 Running over to the dining room window, I called back over my shoulder. What is that, Dad? My father dropped the fork he was holding, spilling a glass of red wine onto his newest work shirt. He didn't even notice. Jesus Christ, he said, losing his cool for a brief moment. I don't know. He stood next to me as we watched the yellowish blur rapidly change directions above our town. It looked like some type of ship. Where'd it go? My dad whispered. There, I said. Our town was located along a six-mile long lake, and we watched in awe as the bright object zigzagged rapidly from one corner to the other at speeds that even a child could tell were impossible. My father took out his cell phone, more in a state of shock than calmness, and dialed. Having been a deputy up until last year, he had the number memorized. Sheriff, this is Doug Turner. My father paused. Look up. There was more silence than. My father hung up and looked back over at me. He's going to make some calls, says it's probably just someone testing out a new drone. The ominous yellow light turned dark then, a moment after looking to have landed near Williams Ranch at the east corner of town. Come on, you gotta get some rest for school, my father said. I think he tried to hide what he was really feeling. He forced a smile as the phone rang again. This is Doug. Yes, sir. Give me about 20 minutes. My father looked over at me, and for a second I thought I saw fear on his face. He pushed it aside. Come on, let's get you to bed. He took me in and kissed me on the forehead. Before I could tell him to be careful, he tried his best to ease my worries. Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing. Sheriff says he's bringing a few other men along as well. He winked. Whatever it is, I'll be careful. And then he was gone, leaving the light on near my bed and closing the front door with a click. I was home alone, but no one in the town ever worried about such things as burglars or worse, at least not yet. I don't know how I fell asleep, but all I can tell you is I woke up the next morning with a terrible headache. My father hadn't come home. Clutching my head tightly, I still managed to run into the kitchen and was surprised to see him waiting for me at the table. Good morning, son. I looked over at him with confusion as he made no attempt to go over the previous night. What was it, dad? His blank expression held. What was what, son? I became more confused. The yellow light, the thing in the sky, I think you must have had a nightmare, son, he replied firmly. And then he stood up from the table and smiled. It didn't ease my fear, only enhancing it as the smile turned into a grin far wider than I was accustomed to. Say, you know what? I've been thinking that maybe you can take the day off from school today. Maybe we can go for a little field trip. Yeah, sure, I replied uneasily. Do you mind if I rest a little bit first, though? I've got a really bad headache. His smile deflated a little at that, as he seemed to be thinking it over. A moment later, it came back in full force. Sure thing, get some rest and we'll head out around noon. I've got something I want to show you. He kissed me on the forehead as he had the night before, but this time it felt awkward. And it made me feel, well, scared. Going back to my bedroom, I shut the door behind me and pressed my head into the pillow to try and dull the pain. How could he not remember last night? Was it actually possible that I had dreamt the whole thing? I stood up and looked out the window. And suddenly thoughts from the previous night rushed back. I remember details that I had somehow forgotten. I hadn't fallen asleep as my father had gone to check out the strange sighting with a sheriff. I had instead sat by the window and watched. I can't remember everything, but I know that I saw something. Twenty minutes or so after my father had left to meet the sheriff, there was a blinding flash of light, then emanated from where we had seen the object land. It flickered yellow, then red, then a silverish green that I can't even put into words. After that, the memories stop. I don't recall falling asleep, and I definitely don't remember my father returning that night. I don't know what's going on, but I'm scared. I trust my father, but this whole thing just doesn't seem right. My headache grew worse, perhaps due to my anxiety of what the rest of the day might hold. My mind thought of what my father planned to show me, and where we might go. I am ashamed to say that the most prevalent thought of all was, is he even still my father? I'm not sure how much time passed before the door creaked slowly open, and I opened my eyes to see him grinning over at me. It's time. My eyes met his, and before I could tell him about how my headache had gotten worse, he continued, Don't worry. Once we get there, you'll feel the whole lot better. I promise. I nodded. Perhaps a different day I would have had the willpower to argue, or to think over the events of the previous night with more clarity, but the pounding of my head was so intense now that I could barely even open my eyes, let alone argue. He helped me into his old pickup truck, gave me a pillow to press my head against, and close the door behind me. The engine started up easily, and I drifted in and out of sleep, as he put it in drive and made his way down the long road into town. Opening my eyes for a moment, a bright patch of pine trees could be seen out of my window. I saw a family of deer as well, their eyes seeming to focus on me as we made our way farther down the road. When we got to the town square, it was unlike anything I had ever seen in my life. My friends and some of my family were there, as if they had been waiting for me. Their eyes were happy and bright, and as we drove through the square, I noticed each one of them was grinning widely as we passed by. They all waved. They're happy to see you, my father said. Where are we going, dad? Before I had to close my eyes again from the pain, I saw him look over at me and wink for the second time that day. I must have fallen asleep then, because the next thing I knew I was standing in an open field that must have been William's ranch. The sun wasn't as bright as it had been while we had driven, and strangely enough my headache was almost completely gone now. You ready? My father asked, and I noticed that his eyes weren't the calm brown I had known before, but were some type of silver. Ready for what? Ready to see, he said, grinning widely and stepping aside. On the ground behind him sat a circular silver disc, maybe only a few feet wide. I found it almost unimaginable that such a small object could have been responsible for the blinding display we had seen the previous night. That's it, I asked. My father nodded. Go closer. I don't know why then, but I shuddered, the first time since awakening, feeling a surge of fear make its way through my body. I don't want to. Go closer, he said, his tone changing only slightly to anger, and perhaps impatience. I don't know where I could have gone, but maybe I would have run then, far away from this place and far away from the dream of it all. But the people around me suddenly came into view, every friend and family member I had stood in a circle around us and watched. They waited. I understood then that I was the last of them to come here. Don't be afraid, son, my father said then, you're going to understand everything very soon. I knew then that I didn't have much choice in the matter, and I unwillingly began to walk past my father and towards the small silver object ahead of me. The strange thing was, the closer I got, the less small it seemed. At first I had noted it to be roughly only a few feet in diameter. Now as I approached the object, it seemed to go on for miles. As it loomed just in front of my gaze, I began to understand my father's words. The object wasn't just a craft or an alien ship, it was so much more. The thing began to show me what it would bring to our world. There would be no more fighting, no more war, there would be no more sickness and no more pain, there would be no more death. Still, there was something frightening I realized, something dark, and something, you're the last one in town, my father said. Go ahead son. His eyes were darker then, yet they somehow glowed, and it seemed like I was just an observer in a dream. I saw my hand reach out, crossing the bridge between worlds. I touched the silver object that seemed to go on forever, and then in the span of an instant. I understood everything. The little boy I had been just a second ago was dead. I began to grin as I understood that I would be on the winning side of what was coming.