In this story by Gregorio C. Brillantes, a thirteen-year-old Philippine boy comes to terms with his place in the universe. After watching a science-fiction movie featuring post-apocalyptic survivors traversing the vastness of space searching for an Earth-like planet, the boy questions the significance of his existence. The answer comes to him after dinner that night, as he sits on the porch with his close-knit family. The size of the universe (The Distance to Andromeda) is irrelevant. He is important to his family, and his current place is with them. Themes include doubt, family, love, faith, security, father-son relationships.
The Distance to Andromeda Text / PDF (4,650 words)