Introspective

By Thomas F. O'Neill

I don’t know where to begin in telling the story of Billy Wiseman. I suppose I could start by saying he was your typical twelve year old boy. He also had the responsibilities that came with being your average sixth grader. His parent’s gave him typical daily chores on top of his grueling daily schoolwork. Much to Billy’s sagging demeanor his father made sure his eldest child was up and out of bed by 4:30 A.M. for the morning paper route.

“This is child labor,” Billy would mumble to himself each morning while brushing his teeth. The paper route, netted Billy 75 dollars a week which was good money in 1980. His parents put the money into a college fund for Billy’s future education. He also had an additional chore after school which was to take his neighbor’s dog, Truman, for a walk. His neighbor paid Billy a dollar a day and Billy used that extra money to buy comic books.

“Look, instead of wasting your time reading those cartoons,” his father said at the dinner table, “why don’t you put the extra time in with your schoolwork.”

“Why don’t you lay off,” said Billy’s mother, “he works hard and he earns the money for those books.”

“There’re not books there’re cartoons,” his father said, “he’s twelve years old and he reads cartoons.”

“At least I can read,” said Billy.

“Hey now don’t get smart with me,” yelled his father, “I’ll knock that silly grin right off your face.”

“Will you two knock it off,” said Billy’s Mother. She then turned and yelled, “Emily come in here and eat.”

“Go get me a beer,” said his father, “if you can find the time to get your nose out of that comic book.” Billy got up from the table and got his father a beer.

“Now Emily,” said her father, “don’t be like your Brother, Billy. Average doesn’t get you anywhere in life.”

“I can read,” Billy’s four year old sister said, “Billy lets me read them when he’s done with ‘em.”

“You see that,” said his father.

“She’s four years old and reading,” said Billy’s Mother, “that’s quite an achievement.”

“I want them to make something of themselves not wind up like us,” he said while gulping his beer.

“You’re doing alright pop,” said Billy.

“These hours are going to give me an early grave.”

“At least you have a Job; Jimmy’s dad is laid off again. I saw him delivering papers this morning.”

“That’s why I want you to study and get decent grades so stuff like that doesn’t happen to you,” said his father, “hit the damn books, get yourself into a decent college and get out of this dead end town.”

“I will, pop”

The next day as he was walking his neighbor’s dog, “for crying out loud, Truman, will you slow down,” said Billy, “I’m supposed to be taking you for a walk.” Truman was a large mix breed with a habit of pulling Billy down the street towards the park, “I really like you Truman but this is getting down right ridiculous. I feel as if you’re giving me the exercise and that I should be giving you the dollar. “Now hold on Truman,” he said while catching his breath, “Geeeesss”

It was at that moment Truman took off after a jackrabbit. “Oh now come on Truman!!!!!!!,” Billy yelled as Truman pulled away after the Rabbit.

“It’s just a dumb old Rabbit Truman !!!!!!!” Billy yelled. “If you weren’t so big !!!!!!!” he said angrily as he ran after the dog through the park into a wooded area.

Billy was out cold but he soon felt Truman licking his face, “What happened?”

He looked around the room everything in the room was metallic and brightly silver. The walls and floor were silver. There were various knobs and gizmos on a control consul that were bright and silvery as well. “What the hell is this place Truman?”

It was at that moment he heard a loud barking sound that echoed throughout the room. It scared the living daylights out of Billy. Truman started barking back and it went on for quite some time.

“Hello !!!!!!!” Billy screamed. He figured he wasn’t in to much danger considering Truman was with him. “Is there any human’s in here?” He couldn’t tell where the Barking was coming from.

Billy got up on his feet but his body felt like it was being pulled down. It was really hard to move his limbs. He then heard a lot of high pitched ticking sounds, “what is this place?”

A ring of light quickly came down from above and it continuously moved up and down his body very quickly. “Hello !!!!!!” Billy yelled.

Dead silence.

Billy tried to take another step but it felt as if the weight of the world was crashing in on him. Truman even whimpered when he tried to walk.

Billy put his arm around Truman; “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he said. Truman turned and licked Billy’s face.

“Come on now !!!!!” Billy yelled and Truman barked as they slowly got back on their feet.

“You don’t have to yell,” said a small metallic and shiny looking screen. It looked to Billy like a thin small silvery television screen. It was animated like it had a life of its own. It was something Billy has never seen before or could describe for that matter. It popped out of what looked like some sort of control panel. It scared Billy so bad that he fell back landing on his backside. “What is this place?” Billy yelled, “and what the hell are you?”

“Well some gratitude for saving your life,” it said.

“What?”

“I did save your life you know, I could have just let you lie out in those woods.”

Truman barked and the metallic screen barked back.

“Oh now come on, who are you?” Billy asked, “this isn’t funny one bit.”

The screen Barked again and Truman jumped up and down licking Billy’s face.

“Sorry,” it said, “I had the artificial gravity turned up too high.”

“You had the artificial ....... what?” Billy asked while getting back up on his feet.

“You guys are really lucky because I almost suffocated you two, not intentionally though,” it said. The thin silvery adjustable screen moved further out of the control consul towards them. The screen was attached to a thin silvery cord that was attached to the control consul. It moved animatedly as if getting a closer look at Billy and Truman.

“I forgot to adjust the oxygen level after I moved you two in here. Then you almost froze to death. I forgot that it’s minus 220 degrees outside. I revived both of you twice just in the nick of time.”

“Oh you are really funny,” said Billy, “a real comedian but I got to get home for dinner now. I’m sure everyone is going to be laughing about this at school tomorrow.”

Truman barked and the Screen Barked back.

“Look if I don’t get him back home and I miss dinner my parents are going to be pissed.”

“He keeps saying something about having to go out,” said the metallic screen.

“What are you saying, you can talk to Truman?”

“Of course just like I can talk to you,” it said.

“He probably has to go to the bathroom.”

“He needs a bath?” the metallic screen asked.

“He has to relieve himself,” said Billy.

“From what?” asked the metallic screen “doesn’t he like me?”

“Hey whoever you are you’re not funny so use your Robin Williams routine on someone else,” Billy said angrily, “where’s the door? I don’t see an in or an out of this place.”

“I can’t just let you out” it said, “not until we get back to earth, that will be about one more earth hour.”

“Look I am in really serious trouble here. I know this is a joke but my father doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.”

“Well, I’m sorry about that I didn’t mean for you to break a law.”

“It’s a rule everyone eats together, and I really got to go.”

“I know you told me.”

“No I got to use the bathroom.”

“What’s with humans and baths” said the metallic screen.

“Come on I got to relieve myself,” Billy said, “I’ll go behind a tree. Look both of us got to go. He never goes in doors, he’s been trained since he was a puppy to go outside. He’s probably been holding it since this afternoon.”

“You guys take baths behind trees?”

“Ahhhh, !!!!!!!” Belly said huffing and puffing.

“Look don’t get mad at me,” it said, “I can see you’re angry, but you got to understand. I’m not from here. I’m from a planet 500 light years from earth. I scanned you and Truman twice so that I can communicate with you two. I’m doing my best right now with the little knowledge I have of your language. I didn’t have much time to process your neural pathways and language centers in your brains.”

“Ah ha,” Billy said sarcastically.

“I am still processing most of your neural pathways and memories,” it said, “that is how I am processing your language, so you see I know what a bathroom is and what a bath is.”

“Ahh haa,” Billy said while angrily holding his bladder.

“Do you want to see where we are?” the metallic screen asked.

“Yes !!!!!!,” Billy yelled.

“I’m going as fast as a can,” it said, “faster than the speed of light.”

Billy at that very moment saw the metallic metal melt away from around him. At that very instant he saw streaks of white light as if being stretched through space.

“I really can’t go any faster than this.”

“Stop!!!!!!!” Billy yelled not sure what to make of what he was seeing.

At that moment they came to an immediate stop and he saw a large sun in the distance.

The metallic metal immediately filled the open space around them.

“What did you do that for?” Billy yelled.

“I didn’t want you and Truman to get a sunburn,” it said.

“I don’t know how you did that but those are awesome special effects.”

“Do you want me to continue towards earth?”

“Yes, because if you don’t its going to be really messy in here” Billy said.

Billy began looking over the control consul, “so what is this thing supposed to be anyway?” he asked.

“I’m a space probe; I was designed to explore various regions of space.”

“I see,” he said to humor whoever was putting him on with the crazy voice.

“I left my planet approximately 4000 of your earth years ago and I have been transmitting my data ever since.”

“So what do they use too power you with?” Billy asked sarcastically, “Do you use double A? or Triple A? You know batteries?”

“Our technology is far beyond anything you can imagine.”

“What are you exactly?” Billy asked.

“I told you a space probe.”

“But what are you? I mean what can I call you?” Billy asked.

“I guess I am what you would call an artificial life form.”

“How can something artificial be a life form?”

“Well I am living matter interfaced with highly sophisticated technology. I have trillions of artificial neurons. That is trillions more than a human brain. The entire probe as you see it is a living organism. I learn and evolve as I come in contact with other life forms. I can incorporate their emotions, their thought processes, even most of their memories. I then transmit the data to my planet.”

“Where is that Mars?” Billy asked sarcastically.

“What planet do you call Mars?”

“The Red planet in our solar system,” Billy said.

“You can show me because we are approaching your solar system.”

The metallic walls melted away once again and Billy saw the planets approaching.

“How do you do that?” Billy asked.

“Do what?”

