by Rob Mclean
He paused to take a sip of water. The people took a moment to quietly meditate on what they had just heard.
“There is always the possibility, and it is my personal hope, that the alien has heard of Jesus. They may have their own version of Jesus and have come to share with us. I ask you, do you think that would make all the atheists of the world change their minds?” Most of the congregation responded to this with good-natured laughter. “I’d like to think so,” he added.
“There is the theory that while Christ was walking this Earth, he was also simultaneously walking on every other planet in the universe that has intelligent life. In effect the aliens were having their salvation at the same time we were having ours. If that is the case, then we’ve nothing to fear.”
“I hope he’s right,” Clarice whispered to Angela.
“There is also the possibility that the aliens have not heard of Jesus. And this may be for one of three reasons.
Firstly,” he held one finger up high, “maybe they did not sin in their versions of the Garden of Eden. They would then have no ‘Original Sin’ and therefore no need of Salvation or of Jesus. If that were so, then with the wages of sin being death, they might be immortal.” The Pastor shook his head and frowned. “But I doubt this. If they are sinless and therefore immortal, then why would they risk their infinite lives by adventuring across the immense voids of space to a hostile, dangerous place like this? Perhaps it is because they can see we need help. Not just in the physical with pollution and wars, but in the spiritual as well. Perhaps they are here to spread God’s word. That would be more than enough reason to cross the vast voids of interstellar space.”
“Amen to that,” a voice spontaneously erupted. It was followed by a chorus of several more ‘amens.’ Pastor Greg smiled knowingly and held up his second finger. With that the room fell silent again.
“Another reason that they may have not heard of our Lord Jesus is a more sinister scenario. It could be that the aliens have their own entirely foreign religion and are here as missionaries themselves, to convert us to their ways.”
He paused and scanned the room, urging the congregation to think of that possibility.
“That would be hard for many to resist. They would argue that as they are surely more advanced technologically than us, they must be more advanced spiritually as well. They may present some alien God and force us, one way or another, subtly or directly, to worship it.
“And let me tell you, there are many people who most probably would. Many people would declare themselves ‘practical’ and ‘modern’ and quickly change their faith to suit. Mind you, if you were to ask those same people to change the football team they support, you might get a real fight on your hands.”
Cynical laughter floated around the room.
“Personally,” Pastor Greg raised his voice to a strident tone, “I would rather die and keep my faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, for I know that those who die in service of our Lord will reign with Christ for a thousand years.”
“Hallelujah!” someone shouted in the congregation. It was quickly followed by others. Pastor Greg let them vent their praises and waited until there was quiet once more.
He held up a third finger and continued. “It could also be that God created these intelligent aliens and deliberately did not tell them of Jesus, knowing full well that they would come here and receive His teachings. In that case it would be our duty and our calling to bring these creations of our Lord God to know the love of our Jesus Christ.”
More ‘hallelujahs’ followed from the people. Arms were held up high by some of the congregation and waved in praise. He waited and savoured the sight of his flock rejoicing in that imagery.
“Another possibility is that these aliens have heard the word of God and chosen to reject it. God has created intelligent non-humans before. It says so in the Bible. I am, of course, referring to Angels and the subsequent fallen Angels, the Demons.
“With the arrival of this alien vessel, it is tempting to call these times the beginning of the ‘End Times.’ Certainly it fulfils Scripture, as in Revelations 1:7 ‘Look, he is coming with the clouds and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him.
“I am very reluctant to say anything more about the ‘End Times’ prophecy. Preachers have been declaring it to be ‘The Last Days’ as far back as the first millennium. However, I would have to say that our chances of being right are looking pretty good.
“At the moment we don’t know very much about our visitors, except that, thank almighty God, they haven’t shown any hostile intentions. I dare say that by next Sunday we will know a lot more. We can only hope and pray in the meantime that we will not be mourning because of them.
“So join me now as we sing praise to our Lord.”
Angela joined in with the singing. She waved her hands in the air, closed her eyes and tried to feel the presence of God flow through her. She hoped and prayed that the aliens were all part of God’s plan for humanity. As much as she wished it otherwise, she felt in the depths of her soul a gnawing growing conviction that it wasn’t going to be so.
She wondered if anyone else in the congregation felt the same way too.
Chapter 16
John drove Jarred across town to the familiar neighbourhood of their youth. Although it had changed significantly in the years since they had left, it still brought back the bittersweet memories of their childhood.
They pulled up in front of their mother’s house. It had started out as a near-new, very modest, three-bedroom, single-storey, timber-framed, post-war suburban house; but it had fallen to the relentless forces of entropy, unopposed by its current occupants.
Grassy weeds in the gutters stood brown and lifeless. Failed descendants of the yellow flowered weeds, which were the only greenery in the otherwise dying lawn. A lone, sparse tree which had more twigs than leaves struggled on the nature strip.
“Water restrictions, do you think?” John gave Jarred a knowing look.
“Lazy-arsed gardener, more likely.”
