dimness of the Christmas morning. 

I heard my mother giggle. 

“He's like, 'What's all this?'” said my father. 

My mother stretched forth her angelic arm to welcome me. I came happily
to them. I climbed onto the sofa and sat down snugly between my mother 
and father. 

I remember looking out the living room window and discovering that it
snowed that day. The snow sparkled white like the stars in the sky, all 
under the shade of blue in the morning overcast. The snowflakes floated 
delicately from the heavens. The street lamps outside radiated a 
mellow, white light, causing the drifting snowflakes to come aglow with 
brilliance. 

I sighed as I sat between my mother and father and leaned back against
the sofa. I admired the glowing Christmas tree, the hot fire in the 
hearth, and the blue, snowy neighborhood outside the living room 
window. I thought of all those children in the big, round spherical 
ornament, celebrating under the big, bright star. I felt that all was 
well... 

*** 

As we waited in Taejon Park and the night thickened all around us, I
finally felt myself growing weary... 

I felt truly, very cold and the brisk breeze blew in my face. My jacket
did not seem to give any warmth. I sat crouched with my arms crossed in 
front. I wondered how much longer we would be here. Were they coming? 

I gazed up at the skies, which seemed overshadowed by clouds. The clouds
were black like soot, and they did not look pleasant. I was 
discouraged. 

Looking over my shoulder, I could see my mother watching the empty
skies. Mist drew from her breath. Her eyes were sad. She too looked 
cold and weary. 

My father had his jacket hood over his head too keep warm. His eyes no
longer shone but drooped with disappointment. His bearded face sagged. 

My mother sighed. “Long evening,” she said. 

“Yeah,” replied my father. 

I looked back up at the skies and watched as the looming, smoky clouds
hung over our heads, blocking out the stars. 

“It's just probably one of those nights...” sighed my mother. 

My father was silent. He only gazed skyward. I thought I could see him
shivering in his seat. 

I let my chin drop slowly, feeling the icy wind blow my hair. I too
began to shiver. 

The beautiful voice of the woman rang out yet again... 

“Ladies and gentlemen, Children of the Century, we understand that the
long awaited spectacle in the skies has not occurred tonight. We ask 
you to remember that there are no promises on the First of June, and 
anything is possible on this night. We will continue to monitor the 
skies for a little while longer, and if the solitude above us persists, 
we will announce the park closed...” 

With those words, I finally began to understand that something was wrong
tonight. It finally came through to me that the spaceships were not 
going to appear. As I shivered, I fought against my inner conflict. I 
had to believe that my hours of anticipation were not in vane. I had to 
believe the spaceships would come... 

“Looks like some people are leaving...” said my mother. 

I looked out amidst the crowd gathered over Taejon Park to see families
packing up their supplies, folding up their chairs and rolling up their 
blankets. I turned to another corner of the park to see others walking 
toward the park lot, bound for their vehicles. 

“What do you think we ought to do, honey?” I heard my father ask. 

I peeked over my shoulder to see my mother and father face each other. 

“Well, I don't know,” my mother replied. “It's been a long time.” She
was quiet for a long moment and gazed up at the skies. The dark, smoky 
clouds floated over us steadily. “Maybe its just one of those nights,” 
my mother said again. 

“...Yeah,” said my father. 

I turned around, trying to keep warm in my jacket, but the air was so
frigid that I was tempted to be home safe in my warm bed. But with 
childish faith I turned my eyes skyward again, fighting my heavy 
eyelids and dropping chin... 

“There will be other First of Junes...” my father added. 

“...You're right,” my mother responded with a slow nod. 

As I looked heavenward, I watched for what felt like an eternity, as the
black, menacing clouds began to pass over. I spied a star or two over 
my head beyond the veil of the bright stadium lights, but other than 
that the sky was deep, dark and empty. 

“Oh well,” said my mother after what had felt like an eternity. “At
least those awful clouds are gone now.” 

“Yeah...” sighed my father. “Good to see the stars again.” 

I looked over my shoulder in time to see my mother and father take hold
of each other's hands warmly....They watched the skies together, and I 
could strangely see another kind of light in their eyes. It was almost 
as if they were admiring something else up there. 

Just then, the beautiful voice of the woman rang out yet again over the
speakers. I felt her voice from the speakers vibrating against my chest 
and echoing over the hills and valleys and across the sky. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of the Century! We have detected a
substantial amount of unusual activity coming in from the northwest! 
Please direct your attention toward the constellation Aquarius, where 
our readings are continuing to build! The stadium lights will now dim. 
Sit tight as we watch our celestial friends haunt our skies once 
more...as we remember the fears of our past...and persevere toward 
horizons anew!” 

With those vibrant words I felt my limbs warm. I lifted my eyes to the
stars, feeling my young heart flutter with anticipation! I held my 
breath. 

The stadium lights slowly faded out, and ambient music began to play
from the round-about speakers. 

I sensed the crowd on Taejon Park wake up in a similar way, as
anticipation built up within us all. I saw many looking up toward a 
particular part of the sky. A cool, brisk wind began to blow... 

