In Search Of Elysium

Chapter 7

The Families Meet At School

Kevin was anxious about the meeting at school. The Community Learning Center, in Bad Axe, was one of his favorite places. He always felt protected there, but now he faced the unknown. He knew his dad would be supportive, but how would the other parents respond to the news that their children intended to leave the universe? Also, would the FBI and CIA find out their plans to fly the spaceship, and if they did, what would they do to stop them? What would Miss Carol say? Would she try to make his friends change their minds? They all loved and respected Miss Carol. Would the others listen to her, instead of him?

As he pondered these questions, he organized his clothing for the day. Today, he would wear some of his dad's better clothes. Richard said he could use any of his things now; thus Kevin selected a nice pair of black jeans and a shirt in soft pastel plaids, with a leather sports jacket. One of his dad's belts with a silver buckle completed the outfit. The only thing that did not look like his dad was the pair of Nike walking shoes that Kevin would never give up. Still in a teenager's way, they made the outfit.

Richard sat at the end of Kevin's bed while his son was getting dressed.

"You know how many times I have watched you try to dress yourself?" he asked. Not waiting for an answer, he continued, "When you were nine you couldn't even slip on your shoes; you always wanted to put your foot into them sideways. Then, at twelve, you kept putting your underwear on over your jeans. You insisted it looked better because you could see Spongebob. At sixteen you started to get things right, except that if your shirt didn't have a cartoon character on it, you wouldn't wear it, and the only jeans you wanted had holes in all the wrong places. Your mom spent so much time trying to sew up the crotches on your jeans that her sewing machine smoked," he laughed.

"Now here you are dressing like the man I always wished you could be. I only wish now I could have more time to get to know my new son," he said, with tears forming in his eyes.

"Dad, I will not disappear. We will be in communication and I will return soon. It is my time to find myself and search the heavens for understanding. Please know I love you and Mom more than anyone in the world. It's for her I have to do this. I must find answers to my questions. I need to find God."

Kevin hugged his father, and then finished dressing for their meeting at school, their hearts full of love and their eyes filled with tears.

Kevin and his dad drove to The Learning Center in relative silence. A few times Kevin commented on a farm along the route, remarking about the size of the barns, and how well his dad and mom had planned their dairy business. Richard said they had studied many of these operations before they settled on their plans. At school, Kevin could see that his friends' parents were already there. He recognized their vehicles.

The two walked into the building and met Miss Carol. She told them that the meeting would be in the café area and that coffee and cookies were available. When they entered, everyone was waiting for them. Miss Carol stood in front of the group and spoke.

"I am not sure how many of you understand what is happening; I am not sure I understand much of it myself. However, it seems these five students have somehow accelerated their learning curve exponentially through contact with the spaceship that Richard Carpenter has found on his farm." Trying to gauge the mood of the parents, she continued.

"I will now let Kevin, who has become the group's leader, talk about this. Kevin, please tell your friends' parents what is happening?"

Kevin gave Miss Carol a hug, then turned to the group and began his prepared presentation. "When Cody and I first touched the spaceship that Dad and Uncle Roy found under our farm, we realized it was talking to us. As we explored the ship, it continued to educate and expand our mental capacity. The ship fixed our neural pathways and restored our normal brain functions. However, it went beyond repair made us extremely intelligent. The ship's computer, who we call Elee, told us where the ship was from and why they came to our planet. They are the Elysians and are the angels of God who came here after the creation of the universe to ensure that this planet was safe for humanity."