The Truth

::T W O::

Colin kept thinking about his father. His father was one of the best pilots, so how couldn't he control the spaceship? It might have made sense if the spaceship had crashed into a large piece of rock or something, but Jupiter's moon? No way. His father had to be completely blind to not see it and crash into it directly. There must be something Ruben is hiding from me, Colin thought, and I'm going to force the truth out of him.

Colin walked back to Ruben's office but stopped himself as he clutched the doorknob. There were voices inside. Colin pressed his ear to the door and tried to listen.

'So what did you tell him?' A voice said, which Colin recognized as Dram's

'I told him that his father crashed on Jupiter's moon and died.' Ruben replied.

'You shouldn't have lied to him about it.'

'So you think I should've told him the truth? Told him that his father actually got trapped on an alien planet?'

'Well, yes. It seems harmless to me.'

'Really, Dram, you're unbelievable. Do you have any idea what will happen if the kid spreads the story around? It will be on TV, in newspapers, and we will be constantly bothered by questions about the existence of aliens.'

'I guess you're right but I feel sorry for that boy.'

Ruben had lied to me! Colin thought, My father could be alive!

Just then, a voice snapped Colin out of his thoughts, 'What do you think you're doing, boy?'

Colin was taken aback by this. He tried to make a run for it but it was too late. The Searcher grabbed him by the arm and dragged him into the room.

Dram and Ruben looked surprised and irritated by this sudden disturbance.

'Sir, I caught this boy eavesdropping on your office.' The searcher spoke.

'Alright, bring him in.' Ruben ordered.

'What were you doing, kid?' Ruben questioned after the Searcher had left.

"I...uh...I thought I heard someone crying here.' Colin said.

'Don't play games with me, kid!' Ruben yelled. 'Tell me, how much did you hear?'

"I didn't hear anything.' Colin lied. He knew that if he said he had heard the Truth, he'd be in deep trouble. And after all, Ruben didn't trust Colin a bit.

'Liar!' Ruben yelled at his face.

'Calm down, Ruben. Let me talk to the boy,' Dram said. 'Now, Colin, tell us the truth. What did you hear?'

'I heard Dram saying, "I guess you're right, but I feel sorry for that boy."'

'Is that all?'

Colin nodded.

'He's lying! I can tell it by his face!' Ruben shouted.

'I don't think so, Ruben. I believe he's telling us the truth.'

'But I don't! He's Sidney's son, after all! And a boy always takes after his father!'

'My Dad was not a liar.' Colin protested.

'He was!'

'For goodness' sake, Ruben, stop it!' Dram rose from his chair. 'Colin, come to my office. We need to talk in private.'

Colin and Dram got out of the room, leaving Ruben alone there. Dram didn't speak a word until they had got inside his office.

'Now, Colin, there's no point in lying to me. I know you heard every word of the conversation. Is that true?'

Colin didn't answer.

'I'll take that silence as a yes. Fortunately, I'm not like Ruben who takes everything negatively.'

'My father is still alive, isn't he?'

'He could be. All we know is that there are some strange creatures living on that planet. We can't tell if they killed your father or not.'

'Are you going to bring him back?' Colin asked.

'Certainly, child! But you must promise one thing.'

'What?'

'You won't tell about this to anyone.'

'I promise.'

'Good. Don't let despair darken your heart. Everything will soon get back to normal.'

But things will never be normal, Colin thought. Ruben would never let anyone find his father, he knew it. And there was nothing Colin could do. But he had not given up hope yet. In his heart, he knew that his father will return somehow.

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Teaser: Colin tells some lies and gets a dreadful shock.