“Look!” exclaimed my mother! 

“Look, champ!” my father shouted, picking me up in his warm grasp and
setting me on his lap. 

My mother directed my gaze with a point of her finger. “There!” she
breathed. “There they are!” 

I turned my head to a high part of the black-indigo sky...and, amidst
innumerable stars, I could see an arc of dozens of small, orange 
lights, which seemed roughly disc-shaped, floating high above the 
mountains! 

A smile found its way onto my face. I pointed out to the lights and
shouted, “They're here!” 

“They're here, champ!” my father shouted with me. 

More orange lights manifested, making the wide breadth of the arc into a
semicircle. If I looked harder, I could almost make out their entry 
from beyond the atmosphere. I wanted to say that I could see very, very 
minuscule lights floating in a helix-like formation under the 
semicircle, but I wasn't sure from their distance and altitude. 

The tiny orange discs were so luminescent together that I could see them
lighting up the clouds with their glow, like flares. 

Then I began to notice something else...another arc was appearing below
the semicircle. 

“Look!” I heard members of the crowd cry. 

“They're making another one!” shouted others. 

The wide breadth of the two semicircles was at least ten miles wide, and
they kept at a safe distance, way over on the other side of the 
mountains! The disc-shaped lights seemed to bob up and down very 
subtly. The shape of the two semicircles was strange, reminding me of a 
funnel. If I looked especially closely, I could even see that the 
lights were slowly rotating in contrasting directions on the axis of 
the semicircles. I was dazzled, mystified, a little scared, and overall 
aflutter. 

Soon I began to notice, along with other members of the crowd, that the
undersides of some of the orange discs were flashing blue. Their light 
was so bright that I could see their hue painted on the cumulus clouds 
behind them. 

Suddenly I heard one of the crowd members shout in the opposite
direction, “Oh, look over there!” 

The crowd redirected their gaze to the southeast  corner of the sky. My
gaze followed after. 

I saw three very large and distinct shapes alight in the sky, hovering
at a great altitude and keeping a safe distance away. In the center of 
their formation was a red-orange disc which shot a very straight beam 
of blue-colored light toward the earth. On its left side was a 
spherical mass whose metal body glowed with a baby-blue light. I 
noticed how I could clearly see the the saucer and the sphere mix light 
hues against the clouds. On the right side of the saucer was a 
triangular object, whose dark silhouette was easy to distinguish in the 
glow of the red disc and the blue sphere. Three very brilliant lights 
beamed like suns from the corners of the triangular shape, and a small 
red light pulsed underneath it. 

My fascinated eyes dared not blink. I shifted my gaze between the three
large masses and the two semicircles—who by now were flashing together 
in two bedazzling rings of blue, red, and orange, like police car 
lights floating at amazing altitudes. 

“Looks like they're signaling us or something!” exclaimed my father
amongst the excitement in the crowd. 

My mother chuckled magically. “...I wonder what it means...” she
breathed in fascination. 

I turned my head to her, and I could see the glow from the brilliant
objects shining and dancing on her face, as well as my father's! They 
lit up the silhouettes as every personage in the crowd for as far as I 
could see! 

The two semicircles of small discs remained with us for a few, short
minutes longer, and I watched them as they flickered in a dazzling 
light show from where they levitated. Then their bodies turned to a 
bright, solid yellow once again and hung idle for a few seconds. I 
watched, then, as the two semicircles collapsed inward, and then, like 
a hundred little bolts of lightning, the yellow discs shot into the sky 
and vanished faster than the eye could blink, leaving us in the dimness 
of the night. I heard a sigh of wonder from the crowd. 

I turned around to see that the three very large objects—the saucer, the
spherical, and the triangular—had also vanished. I never saw where they 
went. 

The ambient music died down. With that, the crowd clapped their hands
together and cheered for the brilliant show of objects! 

I too clapped my hands, smiling with glee. 

“Did you see them, Champ?” asked my father. 

“Yeah!” I shouted. “They came!” 

“They came, huh!” exclaimed my mother to me. She turned around and
sighed loudly, a sign that her heart was full. 

There was excited chatter amongst the crowd while we all sat in
darkness. Then everyone quieted together and waited. Several members of 
the crowd made excited chatter, which was the only noise that broke the 
silence. 

The quietness loomed over us while I sat in my father's lap looking up
at the stars, waiting to see if anything more would happen. The breeze 
blew softly in my face and I could hear it rustling the tall grass of 
Taejon park. My eyes searched the starry skies with anxious 
anticipation... 

After a few short minutes had passed, another phase of the spectacle
began! 

In an instant, several rounded hemispheres materialized just a hundred
feet directly above us! I heard startled gasps from the members of the 
crowd, but they were only followed by quiet laughter. The bodies of the 
hemispheres glowed with a bright golden light, and I could hear what 
sounded like an electrical buzzing from each one of them. The 
hemispheres looked at least ten feet in diameter, and were hovering 
over us in a perfectly synchronous formation. They moved together from 
south to north as they floated over us. 

