The Visitor

No one can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say, but sometimes the creatures in the vacuum of space can hear the screams of those who live beyond their world, even if the screams are just coming from the inside.

Pulling into the parking lot of Erwin Trace Apartments on 1800 Franklin Dr. 11 year old Elijah Townsend sits in the back seat of his mother’s silver Honda, with his head down in discouragement. “Aww honey pick your head up, we’re here now.” Said his mother, Annetta staring at him with a smile through the rear view mirror. With a faint smile he looked out of the backseat window and replied “What should I be smiling about? this place don’t even look like it’s any fun”. “Well it looks like you gon’ have to make it fun, because its gon’ be our new home for a while” she replied sarcastically.

Driving into a parking spot next to the U-haul truck that carried their belongings, Elijah and Annetta got out of their car and examined the complex surrounding them. The complex was made up of three buildings that were three stories high, covered in a design of blue solid sheet rock, concrete and blue boards surrounding every window. Elijah looked up at the buildings with a slight glance of interest at how nice they were. “Well I guess it’s a lil nicer than the projects, even though I could do without the rocks” said Elijah sarcastically. Surprised by his witty optimism, Annetta puts her hand on his shoulder as they begin to walk up the second floor of the complex in the direction of their new apartment. While walking up the steps Elijah makes note of the complex around him. Unlike the walls of the ghetto that formerly surrounded him, these walls were spotless without a drop of graffiti covering them. The air of the hallway between each apartment smelled like that of a new car, which was annoying, yet comforting to him because it made him want to take a nap. As they reached the door of apartment number 3c, Annetta unlocked to door with her new house key to a spotless and pristine apartment with a tan colored carpet and snow white walls.

Much to his own surprise, Elijah was delighted at the sight in front of him. “Wow it smells like a new car in this joint” he said. “Yeah and let’s make sure we keep this new car clean because it’s gonna be our ride for a while. Your room is the one goin’ straight back, go head and give it a look honey.”Annetta responded.

Elijah made his way to the very back of the apartment and entered his new room. As he opened the door and looked around he was amazed at how much space was in this white walled room. He was hesitant to crack the smile that was coming out of him, but the gratifying site of this new room in front of him made it impossible. “Yo I can’t believe this is my new room” he thought to himself. “My room back home wasn’t this big, I’m actually trippin’ right now”. After the movers moved in all of their belongings and furniture Annetta decided to order them some dinner. “Whew I’m tired” she said to Elijah. “I’m thinking’ about ordering some Chinese, how bout you captain?” “Sounds good to me” Elijah responded with a smile.

Around dusk Annetta and Elijah received a knock on the front door from a man with a red and white checkered hat on that said “Wonton Express” on it and a bag of food. After paying and tipping the man, Annetta and Elijah sit down and have a dinner of both chicken and shrimp fried rice at the dinner table in the dining area between the kitchen and the living room. “So how you likin’ the new car so far captain?” Annetta asked. “It’s cool so far” Elijah responded with a slight nod. “But?” Annetta asked. “There ain’t no but!” Elijah laughed. “I actually think it’s ok, I like how much space we got now”. “Well I’m glad my baby likes it” Annetta said with a smile. “I really do think you’re gonna love it here baby, I can’t wait to see what you get into later”. “Oh boy” said Elijah sarcastically.

After finishing dinner Elijah and Annetta both went to their rooms to get ready to turn in for the night. Walking into his room, Elijah slipped on his pajama pants and got into bed. Staring up at the ceiling and looking around at the posters on his wall, he thought about how this really was a nice new place that he was living in, but that something was missing as he slowly started to drift into a deep sleep.

As Elijah laid sleeping on his back his eyes suddenly opened at the startling sound of a loud thump coming from above him. “The heck was that?” He asked aloud to himself. The loud thump was followed by the sound of fast paced crawling across what sounded like the roof. After a quick silent pause from the thumping and crawling above him, Elijah slowly rose up from his back with his eyes to the ceiling, waiting to here another sound.

