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It took all of seven days for the world to end. Or, it felt like the world was ending to a lot of people. To others it seemed more like a miracle. In either case, it began with an announcement. Across the world, everyone heard and saw it at the same time. It didn’t matter how remote or isolated you were, you got the message. It didn’t matter what language you used, you understood the message.

Although there were some variations depending on culture and education, the basis of the message was this: We are not from your world. We have come to your world. We offer all things freely. We do not conquer. We will not harm you. You are invited to join us. You are free to leave us at any time. More information will be given soon.

I was sitting at my desk, waiting for my third period Algebra students to finish their midterm exams when the message came. We all heard it, though there was no way to tell where it was coming from. I assumed it was some sort of prank.

“Students and faculty,” Principal Teft’s voice spoke into the shocked silence of the school over the intercom, “please carry on while we look into this unapproved use of our P.A. system.”

“That wasn’t the P.A.” one of my students muttered, shaking his head.

I agreed, but since I didn’t know what had happened, I had to agree with Principal Teft in that the best thing to do would be to carry on as normal.

“Well whoever they are,” I said to the class with a bit of a smirk, “they aren’t getting you out of midterms.”

There were groans, but most of my students put their heads back down and resumed the test. A few didn’t.

“We’re being invaded by aliens and you expect us to take a test?” Joel, one of the more disruptive students in the class spoke up.

I wasn’t sure if he honestly believed that that was what was happening, but I wouldn’t put it past him to use this as an excuse to not have to finish his test. Before I could answer Joel, however, a number of the student’s cell phones began going off.

“Unless it’s your parent or guardian I don’t want you answering those,” I told them.

“It’s my mom,” Camille, who was one of the more attentive students, shot up from her desk and began gathering up her back and jacket. “She’s coming to pick me up. She heard the…announcement, too.”

“Wow, see?” Joel pointed, “It wasn’t just us at the school that heard it. That proves it!”

“Or someone here at school posted something online and some parents –

“-ell that teacher of yours that I heard it!” Camille had turned on her cell’s speaker phone on so we could all hear what her mom was saying. “It’s all over the news and people are already going crazy. Now get out front of the school. I’ll be there as soon as I can!”

Camille and about half the other students rushed out of the classroom. A few seconds later the earthquake alarm, or all things, went off.

“Student’s and faculty,” Principal Teft’s voice spoke over the intercom, “we are entering a partial lock down. There is no immediate threat within the school but students in the hallways must immediately return to their classrooms.”

I doubted many of the students would actually return but I left the door unlocked for them all the same. That left me with a dozen eighth graders to manage and all of them were looking more and more likely to freak out with each new development.

“Okay,” I said, getting up from my desk and walking to the whiteboard. “I guess midterms are canceled.” I swiped the eraser over the bold letters I’d written there that morning proclaiming MIDTERMS TODAY. “Now, I’m going to turn the news on in a minute,” I said as I turned on the projector and began pulling up a broadcast, “but I want to say a few things first.”

To their credit, the students listened to me and some of the fear began to ease up, at least to where I wasn’t so concerned that they’d just break out into screaming.

“We need to look at the facts,” I told them. “We know what we experienced, and it seems like it wasn’t just the school here that heard it.”

“It was aliens!” Joel stated angrily.

“I mean, sure, maybe,” I said, nodding, “but so far all we have to go off of is what we heard. And what did we hear? To me, it sounded a lot like ‘we come in peace’. We don’t know anything more than that. But whether they’re lying or telling the truth, does it do any of us any good to freak out?”

They thought on that for a moment.

“What if it’s, like, terrorists?” Deslee asked. “They could be trying to trick us.”

“Also a possibility,” I agreed. “That’s why, until we know more, it’s in our best interest to keep calm and think critically.”

I turned on the news. A few of my students had returned during the brief discussion but there were still a half dozen empty seats. I made a note of them on my notepad before turning my attention to the screen.

“Martial law has already been enacted in dozens of nations across the globe,” the reporter was saying. “China has banned any discussion about the event online. In the United States, the president has declared a state of emergency and the National Guard has been mobilized. Fears of riots and looting are leading many local police departments to begin issuing warnings.”

All the while, there were scenes of people from around the globe reacting to what had happened. People were beginning to call it The Broadcast, or The Announcement. There were religious groups who were, for the most part, calling for calm. The Pope was leading a prayer in Saint Peter’s Square. The Wailing Wall was beyond crowded with people and there were concerns someone might get knocked over and trampled.

“We’re going now to a live broadcast from the President of the United States,” the reporter said and the image on the screen cut to inside the Oval Office.

“My fellow Americans,” she began, her face stoic and her fingers knit together in front of her as she rested both hands on the desk, “we appear to be entering a new era, not just for ourselves, but for the entire world. The long asked question of whether or not were were alone in the universe appears to now be answered. With that new knowledge, however, comes new questions. Questions about who they are, yes, but also questions about who we will become. Will we stand together, united, regardless of what the future may bring or will we instead falter and turn to our baser instincts? I believe we will rise to the occasion because we are Americans. We are a people built on the ideals of the grand melting pot, of joining different peoples and cultures, races and religions, into a grand nation that we can be proud of. These new arrivals have extended to us an olive branch of peace, and while we will naturally be wary as our own history records how such meetings between different peoples can go, we will also not deny the opportunity to learn and grow.

“So while we take these first few steps into this future, let us remember who we are. We are Americans. We are united. We are the land of the brave and the home of the free. Let this be a time of coming together rather than a time of unraveling. A time of strength. A time of peace.”

The audio from the broadcast cut out as the P.A. clicked on yet again.

“Students and faculty,” Principal Teft said, “busses will be arriving shortly to take students home. For those students who are normally picked up, your families have been notified and they will come get you as soon as possible. Any students who need to wait for their ride will wait in the cafeteria. The bell will ring as soon as the busses have arrived and students will be excused. All faculty will meet in the library once busses have departed.”

The president’s message was over and the reporter was bringing on a political commentator to discuss the speech. That, I figured, was enough for my students and turned off the news.

“Well this is rather exciting, isn’t it?” I asked them.

All I got were stares, some blank, others disbelieving.

“Look,” I told them, “we don’t know how this’ll play out, but we can at least do what President Howes said.”

“What, wait to be wiped out?” Joel scoffed.

“That’s not what she said.”

“She did! She said our own history shows what happens when an advanced civilization meets an inferior one.”

“She said we weren’t going into this naively, so, yes, that’s a possibility, but –

The bell rang and the students shot out of their seats.

“We will resume our midterms next time,” I said, though I didn’t expect any of them to hear me.

I was just sitting down to my desk to gather my things when a second Broadcast came.

We did not mean to cause panic. Please, be calm. We will show you some of what we bring to you.

Other worlds appeared, alien in more ways than one. Yet it was more than simple images that were transmitted. An understanding came with them, a knowledge that these were worlds without certain things. Things like poverty, famine, or war. These other worlds weren’t without struggle, in that the inhabitants still needed to work, be productive, in order to maintain their worlds, but it was work they chose to do rather than work they had to do.

You are free to choose.

They said after showing the other worlds.

Not every world accepts what we offer. We honor their choice. We will honor your choice.

I sat at my desk for what felt like a long time, though it was probably only a few minutes. Was it real? Were they telling the truth or was this a terrible lie?

“All faculty to the library,” Principal Teft’s voice spoke over the P.A. “All faculty to the library.

I shook out of my stupor and hurried out of the classroom.

“Time to see what sort of people we really are,” I said to myself, hoping that my optimism wasn’t about to be proven wrong.