Before even a minute had passed, they vanished, leaving us in darkness.
I heard muttered, confused chatter in the crowd... 

Then the golden hemispheres manifested once more! They appeared to have
moved a little since the last time we had seen them, but their 
formation remained constant. I could hear them buzzing and feel the 
vibrations tingling in my teeth. I gaped at their sights and tried to 
count them. One...two...three...four... 

But they disappeared mysteriously once again. I searched the skies,
trying to figure out how they could manifest and vanish so uncannily. 

Then I heard a young member of the crowd gasp. “Look!” he exclaimed,
pointing to the sky. “They're still there!” 

But I couldn't see them. I looked hard while I heard other members of
the crowd exclaim they were still present. 

After I fixed my eyes and concentrated, I realized that the hemispheres
were still floating silently above us. I could just make out their 
silvery metal shapes against the darkness of the night... 

They emitted their bright golden glow once again, and the electric
buzzing from their light rang out! If I watched harder, I could even 
see that a dimmer light on the undersides of the hemispheres flickered 
from time to time, and I wondered what that meant. 

The light and buzzing from the golden hemispheres went out again. They
reappeared one more time, but they had passed over the crowd and were 
floating away in the distance, as if they had picked up speed since the 
last time we could see them aglow. Their light went out again, and we 
saw no more of them. 

Quietness hung over us, except for the occasional excited chatter being
exchanged. I sat on my father's lap while the minutes passed, scouring 
the stars for the next act... 

I glanced down at the members of the crowd to see many smiles and warm
faces. I saw a young woman keeping warm in a blanket, with starlight 
reflecting off her glasses. An elderly man with a round face sitting in 
a fold up chair gazed at the stars—I could see deep, reflective 
memories of years past glowing in his eyes, and he seemed content with 
all things. In another corner of the crowd three children, some of them 
a little older than I was, sat on their picnic blanket together, 
merrily gazing at the sky and conversing playfully. 

It wasn't long before I began to feel a shadowy darkness begin to loom
over us... 

The faces of the crowd turned around and looked up toward the south side
of the park. I heard interjections of awe from many. My father turned 
his head around... 

“Whoa...” he said. “Honey, look at that!” 

I saw my mother turn her eyes. A cold breeze picked up from the south,
blowing her air. “Oh, my gosh...” she uttered under her breath. 

I anxiously turned my head as well, and I saw it appear over the
mountaintops: an enormous black triangle, the size of at least two 
football fields, cruising slowly and silently against the nightshade 
and the starlight. It had no lights nor any glow. It was faceless, 
disquieting. I held my breath, but watched in wonder. 

The huge black triangle approached the park, and I wanted to say it was
steadily decreasing in speed. The closer it came, the more I also 
sensed a passive humming coming from the object. 

Soon it was directly over us! And there it came to a full stop and hung
there in the sky, not moving an inch from its place. My eyes traced the 
triangle's dimensions. I could feel its heavy shadow darken Taejon Park 
and its steady humming making my bones vibrate. 

The massive vessel seemed to take the crowd's breath away, as it had
mine. Not one member of the gathering spoke a word. I was certain I 
could feel a long, constant shudder from every member of the crowd. 

The triangular craft remained over us for a while longer. Soon, however,
I watched it silently pick up speed and continue on its way, moving 
from the south to the north. I watched it go and saw it disappear over 
the mountaintops, and its humming went with it. 

I heard a sigh of relief and amazement exhale from the crowd. 

“Whoa...” exclaimed a few of the members in the distance. 

I regained my breath and looked up at my mom and dad. “That one was
big!” I exclaimed excitedly. 

“It was big, huh,” said my mother with a smile. 

“Whew,” exclaimed my father, clasping his heart nervously. “That one
just froze me.” 

My mother shook her head amazedly to the sky. “That's just it,” she
said. “I couldn't move under that big, black thing!” 

My dad chuckled, bounced me once and held me on his lap more securely. 

Another minute or two and everyone in Taejon park had regained their
composure. I heard pleasant voices and snacks being unwrapped. 

My eyes scoured the heavens yet again while my mouth hung open in
thrill. But the next phase of this spectacular show did not appear from 
above... 

“Honey?” said my mother, posturing her head. 

“Yeah?” my father replied. 

“What are those?” she pointed to one of the hilltops surrounding the
park. I looked in the direction she indicated. 

I could see very small lights coming over the hilltop, much like
flashlights. I wondered if someone was coming toward us. But I did not 
see any personages behind the lights. I could even see some of them 
pulsing from dim to bright, much like beacons. They floated about like 
florescent insects, illuminating the grass on the hillside so brightly. 


“What are those?” asked my father. 

The lights approached the crowd, and I thought they were going to enter
into our gathering! But the closer they drew, the more they 
decelerated. Music, playing from the background speakers, played a 
gentle, mysterious tune. 

