8 Short Stories
Page 11
CNN International host announced “Astronomer are reporting a puzzling discovery. The FIELD satellite that monitors what is called the “asteroid belt” between Mars and Jupiter say that a small object has apparently changed course and accelerated. Whether this is due to some gravitational phenomenon is unknown....”
…..
Tae Ga-Ku was a young man just finishing up high school and had no hopes for college since he was an orphan. He worked as many jobs as he could find and he lived in a tiny rented apartment. More specifically he leased a room from an old couple, although with his jobs he was rarely there.
He snatched sleep where he could find it, even on the bus. Ga-Ku didn't even bother thinking about girls, he knew there was no hope until he could improve his situation (and find some extra time). Lately, though, a girl had invaded his dreams. Ga-Ku just thought his mind was trying to compensate for what was missing.
The dreams were always the same though. The girl was floating in space and talking to him, nothing else really happened. She talked as if she knew him, as if she had always known him. Often she said they would be together again. “Soon” she said this time “Very soon”.
He woke up on the bus again, his stop was coming up. He would deliver Chinese noodles on a scooter for Mr. Choi. On his first delivery he decided to cut through a park, something he just never did before, not trusting short cuts. He stopped at a wooden playground 'castle' because something had caught his eye.
When he got closer he saw that his name had been carved into the wood and that the name was glowing, absent-mindedly he reached out and touched it.
“Tae Ga-Ku” he heard whispered in the air. He looked around but saw nothing. He quickly got back on the scooter and went to his job, pushing the incident from his mind.
…..
BBC World News host breaks in to announce that a small strange object, first noticed moving inward from the asteroid belt might have possibly changed course again. The news reader said that governments around the world were on alert since the object was now heading in the vicinity of Earth but that on its present course there was no danger of collision.
NASA estimated the object was only the size of a two-door refrigerator or a small car. “No real danger to Earth, it would likely burn up quickly at these speeds” a spokesperson said.
...
Tae Ga-Ku came into the house and noticed the old couple was not around. Maybe they were out or maybe they were napping. He decided to sit on the couch and soon he was dreaming again.
The girl in his dream was more real than ever. “I will never, ever leave you. I should never have let you go in the first place” he was puzzled “You will remember me soon enough, my love”
..
Tae Ga-Ku decided that he was slipping. He was letting his hormones get out of control. He resolved to keep these feelings wrapped up. “Fighting!” he told himself.
It was useless though. He had absolutely no feelings for the girls he saw. Young, pretty Korean girls were all the rage, even in America now. “What is wrong with me?”
He had never fit in. He didn't feel connected to the world. He never felt like part of it, he never really saw the appeal of many trivial things that others' obsessed over. He felt like his mission in life was to observe and that is what he had always felt.
.
Governments around the world had downplayed the meteor and the possibilities of it hitting Earth. They pointed out that it was too small be a big deal and that people should focus on more important things.
That was the official word until the object changed course again, this time with many observatories watching it. It did not take long before computers were able to calculate the course: Directly to Earth.
Its target was Asia.
.
“Why don't you have a girl friend?” The old woman asked as they sat to have a meal. Her husband was turning on the television. The couple missed the company of their children, and their grandchildren didn't visit very often. Tae Ga-Ku was the one they made a substitute. She put a pepper on his rice.
The television soon had their undivided attention.
“Space object coming down in Asia” the banner on the screen said, they were awaiting a comment from one of the main observatories in Korea. Soon the an academic-looking fellow and a harried younger man were at the podium.
“The object will hit or touch down or whatever somewhere on the Korean peninsula”
….