The man on the other side of the black hole (a book of short stories.)

The man on the other side of the black hole.

"Can you tell me the story of the man in space?"
"Which one?"
"The one about the man on the other side of the black hole... it's the best one."
"Oh. OK, then. Sit down and let me see if I can remember how it goes."

"The once lived a man in space?" "No. Wait, that's not how it goes..."
"'One time, long ago.' Silly, you remember, I know you do."
"Do you?"
"Just tell the story, please."
"OK, fine."

"One time, long ago, all humans lived in a beautiful land surrounding by space, time, and swirling stars we couldn't reach.
"That is, until one man did. This young man, well, he spent his whole life trying to reach them; just to get one touch, to see how it felt.
"He sat on top of his roof as a little boy and would stretch his arms as far as they would go. But he still couldn't reach.
"One day, when this little boy grew up, he thought Why not try again? And so he did.
"He stretched and stretched his arms until he could feel the edge of the swirling gold stars.
I got it! He thought, I did it!
"And with one big jump off the tips of his toes the man hauled himself in to the centre of the swirling stars."

"What did he see?"
"He saw the Galaxy. But not his Galaxy, he saw ours instead."

"What beautiful stars and planets layer across these swirling portals! The man thought. The man fell in love with the way our galaxy looked. That planet has rings around it! He thought as looked to his left. And that star is huge! The man believed as he stared at the sun that floated beside him to his right. But that one is the most amazing! He thought as he saw the most beautiful planet right I front of him. "

"What planet was it?"
"Earth, of course."

"So for the next few years, as the man grew older, he would go back and fourth through the swirling portal of gold stars. He would return home but hop right back over to this new world every so often.
"One day, when the man grew older, he decided to share this new land with his friends.
"Come on! He cheers with glee to his buddies, This place will blow your minds! It's amazing and beautiful! He told them, and they agreed.
"The man's friends fell in love with the idea of this new galaxy, the white stars and fascinating planets.
"We should live here! One declared. Everyone but the man agreed, and as they began to settle, though visiting their homes from now and then, they believed it would be best to stay.
"At first the man thought that there was no harm in doing so. That is, until his favourite planet began to fall. The waters he loves so much began to turn from crystal clear streams to muddy browns and greys. The animals he saw as majestic and creative had run far off. And the plants that were once strong and tall began to die and wilt."

"So what did the man do?"
"He did the only thing he knew, he left.

"The man returned to his original home since the world and space he feel so in love with was leaving him.
"And as he sat on the rim of the swirling portal, the man looked over his shoulder to the world behind him and said a goodbye.
"When he got back to the place he knew longer, the one where he is from, he began to notice everything that was great about it, and everything wrong with it.
"Being the only man left on this side of the portal, he began to fix everything there, beginning with what made this world not compare to the one on the other side."

"I love that story..."
"I know."
"Thanks for telling it to me, again!"
"No problem, little buddy!"