Somehow, I felt as if the lights were watching me, much like eyes or
cameras. I also had the befuddling, but very real sensation, that 
something was probing my mind and body and sensing how I was 
feeling...and maybe what I was thinking. It was unsettling, but 
underneath that probing sensation I thought I also sensed some concern 
from whomever was watching me, so I was not completely afraid. 

“Look,” breathed my father, pointing to the northwest corner of the
park. “There's some over there too.” 

I redirected my attention respectively and saw several other orbs of
light on the other side of the crowd, all floating and bobbing, and 
only some of them pulsing. But I quickly turned my attention back to 
the nearer lights. I just watched them...listening to the music playing 
from the park orchestra, noticing how their bright glow lit up the 
grass and other flora beneath them with a warm yellow glow. They did 
not come any closer, which I supposed was from their concern for my 
unsettledness with them. Even as a young child, I remember feeling a 
kind of rare and unique connection between myself and the lights... 

The orbs lingered for a short moment longer, and then I watched as they
began accelerateing back the way they had come. They ascended, gaining 
speed with every second, and soon disappeared into the night sky. 

“I wonder what those were,” said my mother. 

“They almost looked like a bunch of eyes,” my father added. “I felt like
I was being watched.” 

“Yeah,” breathed my mother. 

Just then, a voice from a young girl cried out from far on the other end
of the crowd. “Oh, look over there!” she called. 

No sooner had we all turned our heads that I saw a very bright red light
flash out in the sky like a flare! A triangular-star-shaped object came 
zooming out from the northwest corner of Taejon Park, with three blue 
lights on its three corners. I wanted to say I saw the blue lights 
exhausting a glowing blue emission, but it was hard to tell. 

Then a second object followed after it. It was shaped like a dumbbell
with hexagonal plates on its ends. Each hexagonal plate had at least a 
dozen dark holes in it, which baffled me. 

The star-shaped craft circled around the gathering of the crowd,
spinning on its axis like a top. A bright red light would sometimes 
flash on its underside, which was so brilliant that I had to wince my 
eyes. 

I turned my attention to the dumbbell shaped object, which hummed
vibrantly. It too, spun on its axis, and it periodically shot what 
looked like a wide-beamed laser into the sky. 

“Whoa!” exclaimed a woman sitting next to us. “Look at that one!” She
pointed to the northwest corner of the park, and my eyes followed her 
direction. It was then that I could see a very large egg-shaped vessel 
rising up out of the hillside. This object had an scarlet red exhaust 
underneath it, and its body was black with no other lights. It moved 
very slowly and floated at an extremely low altitude directly over the 
crowd like a shadowy balloon. At times I could see the red exhaust 
brighten and flicker like a fiery flame. 

While the star and dumbbell shaped object spun above the crowd, I watch
the egg-shaped object come closer...and closer to where I was sitting 
with my mom and dad. It was going to pass right over me! My mouth hung 
agape and my eyes dared not blink! When the egg-shaped object finally 
came over, I looked up into the source of its exhaust and I could see 
many fiery red, pentagonal-shaped lights in a design that was much like 
a honeycomb. I could also feel the heat of the exhaust as it passed 
directly over my head! 

“Whoa!” exclaimed my dad, shielding his eyes with his arm. 

I watched the egg-shaped craft pass over the rest of the crowd, all the
way over to the other side of the park. After that, it joined in 
formation with the other two objects, and zoomed into the stars. 

My father kept his hand over his brow. “There they go,” he said. 

“My gosh,” said my mother. “I don't think they've ever come so close to
us before!” 

My father nodded in agreement, grinning to the stars. “Yeah,” he said.
He held me closer to him. 

I soon realized that the air was much warmer than before. I almost
didn't even need my jacket! The breeze was crisp and pleasant. 

But the act wasn't over yet. 

My mother's eyes winced in concentration. “My...” she began to say. “Oh
my...” 

My father held onto my mother's arm. “You okay, honey?” 

“Yes I'm fine, but what is that?” She pointed to the north. 

When I looked I could see that the clouds were accumulating again, which
came as a surprise to me since the sky had been clear only a few 
seconds ago. And above the clouds...something enormous was floating on 
the horizon. 

“Whoa...” my father stood breathless. “Look at that monster!” 

I could see it too. A gargantuan blimp-shaped vessel. Judging from the
way the mist faded on the horizon, I had the impression that it was 
miles and miles away...but its round body was so huge that it seemed to 
reach up into the atmosphere widthwise! Its body was dark and 
reflective, seeming to mirror the stars, and the clouds underneath it. 
The only light it emanated was from three bright beacons on the 
undercarriage: one purple, one blue, one orange. It was hard to see the 
massive object moving, but I had a clear impression that is was 
chumming in the sky very slowly. 

“Wow...” said my father. 

Everyone in the park lay silent while we watched the metal giant. But
even as we watched, the clouds were continuing to close in on us. 
Somehow, I felt a little wary watching as the clouds shielded our view 
from the blimp-shaped vessel. I wanted to know where the huge object 
was going to go. 