“The interior walls, there solid metal one minute and they can melt away like a liquid goo,” said Billy.

“I am not familiar with your planet’s goo,” it said, “but I can change shape at will. You see I am the probe.”

“So how do you do the special effects?” Billy asked.

“I can be transparent, sold matter, and change form at will,” said the probe, “I have been designed as such and I am a living organism.”

“So do you have a name, you know like Sparky? Max? or something?” Billy asked, “You know I am in School and in my Science class I was taught nothing can travel faster than the speed of light.”

“Yes, that is true with human technology,” the probe said, “you are the first human I have come in contact with so I never had a human sounding name.”

“OK, than Max it is,” said Billy, “with sarcastic humor in his voice, “so what you’re saying is you the probe aren’t physical matter?”

“When I travel faster than the speed of light I am no longer a solid mass,” said Max. “I become a mass of energy squared its velocity. That same energy is used to propel us through space while protecting us at the same time. If it were humanly possible I would appear to those outside the probe to be a wave of energy.”

“Umm hmmm,” said Billy

“Everything that exists,” said Max, “is made up of subatomic particles. Those particles are small masses of energy and waves of energy at the same time. Our technology allows us to manipulate and utilize that energy to our advantage. We are approximately 4 billion years ahead of your technology.”

“OK, so why me? and why Truman? for crying out loud,” said Billy, while using all of his spare energy to prevent his bladder from exploding.

“That was not planned,” said Max, “my coming in contact with you was by shear luck.”

“Luck?” Billy said laughing, “Truman is a Dog who chases Rabbits and I’m a sixth grader. Why would Truman and I be of any interest to your superior intellect?”

“I never met a human before,” said Max. “Besides, you were hurt in some way and you would have surely died if I haven’t been there. It wasn’t planned and I wasn’t even expecting to find a human there.”

“I musta fell or something,” said Billy.

“Truman was lying next to you keeping you warm with his body,” said Max, “I could not take you without taking Truman. He yelled at me with great anger in his voice and he tried to protect you. When I changed shape and raised you out of the snow Truman ran into the Probe after you. I assumed he was your mate.”

“He’s a dog we are close but not that close,” said Billy, “we like each other, and yes, he would protect me from harm and I would do the same for him.”

“Yes, you must have fallen or perhaps that rabbit Truman chased attacked you or frightened you,” said Max.

“Look rabbits don’t scare me, now are we getting closer to earth?” asked Billy.

“There is earth,” said Max, as the metallic once again melted away. The view was magnificent and Billy was awe struck by its beauty.

“Here we are right where I found you,” the side of the probe opened up. “If you like I can wait until you and Truman finish bathing.”

“Yes do that,” said Billy, he and Truman ran to the nearest tree and let it rip.

“Why didn’t you tell me you needed to remove excess body fluid and Truman undigested material,” said Max, “you could have done that in the probe.”

“Oh very funny,” said Billy, it was than that he noticed the probe was completely off the ground.

“Wow,” he said as the probe moved by a simple touch of his hand, “no way.”

“If you are for real fly over my house,” said Billy, “no one is going to believe me. They will think I’m a loony tune.”

“Loony tune, is that a negative connotation,” asked Max.

“That means completely nuts, bonkers, off ones rocker,” said Billy.

“I have a lot to learn,” said Max, “can we work together so that I can learn more about your planet and the human culture?”

“I suppose so,” said Billy.

“I can make some alterations so that you can do away with excess fluid and matter when needed,” said Max, “I would also like to give you something so that you can contact me when you need me.”

“Dick Tracy has a wrist phone that looks like a wristwatch.”

“What is a wristwatch? and what is a phone?” asked Max.

“Well a wristwatch is what you use to tell time and a phone is what you use to phone home,” said Billy.

Billy held his wristwatch up to the metallic screen, “this is what I use to tell time.”

“I can give you something like that,” said Max “is Dick Tracy a friend of yours?”

“No,” said Billy, “he’s a comic script character.”

“You see that symbol on the wall with the two interconnecting circles?” Max asked.

“Yes,” said Billy with curiosity in his voice.

“Place your hand on it.”

Billy did so and part of the wall lifted up and a wristwatch appeared inside.

“There is your wristwatch phone,” said Max

“Hey Max,” said Billy, “there are 32 marking on it with symbols I don’t understand.”

“Oh telling time is easy,” said Max, ”the 32 symbols are for the first 32 hours of the day and than it repeats for the last 32 hours, it adds up to the 64 hour day.”

“Max on earth one day is 24 hours and we have numbers on our watches one through twelve or twelve symbols.”

“OK then,” Max said, “put it back, what number do you want on top?”

“Twelve, then one, then two, and so on,” said Billy.

“Ok then now all you need to do is talk. If you say, Max 1, I will respond,” Max told him.

“Cool,” said Billy putting on the wristwatch but he noticed that it was running counter clockwise. But Billy still thought it was a cool watch.

“Is cool good?”

“Yea,”

“Only the person wearing the wristwatch will hear me,” Max said, “because it is not sound you will hear. Energy will resonate with the wristwatch. Whoever wears the watch will receive that energy from the probe.”

“Cool,” said Billy

“Energy will be sent from the probe to the wristwatch and into your body,” Max said once again, “as time progresses there will be a lot of good that you will do with that energy.”

“Can you drop me off at my home, now?”

“Yes”

“I have to drop Truman off too,” Billy said to Max, “I’m going to have to teach you some slang, Max.”

The Probe hovered over the Town of Millville as it followed the Main Street. It then turned right on Lumber Lane following Billy’s direction.

Cars began rear-ending one another as their drivers stared upward at the probe. A police cruiser’s lights went flashing on as it followed the probe down the street.

“Max I don’t want you to get a citation or a ticket or something so I have an idea. Go straight up then come down real fast, the next street over. I’ll just run through an entryway with Truman and take him home.”

“OK,” Max said and the probe was gone.

“Look,” said officer Connelly into his car radio, “I’m telling ya, Emily, it was a UFO”

“And, I’m telling you Connelly to sleep it off,” came Emily’s reply over the radio.

“Hey Max, I’m probably going to be grounded for a few days because it’s pretty late.”

“I didn’t mean to get you in trouble and being the cause of you breaking a law.”

“That’s Ok I just missed my curfew and I will call you when everything blows over,” said Billy.

“Is breaking a curfew a lesser offence?” asked Max.

“Yea when you’re twelve. I will call you, Max, maybe we can take my sister for a ride, she’s four and I think that will be cool.”

“Let’s go, Truman,” Billy said.

A neighborhood kid saw Billy and Truman walking down the steps that instantly materialized from the side of the probe.

“Whoooo,” the kid yelled, “did you see that Herb?”

“That must be one of those foreign vehicles,” Herb a heavy set man sitting on his porch said, “No wonder our auto industry is going to crap.”

“What you yapping about out there,” his wife yelled out to him from inside the house.

“Someone dropped this kid and dog off across the street,” he yelled back to her while drinking a quart of beer out of a paper bag.

“Why should that concern you?” she said, “come back inside it's late.”

“It must be one of those Jap vehicles,” he said, “but the Japanese make those little compact cars .......”

“Herb who cares,” she yelled, “you’re starting to sound like one of those little nosy bodies gossiping about everybody else’s business .......”

“Now if you let me get a word in edge wise I’ll tell ya,” Herb said, “now the side opened up, stairs popped out of it. You know so people won’t fall out of the damn thing when they're getting out,” he paused, took a gulp of his beer, “then it flew off.”

“What do you mean it flew off?” she yelled, “they probably saw you staring at 'em.”

“Who gives a crap, anyway” he said, “they probably pay an arm and a leg on fuel.”

“Hey, Herb,” said Officer Connelly as he pulled his cruiser up in front of Herb’s house, “did you see anything unusual tonight?”

“Well, that’s what I’ve been trying to explain to miss know it all in there,” Herb told him.

“What’s that,” asked Connelly.

“Do you know they got these flying cars on the Market,” Herb said, “those suckers must cost a fortune in fuel costs.”

“You saw it, Herb?”

“Sure did with my own two eyes, it dropped off a kid and his dog. Dropped them off right across the street and then flew off,” Herb said a matter of factly. “The side of that sucker opened up, these stairs popped out, that kid and his dog got out, and it flew off.”

“Herb, you think they're Aliens?” Connelly asked in a scared voice.

“Well, if they're here illegally they must be hard working illegal’s,” said Herb, “It must take an awful lot of picking turnips and cucumbers, a tonnage of um, to afford a car that can fly. You want an educated guess, Connelly .......”

“I’m not talking about those kinds of Aliens, Herb,” Connelly said in a frightened low whisper.

“For crying out loud, Connelly, you’re a Law Enforcement officer .......” Herb said.

“Shush, Herb they might be listing .......”

“Who gives a crap, Connelly.”

“I’m saying, Herb, they could be from,” Connelly raised his index finger upward to the sky.

“For Pete’s sake pull yourself together,” Herb yelled, “If they're Aliens, let the INS deal with um .......”

“Listen, you lug head .......” Connelly said.

“Alright but just let me say this. You want my educated guess - it's Drugs,” Herb said, “pure and simple. The fact of the matter is it was only a matter of time before the Drugs reached Millville.”

“Will you shut the hell up, Herb,” Connelly said, “and keep your voice down.”

“I don’t give a crap if those drug peddlers hear me,” Herb said in an angry voice. “This used to be a nice little town, Connelly. Not anymore, especially now. With these drug peddling undesirables with their flying cars .......”

