by Ayman Ghalit
Gael saw a necklace with a beautifully carved heart-shaped stone, he wanted to know its value, but the price tag was upside down. And when he was about to ask about it, he got interrupted by a greeting couple whom the salesman recognized and smilingly handed them out a box containing a bracelet with seven small stones. The man signed a paper that Gael swiftly glanced at to see it worth seventy thousand Rallods! The couple thanked him and left. After that, he asked him about his quarry. The salesman elegantly wore two white gloves, opened the closet, checked the price, and said, “This is 40000 R.”
“This!” Mort loudly said.
With a loathed look, the salesman replied, “Yes. Yes this… This stone had been extracted from more than 150 meters down under. Gigantic companies dig deep for this.”
“You seem to be mad?” Gael asked.
“I actually am. Why are you here? It is clear by the miserable figure of yours that you will not buy a dime. You are wasting my time.”
“We just wanted to remember how poor and miserable we are. We hate to forget this.” Mort answered.
With scowled face, the Salesman commanded, “Get out now, or I will call the security.”
After leaving the store, Gael, with a surprised look on his face, said to Mort, “You saw that? The stones are what’s precious in here.”
“True. Too bad we didn’t bring any.”
“Are you stupid? What about the big boulder in your ship? your dream of becoming filthy rich will surly flourish in here.”
Mort snapped his fingers when remembered, thought a little about it, and replied, “No. No, that’s Olivia’s memento. I will never trade it with anything.”
Gael sarcastically cackled, saying, “How romantic! What about your wild dreams”
He let out a faint confident snicker, and answered, “It is already happening, but not here, kiddo... When the time is right, I will be the filthy rich I always wanted to be. I will enjoy the view of the people who treated me badly kissing my hands and sniffing my feet just to cast my pardon upon them. My palms will warm from the burningly regretful hearts of the women whom rejected me. At last, the upper hand shall be mine this time.”
“I see you one with wild potential! But, do you really believe that we will find our way back?”
“Just be optimist, and don’t forget with whom you are, I Morton, the Void Co—”
Gael irritatingly sighed, and interrupted, “Oh, God. Just shut up, and don’t say this nonsense anymore.”
On their way to the exit, they passed by what seemed to be a perfume shop with an employee outside handing out some samples strips. Gael couldn’t get close to the shop because of its unbearable and horrible stench. It was similar to the smell of a month old sealed trash can that is filled with junk food. He took another look to make sure it is a perfume shop, and saw lots of colorful and elegant glass containers with spray heads. He wanted to check that, but Mort rushed him. And before they exit the mall, they encountered a group of thoughtless teenagers. One of them, who was tall, huge, and clearly reckless, deliberately shouldered Mort. Then, he aggressively roared, “Don’t you see what in front of you, fool.”
Mort stuttered, and said, “Am sorry, I did—!”
“SORRY!? What should I do with sorry, you old fuck. You want me to spill your water all over the ground.”
With a fearful tone, and while cracking his fingers joints, Mort muttered, “Am… am, am really sorry.”
Things was about to go bad for them, but luckily, one of his friend pulled him back and said, “C’mon let’s go, he doesn’t worth the hustle.” After that, they left. Gael, who gave Mort a piteous and disgusted look, asked, “Why didn’t you fight back?”
“You think that they can lay a finger on me?”
“Yea, your pathetic apology said so,” he mocked. “Why didn’t the Void Companion defend himself?”
“First, I didn’t come here to outstretch my mussels and fight. Second, what if I did? I will kick their butts, of course, but then what? Police, court, jail, and fees! You have to envision the outcome of your actions. Those germs don’t deserve this overbearing effort. Also, am not in the mood for that… am too old for this shit, you know.”
“Alright, almighty! Let’s get back.”
They took the taxi back to the hotel as heaven’s dark flouting-mountains were about to outpour what it contains.
Reunion
Kaiser and Bob, who couldn’t bear hunger, were the first to return at about 11AM. Kais sat on the couch to try and figure out how the cellphones work, but he found it complicated and completely differ from his. It didn’t take much for him to give up and put the phones down. After that, he took the fleshy leaves to the kitchen to see if it edible or not. He passed by Bob, who wildly, and without showing any mercy, was eating the greenish chicken in the living room while forcing himself to ignore its awful taste and smell. Kais felt disgusted, and advised, “Calm down, the things you eat will not run a way.”
With a mouthful of greenish food, he replied, “Hunger, Kais, I have to shut it up.”
With a disgusted face, he advised, “Don’t eat and talk at the same time, for God’s sake.”
Bob then opened the blood serum bottle and gulped half of it in front of loathed Kais who left to the kitchen after that without adding a word. Minutes after, Carl and Jack pushed the white unclosed door to see Bob picking his teeth. They greeted him and asked about Kais. He burped and pointed toward the kitchen. Carl whom was holding the books, didn’t bother about anything and went straightly to the quite bedroom.
“Did you find any things we can eat in here?” asked Jack. “Am so hungry. How dare you eat a lone, you fat fuck!”
“You know me good, Jack. I can’t stand hunger… I think I had left a piece or two, go on and take a bite.”
With revolted and disgusted look, Jack picked up a piece by the tips of his fingers, smelled it, and slowly put it in his mouth. He immediately spat it out, and began to scratch the tip of his tongue against his frontal teeth to get rid of its horrible taste. “Argh! how can you eat such thing?”
