by Ayman Ghalit
Mort, who felt really bothered, rolled up his eyes, and said, “You know what! you are threateningly irritating, and so very annoying. I really do pity the girl whom will accept you as a husband.”
Carl smiled, and replied, “Am really flattered. Now, can you do that?”
“The temperature is 27 degrees, that’s what the ship can provide. Can’t tell about the other shenanigans you’ve said”
“We saw city lights, that’s enough for us to know that this planet is safe, no?” said Jack.
“No, it is not enough.”
“Alright, I will take the risk for you all,” said Kais.
The ship’s steam-hissing door vertically opened for Kais who took the honor to be the first one to set a foot on this planet. He started testing the planet by inhaling and exhaling three times, jumping, outstretching his hands and letting it go to test the gravity. Then he told them that it safe and is similar to Earth. After that, they descended from the ship, except for Mort who went to the back of his ship to bring his All-Wheel-Drive vehicle.
As newly arrived cats, the guys curiously roamed the desert to check its feature. Carl, who felt the air is slightly has a metallic odor, noticed that the sand is somehow more shimmering than usual, so, he took a fistful of sand to check, and picked up a small rock after that. Then, with a shocked tone, he said, “Gold!? Guys, this is a gold ore!”
With questioning faces, they all gathered around Carl. And Mort, whom his ears payed full attention from afar, rushed to him, and gasped, “Gold!! Where?”
Carl pointed at the wide desert, and said, “All of this!”
“What make you so sure?” doubtfully, Bob asked.
Gael took the small rock, checked it, and confirmed, “Yes, yes indeed... this is a pure gold.”
“You mean that everything in here is gold?” Mort asked. “Then let’s fill the ship and soar out!”
“Where to, stupid fool? let’s found our way back first.”
“That’s frighteningly odd, isn’t it?” Kais wondered.
“Why?” asked Jack.
“All this gold, and we did not find anyone to prevent us from reaching it? That’s is truly puzzling me!?”
“Good point!” Carl replied. “There are lots of planets that contains gold, but when the human finds one, he will secure, fight, kill, and die for it. Add on that, the true reason of the gruesome war that ignited between the Python’s Eye and The Mother was the discovery of a new solar system that contain planets of gold! Also, there was a camel-looking animal in Planet Ra, a creature named Kalkal. The male had large branching antlers which was entirely made of pure gold, and its female had small golden ones. It was too hostile, wild, and impossible to domesticate. And when the Human arrived, he began hunting it for its precious antlers till it went all extinct. And what lies between you and the government’s planets that contains gold, are lots of checkpoints and guarding armed forces whom will never have mercy on you if you get too close …but, all of this, and no one to stop us?”
With a big happy smile, Mort answered, “And that is what we want. Easy money, baby. With no one to fear or to even argue with! What do you want more than that? This the ultimate man’s dream”
Jack bent over, took a little-big golden stone, hummed in thoughts, and said, “It took me seconds to pick this stone up. Now, I am richer than half of the universe, *picked another* and there is a person, out there in this vast universe, in this very moment, working so hard to earn his living. Am now richer than him, and will remain richer, even if he works hard for hundreds of years!”
Unimpressed Gael, sarcastically, and faintly applauded, saying, “Wow! why don’t you live above some mountain and become a wisdom monk?”
“I will think about that”
“Hmm? You don’t seem very excited about what’s beneath our feet!” Bob wondered.
“What will make me exited is returning home, this gold will not disappear, and surly will be in no use if we don’t find our way back.”
Mort took Jack’s little-big golden ore and went back to the car to store it in the car’s glove-box after discarding its previous useless items. The guys called him loud to bring food supplies; which was three big water containers, one big-sized orange juice, soda drink, some cookies, and cheese sandwiches. He brought them up to Carl who bundled them in their backpacks for easy carry. And at 7AM, the guys packed up and prepared to head to the closest village. Mort brought up his car; big in size, white in color, with visor head lights, airless tiers, and stretchable scale-like body. He then closed the ship’s door, and before hopping in the car, he said to Jack, “Hey, Kid. Look at this!” He pressed the cloaking button on his remote, and suddenly, the ship disappeared from sight!