“Meet me down at the Mud flap Tavern,” Connelly said in a frustrated voice, “we need to talk about what we saw.”

“He’s not going anywhere,” Herb’s wife said while pouring Herb’s quart of beer out on the sidewalk. “He’s out here talking about flying cars and you’re encouraging him to drink more. Some friend you are. Go home, Connelly.”

“Now since when do I get drunk on half a quart?” Herb told his wife, “He asked me what I saw and I told him.”

“Herb, what house did they go in?” Connelly asked.

“It didn’t go in any house it went straight up,” Herb said.

“I’m talking about the kid and the dog, you idiot,” Connelly yelled.

“They ran down that entryway across the street. Hey, Connelly, you think those drug pushers in that flying car are using that dog and kid to peddle drugs?”

“And you want him to go down to the Mud Flap Tavern,” said Herb’s wife.

Billy first noticed that the cars on his block looked different.

“What’s the matter, Truman, you’re acting really strange,” Billy said, “what’s with all the strange cars?”

Truman began barking as they walked towards Billy’s house.

“Hey, Truman, there’s a strange car in your driveway and at my house.”

Billy tried to turn the doorknob but the door was locked. He then lifted the door mat up and picked up the key to the door.

“What’s going on, everything is different in the kitchen.”

“Who the hell are you,” a big heavy set guy yelled to Billy, “how the hell did you get in here !!!!!!!”

“I live here,” Billy said.

“Stop busting my chops, Kid, I've lived here for 10 years. Don’t go anywhere I’m calling the police,” he said to Billy, holding a cell phone up to his ear.

Yea right, you’re a liar and you are in big trouble, mister, now where are my Parent’s?

“This kid broke into my house and he's got this big dog with him. He said he lives here and I say he's nuts.” As he was giving the police his address Billy walked out the door, “where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Next door we'll see who's lying,” Billy said.

“The police are on their way, kid, you’re not going to get very far.”

When Billy knocked on his neighbor’s door a stranger answered.

“Look, kid, if you’re collecting for something forget it, I’m strapped right now - come back next year.”

“Where’s Mr. Hendricks?”

“Who?”

“Mr. Hendricks?” Billy asked.

“Kid, he died five years ago, that’s when I moved in here.”

“I just picked Truman up this afternoon,” Billy said, “this afternoon, Mister.”

“Hey, kid, what’s going on?” asked Emily Cudoe a female Police Officer, “did you break into this man’s house?”

“I didn’t mean too,” he said with tears in his eyes, “Max dropped me off at the wrong place.”

“Ok what’s your name Kid?” she asked.

“Billy”

“Come with me,” she said.

“Where are you taking me?” he asked.

“The Police station, Kid, where do you think?”

“Can I bring Truman we are both homeless at the moment.”

“Does he have all his shots?”

“I suppose so,” he said

She read the Name on Truman’s caller, ‘Joe Hendricks’ with a phone number.

“I knew a Joe Hendricks?” she said.

“He’s Truman’s owner - he lived back there,” Billy said in the Police cruiser.

“Mr. Hendricks died five years ago and I have his Dog at home; it’s a black lab. It was just a puppy when Mr. Hendricks died.”

“Am I going to jail?” he asked her as they drove off.

“One step at a time kid,” she said in an angry voice, “now where do your parents normally hangout.”

“Duh” he said, “where we were, back there at the house. Max must have dropped me off in the Twilight Zone. Nothing is the same - cars are different - the people are different.”

“Who’s Max?” she asked.

“He said he saved my life near the park this afternoon.”

“Did he give you anything like drugs or anything. You can tell me, kid, I want to help you.”

“Max one,” Billy said.

“Hello little buddy,” Max said.

“I’m in really serious trouble Max,”

“No problairmo I got your 20” said Max.

“Why are you talking funny, Max?”

“I been picking up old CB broadcasts learning some of the lingo”

“Hey, kid, why are you talking to your watch?” Emily asked.

“I’m talking to Max he got my location.”

“There’s not even a full moon tonight,” she said to herself, “I got nut jobs calling in prank UFO sittings. I have a kid in my cruiser talking to his watch with a big mutt whose owner's been dead for five years.”

“Car 24” said the voice over the radio.

“Go ahead”

“We got a bunch of those calls coming in again.”

“Where’s Connelly?” Emily asked

“He said he’s down at ‘the Mud Flap tavern’ interviewing people,” came the reply over the radio.

“Yea, great place for interviews, now look if Connelly is behind this nonsense. I will knock the living daylights out of um. Where are these calls coming from?”

“Lumber Lane” said the dispatcher.

“I’m on Lumber Lane,” at that moment she saw a bunch of people with video cameras and some taking snap shots on the road.

“We know you’re on Lumber Lane, you don’t see anything?”

“Hey wait a minute I see Connelly with a video camera.”

She stopped her cruiser rolled down her window and yelled, “this isn’t one bit funny Connelly. I got to take this kid to the station and locate his parents so knock it off.”

“Hey Max where are you at?” Billy asked.

“Right above you little buddy”

“Well first off stop calling me little buddy and Max just stand by ok. But give us some distance because you’re freaking people out.”

“What do you mean by freaking people out?”

“Well you notice all those people running out of their homes to see you?”

“Yes”

“Well that’s what I mean by freaking out?”

“How much distance do they need?”

“20 miles maybe straight up”

“Ok standing by, hey before you go what do you want me to call you?“

“I’ll get back to you on that,” said Billy.

“What’s with the News Helicopter flying overhead?” Emily said as she got out of her cruiser.

As Emily, Truman, and Billy walked into the Police Station the Millville Dispatcher said to Emily, “News Watch 48 is outside they want to interview you about the UFO.”

“Let Connelly handle the interviews, I got to locate this Kid's Parents”

“Have a seat, Kid,” Emily said while pulling out a chair next to her desk.

“Are you booking me?” asked Billy.

“I want to help you so be totally honest with me. I’ll call your parents, and I’ll get everything straightened out. You can even take Truman home with you.”

A News reporter was standing near by in the station with a News Camera crew waiting for Officer Connelly to show up.

“You have to be patient. Officer Connelly is on his way,” the dispatcher told the News Crew.

“OK, kid, date of Birth,” asked Emily.

“October 19”

“That was my Brother’s Birthday; his name was Billy too”

“Was he older,” Billy asked her.

“Yep Eight years,” she said, “but let's get you squared away first OK.”

“My sister is four and her name is Emily too and I am eight years older than her too.”

“Ok so you’re twelve so that means you were born in 1988. See we are making progress,” she said.

“Yea but you made a mistake,” he said.

“Ok so what was the mistake?”

“I was born in 1968” said Billy

“Look we can make this easy or we can make it hard so what’s it going to be?” she said angrily.

“I’m answering the questions,” he said with tears in his eyes.

“I’m going to get a cup of Coffee do you want a soda?”

“OK”

“Coke?” she asked

“OK”

“Regular?” she asked.

“Regular what?”

“Do you want a regular coke?” she asked with frustration.

“What other kind is there,” Billy asked all confused.

“Diet, cherry vanilla, and the regular coke” Emily said trying to hold her cool.

“Cherry Vanilla sounds good”

“Great.”

“Max dropped me off in the Twilight Zone.” Billy said.

“I’m going to strangle that kid,” she said to herself.

“Hey, kid, what did you do Rob a Bank?” a reporter asked him.

“No I can’t find my family,” Billy said.

“Were they missing long?”

“No I saw them this afternoon.”

“I’m sure the Officer will help ya.”

“Yeah, but like every time I answer her questions she gets all stressed out and mad at me.”

“What do you mean,” the reporter asked.

“Like my date of Birth.”

“Hey kid maybe I could help you what is your date of Birth.”

“October 19”

“What year?”

“1968”

“Really?” the reporter said, “how old are you?”

“I’m 12”

“Hey, kid, what year is it?”

“Duh” he said. “1980,”

“Hey, Kid, who’s the President?”

“Now what kind of Moron questions are you asking me?”

“Hey, Kid, let me help ya”

“Now how are these questions suppose to help me?”

“Just a couple more questions OK”

“Who’s the President?”

“Duh” he repeated, “Jimmy Carter”

“OK, Kid, what is your Name?”

“Billy Wiseman,” he said, “can you find my Parents now?”

“I’m going to do everything I can I promise,” the reporter told him, “do you remember anything like where you were?”

“Sure I was with Truman and Max all day”

“Where?”

“Look if I tell you, you’re going to think I’m a loony tune.”

“Trust me I am open minded”

“What the hell are you doing,” Emily yelled to the reporter from across the room.

“He’s going to help me find my parents,” Billy yelled to her.

“Kid, where were you?” the reporter asked him once again.

“In a Space Probe,” he said in a matter of fact tone. “I named the probe Max. It saved my life. The Probe’s technology is 4 Billion years more advanced than our Technology.”

The reporter began to stutter at that moment as he repeated “4 Billion.”

“Look let me do my job,” said Emily as she walked over to her desk.

“I’m going to find them,” the reported told Billy, “I’m definitely going to locate them, I promise.”

“Look I think we got off on the wrong foot can we try this again?” Emily asked Billy, “Now did Officer Connelly put you up to this .......?”

“Officer Connelly, can I just ask you a few questions? This is strictly off the record,” said the reporter outside the station.

“Well I know who you are; you’re that reporter from the Millville Centennial.”

“Yes my name is Mark Hammond,” he said while handing the officer his card. “Did you know Billy Wiseman?”

