I am now bidding my last breath... but before I go, I must say...
I will tell you who I am.
My name is Lina Irene, though for special reasons, I changed it to Selina. I am from Earth. You might wonder why I speak as though I'm from another planet. The truth is, I am now on Planet 1234 in Sector 45768.
Sitting on the cold ground, gazing at the endless sky while awaiting my death, I feel no regret for what I have done. I fought with everything I had and saved everyone. My only regret is leaving my mother behind on Earth.
They say that when death is near, your life flashes before your eyes. I do not know if that is true, but I do know this—I hope I fulfilled my duty as a guardian. I hope I will be remembered.
How did my life lead to this moment? To explain, I must take you back to when everything changed.
---
It was five years ago, on June 12, 2019, at precisely 6:34 PM. That date is burned into my memory.
The sun was setting, bathing the sky in warm hues of gold and crimson, as I made my way home from high school. That's when I saw them. People in sleek uniforms soaring on futuristic boards, locked in battle with grotesque creatures. Their weapons—plasma swords and whips—sliced through the air with deadly precision.
I froze, my heart hammering in my chest. Was this some kind of elaborate movie set? A hallucination? But then I heard it—the guttural screeches of the creatures. The sound was unnatural, vibrating through my very bones. My instincts screamed at me to run, but my body refused to move. Instead, I ducked behind a trash bin, trembling and hoping I wouldn't be noticed.
The battle was swift and brutal. The creatures fell one by one, their bodies dissolving into nothingness. Then, silence.
I barely had time to exhale before I saw him.
He stood amidst the wreckage, golden-eyed and golden-haired, his deep brown skin illuminated by the fading sunlight. His presence was mesmerizing—commanding, otherworldly. He turned toward me, his gaze piercing and unreadable.
He spoke in a strange language, the words rolling off his tongue like a forgotten melody. I didn't understand. Then, as if adjusting to my comprehension, he switched to English.
"Do you understand me?"
I nodded, too stunned to speak. A flicker of intrigue crossed his face. "This is remarkable," he murmured. "Ordinary people cannot see us. A barrier hides us from their sight. Who are you?"
Before I could answer, he took a step closer. My breath hitched. He lifted his hand over my head, his golden eyes darkening with resolve.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, "but forgive me for what I'm about to do."
A surge of energy coursed through me, tingling like static electricity. My vision blurred, my limbs went heavy, and then—darkness.
---
I woke up in my bed the next morning, disoriented and gasping for air. Had it all been a dream? But the memory was too vivid, too real. I reached for my phone and felt a chill creep up my spine.
The date was still June 12, 2019.
My pulse raced. Had I gone back in time? Or had he done something to me?
My head throbbed with questions. Frustrated, I slammed my hand on the desk. That was when I noticed the time—8:00 AM.
"Oh no, I'm going to be late for school!"
Grabbing my bag, I dashed out the door. Even as I ran, an unsettling sensation lingered, like a shadow watching my every move.
School was uneventful, as always. I was an outsider—not by choice, but because people simply didn't notice me. After my father died, my mother buried herself in work at the hospital. I understood why, but it didn't make the loneliness any easier.
By lunchtime, my thoughts returned to the night before. I had to find answers. After school, I retraced my steps, returning to the alley where I had seen the battle. But there was nothing. No scorch marks, no debris, no sign that anything had happened.
Had it truly been erased?
Frustration clawed at me as I walked home. At 7:00 PM, I passed the park, hoping fresh air would clear my mind. Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe I had watched too many sci-fi movies. Maybe—
Something cold and sticky wrapped around my shoulder.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Panic surged through me. I tried to scream, but fear had stolen my voice. Tears burned my eyes as I silently begged for someone—anyone—to save me.
Then, a voice rang out. "Fall down!"
Without thinking, I obeyed.
A net of glowing ropes shot through the air, ensnaring the monstrous alien behind me. My heart pounded as I turned to see the same golden-eyed man from before, standing over me.
Fury replaced my fear.
"What is happening here?" I demanded. "Isn't it enough that you knocked me out?"
He studied me, his expression unreadable. "How do you remember what happened?"
"Because your little mind-wipe trick didn't work," I snapped.
His team exchanged uneasy glances. He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you? Humans shouldn't even be aware of our existence."
"Oh, really?" I shot back. "Let me guess. You're protectors of some intergalactic secret, and you think humans are too fragile to handle the truth? You assume we'll panic if we find out?"
Silence. Their reactions confirmed my suspicion.
"How do you know that?" he asked.
I crossed my arms. "Do you think I'm stupid?"
He shook his head. "No. But I don't understand why you're different."
"Well, it doesn't matter," I said. "Now that this is over, I'm going home. When I wake up, I hope I forget all about this."
He chuckled, lifting his hand.
"Don't try that again," I warned. "It won't work."
His team began murmuring among themselves. Before disappearing through a portal with their captured alien, he turned back to me. "Why don't you come with us?"
"No, thanks. Just leave me alone."
With a smirk, he vanished. But I had a sinking feeling this wasn't over.
---
Two months passed. My life returned to normal, and I kept my encounter a secret. But then, on my eighteenth birthday, my mother handed me a small box.
"This is from your father," she said softly.
Inside was a delicate bracelet. My heart swelled with bittersweet emotions. Clasping it around my wrist, I made a wish:
"I wish for the adventure of a lifetime."
Little did I know, my wish was about to come true.
**To be continued...**