With an unimpressed face, Jack replied, “So?”
“Where is the expired now!”
“We walk on gold now, dumb geezer. You think that this outdated stupid technology of yours going to impress me?”
“Get in, and shut up,” bothered Gael shouted.
“Kids these day, spoiled and disrespectful,” Mort mumbled while starting his car. After that, with doubtful hope, they sat-off. Kais was in the front passenger seat besides Mort. Carl was beside Jack in the back, while Gael and Bob sat in the far-back seat along with their victuals.
Unknown
Heeded by the lights they beheld before dawn, to the West, they ventured forth. And with time, while lancing through numerous amount of gold, slowly, they lost interest in it. Jack, who concerned about how to get back, being told by Mort that the path to his ship are saved by the car’s positioning-system, which was drawing a red line on blank unrecognizable map. Minutes after, not far from their left, a gleaming white crystal-mountain drew their attention. Mort, who got astonished by its glittering, persistently steered toward it. And when they reached it, they all hopped out from the car, except for Gael who didn’t show any form of interest. Carl took spiky crystal-rock to check, and with a surprised face, he told them it is diamond!
“That doesn’t look like one?” Jack questioned.
“This is how it look before cutting and shaping it.”
“Alright, let’s go,” Gael called them out.
“What’s wrong with this kid,” said Mort. “Enjoy this scenery for God’s sake, you are witnessing something lots of people will never even imagine.”
Sarcastically, Gael turned his head left and right to see the view, then he replied, “Alright, I saw it all. Now let’s move.”
They got into the car, Mort took another little-big diamond rock and stored it in the cars glove box beside the golden ore. Carl wondered, “Deserts of gold and diamond mountains! I highly doubt Human will be in here.”
“What about the radio?” asked Gael.
“That’s not enough... I’ve never heard about something like this ‘Humans living in a golden planet!”
“You are saying that we might encounter some kind of xenomorphic dwellers in here?” Bob asked.
“I don’t know, but the most logical hypothesis is: maybe it’s being inhabited by the humans whom went astray and never came back during the golden space-invasion era! Still, we have to keep low profile till things get clear.”
Mort mumbled while being heard, “How come I didn’t know about this planet before?”
“Coincidence is what brought us in here.” said Jack.
“Coincidence! Your surly means me, because it is I who brought you in here. By the way, if this solar system is not yet discovered, then I have the right to name it. I already did actually, I named it Mort’s Solar-System, and this planet is Mort’s Planet, this desert is Mort’s Golden Desert, also that mountain over there, I named it Mort’s Great Mountain.”
“What about us?” asked Jack.
“I am the astronaut ‘The Capetian,’ and it was my ship that brought you in here. So, of course, I am the only one who have the right to name it as I like, this is how it goes, kid. Life isn’t fair some time.”
Jack replied, “Alright, arguing with yo
u is stupid matter that I can’t stand it, so *snapping his fingers* Bob, give him the answer.”
Bob loudly and vehemently burped at Mort. And with a disgusted loathed face, Gael, yelled at him saying, “You loathsome disgusting creature, don’t you have respect for others?”
“Jack told me so.”
“Don’t listen to Mort’s nonsense,” said Kais. “There are people in this planet.”
After half an hour that is filled with doubt and concern, they found car wheels track, which filled up their hops. They followed it. And after a while, they fell asleep, except for Mort who was steering, and Carl who was too curios to sleep. Half an hour later, Gael woke up on disturbing sounds that he truly despites and hate; crunching, munching, chewing, sipping, and loud crinkling of a plastic bag. Slowly, he gains sight to see it was Bob, who felt uncomfortable from the look Gael gave him. Carefully, and while trying to make it soundless, Bob took out some chips from the bag, slowly puts them in his mouth, and chewed them quietly. Gael pointed his forefinger at him, and said, “Alright, I was polite for too long. You are the most repulsive and detestable thing I have ever saw. So very disgusting and one who horribly reeks. Don’t you ever feel or realize that there is something wrong with you? Don’t you ever feel ashamed? And here you are, eating alone from our food in this arduous situation! I blame your parents for such manners.”