The smell of meat cooking filled John and Jarred’s nostrils as they got out of the car. John checked that the envelope he had brought was still in his jacket. He had an anniversary card for his mother and David. He usually helped her out financially, but today he had put a little extra in the card as he didn’t know what to get them for an anniversary present.
“Almost smells good enough to eat,” Jarred said, getting out of the car. He drained his beer and left the can in the car.
“Hunger is the best sauce,” John said.
“Are any of his kids coming today?”
“David’s? No, they don’t have much to do with him these days, from what I‘m told.”
“Not surprised,” Jarred said. “Wouldn’t have much to do with him either if I could help it.
“We’ve got to make an effort, at least for Mom’s sake.
“Sure.” Jarred didn’t sound convinced.
“You’re not worried about David are you? He’s changed.”
“Nah, I could take him by myself, if I wanted.”
“Of course you could,” John smiled charitably, though he though otherwise. “It’ll be fine.”
They made their way up the driveway towards the sounds of playful shrieks around the back of the house.
“Sure haven’t done much with the place since we moved out, have they?” John asked. Peeling paint, rusted, holey gutters, weeds and rubbish strewn about had transformed it to look like the worst rental house on the street.
“What’s it been? Five years?”
“Yeah, ’bout that. Looks like they haven‘t found any new slaves after we left,” Jarred said as they reached the top of the drive and rounded the corner into the backyard. “Man that David really is the laziest son of a…”
“Jay, Jay!” squealed a little girl in a swimsuit as she caught sight of her half-brother and ran towards him.
“Jo Jo!” Her bri
ght blue eyes lit up with excitement when she saw John as well.
“Maddie!” Jarred picked the thin girl up easily, hugging her while John tousled her unkempt, boyish hair. “Arrgh, you’re all wet!”
“I know. I‘ve been in the pool,” she said pointing to an inflatable wading pool, then leaning over to John to include him in the fraternal hug. John felt he could almost sense the pure unrestrained joy erupting from his little half-sister. Her emotions were so uninhibited. It made him yearn for his days of childhood simplicities.
“Ah, what a Kodak moment. Ain’t it sweet. All my kids in one big happy family hug,” Shelley Hunter said, her head tilted to the side as she appreciated the sight.
“Mommy, come hug us,” Madison called.
Shelley put down her can of mixer and joined the crush.
“Daddy, you too!” Madison said.
David stood by the barbeque, a soft drink in one hand and tongs in the other. A thin, defeated man, his skin was sallow and hung loosely. He wore sandals with tall white socks, navy blue shorts held up with a large longhorn bucked belt and a white cotton singlet. John still remembered that belt from his childhood, but it no longer held any terror for him.
David hesitated before declining. “Nah, the meat will burn.”
“Come on, Daddy,” Madison demanded.
“Davie…” Shelley added.
He rolled his eyes and sighed theatrically before putting down the tongs and then over-enthusiastically joining in. John noticed however, that he only touched Shelley and Madison.
“Good to see you boys,” he said. “Glad you could make it.”
“Always a pleasure David,” Jarred said with mock formality.
“Now, don’t you boys start,” Shelley glared at them; then when she was happy that she had their compliance, added, “Do you want something to drink?”
John saw that his mother wanted this gathering to work. Since his father died, she had grown to be a large woman. She had trouble moving freely. Judging by the grunts she made whenever she stood, every movement was a huge effort. Her breathing was short and laboured, causing her to mouth to hang open, showing her remaining teeth to be yellowed and stained, matching her fingernails.
“We brought our own,” John said brandishing what used to be a six pack of beers but had lost two during the journey.
“Did you want one, Dave?” Jarred asked.
“You know full well that I don’t.
“Just one wouldn’t hurt, would it?”
“You can stick ‘em where the sun don’t shine, kiddo.”
“Glad to hear it,” John said. “How long has it been now?”
“Not long enough,” David answered taking a swig of Cola.
“I think I’ll have one of those too,” John said, “since I’m driving.”
“Thanks.” David passed a grateful look to John along with a can of soft-drink.
“Looks like it’s just you and me, Mom,” Jarred said. He took the top off his beer and saluted his mother with it.
“Don’t go killing too many brain cells, you hear?” she said. “You don’t want to…”
“What? End up like Davie? No chance.”
David scowled and waved the barbeque tongs at Jarred. “What she means is don’t get so drunk that you can’t tell if I’ve spat on your burger or not.” A malicious smirk crossed his face.
“Eww, that’s gross,” Maddie said.
“Don’t worry, honey.” David gave his daughter a hug. “Daddy will make sure yours is fine. It’s just Jarred that has to worry.”
“Whatever,” Jarred dismissed him with a wave of his beer. “I’m not hungry anyway.”
“Will you two children stop it?” Shelley said, glaring at the two little men. “What I was going to say was that you don’t want to fail your exams.”
“Exams? Ha! You don’t have to worry about my drinking. I don’t have any of his genes.”
“Hey!” John poked his brother on the shoulder. “Give the guy a break. He’s given up drinking and that’s a good thing. We should be happy for him, not dumping on him.”
“Johnny’s right,” Shelley said.