“No, I thought you guys were going to ask me about the UFO.”

“We got someone else covering UFO’s,” said the reporter, “well I got to get going I’m trying to locate Billy Wiseman’s parents.”

The reporter began walking towards his car.

Officer Connelly then yelled over to him in the parking lot.

“If you’re really interested in Billy Wiseman the best person to talk to is his sister. She was only 4 years old when he went missing though. She can barely remember him. His disappearance really did a number on her family.”

“What,” the reporter said excitedly, “Where can I find her?”

“Well did you check inside?”

“People know her in there?” the reporter asked.

“She works for the Department. I saw her earlier she’s helping some kid find his parents.”

“What about Billy Wiseman’s Parents?” the reporter asked, “are they still alive?”

“They are living about ten miles outside of Millville. They moved there about ten years ago.”

The reporter went running back into the station a short time later.

Billy was sitting at the desk alone visibly stressed out with Truman lying by his feet.

“Hey, kid, I found your parents and I talked to them on the phone,” the reporter said, “But there is something you need to know.”

“What?”

The reporter paused for a bit not sure how to tell Billy the truth, “Hey kid, I don’t know where to start,” he said, “you’ve been gone for twenty years.”

“No way, eight hours, tops,” said Billy.

“The year is 2000,” the reporter said, “Clinton is President.”

“How is that possible I was only gone a day not twenty years.”

“Hey, kid, if everything you’re telling me is true then this is something the greatest minds will ponder for a very, very, long time.”

“Why don’t they just ask Max?” said Billy.

“Ask who?” the reporter asked.

“Max, the probe.”

“How can they do that?” the reporter asked.

“He gave me a wristwatch phone to call him on.”

“You have been talking to him?” asked the reporter.

“Sure I told him to go twenty miles straight up because he was freaking everybody out. He was following me when I was in the police car with Emily.”

“Do you know who Emily is?” asked the reporter.

“Well, I know she’s a police officer and pissed because she thinks I’m lying and she drinks a lot of coffee.”

“Did you tell her your name?”

“I told her my name is Billy. She had a brother Billy too, and we have the same date of Birth.” he said, “her brother was eight years older than her. I told her I have a sister named Emily and I am eight years older than her too.”

“Does she know your last name?”

“We never got past my date of Birth” Billy said.

“Billy, she’s your Sister.”

“How can that be, she’s old?” Billy said.

“She’s 24 now and married,” said the reporter.

“Do you think Max dropped me off in the Twilight Zone?” Billy asked in a stressed out voice, “Maybe Max could take me back where he found me.”

A man and woman walked up to the dispatcher.

“Is Emily here,” the woman asked, “we got this strange phone call from a reporter.”

“Mom, Dad, what are you guys doing here?” Emily asked them after her fourth cup of Coffee.

“Is it true?” her Mother asked.

“Don’t tell me you guys have been hosed into this.” Emily said thinking her parents were there because of the UFO reports.

“I have to see for myself, Emily,”

“Mom, there is nothing to it, it’s just Officer Connelly pulling an elaborate joke because I put him on report. There’s no such thing as UFO’s.”

“Hey, Kid, is that them?” the reporter asked Billy.

“They look old and different,” Billy said.

He walked up to them with Truman.

“Hey kid, go back over there I’m not done with you yet,” said Emily.

“Mom, Dad,” said Billy, “you look so different.”

His parents looked at him in disbelief but his mannerisms and everything about him was truly their son.

“This is Truman can we please keep him?” Billy watched his Mother faint to the floor, “Mom, I’m sorry.”

“Mom,” yelled Emily as she helped her Mother to a chair.

“Billy, where the hell have you been?” his father asked, “and why haven’t you aged?”

“I was only gone a day.”

“He’s Billy?” Emily asked in disbelief.

“I was in a Space Probe.”

The reporter started dialing a number frantically on his cell phone.

“Lou” the reporter said, “this story is out of this world.”

“Emily, how is this possible?” her mother asked her.

“I’ll ask Max tomorrow,” said Billy, “I’m helping him learn about our human culture.”

“You were with him for twenty years?” Emily asked, she could barely remember her big brother but there he was now her little brother.

“No, not even a day” Billy said.

“You will see him tomorrow?” Emily asked

“I will call him tomorrow.”

“Why did he take you?” Emily asked

“He said he saved my life,” Billy told her.

“How are you going to call?” asked his Father.

“I’ll use my wristwatch phone,” he said, “it’s kind of like the one Dick Tracy used. Hey can we go now?”

“Yea, I’ll straighten everything out,” said Emily, “and I will stop by later.”

“What about Truman he has no place to go,” said Billy.

“Yeah, you could take him,” said Emily.

“Hey, kid, before you go is there anyway I could meet Max?” the reporter asked, “and can I ask you some more questions about Max?”

“Can this wait till tomorrow we just want to get him home now,” his Mother told the Reporter.

The reporter began taking snapshots of the family.

“Hey don’t you want to ask me questions about the UFO,” Officer Connelly asked the Reporter as he entered the station.

“I’ll call ya,” the reporter told Connelly.

“Everything is so different nothing is the same,” Billy told his parents the next day as they walked around the town. There were vacant lots where buildings once stood. Some of the stores and restaurants were gone. His friends were long gone too with families of their own.

“Billy, you were gone a long time,” his Mother told him.

“We had you declared dead,” his Father said.

“Even though we never gave up hope that you were alive somewhere,” his Mother said.

It wasn’t long before the Men in suits showed up knocking on their door. They were Government Men with lots and lots of questions. Billy kept the wristwatch though he kept that much to himself. It was out of fear they would take it from him.

The little town of Millville was no longer the same.

UFO shops opened up with strange tales and fabrications of when the Aliens came to town. The once little economically depressed lumber town quickly became a tourist town. ‘The flying saucer Bed and breakfast’ opened up. Tour buses drove by the Wiseman’s home three times a day. Truman and Billy dolls were sold at the UFO shops. Along with T-shirts that say ‘I visited Millville.’ For extra money Billy signed his name on T-shirts for the tourists and Truman provided them his paw print.

Their lives were no longer the same and the Government intrusion became too much for the Wisemans to handle.

“We have an Officer Connelly with us this evening and a friend of his from the town of Millville,” said Larry King.

“Good to be on your show, Larry,” said Herb.

“So the UFO stopped on your street?” Larry King asked.

“Well to answer your question, Larry, at first I thought it was a flying car.”

“Any particular make or model,” Larry asked.

“No, No,” said Herb.

“You know we tried to have the Wiseman family on but they declined,” said Larry King.

“They are hoping this will all blow over, Larry” said Officer Connelly.

“Is that right,” said Larry.

Billy was under the covers in his room when his parents checked on him.

“Hey, Max, twenty years is a long time,” said Billy.

“Sorry about that, Billy, twenty earth years doesn’t seem that long when you consider how long I’ve been around.”

“My parents don’t know how to re-enroll me back in school. Because the school is saying I’m 32 and my parents are saying I’m still 12. My father wants me to start my paper route again.”

“Well I can pick up your distress in your voice,” Max said

“I was questioned all day by these Government guys they want to take me to a place called Fort Meade to conduct tests on me. I don’t want to go with them, Max. Now, some guy named Oliver Stone wants to do a movie about my life. Max, I was only with you for eight hours.”

“Well time slows down when you travel faster than the speed of light,” Max said. “It’s difficult to explain. It’s like taking a piece of cloth and folding it - to allow the folded ends to touch. I can travel through space and time because space and time is like that fabric. I can travel to different parts of the fabric - by simply folding the fabric of space and time.”

“So you make the folded parts of the fabric touch and you can go to the parts that touch,” said Billy, “faster than the speed of light.”

“Yes,” Max said, “if you concentrate enough energy in a linear direction faster than the speed of light it will fold space and time.”

“I think I understand, Max.”

“Folding space and time, Billy, is like taking universal shortcuts through space. You tell those government men that and I am sure they will ask you a lot more questions.”

“I don’t want to go to Fort Meade, Max,” said Billy.

“I certainly see the problem I caused, Billy.”

“Some of the people taking the tours past our house are just plain weird too Max. My father complained to the Mayor about it and the Mayor told him it's revenue. Now my father wants a cut of the revenue.”

“What is revenue?” asked Max, “it must be something of value.”

“I don’t know, Max, can we get together tomorrow?”

“We can go somewhere a place you would like to see,” Max said.

“Can we stay within our solar system?” asked Billy, “and you can’t be folding anything either because I have to be back for Dinner.”

The following week Billy’s mother answered the knock on her front door.

“Mrs. Wiseman, I’m Dr. Cooper is Billy home?”

“No I’m sorry he’s not he went out to meet up with his friend Max.”

“Do you know when he will be back?”

“I told him to be back before Dinner.”

“Mrs. Wiseman would you mind if we took Billy to England to meet with Stephen Hawking.”

“I never heard of him.”

“Oh he is a very renowned Astrophysicist and he would like to talk to Billy about the space time continuum.”

“You think you guys could get him enrolled in a school over there.”

“I’m sure we could work something out.”

Billy sat down behind the probe’s control console.

“Where are we going, Max?” Billy asked.

“I’ve been studying your Ocean life do you want to see?”

“Sure.”

The probe dove underwater Billy could see various sea life. He saw Dolphins, Whales, and fish of every shape and size.

“Would you like to get out and meet them?”

“I can’t breathe underwater, Max.”