Suddenly my mother gasped. “Look, there's another one!” she exclaimed. 

“Where?” asked my father, holding me higher on his lap. 

“Behind it! It's way up there!” 

I turned my eyes way up to the stars and saw yet another gigantic
blimp-shaped craft floating amidst the stars. I could not see it move, 
but I wanted to say it was cruising. 

“Oh my gosh, there's some more!” exclaimed a woman in the crowd. 

My father held me even higher, “Can you see 'em, champ?” he asked. 

I focused my eyes, and to my shock there were at least six or seven more
huge blimps! “I see them!” I exclaimed. The mighty ships continued to 
storm the skies...but before we could see them leave, the clouds 
eventually over took our view from them! 

It was then I heard a loud boom and felt a great tremble! I jolted in my
father's lap, startled! At the same time of the boom, I saw at bright 
yellow flash above my head. I heard brief cries of fright from the 
members of the crowd. I looked up toward the source of the flash, and 
for a fraction of a second I saw a v-formation a bright discs zip 
across the sky where the clouds had not yet covered us! At the same 
time I heard another boom from the sky, one so loud I felt it shake the 
earth! When I concentrated hard enough, I could even see one huge, 
silvery disc floating over us! 

“Look at that one!” shouted a young boy in the crowd. 

“It's at least a couple miles wide!” shouted an elderly man with a
shocked face! 

Several more v-formations passed over us, each one followed by a sonic
boom! Then there was silence. Darkness overcame us with the clouds 
looming in the sky, no lights in the park to light illuminate the 
surroundings. The orchestra had stopped playing. 

I took deep breaths. I could hear several interjections of awe from the
members of the crowd. I couldn't see anyone in the dark, especially my 
mom and dad. But my father held me securely against him so I knew where 
he was, and I felt safe nevertheless. 

“That one was loud,” I said at last. 

My father laughed and I heard my mother do the same. “That was loud,
wasn't it!” my mother said. 

“Yeah,” I said, feeling better. 

“You okay?” asked my mother pleasantly. 

“Yeah, I'm okay,” I replied. 

My parents laughed. Apparently I had said something in a cute tone. 

We were left in darkness for a long, long while. The breeze was blowing
briskly and I could feel the air warming up. The orchestra remained 
silent. 

“I wonder what's going on,” said my mother. 

“Yeah, me too,” my father responded. 

“You think its over?” 

“I don't know. They haven't announced that it's over yet.” 

“Huh.” 

I waited. The minutes passed, but nothing happened. 

Then, the show continued. I could see something shining behind the
clouds, dimly at first, but coming in gently. A bright white glow. The 
orchestra playing from the park speakers picked up again with a steady, 
calm tune. 

“Look, here comes another,” breathed my mother. 

I wanted the light to come closer so things wouldn't be so dark. It
continued to close in on the park. Then I could see its shape manifest 
behind the mists of the clouds. Another enormous triangular craft, much 
like the solid black one that had flown over us from the south side of 
the park. But this one was mounted with ribbed designs of blue, square 
lights, along with three white ones on the inner corners, and several 
red and purple ones. I wondered if this was the same black triangle 
coming back the other way—only it had turned on its lights. 

Soon it emerged out of the clouds and cruised slowly and peacefully over
the gathering. I felt happy and amazed. I breathed a sigh of relief. 

It was then that I noticed the triangle wasn't just coming closer: it
was coming down! 

“Look at that,” a girl in the crowd breathed. 

“It's coming closer!” shouted a young boy. 

“Is it going to land?” asked another girl in the crowd. 

I watched with curiosity and anticipation as the black, lighted triangle
moved closer! Just when I thought it was going to come down on us, it 
came to a full stop at a steady altitude, only a several dozen feet 
over our heads! I could see its blue lights lighting up many faces in 
the crowd, its three white lights glowing like the stadium lights in 
the park. I could also hear a very gentle, rhythmic humming from the 
great craft. It cruised very closely over us, but it did not come down 
any further. 

The triangular craft began a steady bank turn, and after spinning a full
three-hundred and sixty degrees, it floated over our heads a second 
longer. Then it took off and continued on its way. I turned around 
along with my mother and father and watched as it accelerated into the 
clouds, and eventually it disappeared. The orchestral music died down. 

“Whoa...” breathed my dad happily. 

“That was too cool,” said my mother quietly. 

Everything felt and looked lighter then. It was as if my eyes had
adjusted to the darkness and I could distinguish the mountains from the 
clouds. I was no longer afraid at all. 

Apparently, the members of the crowd felt the same way. They spoke
happily and contently to one another. I heard occasional laughter and 
thrilled talk amongst one another, while we all waited for the next 
phase of the show. 

It was another long while before anything happened. But I was content
and at peace... 

Then...after a few more minutes had passed... 

A brilliant pillar of snowy blue light blazed on a distant hilltop from
Taejon park. At the same time the pillar shone, one of the members of 
the crowd stood straight up and pointed. “Oh my gosh!” she exclaimed in 
alarm! 