“Am I the most repulsive and detestable ‘Thing’ that you have saw in your entire life?” Bob asked.
“Words will never describe your loathsomeness.”
“Then, that makes me something! Am really flattered. And to be honest, I will consider all the stuff you’ve said to me as a fine compliment. I mean, am the first in something, that’s so cool for me. Why don’t you take a picture with me and show it to your friends and family?”
Gael’s jaws dropped in disbelieve, and was so surprised by Bob’s careless respond, then he muttered and said, “You are more than welcome.”
Jack, who got woken up by them, said, “Leave him be, he is a lost cause. Trust me… he is hopeless.”
“If so, then I truly pity you.”
When the town became visible half an hour later, primitive-in-design vehicles on the far roadway, made Carl, whom was the only one to notice it, really feel suspicious about this place. Moments after, Mort strangely pulled over behind a massive golden boulder.
“What’s wrong? The village still far,” said Kais
Grunting in mild pain, Mort searched for a tissue, saying, “It’s important, kid… Damn it, I will use water.”
“No, you will not,” Carl rejected him.
“Why is that!”
“We need the water, use a golden ore or something.”
“What! are you insane! It’s blasphemous. I can’t do such abomination.”
Carl exhaled bothersome, and replied, “It is just a rock. Metal to be precise. And in this situation, no, it’s not an act of abomination.”
“It going to be a great story to tell, no?” said Jack.
“Just do it and do not disgust us,” Gael, irritatingly said.
“Well, I will do something I never thought about!” said Mort who disappeared behind the giant golden boulder, while the others prepared something to eat. They poured juice on plastic cubs, placed above the car bonnet, and shared cheese sandwiches to eat while surrounded by shimmering desert of gold. Mort returned to join them, but Gael blocked him with disgusted face, demanding him to wash up his hands.
“How did you feel, to be cleansed by gold?” asked Jack.
“Something indescribable. Lucky for me, the gold was so very warm, and gently smooth.”
“Let us eat in peace, you nasty oaf,” disgusted Gael said.
“It is nature, kiddo. This is how it goes.”
Carl, who took a good look at Mort’s car, said, “Any way, we must approach the town by foot. This car will draw to much attention. Judging by the passing cars I saw earlier, I say that we must hide it till things get clear.”
“Aren’t you a little bit exaggerating?” asked Bob.
“No, the car will blow our cover. We must be cautious.”
Bob looked at the far town, which was about half an hour or so by foot, and said, “That’s far for me, let’s get closer to it.”
They agreed to have mercy on Bob, and got close to the village. It wasn’t convenient for Mort to let the car all by itself in the desert, but luckily, they passed by a small golden mount that has a reasonable hiding place. It had a cracked narrow space where a car would easily slip through. He hesitated at first, but Carl urged him to do so. Then, Mort, who was the last one to get off the car, tripped and fell on the ground. No one did, nor was willing to help him. So, he stood, brushed his shoulder off, and sarcastically thanked them.
Puzzling Discovery
At about 10AM, under the sun heat, and while Mort constantly turn back to memorize the mount, they arrived to the town, exhausted, sweating, and uncertain. The town was typically like any other, but what was bizarre and confusingly strange for them, was its buildings. It wasn’t built of bricks, wood, stone, or clay, rather it was built mostly of gold tinged with silver and precious minerals that they easily did recognize! Their necks tilts left and right, up and down, for their eyes to fully glance at this astonishingly gleaming view that they couldn’t believe; houses made of gold, pillars from transparent sapphire, and doors of silver decorated with jade!
With surprised face, Mort wowed, “Unbelievable!”
