Synopsis

For fifty years, Ebar, an alien from planet Rykos, has lived in human form on Earth as Kyle Johnson. When Ebar gets into a fight at the sewage treatment plant where he works, he is put into jail. A jailer overhears Ebar trying to contact his home planet and tells the authorities. Ebar is sent to the psychiatric ward of the Buffalo County Hospital for evaluation, where he eventually comes under the care of Jeremy Slater.

Jeremy is a young mental health professional, and Ebar’s case is his first assignment. No one believes that Ebar is an alien. More to the point, everyone thinks he’s crazy. After working with his patient for a month, Jeremy begins to believe Ebar truly is who he says he is and concocts a plan. If Ebar will quit talking about being an alien and pretend he is human, Jeremy will work with him so he can get released from the hospital and go on living his life. Ebar agrees.

Jeremy’s egotistical boss, Doctor Richard Andrews, has other ideas. He and a friend at the Pentagon have come up with a plan of their own. Andrews will take over the case and announce to the world that Ebar really is an alien. Andrews figures it will make him famous. His plan is to keep Ebar locked up and study him for the rest of his life.

Jeremy is appalled. He and Ebar have become friends, and he can’t allow Andrews to take control of his friend’s life. Aided by co-worker Julie and her partner Wren, the four of them go on the run with thugs sent by the Pentagon in hot pursuit.

This is a story about good and evil and is a mirror held up to the times we live in. Ultimately, though, it is a story of friendship, a friendship that changes the lives of both Ebar and Jeremy forever.

Amazon

Excerpt

Jeremy took a deep breath and made a fateful decision, one that would change his life forever. Julie was right. He had been riding the fence, and he couldn’t have it both ways. It was time to decide. “Okay, let me tell you this, Ebar. I believe you.” He stood up and went to his patient and looked him square in the eyes. “I believe you. I really do. I believe you are an alien.”

Ebar felt weak in his knees. Jeremy caught him by the elbow and guided him to the chair at the desk by the window. Ebar sat down and looked gratefully at his counselor. “You really believe me?”

Jeremy fought an urge to ‘cross his heart’ like he and his friends used to do when they were kids. Instead, he looked Ebar with as sincere an expression as he could muster and said, “Yes, I do, Ebar. I believe you. I promise.”

Ebar sighed in relief and smiled. “You’re sure?”

“I am.”

A wide smile broke out on Ebar’s face, but it quickly faded. “But do you think you can help me? Really and truly? That big meeting’s coming up next week. That’s pretty fast.”

Jeremy wasn’t sure at all, because he had no idea what he was going to do. But that’s not what he told Ebar. Instead, what he said was, “Yes. I am very sure.” He took the stack of communiques and started spreading them out on the bed. “Let’s take a look at what we’ve got here.”

Jeremey’s mind was racing because there was something else he and Julie had talked about; something that was now painfully clear the more he thought about it. If Ebar was an alien, what exactly did Jeremy hope to accomplish by helping him? Integrate him back into civilian life so he could return to work as a sewage treatment employee? That seemed a little far-fetched. Once word of Ebar being an alien leaked out, the news media would go crazy for the story. Jeremy could just see it – the press would have a field day. Ebar’s picture would be plastered all over not only newspapers and cable news shows, but social media as well. His life would change forever, and probably not for the best.

Ebar didn’t need that. What he needed was to somehow establish communication with Commander Zenon and his home planet Rykos. That’s what would make him feel better and restore his mental health. But Jeremy’s boss, doctor Andrews, and the others like Wallace and Kucinen wouldn’t go for that. After all, treat some guy who believes one hundred percent that he’s an alien. No way. That’s what they’d be thinking. In fact, they’d probably think Jeremy was nuts himself. Andrews might even fire him, and maybe, just maybe, have him committed. He and Ebar could end up being patients together.

Enough! Jeremy shook his head to clear the garbage thoughts from his mind. Talk about a conundrum. He’d have to tread very carefully. And he’d have to make sure Ebar understood the issues they faced. If Ebar wanted people to accept him, they’d have to accept him as Kyle the sewage treatment employee, not Ebar, the refugee alien from another galaxy.

About the Author

Jim’s stories and poems have appeared in nearly five hundred online and print publications. His collection of short stories, Resilience, is published by Bridge House Publishing. Short Stuff, a collection of flash fiction and drabbles is published by Chapeltown Books. Periodic Stories, Periodic Stories Volume Two, Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel, and Periodic Stories Volume Four are published by Impspired. Dreamers, a collection of short stories, is published by Clarendon House Publishing. Something Better, a dystopian adventure novella, and the novel, The Alien of Orchard Lake, are published by Dark Myth Publications. In the fall of 2022, his collection entitled Holiday Stories was published by Impspired as was his collection of poetry, Haiku Seasons. In February 2023, Periodic Stories Volume IV was published, as was his collection of poems, The Alchemy of Then, both by Impspired. In June 2023, a collection of flash fiction, Dancing With Butterflies, was published by Impspired.In July 2023, his YA novella The Battle of Marvel Wood was published by Impspired. His short story “Aliens” was nominated by The Zodiac Press for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was voted 2021 Story of the Year for Spillwords. He was voted December 2022 Author of the Month for Spillwords. He also reads his stories for Talking Stories Radio and for Jim’s Storytime on his website. He lives in a small town west of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Website