The whole crowd rose up in a commotion! 

“Look! There they are!” cried out an elderly man! 

I heard many shouts and interjections of shock and amazement! 

“Oh my gosh!” cried a young man, clasping his heart! “Oh my gosh!” 

Before I knew it, my father rose to his feet too, carrying me with him!
“Champ, look!” he exclaimed, putting me on his shoulders. “Look! You 
can see them! You can see the E.T.'s!” 

He propped me more securely over his shoulders, and I looked out on the
hilltop where the pillar of light shone down... 

Standing on the hilltop, shadowed in front of the pillar of light, were
six or seven figures, shaped very much like personages. 

My mouth opened agape! A tremendous amount of excitement accumulated
within me! 

The figures appeared to have slender, graceful features. Some of them
stood on the hilltop, while others walked from one corner of the 
hillside to another. Many of them seemed short of stature, but I saw at 
least three who were giants! They were at least ten feet tall, maybe 
taller! Their posture, walk, and other movements seemed odd and 
baffling. But regardless, they were magnificent people... 

Everyone in Taejon Park cried out with bewilderment! I saw many covering
their mouths in shock. One young man did the sign of the cross to 
himself. Many other parents were putting their children up on their 
shoulders so they could get a better look at the personages on the 
hilltop. A girl sitting on her father's shoulder's pointed to them. A 
young boy about my age sat gaping. 

Before even two minutes had passed, however, the pillar of light on the
hilltop went out! A brief flash of orange light followed, and I thought 
I could see a large ball of light ascending into the clouds. 

The commotion in the crowd died down, but an air of shock still
lingered... 

“My gosh...” uttered my dad, astounded. “I don't believe it!” He took me
off  his shoulders. 

“They've never done that before!” spoke my mother, sounding short of
breath. “Did you see them, sweetie?” she asked me. 

“Did you see them, champ?” asked my father too. 

“Yeah!” I replied, pointing to the hilltop. “I saw them, standing way up
there!” 

My father and mother laughed, suddenly aflutter. After regaining our
composure, we sat back down together. 

The commotion in the crowd took time to subside completely. Many people
kept looking for a sign or another glimpse of the personages again. 
Others remained seated in their chairs or on their picnic blankets. 
Everyone waited for the spectacle to continue, but it sounded like no 
one was able to forget the last performance! 

“The clouds look kind of bright,” said my mother at last. 

My father, who periodically bounced me on his knee, took a look around.
“Yeah I think you're right,” he replied. 

“It's like...” my mother began, pausing. 

“Like we're by the city or something,” said my father. “But we're way up
in the mountains.” He paused too. “There's definitely something making 
the clouds glow.” 

I noticed the phenomenon as well. All around us, the clouds were glowing
with a dim light. I felt surrounded, but not too afraid. 

Then I caught sight of something flash behind the clouds. The orchestra
played a mellow, mysterious number, which was calm and relaxing, but 
somehow chilly. The light flashed again, and my mother pointed to the 
sky. “Look at that,” she said, sounding calm as well. 

The light flashed several more times until, finally, the circular
underside of a good-sized craft slowly lowered from the clouds. I could 
see two beams of  yellow-green lights shooting from the sides of the 
craft. A belt of blue, intricate lights rounded the circumference of 
the object. Soon it emerged fully from the clouds and I could see that 
the craft had an over-all conical shape. I saw that the two beams of 
green light were pulsing from what looked like windows. The flash came 
from a bank of small lights underneath it, which would flicker like 
lightning occasionally. 

The craft made a noise that sounded like a steady humming, but not one
from an electrical vibration. The noise was difficult to distinguish, 
but it was somehow ominous, and it was accompanied by a very quiet 
ringing. 

The cone-shaped craft descended even further out of the clouds, shining
four bright white lights on its sides. At the same time the park music 
played a lofty, ethereal number. The craft slowly approached us, and at 
times it would lean back and bob and sway in the sky. Then it would 
come toward the crowd again, careful and without threat. 

My eyes watched the beautiful object as it spun on its axis, moving to
the east of the park. I could see it had a total of three large 
windows, and I had the impression that the windows had been made with a 
voronoi design—their glass had tessellated pattern. Then the lights 
changed color! The belt of blue lights changed to red and the green 
light from within the windows pulsed blue. 

“Oh, look at that...” said a member of the crowd. 

The object stopped just over a far hillside from the gathering in Taejon
Park. Then it changed course and floated west. Its colors of its lights 
changed once again: the windows pulsed hot pink, the belt of lights 
changed to violet. I just then noticed that the tone of its humming 
also changed every time its lights changed color. 

After it had floated west, it changed course yet again, cruising back to
the east. But it had only traveled a few yards before it stood 
stationary, perfectly still in the air. It was almost scary to see such 
a thing just hanging in the sky, not moving an inch from its place. The 
lights changed color several more times while it hung. Before long, 
however, it began swerving about in the air, and then it took off at a 
mercurial velocity back into the clouds! 

