Return to Earth
by Stephanie Mathews
It was one of those long days of summer, where even time seemed to be bogged down and slow-moving from the heat. The two kids, twins, were bored. They had played every game imaginable and had done all the things kids do on hot summer days, so they decided to just wander around.
An empty field spread out behind their neighborhood. This field was overgrown and nothing but grasshoppers could be seen bounding across the dirt and weeds. One of the kids, Lucy, took her binoculars and scanned the field.
“Something is reflecting off the sun,” she said as she handed the binoculars to Bryson.
“Probably garbage,” he said as he gave her back the binoculars. “I’m going to get a popsicle. It’s too hot to explore.”
“I’ll be right there. I want to see what it is. It doesn’t look like trash.”
“Suit yourself.”
Lucy bent down when she reached whatever was reflecting. It wasn’t trash. It was a notebook of some sort. She opened it and saw that inside the notebook was a tablet. It was an old tablet; she could tell by its design. No one used these anymore, but she took it anyway and returned home.
Later that night, Lucy and Bryson were able to sync the tablet with their computer and turn it on. It was some sort of digital journal …
***
Date: 04/08/3024
Entry Log: Allison L. Hines
This will be my last log. I’m about to walk on the Earth. I’m going to be honest and tell you that when I first heard the decision that we would be returning to Earth, I was nervous and a little scared. You see, I’ve never been to Earth. I was born on a spaceship, and I always assumed I’d always be living on a spaceship.
There wasn’t really a choice. I, along with some of the other crew members, were told we had to return to Earth. No suitable planet had been found, and if we didn’t head back, we would all die.
“Won’t we die on Earth?” Jackson asked. He was a few years older than me. He had been a baby when his parents boarded the ship. I was yet to be born, only a small soul living in my mother’s womb. My only memories are of the spaceship.
Jackson’s dad sighed. He always sighed when answering his son’s questions because Jackson always had questions.
“Well, that is a possibility, but death is a guarantee if we don’t.”
“All men are appointed to die,” I said. I thought I was only thinking it, but as it often happens when I’m thinking deeply, I tend to talk my thoughts out loud.
“Allison,” my mother said. “Not the time for philosophical statements.”
I only nodded, but I didn’t stop pondering. I heard the others talk, but I wasn’t really listening. It was too late; my mind had latched onto the subject of death and Earth.
I was unsettled about returning to Earth, but it wasn’t just the thought of death that made me apprehensive. There was more. Death isn’t a pleasant subject, but here on the ship, we hold to the teachings of the Ancient Book, followers of The Way of the Creator. That book speaks of an eternal life, another life—better—after we pass from this one.
Being followers and believers was the reason my parents and the others left in the first place.
My parents had explained that Earth had become a dangerous place, especially for followers of the Creator. I was still young so not too many details were told to me, but curiosity drove me to search the ship’s archives. There were old news articles that had been uploaded to the ship’s computers.
Believers of The Way were ostracized, mocked, ridiculed, imprisoned, and even killed. Something about the Creator and His Ancient Book was offensive to most people. They didn’t want to be told how to live, how to behave. They wanted to be first in all, and their desires could not be ignored. Anyone who thought different was labeled an enemy.
Some groups of followers, including mine and Jackson’s parents, came up with a plan and soon were on a ship leaving Earth. It was a risk because many had been trying to colonize other planets, but no one had been successful. They thought it was worth the risk and left with the hope of colonizing a planet where it would be safe to follow the Creator.
I suppose it was a noble effort, but the more I thought about it I realized that, even if they were successful, it didn’t guarantee that people would behave. The Book is full of accounts where the Creator’s people rebelled. The Creator has given us the gift of choice; born with a free will.
I kept my thoughts to myself. These thoughts were assaulting my mind. I became overwhelmed with anticipating life on Earth.
I’ve never felt grass on my feet, seen a bird fly, heard crickets chirp, smelled the rain, or saw a sunrise. Not only that, but what is it like going to the grocery store? Is driving a car hard? It looks dangerous to me! What is it like meeting new people? I’ve only known the people on the ship and all of them have known me my whole life! How do you talk to a complete stranger? Is it loud on Earth with all those people? Crowded? I could go on and on.
No one could answer any of those questions for me, so I turned to the Book and learned from the lives of the people who had lived before.
It took me a while to understand. The Book wasn’t directly answering any of my questions and I started to question if any of it mattered. Why did any of this happen? Were we wrong to be out in space, to have left Earth?
Part of me let the fear infest me, and I began to blame those around me. I almost couldn’t stand to look at my parents thinking that they, with their poor choices, had condemned me and everyone else on board to a life that would possibly amount to nothing. I haven’t done anything but be on a spaceship. What was the point of it all? Would even going back to Earth matter?
One night, while I was reading the Book, a thought hit me. This thought didn’t originate from my own thinking, it came from outside my mind, and it hit me like a punch, taking my breath away. It was like someone else had spoken into my ear like telling a secret.
The thought was that it didn’t matter, not really. I was worrying about the wrong things, asking the wrong questions even. Circumstances changed, and what mattered was how one responded to those circumstances.
I continued to read, and my mind ripped opened as I realized that the Ancient Book may not answer a specific question, but it answered how we should be living the life we were given.
What was important was what I chose to believe and do with the time that is given to me. Whether living on Earth, a spaceship, or anywhere else. Life was more than just existing and my experiences; my knowledge of the Creator was important. My life could be a light to a dark world, letting another human see the reflection of the image of The Creator.
I thought back to some of the things I had experienced by living on a spaceship. It was incredible! Not many have the privilege of seeing the cosmos this close up.
As I type these words, I can see Earth for the first time and it is spectacular! I’ve been in space my whole life and have seen some astounding sights! So many stars and galaxies, but nothing is quite like Earth.
Every day, I’ve seen the vastness of space and live amongst the expanse of the firmament of the Creator, but looking at Earth I see love. I see a place that the Creator made special.
I don’t know what I’ll do once I’m on Earth, and I don’t know how long I’ll be on Earth, but I do know that I will cherish every breath, living life trying to remember that every day is a gift. I’ll step onto the ground, thanking the Creator, for creation and the time I have living here.
***
Lucy and Bryson sat silently when they had finished reading.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Bryson said breaking the silence.
“Oh yeah,” Lucy said, eyes wide. “We have to check this out! I thought it was an old fable. I never believed the old stories at all, but this changes things. We may be holding actual evidence!”
Lucy and Bryson spent the rest of their summer break at the library, walking old abandoned fields, visiting the few churches that remained, and asking questions.
Could the story of the space believers be true? And if it were true, then maybe the Ancient Book held the secret to life.
About the Author
Stephanie Mathews is a homeschool mom, works part-time as a librarian, avid reader, and writer. She enjoys walks with her dog, nature, gardening, and having adventures with her husband and daughter that include anything from movie night to stargazing and camping. Stephanie has two works of poetry published, an article and more in the works.
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