Soothing Star

This story is something that I came up with about two years ago, and just had the time to actually write it (for someone). Wrote this in one seating, but removed the main character’s love interest to minimize the story.

PART ONE

The story sets in the early modernization of mankind’s day to day needs. Inventions with transportation, engineering, agriculture. All thanks to what they call themselves as inventors. They were like gods to humans. Everything that mankind has accomplished, were thanks to these group of people. In the shortest amount of time, they were able to invent and discover the greatest possible things one can imagine.

So the story starts where there was this young kid, named.. uhh.. let’s just say Ben.

Ben’s dad is an inventor. The highest among the highest of ranks within the country. Like other inventors, they are all old. Like really really old. They say that there was not anyone who was appointed as an inventor for a very long time. And the day that someone might be appointed, might be coming soon. So everyone that has a newly born child, spends a lot of money nowadays to give proper education to them. Cause who knows, the kid might be next.

But Ben’s father seems to not have any interest on spending too much on Ben’s education. While the other kids have the new books, he was forced to do use his dad’s; that were old and is outdated.

Once in a year, there would come a night, where they called it “The Night of the Soothing Star”. This star shines brighter and bigger than the others. Its called soothing because there’s this relaxing feeling when you stare at the blue and opaque colors of the star. Seems like it goes round and round and round. Like a current, endlessly flowing to every direction. It’s quite magical that such a star exists.

Every year, during that one night, Ben will go out, sit, and look at it til he falls asleep.

Ben’s father was busy most of the time. He comes home late, when Ben is already asleep. Then goes to work by daybreak. He rarely talks to Ben.

One day, they had an argument. Ben got jealous of his classmates being cared of by their parents. That he decided to walk around the neighborhood for a while. When he came back, his dad was there and was worried sick. His dad got off and never returned til morning.

When Ben woke up, it was his first time in a while seeing his dad, preparing breakfast. It was also their first time breaking bread together, after a very long time. But, no one was speaking.

After a couple of minutes, Ben broke the silence, “Dad, how do you become an inventor?”

Ben’s dad gave a smile, something that he hasn’t seen for years. And then he said in a calmest tone that Ben has ever heard,

“You need to know the secret of the universe.”

Ben gave out a confused look.

“Can you be more specific dad? That’s too broad.”

He said jokingly, “No one can ever be an inventor if the secret remains a secret, right?”

His dad stood up and got ready for work, and whispered to himself..

“Exactly.”

Years passed, and Ben’s dad went back to exactly how he was before that one breakfast with Ben.

Ben finished high school, top of his class. Despite the distractions, he got through education with the highest remarks from his teachers.

Your father must be proud, most of them say. Yet he’s not here to congratulate me.

Tonight, I’ll run away.

It’s been six years since Ben ran away from home. Tonight’s the night of the soothing star.

“It really really is amazing to see such a beauty.”

Ben is now working at an agricultural research center. The country needed to discover an alternative source of food; and Ben is the head of the research facility.

Days and days of testing out new kinds of… uhh.. let’s call them.. agricultural stuff.

And yet, not one breakthrough. Ben needed to take a break. As he was trying to fell asleep one night, he remembered the night he wondered off in the neighborhood.

“Might be a good idea to do it again.” he thought.

The next morning, he packed up clothes and necessities for a long trip. Then went out, holding a map, encircling the most unknown territory known to mankind, called The Landing Valley.

PART TWO
(Most of the story in this part were not included)

It’s been almost 12 years, since Ben disappeared. Ben’s dad has already retired from work, and living alone. He was sitting in their front porch, when Ben is running towards the house. He was filthy as hell. Ben’s dad was so surprised that he stood up.

But Ben’s face was so furious, and instead of hugging his dad, he yelled, “What the hell was that in the desert?!”

PART THREE

“Where?” his dad asked. Looking confused.

“Landing Valley.”

“You weren’t suppose to be there!”

Ben’s dad invited Ben to come inside first, to clean himself up.