But just before we thought the act was over, the clouds began to
dissipate directly over us, faster than natural. Soon we could see the 
stars again. The park orchestra phased into another calm tune, with 
stringed instruments and a choir synthesizer. I looked up at the stars, 
listened to the music and thought of heaven and the angels. 

The clouds continued to clear...and thats when I saw the most unusual
and spectacular sight yet! 

There was an enormous moon in the sky: a silvery white sphere, passing
over us at a star-level altitude! 

“Oh my gosh!” breathed my father. 

No one, not anyone in the crowd could speak at this spectacle! 

The moon ship spun on its axis very fast. I could see creases on its
body and two rows of stitched lights trailing around it. It was like a 
huge baseball spinning in the sky. I was awe-induced; afraid, but also 
in love! 

But before even a whole minute had passed, the moon ship redirected its
course in orbit and began spinning the other way. It moved in a figure 
eight, high in the sky and then took off into the deep! That moon-sized 
ship shrunk into nothingness in the sky, and within the blink of an 
eye, it was gone. 

My mother flashed a full-hearted grin, shaking her head in bewilderment.
My father chuckled to himself, also shaking his head. “That was 
fantastic,” he said. 

I felt my eyes keeping wide open. I searched the stars for the next act,
believing anything was possible now. 

For the longest moment, however, we only saw the stars. I scoured the
unfathomable skies, my young mind not caring how far they were from us. 
For all I knew, the stars could be very close, closer than I thought. 

I wondered where our celestial neighbors were from. Which star, what
planet were they visiting us from? What was it like there? I wished I 
could go with them someday to visit. After this whole night, I felt a 
connectedness with something bigger than myself. Even as a young child, 
I was able to connect with the stars in a rare and sublime way. 

My father smiled. “The stars are pretty tonight,” he uttered. 

“Yeah,” my mother responded. She tucked her knees in with excitement.
“It makes me want to travel to them,” she continued with a grin. She 
glanced at my father, and he returned her glance. “I wish they would 
take us to where they lived!” my mother said. “I wish that so badly 
right now!” 

My father looked back up at the stars. “Yeah,” he said, sharing in her
excitement. “Maybe someday that's what they'll do,” he continued. He 
and my mother were quiet for a long while. We all watched the stars 
together, feeling the cool crisp breeze blow in our faces. “It's nice,” 
said my father. “Nice that we human beings have friends up there.” 

My mother sighed. “Yeah,” she agreed. “Ever since the First of
June...the Earth doesn't feel so cold. The universe doesn't feel so 
lonely anymore...” 

Suddenly, a bright orange light flashed along the horizon, so big and so
bright that it lit the park like the dawn! 

We all turned our attention to the west. 

“Whoa!” said the mother. “Looks like the big one's coming up!” 

“Yeah...brace yourself,” said my father. 

I kept my eyes pealed, watching the west for the greatest and most
fantastic act yet. Another flash boomed behind the horizon! I heard 
many a “whoa” from the crowd. I saw several more flashes peek from 
behind the mountaintops. A brilliant orange glow accumulated a distance 
away from us. 

Then I saw the finale of wonders! 

Materializing in the sky, fading in out of thin air, was a phenomenal
spacecraft, a creation so magnanimous it dwarfed everything we had yet 
seen! A huge, metal dome sitting atop multiple layers of discs. The 
dome was elongated in height, and its base was too wide to describe in 
words! I pointed eagerly to the humongous ship, but all I could do was 
hold my breath! 

Not only was the enormous craft amazingly materializing out of nowhere,
but it was coming closer! That monster was approaching Taejon Park! 
It's size was so colossal that I was in disbelief. I could see the 
horizon underneath it blur out like a mirage! It came closer, spinning 
like a tornado bound straight for us! I did not breathe at all! My 
mouth would not utter a sound! The mighty vessel was the queen of 
motherships! A god! 

The closer it came, the more I came to realize how fast it was moving!
The ship was closing in on us much faster than the sonic boom! 

By the time it was nearly a hundred miles away, I could see the dome of
the craft rising so high that it went into the stars! I could not see 
its top since it was already so close! When it was beginning to pass 
directly over us I could feel the whole planet quaking tremendously! 

The enormous vessel spun over our heads, so large and massive and
overwhelming that I saw many in the crowd duck and cover their heads 
and just tremble! I felt my father holding me tightly. My mother came 
in a joined us. 

But we were not crushed or swept away in the wake of the powerful giant.


Instead, the vessel slowed down both along its trajectory and in its
axial spinning. I felt the Earth's shaking subside to a mellow 
rumbling. I looked up as the storm of the magnificent, beautiful craft 
floated over Taejon Park...and saw a spectacle I would never forget! 

The undercarriage of the mighty ship was a dazzling world of lights and
complexes! Ring after ring and row after row, pattern after pattern of 
lights and shapes embellished the mighty ship! I knew I could have 
gazed at the overwhelming ship for days and I would not be able to even 
come close at counting all the infinite patterns beneath the craft! 