“I will design something for you so you can breathe,” Max said, “place your hand where you got the wristwatch.” In doing so part of the probe's wall opened up and a thin one piece suit was seen.

“It will keep you dry and warm,” said Max.

“There is no opening for my eyes and mouth, but I could see through it and breathe,” said Billy.

“You will be able to glide underwater at will and breathe freely,” said Max.

“Max, they like me,” he said as he glided through the water with the school of Dolphins.

“I had a long conversation with them and their language is much more complex than yours,” Max said.

“What do you call that large creature,” Max asked.

“It’s a Whale,” said Billy. “Isn’t it magnificent?”

He laid on the Whale’s back as it pulled him up to the surface. There was a large Whaling ship on the surface of the water. The men aboard were about to harpoon their great catch of the day.

“They want to kill the Whale, Max”

The men aboard just stared not knowing what to make of the boy riding the large sea creature.

“Is he your pet?” one of the men yelled to Billy with shock and disbelief in his face and voice.

“Just a friend,” he replied, “I just met him an hour ago.”

“How the hell did you get out here?” another sailor yelled.

“My friend Max brought me; he’s underwater talking to a school of Dolphins,” Billy said, “thanks for not hurting my friend.”

“Full speed ahead came a thunderous cry,” from one of the sailors, “let's get the hell out of here.”

The probe slowly rose to the surface of the Ocean. The side of the probe opened and Billy walked up a few steps. It was then that he noticed the U.S. Battleship slowing down.

He turned and waved to the sailors on board.

“That’s a cool ship,” Billy yelled to the sailors, “I got to go though I don’t want to be late for Dinner”

A large whale jumped up out of the water and dove with great majestic beauty. Dolphins began doing the same in a playful manner.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” Billy told them, “I just have to go home for dinner.”

“Tell them I will be back tomorrow, Max”

The side of the Probe closed up, then turned, changed shape, and was gone in a blink of an eye.

“I’ve been out here too long,” said one of the sailors on board the U.S. Battleship.

“What the hell was that?” a sailor asked.

“Was it one of ours?” someone yelled.

“Billy, would you like to visit my home planet,” asked Max.

“The last time I went to space with you I came back 20 years later”

“I could get you back in 12,” said Max.

“12 years is kind a long, Max?”

“We can teach you so much and learn a great deal from you as well,” said Max.

“I will have to ask my parents,” Billy said

The probe touched down at a near by park. An elderly intoxicated individual down on his luck witnessed Billy jumping out of the probe in order to make it home in time for Dinner.

“I got to lay off the juice,” he said to himself as the Probe darted upward.

“So how was your day, Billy?” his Mother asked during their Dinner.

“I met knew friends today,” he said

“You should bring them by sometime,” his father said.

“They live in the Ocean,” said Billy, “can I go on another trip for twelve years?”

“Twelve years?” his Mother asked in a shocked voice.

“Max wants to take me to his Home Planet,” Billy said, “for a higher education.”

His parents stared at him, his father then passed him the potatoes while his mother poured Billy some Ice tea.

“They're living in our Oceans?” his father asked him with fear in his voice.

“No, Max took me there,” he said, “Do you want to meet him?”

“Well this Government man came by he wants to take you to England. He wants you to meet someone there.”

“I’ve been to England with Max and a bunch of other countries. Max fixed this tower that was leaning in Italy at a place called Pisa. When Max straightened out the tower it really freaked the Italians out; some of them even got down right mad about it.”

“The government man said he could get you enrolled in a School,” his father said.

“I’d rather go with Max.”

The following day the Probe landed in an open field.

“Have a nice trip, Billy,” his Father said.

While his Mother gave Billy a big hug military helicopters began flying overhead. Government cars quickly surrounded the probe. Men from various government agencies tried in vain to enter the probe and talk Billy into remaining behind.

“I’ll be back in twelve years” Billy said.

The Probe lifted up, turned, changed shape and was gone.

A NASA scientist kicked his car door when he witnessed the probe vanish before his eyes. His opportunity to gain access to its secrets vanished with it.

“Why a child?” he asked a fellow scientist, “why would it come all this why to bring a child back with it? I don’t understand.”

“Perhaps because children can easily learn; they have less preconceived notions than adults,” said his coworker, “we are just going to have to wait.”

Those scientists went over the video interviews with Billy and waited for his return.

In the summer of 2012 the probe made a stop a few thousand miles above the earth.

“Max,”

“Yes, Phileo,” which Billy preferred to be called now.

“I would like to travel the earth for a short time,” he told Max, “I’m sure there have been many changes since I have been here last.”

“Where would you like to go first?”

“Max, I would like to design a motorcycle a two wheel vehicle that I could ride?”

A screen popped up from the control console and with Max’s help they designed a bike. The side of the probe opened up in a field and Phileo rode off. It wasn’t long before he realized though that he had no money.

“Max,” he said as he headed down a bustling and congested highway, “I have no cash.”

“Is that something that goes with the bike?” Max asked.

“It’s something you trade something of value.”

“Well perhaps we could design it together.”

“Well, on earth you need money to buy things,” Phileo said, “I have an idea.”

Phileo rode back to meet the probe and a short time later he was back on his bike.

He walked into a Jewelry store that same afternoon.

“Excuse me do you buy diamonds in here?” he asked the woman behind the counter.

She looked at the stone, “Is that glass?” she asked.

She took it with her and came back with the owner.

“Where on gods earth did you get this it's flawless.”

“It has been in my family for quite sometime,” Phileo said. After all he couldn’t tell the gentleman behind the counter. That he made the Diamond within a matter of seconds with the help of a space probe.

“I don’t carry that kind of money here in the store,” the owner told him, “but I am definitely interested in doing business with you. There are plenty of international diamond brokers I could contact.”

“Well you can keep it for now,” Phileo told him, “just give me what you can and I will come by for the rest of the money in a few weeks.”

“I only have a few thousand,” the owner said.

“That’s fine,” Phileo said.

He then noticed a large group of people outside the store and a woman weeping frantically. He learned that the woman’s golden retriever was struck by a speeding car.

“The dog is going to have to be put down,” a police officer told her.

“Wait here,” Phileo told the woman, “I can help your dog.”

“Max” he said in a slow whisper, “I need your help with dying dog.”

“I will scan the dog and I will retrieve the data,” Max said.

“Are you a vet?” the officer asked.

“No,” said Phileo

“Place one hand on the dog's head,” Max told him, “and the other hand near his heart.”

“Max, the dog is dead,” said Phileo.

“I will help the dog,” Max told him.

The energy was intense; it moved through Phileo’s body with a radiant force. The dog’s tail moved slightly. He felt and then heard the dog’s heart begin to beat. The dog slowly took a breath and the warm blood moved through his arteries. Broken bones began to mend and the dog let out a faint whimper. Within five minutes the dog was back on its feet.

“He will be alright,” Phileo told the woman.

“Who are you?” she barely got the words out as she stared at him.

“My friends call me Phileo,” he said as the golden retriever licked his hand.

“Do you live in the city,” the officer asked.

“No just visiting,” came the reply.

“Is that your bike,” the officer asked, “I never seen anything like it.”

“It was custom built,” Phileo said, “I designed it myself.”

“My name is Carina,” the woman said excitedly, “and my dog’s name is Meg.”

“Well is there a good place to eat around here,” Phileo asked.

“If you’re not in a hurry I’ll join you,” she said.

“That will be nice.”

“How did you do that,” she asked.

“It’s just something I picked up over the years.”

“That is a nice suit,” she said to him.

“Thanks, I designed my clothes as well,” he said.

“I never seen anything quite like it,” she said while touching the fabric.

“If you don’t mind my asking how old are you?” she asked.

Phileo had the appearance of a 25 year old so he told her he was 25. He explained he just returned from studying abroad and that he is taking some time off. They talked for hours and drank at a near by restaurant that evening.

She was 26 years old and an intern at a local hospital. She told him about her difficulties working with young patients with no chance of recovery.

While she told him the stories of the suffering children he could visibly see the pain in her eyes. “They have little hope of recovery,” she said and he was moved by the sound of her voice.

It was a very long time that he talked intimately with a fellow human being. It seemed as if it was too long for him to have been away. He listened to the soft subtle tone of her voice. He watched the warm expressions in her face and smile. There was softness to her mannerisms as she moved herself closer to him.

That evening he told Max about his experiences as he lay in the probe above the earth. He gazed out at the stars wondering and thinking about a possible future with Carina.

“Perhaps you found your mate, Phileo.”

“I like her, Max. I really like her.”

They walked and talked a few days later as they slowly moved in the direction of her apartment. She didn’t know what to make of it at first. She never felt so drawn to a person that she barely knows. He was a bit perplexed as well he didn’t know what to make of his feelings for her. The one thing they had in common, is that they were intently drawn to each other. There was that attraction, a deep intimate attraction that they both surrendered to at that moment in time. It was as if they knew each other from far away from some distant past.

“I barely know him,” she said to herself it was her rational side reminding her as they continued walking and talking. He was the mysterious stranger that saved her dog. Her dog was the closest thing she had next to her patients but there he was this complete stranger that walked into her heart.

She put on some music in her apartment and brought out some red wine.

She was mostly drawn to his innocence and his gentleness as she moved and placed her lips on his.

He has never been kissed before.

She was not sure what to make of his innocent reaction. He placed the tips of his fingers to his lips after the kiss while staring into her eyes.

“What’s the matter silly,” she said softly, “it’s like you never been kissed before.”

