Decoding Earth

Chapter one

I open my eyes, immediately the smell of cigarette smoke hits the back of my throat, making it hard to breath. I can see my mother down the hallway from my room, just sat emotionless, lighting yet another cigarette. She often does this due to her bipolar disorder. One day she'll be bouncing off the walls, and other days, like today, il wake up to this.

I can't waste any time trying to help her this morning, I'm already running late for school. After I'm changed I grab my bag and swing the door closed behind me. It feels so free leaving the house, I subtly hold my hand out to feel the light raindrops. Any place feels better than home right now. I walk up to my fathers house to pick up my sister. My parents split up when I was five, I can only imagine it was because of how difficult my mother can be, but I wouldn't know as the subject is off limits. My sister leaps out of the front door and wraps her arms around my neck.

"Hi Luna" I say trying to escape her grip. I haven't seen her all weekend.

"I missed you, Stella" she says

"I know but we really need to hurry up" I say as I grab her hand and start walking.

As I'm arriving into school I immediately sense an unusual vibe, I can tell Luna feels it too. It's quiet, but people are still talking, they almost sound scared. I spot my friends over in a corner, looking at someones phone. I walk over at a fast pace, Luna following.

"Talon, what's going on" I ask looking around.

"You haven't heard?" he asks. Of course not I hadn't had time this morning to check the news. "Just read this" he says, whilst shoving his phone in my face. It reads an article from NASA, before I finish it, Lizeth comes running up to us.

"What is going on? This is insane, definitely a hoax" she says, half struggling to breathe from running.

"Can someone please explain?" I ask, almost exasperated from the lack of information I was getting.

"Ok I'll try. Apparently life is not real, at all. our entire universe was created by extra terrestrials, like an experiment. The universe was never meant to create life, so in theory, we broke their system and we are seen as a threat to them, we are in trouble. They will try to kill us" Talon spits out as fast as he can.

I immedietly break out into uncontrollable laughter. Everyone seriously believes this? These kind of rumours have happened countless times before. Lizeth was right, its a hoax.

"Are you all being serious right now?" I say, wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes.

"They've said that they have found coding in the atmosphere, meaning it's all a computer simulation and if you don't believe me, read the article again, notice it's from the official NASA website" Talon says, I can tell he's offended slightly. I take his phone from his hands and he's right, but I won't be fooled that easily.

"They have obviously been hacked" I say, suppressing a laugh, as Talon isn't amused.

The bell rings

" Anyway, talk to you later" I say, handing back his phone.

Walking into class I still notice people talking in groups and I smile to myself, this is ridiculous. I spend most of the lesson watching the raindrops slide down the window, until I notice something in the corner of my eye; a blue flash. Obviously its lightning. But I see it again, and again, its getting bigger. This time its almost a hollow circle, getting bigger and smaller across the sky, in and out almost. I nudge Lizeth, who's next to me.

"Look out of the window" I whisper, subtly pointing so the teacher doesn't see.

"Woah what is that" she whispers back. "you don't think its to do with the alien hoax thingy?"

I squint to get a better look. I won't fall for this hoax but this surely isn't right.

At break, Talon comes up to me and hold another article from his phone to my face. I step back so I can read it.

At 9:00am 12th December 2025 a strange light was beamed across London. There have been multiple reports of witnesses but no camera was able to pick up the patterns. Scientists believe whatever this was is only visible to the naked eye.

"I know you won't believe this because of the whole camera not picking it up thing but-"

"No, I saw it. So did Lizeth, in biology" I say, cutting him off.

"What, really?" He almost chokes. "So you believe me?"

"Not the alien computer simulation thing but there is something going on" I say, looking around.

"There are theories saying that the light was the extra terrestrials scanning our environment, seeing what we need to survive, and then they will take it from us"

Normally, I'd laugh, but right now I don't know how to feel.