“Okay, okay,” Jarred raised his hands to placate everyone. He sat down heavily onto a deck chair and drained his beer with a sullen silence. A moment later a malicious smile curled his freckled lips. “Let’s talk about John’s new girlfriend instead.”
John’s face darkened. “You couldn’t hold that news in for all of two minutes before you had to blurt it all out. You really need to get a life orang-a-jarred.”
“You haven’t called me that in years,” Jarred said, his smile getting broader. “That must have hit a nerve.”
“Looks like something else might get hit soon,” David added.
“What’s an orang-a-jarred?” Maddie asked.
“John’s saying that I look like an orang-utan- you know, one of those orange-haired ape things- because I have ginger hair,” Jarred said, slurring his words. He ripped the top off another beer.
“I like ginger,” Maddie said.
“Thank you,” Jarred said. “So does John.”
Madison turned to her daddy and excitedly asked, “Please can you put some on the burgers?”
“What?” David asked.
“Some ginger…” Maddie repeated. “We all like ginger.”
David squatted down to Madison’s level and started to patiently explain it all to her.
Shelley smiled and said quietly to her boys, “You know, he really is a changed man since giving up the booze. He’d never be bothered to explain things to you two.”
“Yeah, it would have been ‘shaddup’ and a belt across the head,” Jarred said. He took a determined swig of his beer.
“I think that Madison being his own daughter makes more of a difference than the booze,” John said.
“Hmm, probably,” said Shelley. Then she stepped in closer, put her ample arms around John’s shoulders and asked in a confidential stage whisper, “So, is it true?”
“Is what true?” John feigned ignorance, but he knew his mother would not be deterred.
“The girlfriend, you moron,” Jarred said. “What‘s her name again? Alice? Agnes? Ally?”
“Yes, there was a girl I met. Her name is Angela.”
David stood up. “Good,” he said. “I was starting to think you were gay.”
“What’s ‘gay’?” Madison asked.
“You’re on your own there, buddy,” Shelley said, then turned back to John. “Well…?”
John knew that his mother had always wanted him to find a nice girl. She made no secret that she had always seen Jarred as the studious, academic type who would spend his life at university and hadn‘t said much about his matrimonial future. Given Jarred‘s gangly physique, awkward looks and serious nature, John had always known that he had always been her brightest hope for producing grandchildren. This had been a bit of a standing joke when he had been with Natalie, but after she had died, the subject of grandchildren hadn’t been mentioned again.
“She’s a total…” Jarred lowered his voice to a drunken whisper, so Maddie wouldn’t hear, “…slut.”
“Is not!” snapped John.
“She just dresses like a whore.”
“What’s a whore?” Maddie chirped.
“If you boys can’t mind your language…,” David threatened.
“Yeah? And what are you going to do?” Jarred staggered as he stood up from the deck chair. John grabbed him and pulled him away from David’s livid stare.
“What’s gotten into you? You’re acting like a total jerk.”
“Get lost. What do you care?”
“I care. Of course I care. I don’t want to see my brother acting like a total loser.”
“Well, I don’t care. I don’t care what anyone thinks about me. Especially him,” Jarred waved his beer vaguely in David’s direction.
“Well, right now he’s probably looking at you and thinking what a good idea it was that he gave up the boo
ze when he did.”
Jarred dumped himself down into the deckchair again and drained his beer. John snatched it from him before he finished it.
“Think you’ve had enough,” he said.
“What are you? My mother?”
Shelley strode over and put a dimpled hand on Jarred’s shoulder as she leant down to pick up the rest of his six-pack.
“Look at you. Lucky to weigh a hundred pounds fully constipated. Those two beers have gone straight to your head. You don’t need any more for now,” she said.
“Don’t forget the two he had on the way over,” John added.
“You need to get some food into you,” David said. He wrapped a sausage in a slice of bread and offered it to Jarred. “It’ll help sober you up, son.”
“Ha! Advice from the expert,” Jarred sneered, and then added, “and I ain’t your son.”
Shelley’s eyes widened. She took the sausage sandwich from David and jabbed it forcibly into Jarred’s face.
“Get this into you, or I’ll shove it down your throat myself.” She then turned and strode away towards the barbeque. “Don’t be talking to him ‘til he apologizes.”
“Now you’ve done it,” John whispered.
Shelley turned and called, “Johnny, get over here.”
John poked Jarred as he left to walk over to his mother.
“Now don’t be driving him home until he apologized to David.”
“Don’t worry ‘bout that, Shell,” David began.
“No, she’s right,” John said. “Jarred was totally out of line. I don’t know what’s got into him.”
David flipped some sausages. “Probably all worked up about that spaceship thing. Scares the crap outta me, but what can you do?”
Shelley lit up a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “I don’t care. He has to know who’s boss.”
“They say a man’s brain doesn’t fully develop until he’s twenty-three. Maybe he’s still maturing.”
Shelley took another long drag on her cigarette and seemed calmer now. “He’s twenty-two. He should be almost there. God, he’s smart enough, but the way he’s playing up today, it seems he’s got a long way to go yet.”