“I will prepare dinner and I’ll tell you everything. Right from the start.”

As soon as Ben got out from the shower, his dad was gone! Ben got out to check. Went upstairs. Checked the garden. None. It was the last time that Ben had to see his father.

Days after, his father still hasn’t been seen. No progress from the police and no clues.

He just.. vanished.

Month’s after Ben’s dad’s disappearance, it was the night of the soothing star. This time, he did not went out to stare at the star. It is the very first time.

He was eating the dinner alone. He’s having small pieces of bread for dinner. It was a hard time. It’s not that he does not have the money to buy more. But the country is not able to produce good harvests as years goes by.

“If I did not go to that place, and just did my job.. could the country had a better future?” he thought.

It’s too late for that now.

Then he heard a paper being pushed through the door.

Criminals are running around the streets, because of what’s happening to the country. So he carefully and slowly go towards the paper. Opened it, and read something that he would never expect:

“Go to Landing Valley three days from now; and be the next inventor.”
“I got nothing to lose.” he thought. The country’s future is dim. Days are getting harder. People are getting hungrier. Anytime soon, there’s going to be a riot, and these people will start killing one another.

If this is an adventure, it might well be the last. If not, then I must say, it was an interesting life.

If I move non-stop, it will take me three days to the valley. So he got up, got ready, took everything that he needed.. and started moving.
He knew exactly where to go. He saw this mountain opening by accident when he was travelling.

As he goes in, lights lit up and fully-armed men surrounded him one by one.

He was blinded by the light and could not see, when one of the men hugged him.

“I’m so sorry, son.” he said.
Before he could even reply.. he was dragged towards a room.

As soon as his eyes have adjusted, he could see that there are others inside the room with him. A couple of males. More females. Same age as Ben’s.

Seems like the room is locked.

There is an insane air of nervousness inside. Like we are waiting for something. No one is talking.

“Does anyone know why we’re here?” Ben asked. In a trembling tone.

“Weren’t you picked?” one asked.

“If you were picked, you should have known that this day would come since you were a child.”

Ben was confused.

“What?”

“All of us here were picked since we were a little kid. To become the next inventor. In the next world. Were you not?”

Ben’s head is spinning. His fingers went numb. What the in the world are they talking about?

“We were chosen. To be educated properly. To know everything. So mankind on the next world are able to be live and to reproduce. So that the next generation of humans will have accelerated base of knowledge. That’s what inventors are for.”

Ben can’t still keep up and overwhelmed.

“And this is what the silo is for. Up there is our spaceshuttle waiting for us.. in abouuuut.. a couple of minutes.”

“You can’t be serious.” he mumbled. Shocked as hell.

The next couple of minutes went by so fast. He got pulled out of the room. Screaming, but couldn’t hear a thing as he was crying. He then got strapped onto a chair.

Everyone else from the group was puzzled as to why this crazy man suddenly is added to the team.

On the mission control room,

“Should we leave him? He’s unstable.” the Director asked.

“No, the next world needs him. He’s agriculture.” Ben’s dad said.

As the final countdown begins.. he whispered to himself, “Goodbye, son.”

10
9
8
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Ben had a small flashback at his life. The things he used to work on to impress his dad. The days where his dad was still smiling.

Funny enough, he remembered his mom’s silhouette, on the front door, about to leave the house. His mom had an argument with his dad.

7
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6
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5
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“Don’t let your son be one of us!” His dad angrily said to his mom.

“That’s not for me to decide.”

she then looked at me with a sorry look.

“I’ll see you again someday, my love.” his mom said and then went away.

4
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3
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2
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1!!

They blasted off faster than he could inhale.

Ben closed his eyes.

As he opened them again, they were already thousands of miles away from the planet.

A couple of seconds after, they passed through the soothing star.

It helped him calmed down for a bit.

“Do you guys see that blue star?” Says one of the inventors.

“They say it was originally called ‘Earth’. The first planet that we’ve been in.”