“True,” said Carl. “But if you thought about it for a little, you will find it obvious, as those who live in the forest will likely live in houses made of wood, and he who lives in the mountain will build it with rock.”
Gael added, “Bear in mind that they will build their homes from material which they can easily afford. Pretty sure gold worth nothing here!”
Kais hummed, “To be honest, I though not that golden houses would be this eye-soring!”
“What’s makes gold worthy, is its rarity,” said Carl
“To be honest, am really hungry,” said Bob.
“You always are,” Jack responded. “But good point, we have to secure our nutrition in here.”
They agreed to rest in this town and try to find any source of information that may heed them back. Carl, who was sight-scanning the town, was so eager to see its resident, but due to the sun heat, he couldn’t find one. Moments after, they went to a near hotel on the wayside. Carl gave a long relieving sigh when he encountered the first resident, he was typical human-being, old and slightly hunched back. Kais suggested to ask him, but Carl disagreed saying that the hotel receptionists will suffice.
The hotel name was F@S. It was simple in its outer design, except for it was entirely made of gold. In the inside of it, was a vast golden-pillared lobby with chessboard-like floor. Mort went to the reception after saying to the guys, “Leave everything to me.” There was one receptionist; tall, thin, and has a long neck with pointy Adam’s apple. His upper teeth were long and is resting on his lower lip. Wearing big, goofy, and thick-framed brown glasses. Dull his appearance clearly tells.
“Howdy!” Mort began his conversation.
“Welcome,” said the receptionist with a faint dozy tone.
“Hey! …Umm? where are we? and who are you?”
“We are F@S Hotel.”
Mort chuckled, “N-No, no, I mean, what is this place? Where are we?”
“Oh… oh! pardon me. This village name is Narbiz. It’s really boring and vacant.”
“Well, that is more difficult than I thought,” Mort whispered to the guys. Carl responded, “That’s because you don’t know how to talk. Here, let me handle this… Greeting, umm? what is the name of this planet? This solar system?”
The Receptionist kept silent with an awkward smile on his face, then he replied, “I do not know what are you talking about.”
“We are not from this planet.” Gael added.
The Receptionist nodded in ignorance, and replied, “Am sorry, b
ut I don’t know.”
“This not going to work,” said Kais “Is there any good library around here?”
“Am afraid not, but there are lots in Darg, it is about 200 miles west of here.”
“Alright, we will deal with this later,” said Mort. “Is there any available rooms or suites?”
“There are three, all of them with the same price 199 Rallods a night.”
“Rallods?” Gael wondered.
“The problem is… we don’t have Rallods,” said Mort.
“That is your problem.”
“We are gusts,” Mort added. “Where is the hospitality around here for God’s sake? where are the good old fashion manners? Where are the true Men?”
The Receptionist let out a faint chuckle, and said, “If this was mine, I will happily welcome you, but this is work, and the owner gave me his trust… I am trustworthy person and I can’t backstab him.”
“How noble!” admiringly, said Gael who pulled Mort and whispered, “Let’s move, don’t be this pathetic and piteous.”
“What’s wrong with you? is it Shame that you fear? Just remember Ateegson’s saying: “For the Anonymous, There Is No Shame.” So step back, and watch and learn, kiddo.” After that, with a forlorn and needy facial feature, Mort, who acted as a poor fellow, started to crack his finger joints, and begged him, “O, kind man, I implore. We are dirt poor and miserable people. Do you want us to sleep on the streets where it’s cold and cruel? Look at my children… please do us good.”
“People?” The Receptions confusingly wondered at first. Then he told them, “I really wish the best for you, but this is not mine to give. I might get kicked out of this Job. Do you want me to get kicked out?”
“You have to make a sacrifice for the sake of God’s blessings. Sacrifice your job for us, and I assure you; content you will feel, and happiness shall await you. So, save us from humiliation and indignity.”
“Look, I was patient for too long, get the fuck out of this building, voluntarily I advise you, or I will have to use Fix and Fixer!”
