Call of the Stars

Chapter I

"I've always been drawn to the stars, ever since I was little. I remember on my fifth birthday, my gorgeous mother buying me a telescope. I would sit outside for hours, gazing at the stars in awe. My mother would always scold me for staying outside past my bedtime, she'd say that the bugs are going to start biting and it was time to come inside... I loved those days"

| 2018 |

" (y/n)! Get up, it's already 9:30! You've got chores to do"

Wincing at your mother's harsh voice, you groan a shaky "Okay."

Practically rolling out of your bed and blinking at the blinding sunlight, you mumble a small curse scratching your head. Grabbing an old worn pair of jeans and a plaid shirt, you continue down the wooden stairs of your small home, dressing in the process. You've walked these stairs millions of times, but you've yet to walk down them backwards with your eyes closed.

The small home wasn't much, but it did its job. You were raised here, the countless pictures on the walls proved it. It was the best your mother and you could do, living in Canada. But it was home and nothing could make you think otherwise... Exclude the countless hours of shovelling snow and house cleaning and you, my god, have yourself the perfect place to live.

Upon approaching the kitchen, you are greeted by the delicious smell of breakfast, one of the many pluses of staying at home. Sitting down at the kitchen counter, you grab your laptop and start scrolling through the many useless news articles of today.

"Hello, mom, did you sleep well?" You ask with a small smile, lifting your head to face your mother who was preoccupied with cutting oranges.

Finished cutting her last orange, she gives one to you with a smile "Yes I did thank you, though, I think you might have left one of the windows open overnight, I was freezing"

"I could have sworn I double checked everything, I didn't feel cold and this morning when I came down the stairs I saw nothing open... weird" replying with a frown.

Your mother hums in response and continues to sit down next to you, a plate full of fresh fruit. Putting the orange in your mouth greedily, you proceed to scroll past the hundreds of useless news articles until your eyes land on a particularly interesting article. The bold blocky, letters reading clearly:

LOOKING FOR INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN POTENTIALLY EXTRATERRESTRIAL ARTIFACTS

Well, that caught your attention. Excitedly, you click on the page and hungrily read the details.

"Here at the University of São Paulo, we have collected many potentially extraterrestrial artifacts according to the those who've submitted them, and are looking for individuals who may have experience, or can offer answers to the purpose or origin of these objects. This is open to the public and will be for the next couple of weeks"

Holy shit, this is a one in a lifetime opportunity to actually prove there are things out there... I have to convince mom to let me go...

Adverting your gaze from the laptop to your mother you slide the device to her and signal for her to read it. Your mother furrows her brows and reads the text.

Finishing the article, she turns to you once again and inquisitively asks "Do you want to go to Brazil... for this? It might be a scam or something"

Thinking for a moment you weigh up the odds of there really being no exhibition.

I mean, even if there isn't one, it'll be an escape to the tropical climate right? Like a holiday?

"Yeah, I want to go, and remember the money I saved up for something like this over summer break? You don't have to pay for me or anything, and besides, it'll be a holiday anyway, exhibition or not, away from this bitter weather." Your mother slowly nodding in response, her face clearly showing that she was also weighing out the options.