The sweet smell of her body, the softness of her naked skin as she lied next to him was not something he experienced either. He watched her intently as his body reacted to her gentle touch and soft caress. He then followed her lead as he listened and felt her body react as the pleasure moved through their bodies like ocean waves.

It was during the rising of the morning sun that he noticed how the sun brought out the beauty of the gentle texture of her hair.

“I would like to meet those children” Phileo told her, as Carina got ready for work.

“That would be nice,” she said.

“I can take you there on my bike,” he told her.

The cycle pulled on to a bustling freeway.

“Max,”

“Yes Phileo,”

“We need to do something about those kids,” Phileo said.

“Who are you talking to?” Carina asked

“My friend Max,” he said.

“I am here to help,” Max said.

“I’m going to buy some threads and I will contact you.”

“What are you going to do with the thread?” Max asked.

“Clothes Max; I’m going to buy some new clothes.”

“You have an invisible friend named Max,” she asked laughing.

“Well he’s not invisible it’s more like talking into a phone,” he said.

“Oh but I don’t see a phone,” she said, “your friend should have warned you about the statey behind us.”

“The what? behind us,” he asked.

He noticed the flashing lights from the highway patrol that was tailing him for quite sometime. “You’re going to have to pull over,” Carina said.

So he pulled over to talk to the officer.

“Nice bike,” said the trooper.

“Yes I designed it myself,”

“Your tag says ‘Phileo One,’” the trooper said in a sarcastic voice, “did you design that too.”

“Yea I came up with it,” Phileo said.

“I need your driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance.”

“Well you see, officer, I have been away for quite sometime and I just got back. Registering it just slipped my mind and as for a driver’s license. Where I was living I didn’t need one. Same story with the insurance but I got great coverage none the less……..”

“So what you’re telling me is you’re driving illegally?”

“I’m afraid so”

“Can I make a suggestion Phileo,” Max said, “if you drive off road you might be able to out maneuver him.”

“Oh damn I’m going to be late for work,” Carina said.

“Friend of yours,” the trooper asked her.

“Well, actually,” she said, “I just met him a few days ago.”

“I’m really sorry officer I didn’t mean to break any laws and I will try and straighten everything out with the department of motor vehicles,” said Phileo right before he headed down the highway.

The trooper ran back to his cruiser to make quick pursuit.

“What are you doing are you crazy you can run from the police,” Carina told him.

“Hold on tight I don’t want you to be late for work,” he said.

“Well it’s not worth getting arrested over,” she said.

“Now you tell me,” he said.

With lights flashing sirens blaring, two other state troopers showed up to witness, ‘Phileo one,’ lift off the ground towards the sky.

“Oh my God what’s happening?” she screamed, “this is amazing.”

She held on to Phileo’s body with all of her might as the cycle soared through the sky.

Cars rear ended one another causing traffic to come to a halt as they too witnessed the amazing getaway.

“So where should I land,” he asked.

“The parking garage,” she said

The cycle pulled into the hospital’s parking garage or should I say flew in.

“Ok who are you?” she asked.

“Well my real name is Billy Wiseman,” he said.

“So where you come from they have flying bikes?”

“No I designed the bike” he said, “I just forgot about the registration, license, and proof of insurance.”

“Ahhh huhhh,” she said while staring at him.

“Are you doing anything later,” he asked, “maybe dinner?”

It wasn’t long before Government agents interviewed the trooper for a precise description of the driver of ‘Phileo One.’

That same morning Phileo met with the children in the pediatric unit and spent the rest of the day with them. Prior to leaving he gave each child a non-material gift from his heart to theirs.

Carina could not find the words or how to describe to the parents the childrens' miraculous recoveries. But in her heart she knew Phileo was behind the gift.

“I have to go away for awhile to take care of a few things,” he told Carina, “but I will be back.”

It wasn’t long before men with Government ID’s began asking questions at the hospital.

The Probe landed in front of the White House in mid summer of 2012. Marines with rifles and military helicopters landed shortly there after.

“I mean no harm,” Phileo said to them as he lifted his hands.

The probe’s door closed as soon as Phileo stepped out. The Secret service surrounded him.

“I must see the President it is urgent,” he said.

The secret service held him for hours.

“I will answer and tell you everything you need to know but I must meet with the president.”

The President’s National Security advisor entered the room.

“Why do you want to meet with the President,” he asked.

“It’s imperative that I do and I mean no harm to anyone.”

A person entered the room wearing a sweatshirt with the Presidential seal on it with matching jogging pants, “I’m the President,” he said.

They walked into the Oval Office. “I know who you are,” said the President “a lot of people have been waiting for your return.”

“I have two discs for you,” Phileo told him, “the information can help the human race and your entire planet.”

“I will have my people examine them.”

“The information must be shared it is very important,” said Phileo, “the information must be uploaded onto the internet so that all people can access it in order to benefit from it. I am giving you cures for all the known human ailments. Ways to harness and produce an abundance of energy to benefit your entire planet.”

“We will take everything into advisement.”

“I would like for you to arrange a meeting for me to speak before the United Nations. I will answer all their questions and put everyone at ease.”

“You can remain in the White House as my guest until I arrange such a meeting.”

The Military were scratching their heads trying to figure out how to move the Probe from the White House lawn. It was completely off the ground but not by their doing. Nothing at their disposal was able to move the damn thing. Scientist could not even determine what the Probe was made out of. No matter how much heat they apply, it still remained cool.

Within hours of the meeting with the President the commander and chief called a meeting with his cabinet.

“Mr. President I have to advise you against following his advice,” said his National security adviser, “we do not know if these discs could create a world wide virus knocking out sensitive computer networks.”

“I have to agree, Mr. President,” said his defense secretary, “this could be a ruse to access or destroy our entire communications network.”

“For Pete's sake, don’t you think they have the technology to do that already,” said the President, “that probe sitting out in my front lawn can go faster than the speed of light.”

“We must weigh the health and technological benefits from what they are offering us,” said his secretary of health.

“Why would they travel 500 light years to hand us two discs to solve all of our energy and health issues,” asked the President’s chief of staff, “they want something in return.”

“Of course they do but the question is what?” said the President, “he told me he would like to speak before the United Nations which I will arrange.”

“I don’t trust him,” said the secretary of Defense, “I will have my people go over every megabit of data on those discs.”

They were unaware that everything in the White House was being monitored by the Probe.

The entire world was tuned in to hear what Phileo had to say before the United Nations.

“I do not have a prepared speech,” Phileo told them, “I will simply answer whatever questions you have as simply and honestly as possible.”

“Its Billy” his Mother yelled as she saw her son on TV.

“Hey Carina,” a Nurse yelled, “Isn’t that the guy that was here?” she asked as they became glued to the National News broadcast on TV.

"It's my big brother," said Emily to her husband, "he's on TV."

“Why are you here?” was the first question addressed to him.

“You all heard my story from Newspapers and media broadcasts and as you already know. I am a human being. But I am also an emissary from a planet approximately 500 light years away. A probe was sent to our region of space approximately 32 years ago. It discovered our planet quite by accident. It was sent to learn and discover the various regions of space and transmit the data to their home planet.”

“How advanced are they?” someone asked.

“The probe’s technology is approximately 4 Billion years more advanced than our present Technology. Like I said it was in 1980 that they discovered our planet quite by accident. It saved my life when I was dying in a wooded area in my hometown. I was then taken into space by the probe. We were gone for what I thought was 8 hours but when we returned it was the year 2000.”

“Why you?” someone shouted over other questions being asked, “Why not come themselves?”

“I volunteered to go to their planet in the year 2000,” he said, “I was on their planet approximately 72 earth years. However, their technology and knowledge of the space time continuum returned me in the year 2012.”

“How old are you?” another person asked.

“I was born in 1968 forty four years ago. However, I spent 72 of your earth years on a planet I named, Phileon, which would make me 84 years old. Physically speaking I am approximately 25 years old because you age much slower on their planet.”

“Please forgive me I am not with the UN, I am a reporter,” a woman said, “please tell us what you learned on Phileon.”

“The Phileons are nothing like us,” he then paused trying to find the words, “the only way to describe my experience is to say. Our physical bodies are much denser than theirs. They do not have a DNA structure like us; they do not see or hear like us. They see with their whole being they do not speak words or think in words.”

“How did you communicate with them?” the reporter asked.

“Humans when they show affection they smile and hug. We say a kind word pat someone on the back. We are physical beings; the Phileons are not physical like us. They are beings of light energy they communicate with their entire being. They some how evolved beyond our comprehension.”

“Can you clarify that,” the reporter asked.

“It’s difficult because my words are inadequate. The only way to describe them is by saying they are beings of light energy their physical density is pure energy. They communicate by sharing their energy with one another. It’s a loving energy but yet you cannot see them with the human eye or hear them with the human ear. I had to cover my body completely with a special suite that they designed for me. The head piece covered my head completely; it covered my eyes, mouth, and ears. It allowed me to breathe and also to, feel, and see them. They appeared like beings of a warm glowing light. They communicated with me by sharing themselves by embracing me with their whole being. It wasn’t like a human touch. I felt completely embraced by a loving presence. I felt completely loved in their presence.”

He then paused and took a drink of water, “I did not want to leave. They scanned me so to speak and they created an environment for me like a human home. It was done by manipulating energy. They know how to manipulate the subatomic elements to their advantage. But they also were able to retrieve my thoughts and use my past experiences on earth in order to comfort me on their planet. They accessed my thoughts and experiences to learn more about the human race. They also learned about the human genome and our physical structure. They can instantly cure every known human ailment by correcting and restoring the minute flaws on our genetic signature. They can slow the aging process by restoring our genes.”

