Foreigner - A Science Fiction Short Story

by Bettina Melher

  *

  This wasn't a dream, no matter how badly I wished I would wake up, I knew I wasn't sleeping. This was real. The air I breathed, the rocks and soil between my fingers and the cool breeze against my skin…

  I had been sitting there for the last four hours, unable to move. My back was pressed against the damp bark of a tree, and I was still processing what I had seen.

  This planet was not only home to intelligent life, but they looked identical to humans. Everything was the same, the way they moved, the way they interacted with one another and even their transportation, was strikingly similar to Earth.

  The clothes they wore were all the same. A white long-sleeved shirt and white pressed pants. Their cars seemed to glide along the roads on their own. There were no tyres supporting the slim metallic tubes.

  Their plain, rectangular shaped homes were all painted dark grey. They had windows and doors, just like we did at home.

  Could it really be that the first planet harbouring intelligent life was this similar to Earth? And was it a coincidence that evolution on two different planets created two kinds of humans?

  I only wished I had some way of recording what I was seeing and sending the proof back home, but I couldn't. I was on my own, and if I didn't survive this, then mankind would never know of this incredible discovery. The fate of the Alpha expedition would be lost forever.

  Anna would never know what happened to me. Nobody would. I was completely alone.

  I pushed these thoughts away, feeling more eager than ever to fulfil this mission and somehow inform mankind of this discovery. They deserved to know. After thousands of years, of mankind gazing up at the stars, wondering if we really were all alone in this vast universe, I had the answer for them.

  It was late in the night, and most of the lights in the homes had gone dark. I hadn't moved from my hiding spot by the edge of the forest, but I couldn't stay here forever and assuming that these beings were now sleeping it was now safe for me to move closer.

  As I crept past the houses, safely hidden in the shadows I couldn't help but think I was back home, only a hundred years in the future. It was eerie, and I was beginning to question my sanity.

  I was just about to turn into the street on my left when I saw movement by the house on my right. I quickly hurled myself into the shrubs beside a house on the corner. I waited as the occupants of the home entered their car and drove away. Their house remained in the dark and I seized the opportunity. I simply had to find out more about this planet and these humans.

  I moved along the side of the house and towards the back. There was no back door, but there was a window. Adrenalin coursed through my veins, and I didn't even think to stop and consider the possibility that the home could be alarmed. Oblivious of the incredible luck I had, the window broke at the impact with my elbow and no alarm went off. The house remained in silent darkness.

  I squeezed my hand past the broken glass shards and pushed the window open. It tilted just far enough for me to squeeze through.

  Once inside, I held my breath and listened. It was difficult to hear anything over the rapid beating of my heart. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

  Come on. Pull yourself together.

  Eventually my heart rate slowed, and I slowly crept through the house. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought I was in someone's home back on Earth. There was a kitchen and a living room. Most of the furniture was white, and everything looked like it was made of plastic. There was no natural wood or any plants. Everything was put away, and the spotless appearance made this living room look more like an office rather than a home.

  I crept along and spotted a tablet on the table by the wall. I figured if their homes and appearance were so close to ours, my chances of figuring out how to use their technology were pretty good.

  I pressed the top right button on the device, and a holographic screen emerged directly from it. I didn't expect a hologram, but what I expected even less, was English!

  The faint green hologram displayed, 'Good evening. Please type or speak command'.

  My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe my eyes. Despite being in complete shock, I knew time was of the essence. I had no idea where the two people went at this hour and how soon they would return. If I wanted to find out what this place was and whether it was safe to ask for help, I would have to start now.

  I reached for the screen with my index finger, and as I was about an inch away, a keyboard appeared directly before it. I quickly typed, "Current Location" but before I could hit the enter key, the front door burst open and the room filled with armed men. They were dressed completely in black and aimed their strange weapons at me.

  I put up my hands, and as I was about to speak, the man at the front fired his gun. An immediate stream of electricity shot through my body and threw me back on the floor. My body convulsed violently, and I fought not to pass out from the overwhelming pain. But eventually my body gave up and I drifted away…