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Two Perspectives

September 7, 2022 39 Comments

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The impact followed a shrill whistle at 2:00 a.m. Car alarms on Peddle Avenue blared. Dogs howled. People switched on their porch lights throughout the neighborhood.

Carmela Perkins approached the smoking crater in her backyard, flashlight flickering in her trembling hand. Was it a meteorite? Maybe an alien visitor?

She could be famous.

She scrambled into the crater and emerged with an empty metal container covered in cryptic symbols. “Fate just works in strange ways sometimes,” she told reporters. Her story made the front page.

High above Earth, a tentacled police officer pulled over a space cruiser for littering.

By Joyce Jacobo

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    September 7, 2022 at 7:23 am

    Haha! Love this. So creative.

    Reply
    • Wendy says

      September 7, 2022 at 2:45 pm

      This is great, a well-thought-out story, I liked the ending.

      Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 10:58 pm

      Aww, thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much.

      Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:00 pm

      Thank you so much. I’ve always wanted to do a spin what visitors might bring to Earth. ^_^

      Reply
  2. Joanie says

    September 7, 2022 at 7:50 am

    Your story cheered me up. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:01 pm

      That is high praise, indeed. Thank you so much. I’m thrilled that this story brightened your day.

      Reply
  3. Tessa McGovern says

    September 7, 2022 at 8:13 am

    Love the twist! Great story.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:02 pm

      Thanks. I’m glad the twist came across so well at the end, and that you enjoyed it. ^_^

      Reply
  4. Yolanda Joosten says

    September 7, 2022 at 9:27 am

    Great ending! You never know, it could happen!

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:04 pm

      I hope that if we ever do get visitors to Earth from distant parts, they would do something like that. Definitely. ^_^

      Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:08 pm

      P.S. I hope they are more likely to do something like that, I meant to say–but to get caught for that act as well by the proper authorities. Hehe.

      Reply
    • Angela says

      September 9, 2022 at 10:06 pm

      Fun short! I like the twist, comic!

      Reply
      • Joyce Jacobo says

        September 14, 2022 at 3:18 pm

        Thanks! ^_^

        Reply
  5. Michael Peach says

    September 7, 2022 at 10:08 am

    Clever!

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:04 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  6. Judi Calhoun says

    September 7, 2022 at 10:39 am

    Love the story.
    The only comment I have, remove one word “just” and it will shine.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:06 pm

      Thank you so much, Judi. I always appreciate the feedback on my works, and I also found “just” a bit iffy. So if I ever place this piece anywhere else in the future, I’ll probably remove it. Thanks, again.

      Reply
  7. Melissa says

    September 7, 2022 at 11:16 am

    This is super cute and I love getting to see both earth and the space aliens! The idea of them getting ticketed for littering is hilarious.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:08 pm

      Thanks! It just happened to occur to me in an odd moment, so I’m glad it came across so well.

      Reply
  8. Ekta Garg says

    September 7, 2022 at 3:42 pm

    Fantastic last line! Great job!

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:09 pm

      I’m thrilled you enjoyed it so much! Thank you! Hearing that makes my day.

      Reply
  9. S. Webb says

    September 7, 2022 at 5:28 pm

    Too funny! Very creative.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:09 pm

      Awwww, thank you so much. ^_^

      Reply
  10. giulietta says

    September 7, 2022 at 6:58 pm

    Joyce, most imaginative! really enjoyed the twist at the end.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 7, 2022 at 11:11 pm

      Thank you so much for you kind words. I’m so glad the twist worked well, and that you liked it!

      Reply
  11. Sheri says

    September 7, 2022 at 11:33 pm

    This is a fun story! Love the twist.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 8, 2022 at 3:24 pm

      Thank you so much, Sheri! Knowing that it brightened someone’s day really makes my day. ^_^

      Reply
  12. Scott Brian Blanke says

    September 8, 2022 at 8:30 am

    Great story. Similar to my very first published 101
    The Invasion?

    A huge alien spaceship suddenly materialized over Chicago, joined moments later by two others.

    Immediately, the U.S. Army mobilized, but they held their fire. Communications were sent up, but for one anxious hour, nothing came back. Then the ships began broadcasting the same indecipherable message: Xxalktrrp44#50-71-kdr#jj?

    The message kept coming. Many feared war.

    All cannons, laser beams and top-secret weapons were aimed on the ships.

    Just before firing, the army’s line rang.

    “Don’t fire!” the intelligence officer yelled. “The linguists cracked the code!”

    “War?” the general asked, heart pounding.

    “No, they want to know if they can get their parking validated…?

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 8, 2022 at 3:31 pm

      Hahaha, I love your story as well. It’s fun to imagine people here on Earth as maybe being a little too paranoid about anyone touching down from elsewhere.

      Sci-Fi tales where Earth becomes highlighted as just one possible destination, among many, where interstellar travelers might go are among my favorites. In them, our planet isn’t a singular location that unfamiliar lifeforms are trying to conquer, but oftentimes a pitstop used before moving onto somewhere else.

      Anyway, I’m thrilled you enjoyed my story. ^_^

      Reply
  13. Anna says

    September 8, 2022 at 3:55 pm

    Thanks for this gem of a story, Joyce.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 10, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      Awww, thank you so much, Anna. I appreciate it. I’m glad you enjoyed it so much!

      Reply
  14. Scott Brian Blanke says

    September 9, 2022 at 9:08 am

    Joyce, I agree. Do you read Heinlein? He sounds like someone you would enjoy.

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 10, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      Oooooh, I hadn’t heard of Heinlein. Thanks for the recommendation! Are there any of his stories you would suggest I read first?

      Reply
      • Scott Brian Blanke says

        September 13, 2022 at 8:07 am

        Even Heinlein’s YA is worth reading. The novel, ‘Stranger in a Strange Land’ is one of the best books I have ever read. His time travel story, ‘THE BUTTERFLY effect’ is great.

        Reply
        • Joyce Jacobo says

          September 14, 2022 at 3:19 pm

          Ooooh, thank you so much for the recommendation! I’ll need to look that novel up, and Even Heinlein in general. ^_^

          Reply
  15. Timothy Hayes says

    September 10, 2022 at 7:31 am

    This is a fun little yarn, Joyce ?

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 10, 2022 at 4:24 pm

      That was the hope. Hehe! Glad you enjoyed it. ^_^

      Reply
  16. Corey says

    September 10, 2022 at 1:57 pm

    A funny read at the end. Climatic then a laugh

    Reply
    • Joyce Jacobo says

      September 10, 2022 at 4:25 pm

      Awww, I’m glad you got a laugh out of this tale. That really makes my day!

      Reply

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