Starship Hope

by Victoria Vallis On a typical warm summer afternoon in the 1970’s a group of Sparks High School students were tossing the Frisbee in Dave Swift’s backyard. There were nine of us, Tony Phelps, Kip Newell, Eric Scheetz, Dave Swift, Vicki Vallis, Celine Montoya, Kathy Grover, Tommy Glogavac and Joel Bowen. While taking a break from the exercise, we sat in a circle formation on the cool grass. Suddenly, a spaceship appeared from above and hovered over our heads briefly… One by one we were gently lifted into the air and rose toward the ship. Feelings of exhilaration flushed through our bodies as we tingled from our feet up. Excitement carried us higher as we lifted off the ground with no wings. Straight above into the air we flew, as a gravitational force lifted us towards the hovering craft. Where were we headed? Would we be harmed by funny looking martians with little green heads? Would we ever return? So many questions flooded our brains. Terror never had time to take a grip. The door to the bottom of the spaceship opened and we were being sucked in. Who was flying this ship? Were they green men with intentions of probing and harming us? Would we be victims of cruel experiments? I could just picture my head on a deer’s body or worse… Our answer would present itself soon enough. Quickly we stabilized ourselves on the floor of the UFO. We stared at the modern equipment of lights, sounds, colors and futuristic technological gadgetry. The scene was too fascinating to be scary. A group of young people who looked much like us gathered around. Their leader spoke in English, so we could understand clearly. “Please do not fear us, we are your descendants. We have gathered you here for many reasons. We are curious what our great great grandparents would look like. Yes, we are related to all of you! We crossed the universe from the future to find you. Not really a social visit, we have been sent to warn you! The Earth’s demise is imminent. Your grandchildren will be forced to relocate off of planet Earth because of atomic and germ warfare. Climate change causes a shift in the polar caps so that apocalyptic weather occurrences ravage your existence. Global famine and crisis force World War 111 to annihilate civilization as you know it. Alas, we live on a planet many lightyears away from here in another galaxy. We hoped that if we might warn you in time, something could be done. The only way to save the Earth’s population is to stop all violence towards your planet. Please do not fear us, we mean you no harm. We have only your best interests at heart. We must now deliver you back to Earth and leave. Please pray for peace and take better care of your planet. Good bye, we depart.” With those words to contemplate, we felt ourselves drop gently and gracefully as our arrival had been. Planet Earth looked so green and inviting as we floated home. Back safely in our circle, in Dave Swift’s backyard, we looked at each other in total amazement. Had this really happened? Could we be having a group mirage? As this occurred in the seventies before cell phone technology, and digital cameras we had no documentation, except each other. Dave ran into the house to call his dad, a radio news caster with KRNO. Dave asked his father if anyone else had reported seeing a spaceship. His dad explained that at least 300 others had called him to report the UFO sighting, but because of FCC regulations he could not discuss the incident on the airwaves. As we watched the spacecraft fly straight up into the air, it disappeared. We all knew it was a special day, an unforgettable moment in time, one we’d never get over. Now what could we do with this great knowledge? The end…