I saw spires longer than I could comprehend from almost every corner of
the ship, with lights along their sides and at their ends! At times I 
could see the yellow lights on these spires wink down all the way down 
to their tips! 

Toward the center of the great ship I saw two wide rings of bright,
rectangular lights, glowing with a creamy white light. The breadth of 
the rings was so huge that they must have been twenty miles wide 
each—or so I'd image! 

In the very center of the great ship, I saw what looked like an
intricate mechanism of hundreds of elevators, all bathed in a scarlet 
red light. I could see the minute chambers rising up and coming down, 
and I dreamed of being taken up into the heart of the glorious 
mothership with my astral friends! 

The whole underside of the mighty ship swam and oozed in a sea of
lights! The heat was amazing, and I felt a gale of stormy, hot wind 
blowing my hair and the grass with the force of a hurricane! The lights 
illuminated the park with an incandescent, surging white glow! Even as 
a young child, my heart was full, my body was immortal, and my spirits 
were in ecstasy! I knew, with all my heart and soul, that the very crux 
of what we, as a human race, had learned on that fateful day on the 
First of June was that there were forces  in the universe much bigger 
than us! Not everything in this universe was chaotic or cold or cruel! 
There were powers far surpassing us that were good, rhythmic, 
reasonable, symmetrical, and loving! We had wondered for thousands of 
years if this was so. Now we actually knew! We finally knew! 

The great craft lingered over us, shaking the planet and scorching the
park with its warm brilliance! Then, it began to spin faster, 
accelerating onward! It began to rise into the stars—and I distinctly 
remember feeling as if I were being pulled along with it! As if one day 
soon, I would travel to the heavens and get my chance to be with 
them...I so truly believed that. 

The great mothership accelerated into the sky, that colossal, beautiful
monster! It was joined by hundreds of its children spaceships, and I 
watched them all go home. Leaving Taejon park to the beauty of the 
stars... 

I breathed a sigh of bewilderment! I looked up at my mother's face, and
my father's face, and I had never seen two human beings smile brighter, 
fuller, and so alive! 

Just then the orchestral number strummed up again with something dreamy,
beautiful and exhilarating. The woman's voice rang out one more time 
from the park speakers. 

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of the Century! Tonight, we have
witnessed and experienced the extraordinary company of our celestial 
neighbors, the very beings to whom we owe our lives and our eternal 
friendship! On this First of June, we have seen the wonders of a 
creature with whom we as a race can never hope to equal! However, there 
is something yet mightier than our siblings from the stars: One Force 
without any equal, One Power without limitation, One Fountain of Life 
and Meaning, One Universal Spirit of Love! As we leave Taejon Park 
tonight and depart for home, we sleep safely and soundly as children in 
the arms of this Love! Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of the 
Century...Godspeed!” 

The whole crowd in the park stood up and cheered, clapping their hands
and crying out bedazzled! 

I too, clapped my hands, laughing magically. My father bounced me on his
knee and my mother lay her head over mine, smiling brightly! 

After the cheering, the stadium lights came back on, and I watched as
the members of the crowd rose up and packed their items, folding up 
their chairs, and rolling up their blankets. The First of June was 
over... 

My father passed me over to my mother, who held me and kissed me... 

*** 

After we had taken the time to fold up our own chairs, roll up our
picnic blanket and pick up our trash, I walked hand in hand with my 
mother and father back through the grass to the parking lot. 

My father popped open the trunk and we put away our belongings. 

“I can't believe we're going home to our 'normal lives,'” exclaimed my
mother, opening the passenger door. 

“I know!” chuckled my father, closing the trunk door. “This is too
weird!” 

My mother patted my back and I climbed into my booster seat. She buckled
me up, and then I saw her look up at the stars and put her hands on her 
hips, the wind blowing her hair. “Think they'll do something that big 
again?” she asked my father. 

My father stood by her and put his arm around her shoulder. She did the
same to him. “Oh, they're bound too...” my father replied. “Who knows. 
Maybe next time they'll take us for a ride...” 

They stood watching the sky for a short moment, while the car lights
trailed down the park road, homeward bound. 

Finally, my father took his place in front of the steering wheel and my
mother took the passenger seat up front. 

My mother turned around in her seat, giddy as a child and wide awake at
the late hour. “Wasn't that fantastic, champ?” she asked. 

I smiled and all I could do was nod. Words could not describe the
experience... 

My father buckled his seat belt, adjusted his mirror and backed out
carefully into the street. We began our long journey home. 

While we drove, I could not fall asleep! My mind danced with images of
the ships of light, the sights I'd seen, the things I'd felt, the 
sounds I'd heard, the feelings I'd experienced. 

We drove quietly out of the mountains. I felt the breeze from the air
conditioner, the clicking of the car lights, and the rumbling of the 
car's motor. All while I leaned my head to the side of the car and 
gazed out the window. 

I watched the sky, and was soon dreaming of the spaceships floating
aglow in the heavens... 


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