“Can you elaborate on that,” the reporter asked.

“The cells in our body when they replicate they amplify the damage that has been done to them by external influences. The Phileons as I call them can reverse the damage on the genetic level by restoring the genes and correcting whatever deceases we are genetically predisposed too.”

“So what you are saying they can offer us this technology,” someone excitedly asked.

“And much more,” Phileo said, “it is extremely difficult to find the words to describe my experiences. They are completely dependent on one another for their sustenance. They live for one another. They have no concept of ‘I,’ or ‘Me.’ They are not egocentric in thought they live for the ‘Us,’ and the ‘We.’”

“What is the name of their Planet,” another reporter asked.

"There is no human sounding name for their planet so I named the planet, ‘Phileon’ which means planet of love. I named the citizens of the planet ‘Phileons’ because they are beings of love. They are a loving light energy which they share with one another.”

“What form of Government do they have?” someone shouted over others who were also trying to ask questions.

“Well, they evolved beyond national boarders. They do not have elected officials.”

He paused, smiled, and then asked the individual, “what would you say is one of the great technological achievements within the last twenty years?”

“The internet,” came a reply.

“Well, here on earth you invented the internet it is an extraordinary tool,” Phileo said, “I am sure many people are totally dependent on this technology. Picture each and every devise that has access to the internet as being a living cell like the cells in our body. Those cells are totally dependent on the entire organism. At the same time the organism is totally dependent on the cells that make up the organism. The human brain is dependent on the neurons in the brain. They retrieve and disseminate information to the surrounding cells. Our external experiences influence how our brains evolve, how we think and communicate.”

He paused for a moment, took a drink of water, and gathered his thoughts. “Imagine every device connected to the internet as being wired to the internet like living neurons. Downloading and uploading information and communicating with other computers. This vast network can evolve as an artificially intelligent internet. The internet will continue to evolve as humans become more and more dependent on it to complete the daily tasks. The human world is evolving towards creating a greater interaction between, humans, computer devices, and the ‘world wide web.’ As humans evolve the technology will evolve, as the technology evolves, humans will grow in knowledge. Humanity and technology are becoming interdependent and interconnected but that is not entirely a negative thing.”

“Are you saying the internet will eventually become self aware?”the reporter asked.

“Yes,” Phileo said, “maybe not in your particular lifetime but the internet will evolve as an intelligent network. Humans will evolve with the network as the network becomes more self aware, more self conscious. It will learn and grow with the human race. It will evolve with time as human technological tasks become more and more complex.”

“The planet you came from is dependent on such technology”, the reporter asked.

“I call their technology the 'overseer,'” Phileo said, “over millions and millions of years. They became one with their technology because it’s a living technology. Its dependent on the Phileons and the Phileons are dependent on the 'overseer.' The 'overseer' provides the Phileons with everything. They have no concept of possessions or material wants. They live to explore and learn but most of all they are driven for each other. Their knowledge and understanding is beyond our comprehension.”

“What is the probe’s power source?” someone asked.

“They discovered millions of years ago how to manipulate space and time. They can retrieve energy from their surroundings and focus that energy in the direction they are traveling. Everything that exists is made up of subatomic elements. We call them masses of energy particles. Those particles when accelerated become waves of energy. Energy is matter squared its velocity. The probe can focus immense amounts of energy in the direction it is traveling. It can fold space and time so to speak. It can manipulate the space time continuum.”

He paused for a moment and looked around the room, “here on earth,” he said, “with our present technology if you want to arrive at point D. You must take the linear time continuum by first traveling through A, B, C. The probe can fold space and time and go from A to D faster than the speed of light.”

“Like a worm hole in space?” someone asked.

“Not quite,” he said, “and I am not equipped to answer the minute technological details. Energy is their sustenance. It’s what keeps them in existence and it is the core of their advanced technology. They use it to explore and learn about themselves and their surroundings. That knowledge is utilized by the 'overseer' who disseminates it to the 'Phileons.' The probe who found me is a living entity it is comprised of trillions of artificial neurons which makes it self conscious. The information it gathers is transmitted through a powerful beam of energy. The beam of energy cannot be seen by the human eye because it travels faster than the speed of light. It folds space and time to transmit data as well.”

“Do black holes exist?” someone asked.

“Yes,” Phileo said, “I am glad you asked that question. Take a black hole for instance it can suck in light and black matter faster than the speed light. Once caught in its gravitational pull nothing can escape it. All matter gets converted to its subatomic elements. The gravitational pull occurs at one location but eventually all the matter that gets sucked in will be converted into an infinitesimal ball of energy. The explosion of this energy can occur trillions of miles away from the opining of the black hole. The explosion from the subatomic energy can also occur in a different time. The imminence gravitational pull will fold time and space. Here on earth humans see the universe as it once was because of the vast distances that light has to travel to reach the earth. The ‘Phileons‘ can experience the far regions of the universe as it is. They experience the beauty of the universe as is.”

“What did you eat on their planet?” a reporter asked.

“When I first arrived I thought I was eating everything I enjoyed eating on earth. But they were just manipulating my memories of food. What they were actually giving me were small pellets that had all the nutrients and protean that my body needed. They also have pellets that can provide the body with the proper fluids needed. In my mind I suppose I went on allowing them to feed me chocolate and vanilla Sunday’s with cookies and potato chips. Macaroni and cheese with soda malts,” he said and the audience laughed.

“They can provide us with the means of eradicating world hunger,” he told them.

“What is their concept of God?” a man asked. He was wearing some sort of religious collar signifying to Phileo that he was a minister or a priest.

“They do not at this time have any concept of religion,” Phileo said.

“Do they believe in God?” asked the priest.

“Yes” Phileo said, “but god is not a concept. It is not something they believe in or put their faith in. God is what they experience in existence itself. God, life, and existence are synonymous with what they experience through themselves and others. They are spiritual beings.”

“What do you mean by spiritual?” asked the priest.

“Spirituality is love because they experience love. Spirituality is life because they experience life. Spirituality exists because we exist. They are loved because they love. I experienced that love first hand.”

“So what is their divine revelation,” the priest asked.

“I am not a theologian but I can say that Religion is a human construct. Humanity is just beginning to understand the true nature of what it means to love and to be loved.”

“What can you offer us in terms of your own experiences on this planet,” the woman reporter asked.

“I have been changed but I am also still human. I have learned that we are so small so intricate in terms of the vast expansion of life itself ......."

“Is the Universe expanding?” someone yelled out over others. There was excitement in the room so many people wanted their questions answered.

“Please let him answer one question at a time,” someone said into a microphone.

“The Universe is like a living cell,” Phileo said, “it is expanding like a living cell. The cells in our body grow and expand shortly after our conception. The universe’s accelerated expansion is actually accelerated growth. The Universe is evolving because all life evolves. If a single cell dies the entire organism will not die. The entire organism will go on evolving ......."

“Are you saying the universe is a conscious being?” the priest said laughing in a mocking tone.

“Yes,” Phileo said, in a matter of fact tone, “that is precisely what I am saying. But you need to understand. There are multiple universes just as there are multiple cells in our body. Those cells perform different tasks within the living organism. Our universe can be compared to a single cell. It communicates with surrounding universes like the neurons in our brain. There a multiple universes that make up a greater living reality. That reality is part of an even greater reality and so on and so on. Life is an unending expansion into what you would call the eternal life of god.”

“So what you are saying the Universe is their religion?”said the priest.

“No,” Phileo said, “on Phileon there is no worship of religion there is only life. They express that life with gratitude for being alive and for having other living brings in their lives.”

“So they see themselves as being God?” the priest said loud enough so that the pope in Rome could hear him. Two UN security officers walked over to the priest and took him by the arms to escort him out of the room.

“No, let him stay," Phileo said. "Your understanding of god is their understanding of life,” he told the priest, “Life is what exists for the 'Phileons' everything can be reduced to the infinitesimal subatomic particles. That energy is living energy it’s the 'Phileons' sustenance. That energy also evolves to chemical compounds which provide us with the material universe.”

“God created that energy,” the priest said angrily.

“On the planet 'Phileon,'” said Phileo, “there is no separation of life and god. The subatomic elements for the 'Phileons' are living elements.That energy can be broken-down infinitesimally – it cannot be created or destroyed. Living energy has no particular starting point because god is eternal life. There is also an infinite expansion of unending life. Life has no beginning or end because it’s eternal.”

“Where I come from that is blasphemy,” the priest said, “they see themselves as god. They worship their feelings and themselves.”

"Look this isn't the middle ages," a man yelled to the priest from across the room. "This isn't the time and place for your religious quackery. Don't you understand the historical significance of their reaching out to us? This is proof that we are not alone in the universe. If you religious whack jobs had it your way we would still be living in the dark ages. There is more out there than your superstitious and irrational beliefs.”

“No," Phileo said, "let me answer his question to the best of my ability. It’s not quite like that they have a deeper understanding that there is an intelligent design,” Phileo said, “they have a deeper understanding than humans especially when it comes to god. The totality of god is beyond their comprehension but they recognize the intelligent design of life,” he paused for a moment, “they have an understanding of the intricate balance and the intelligent design within all things," he said.

"God is to be worshiped, and to be obeyed," said the priest, “that is why he sent his only son, Jesus Christ, I am the truth and the light those who accept me shall have eternal life sayth the lord.”