As Elijah turned his head to his right hand side in the direction of his closed bathroom door, the crawling traveled to his bathroom vent and ended with a thump on the bathroom floor. Suddenly the thumping and crawling stopped and a bright green light started to emanate from underneath his bathroom door. With his heart racing with fear and curiosity he quickly hopped out of bed and went to his closet across from his bed and grabbed his baseball bat. “This bat really held me down good during little league last year, let’s see if I’ll have some of that luck right now” he thought to himself as he slowly made his way to the bathroom door. With his bat in his right hand he put his left hand on the door, “1…2…3” he counted before quickly opening the door to find a short green figure in front of him shining a green light from its body that slowly started to dim down.

As the lights dimmed to a mere glow, Elijah stared in amazement at the short green figure in front of him. It was almost chest level to Elijah himself, with a large sized head and big eyes, the green figure actually resembled a reshaped version of Elijah. “Wha…what are you? And why do you look like me?” Elijah asked as he slowly lowered his bat. “I am Sion” said the short green figure in a soft voice. "I...I've been looking for you for some time" said Sion with a smile. "Why would you be lookin' for me? and where are you from? and what are you?" Elijah asked inquisitively. "I am an Iyonnis and I come from a world called Iyon", Sion replied. "What...Where is Iyon" Elijah asked. "It's across the galaxy and it is a world much older than yours" said Sion. "Are you...an alien?" Elijah asked curiously. With a confused look on his face, Sion asked "What is an alien?". ""Well it's a being that's not from this world", Elijah said with a chuckle. "Then I guess I am an alien" replied Sion with a laugh.

For a brief moment both Elijah and Sion sat looking at each other in silence in amazement to be face to face with one another. "I always thought aliens were real, but I never thought I'd actually see one, how do you know who I am, Sion" Elijah asked. "Well I've been watching you for over a year now Elijah. I know a lot about you. "Really? like what" Elijah asked with a slight smile. "I know you're really good at baseball, even though you're not exactly excited about it. I know you love movies and videogames, I know you're very outgoing, I know your mother calls you "the captain" because Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean is one of your top favorite movie characters". "Wow" said Elijah in amazement. "How do you know all this about me?" he asked Sion. "Well in my world we have highly advanced telescopes that allow us to see across the galaxy. Most younglings, or as you call us in your world, children, like to watch earth the most because it's much younger than the other worlds" said Sion with emphasis.

"The reason why I'm here Elijah is because I know what's been troubling you. I know this move has been very hard for you because you really miss home and your friends and I came to let you know that you are not alone". "Why?" Elijah asked in a soft, but amazed tone. "Because nearly a century ago my former home died out and my people had to use our vast technology to inhabit another world. It took us a while to find a new place and even when we found an empty planet that was capable of being inhabited, it took some time getting settled in and adjusted". "When I sit and think about it, you're a lot like me, Sion" Elijah rebutted. "Yes" said Sion with assurance. "I am a lot like you and the reason I'm here is to help you get adjusted. My people have allowed me to travel here to help you find your way in this new home of yours...and to even be a friend to you, if you'll allow me". Sitting amazed in silence, Elijah started to think out loud. "You know, when I first got here I thought this was gonna be a nightmare, but then you show up here in the middle of the night scarin' the doodoo out of me, only to tell me that you're here to help me. This is a pretty crazy twist of fate, much like this move, but if you could take a chance on coming all the way to my world just to help me, then I guess I can take a chance on you."

Looking at Sion with a smile, Elijah extended his hand to him to which Sion extended his hand to shake Elijah’s . The shaking of their hands caused Sion's green exterior to glow brightly as it did when he first arrived. "I'm glad you agreed Elijah, I'll be watching over you from a short distance above earth's atmosphere, but don't worry, I'll be closer than you think whenever you need me. "I'm not worried." said Elijah with a smile. "I know you got my back". "That I do, Elijah, can you let me out your window so I can travel back to let my people know you said yes?". "You make it sound like we're gettin married" Elijah joked. As they made their way to Elijah's window he opened it to let Sion out. "Before you go Sion, I still have one question, why do you look like me?". "Well Elijah, that's because my people believe in taking the shape of what we admire the most when we meet a new person". "I'm honored" said Elijah with a smile. "I'll see you soon, my friend" said Sion as he lit up bright green and floated off into the night sky. As he floated away Elijah watched him with a smile, hopeful that better days were coming his way, grateful that he had just made a new friend.