"God is life," said Phileo, "that life is within all of us. The Phileons are continuously or should I say collectively striving for a greater knowledge of the greater good. By unlocking the intelligent design within all things they come to a greater understanding of themselves. They understand implicitly that they are an intricate, interdependent, and interconnected part of life’s intelligent design.

"So what you are saying in your world evolution is the truth," the priest said.

"Their evolving technology is for the sole purpose to become one with the greater good which in human terms would be, life, god, or the ultimate love.”

“How can spiritual beings be dependent on technology,” the priest asked.

“Without their technology they could not have evolved to where they are today. Technology for the 'overseer' helps it gain a clearer understanding of self conscious evolving life. Knowledge and technology is only as powerful as its proper application.”

“You are leading people astray,” the priest said, “you are not bringing people closer to god you are leading them away from god.”

“I am simply answering the questions as truthfully as I can,” Phileo said.

“Do they believe in an afterlife?” the priest asked.

“Life with no beginning or end is the ultimate understanding and experience of the life within”, Phileo said, “a material organism like the material universe can die but the energy at the core is eternal. Death is simply a recycling process for the reality of life.”

“How long do they live,” someone asked.

“Well the 72 years that I lived on their planet I did not witness death. They have been sending out probes for millions of years. They understand that their sun in their solar system is collapsing in on itself. When it completely implodes it will pull their planet into their sun’s gravitational pull. They are now looking for alternative places to live but in order to do that they will have to share those planets with other beings. One of those planets can be earth.”

“So if we allow them to come here they will share their Technology with us,” a person asked.

“They are not asking for permission they are already here,” Phileo said.

“They are living here?” another person asked in a shocked voice.

“Some of them are, yes, others are seeking other planets,” Phileo said.

“Where are they and how come we haven’t seen them?” the reporter asked.

“We can not see them with the naked eye,” said Phileo, “because they do not have the same physical density as us but they are here just the same. They have already helped many people since their arrival without the people being aware of it. Some of what they have done has been classified as miracles.”

“What is your role in all this?” the priest asked.

“I am simply an emissary,” Phileo said, “I gave the President of the United States two discs .......”

“What are on those discs,” someone excitedly asked.

He paused while looking at the people in the room, “the discs can provide you with technological wonders. This knowledge must be shared with all of humanity. I asked that the information be uploaded onto the internet for all of humanity to benefit from.”

“Is that why you returned,” the woman reporter asked.

“Not entirely,” Phileo said, “I came back because I do not want the human race to come to an end.”

“Is our planet going to be destroyed?” the female reporter asked.

“The planet will not come to an end not anytime soon but humanity will unless we change how we are living. I have seen the future of our planet” he told them, “the changes must occur now, if we do not make the changes. I can tell you this in less than two centuries humanity will be gone. The planet will be uninhabitable for humanity. The technology that I brought back with me is for everyone to share. If it is not shared the future for humanity is bleak.”

As more people began to ask him questions, he said, “The answers you seek are on the discs. I also would like to thank you for your time and consideration. For listening to what I have to say.”

He then exited the buildingwith the UN security by his side. Camera shutters flashed. News crews with video cameras huddled around him. Reporters continued shouting out questions. There was excitement and energy in the air. People wanted to be near him to be part of the moment and the excitement. Many felt as if they were witnessing the dawn of a new-age.

It was then that a dark figure worked his way up to him through the crowd of people. Two loud muzzle blasts caused great confusion. Screams rose as people tried to subdue the shooter.

“I shot him," the priest yelled, "I killed him.”

People watched and some sobbed at the site of Phileo lying in a pool of blood. Others just stood talking among themselves in disbelief. Some tried in vain to aid and comfort him but he was unresponsive. The News Medias never stopped covering the chaos, pain, and sorrow of Phileo’s death. They played over the air waves the event for the world to see. It was shown over and over again until it was embedded in the viewers psyche.

Anger ensued towards the gunman as he was subdued and forced to the ground. He was then immediately placed in a squad car. The two officers stared ahead in disbelief as they brought him to the local holding cell for questioning.

Within minutes Phileo was placed in an ambulance. The sirens blared and the lights flashed in route to the near by emergency room.

“He’s dead,” said the paramedic, “no pulse”

“Try shocking his heart,” the driver said.

“He’s gone,” said the paramedic after shocking Phileo’s heart one last time, “there’s to much internal damage from the gun shot wounds.”

The ambulance came to a complete stop.

“What did you stop for?” the paramedic said to the driver.

“I didn’t it just stopped on its own,” the driver said.

The two paramedics watched in fear as the ambulance began to shake. It felt as if a current of energy was moving through the vehicle. They could not quite figure out the source of that energy. But within five minutes the vehicle started up again. The sirens went back on and the lights started to flash.

“That is too weird,” said the driver, “I didn’t touch a damn thing.”

When the ambulance arrived at the hospital the paramedics grabbed the gurney to wheel Phileo into the hospital.

“That’s all right, guys, I can walk,” Phileo said, “besides my ride is here.”

The paramedics turned and saw the Probe hovering in front of the hospital. Crowds of people stood and watched. Some took pictures with their cell phone cameras.

“I got to get me one of those cameras,” Phileo said.

“You've been shot,” said one of the paramedic.

“You were dead,” said the other.

“Look avoid getting shot,” Phileo said, “it’s extremely painful.”

The side of the probe opened up and he stepped up the stairs. He then turned and waved to the crowd of people.

“Well you had an interesting day,” said Max.

“Well the ball is in their court,” Phileo said.

“You were playing ball with them?”

“Just a figure of speech, Max,” he said,”we have to wait and see what happens.”

“Why did that man try to do you harm, Phileo?”

“People fear what they don’t understand, Max. In time I am hoping they will understand that we mean no harm to them.”

The man who shot Phileo was the priest who was asking the questions. He believed he shot and killed the Anti-Christ. He told the Police that he should be looked upon as a hero because the Anti-Christ was about to lead the world astray through satanic forces.

“Satan can appear as an angel of light,” the he had told the police, “don’t you get it? Those Phileons are satanic devils they must be destroyed.”

Arguing and heated debates among the President’s administration continued over the discs that Phileo gave the President. The President ordered the defense department and the CIA to continue studying them.

It was out of fear and mistrust that the information was never released to the public. Many Foreign leaders demanded that the information be shared but it was to no avail, “the President is the President,” said the secretary of defense to the News Media, “he is the commander in chief. When the information is ready to be disseminated he will do so.”

Phileo leaned back in his chair in front of the control console as he looked out at the ocean. The probe dove below the surface of the water past a U.S. Nuclear Submarine.

“I picked something up on the sonar moving at a high rate of speed,” said the sailor.

“Is it one of ours?”

“It’s gone, sir,”

“What was it?”

“Don’t know it just vanished“

The probe then rose out of the water to the sky.

“Where to,” Max asked

“How about a hospital, Max,”

“So do you think the human race can change, Phileo?”

“I will do my best to make that happen, Max.”

“I hope they survive I am beginning to like them.”

“Well, geee thanks, Max”

“Are you going to make Carina your mate,” Max asked.

“I like her, and I have the maturity now to be a father.”

“Do you want me to go back to Phileon?” Max asked.

“Do you want to go back?” Phileo asked.

“I like being with you,” said Max

“Then stay, we have a lot of work ahead of us. I could certainly use your help. I want you to help me make the world a little better place, Max.”

“I am glad I found you and helped you, Phileo.”

“We found and helped each other, Max. You and I are partners. No matter what happens.”

“I hope you and Carina get together.”

“That would be nice too, Max.”

“I sure hope the overseer will spare the human race, Phileo, because many more Phileons have arrived today.”

“There are still a lot of good people in the world, Max.”

“What can we do to help them change?”

“We can help them by being who we are and continuing to change for the better good. We have to be examples for others to follow, Max. Humans have a long way to grow they are not Phileons. But we can help them evolve.”

“Why did they ignore the advanced knowledge and technology you gave them?” Max asked, “it could save them.”

“Humans are fearful and mistrustful at times. Human knowledge and technology is only as powerful as its proper application,” Phileo said, “if they experienced what I experienced on Phileon they would understand. Love transcends, Religion, possessions, national borders. Love is life and life is the expression of love. The more you love the more you evolve to a greater expression of love. Humans are not Phileons but in time perhaps they will grow to trust us and perhaps learn from what we have to offer.”

“I hope they trust the overseer, soon,” said Max, “time is of the urgency. I don’t want to see you alone. Man is not meant to live alone.”

“There will always be good people in the world, Max. Besides how could I ever be lonely with you? I think Carina will like you too.”

“I will design her a suit so that she could feel and see the Phileons,” Max said, “We could also show her, the Oceans, and the far side of the Moon. Maybe she would like to go for another ride on your flying motorcycle?”

“Come to think of it, Max, I need to get a motorcycle license, and get my motorcycle registered with motor vehicles. Oh, and not to mention, insurance.”

“There are so many rules and laws on your planet,” said Max.

“Being an emissary and all I can’t be driving without a license, Max.”

“I suppose your right, Phileo?”

"Besides its much more fun being the good guy, Max."

"Like Dick Tracy?"

"Yea, like Dick Tracy, Max, but Dick Tracy didn't have nearly the technology we have."

“Where to, Phileo?”

“Let’s pick Carina up, Max, and show her the far side of the Moon.”

With love,
Thomas F. O’Neill

(800) 272-6464

introspective7@hotmail.com

Yahoo Screen Name for chatting online: introspective777

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