Bob, who made an irritatingly squeaking noise by cleansing his teeth with his tongue, answered, “It is an art that you must master. Oh, don’t bother, for you must spend nights and days training and honing this skill. You must survive the blizzarding winds of winter, and the burning summer sun to reach my level. You need at least 10 years to achieve that.”
“Fuck off,” he said. Then he noticed the empty bottle and checked it to find it blood serum. “Serum!” he asked.
“Yea, there is another one in the bag. Try it. It’s not what it looks like. I swear to you, it is too sweet.”
With a shocked look on his face, Jack dropped the bottle, and left to the kitchen while muttering, “Who the hell is this guy?” In the brightly lighted kitchen, where Kais was cooking, a savory appetizing smell made Jack’s stomach painfully gnaw, “Wow! What are you cocking?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Kais calmly replied.
Jack felt irritatingly angry, and said, “Why nobody wants to tell me anything. Carl before, and now you?”
He chuckled, and replied, “Trust me, I will tell you everything, just let me focus for a little bit.”
Jack pulled out a golden-framed chair from underneath a round smooth-surfaced white, and sat. After that, he faintly asked, “Did you find anything that we can eat?”
“Everything is. Just look at Bob.”
“Bob will devour anything… what about water?”
“We didn’t find water. We searched far and wide, but water wasn’t there. All we did find was blood and its derivatives.”
“Nothing?”
“Yep… not a single drop.”
A moment of dreary silent lied upon them, Jack leant over and pasted his forehead against the table, let out a burdened exhale, and doubtfully asked, “Kaiser... are you scared?”
“A little bit... why? Are you?”
“Am frightened, and am nearly collapsing. I mean, the guy who sp
ent a year and half searching for his way back? A year and a half! …and here we are in a strange planet that we know nothing about. All these discouraging thoughts keep getting in my brain, and I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Just be optimistic.”
“I am trying, but the reality is pulling me down.”
“Just don’t think about it. *sigh* Let’s change this subject... how is Nora doing?”
“Oh, I really miss her. I swear I am burning from the inside. I just want to know if she is better... God damn Mort. God damn him.”
“Do you think it is going to work out fine with her? The differences between you are… critical.”
“Please, don’t bring this subject. It is much more depressing to think about than this. But, I surly will complete her love quest till the end.”
“Just be cautious, Jack. It is too dangerous.”
“Love needs sacrifice,” he replied. And after a while, Gael and Mort arrived, and asked the guys to gather up in the living room to conclude this planet.
Despairing Conclusion
In the living room that is lit only by sunlight, Mort asked Bob if they had found anything they can drink or eat. And before he replies, Kaiser -with a plateful of meat in hand-answered, “Everything is edible in here.”
“Is this meat!?” he asked after sniffing the pervading delicious smell.
“And what kind of meat?” Gael asked.
After taking a bite, he answered, “The trees that surround us, are not really trees as we know it, they are, hmm—?”
“Us,” said Carl who answered Kaiser’s thoughts, after entering the living groom. “The trees are us. Its leaves are flesh, and its trunk and branches are bones.” He took a bite as they all followed him eating the bacon-like meat whole.
“Hmm, wow! that’s so delicious!” Bob admired.
They told them about the trees and its crops; eyes, livers, hearts, kidneys, and female-humane breasts. Carl dragged them deep down in fearful doubt about this place after pointing out that all the trees here depend on blood to grow. Mort hummed, and said, “We gotta see the breast-trees up close and personal.”
“Old and creepy! how very unfamiliar,” Gael responded.
“Also, the people in here,” Carl added.
“What about them?” asked Gael.
“They are not human I mean, not humans in the fundamental way, more like creatures that looks like human, but are not.”
“The hell are you talking about?” Mort confused.
“Alright. How can explain? …they look like us from the outside, but they are not from the inside. Their muscles are not made of flesh, rather, they are botanical. Coalesced and wrapped in vegetal substance that formed a muscle with the ability of contraction and relaxation. Also, their skeletal are made of wood. To sum it up, they are not Humans, they are another being, another creature called The Phugwak.”
“Phug- what?” asked Bob.
“Phugwak.” Carl repeated. “The plain evidence of the existent of the other intelligent and free-wiling being.”
“That is frighteningly interesting,” said Gael.
“No… this is frightening interesting: What flows inside their veins and vessels are not blood. It is …water!”
They strongly denied and disbelieved his claim, but he told them about the accident he had encountered near the library. Gael hummed in remembrance, and said, “Is that so! hmm? That’s why the kid who threatened Mort said that he will spill his water all over the ground!”
“What Kid?” asked Kais.
Mort swiftly averted the question by saying, “He is imagining things… So, what about space and astronomy? Find any clue where are we.”
“I didn’t look at it yet. I was too curious to see what is going on in this planet. I can assure you that we’ve have found what will stamp our name in the history books till the end of time.”
“That’s good news, but it won’t lead us back. Focus on searching for the road back, kiddo.”
Kais asked, “Found anything out there, Gael?”
Gael told them that he and The Void Companion didn’t find space stations, nor it’s workshop. He also told them about how valuable stones are in here, and told them about what the Phugwak’s noses desire. Bob suggested that they can sell Olivia’s boulder, but Mort vehemently rejected this idea. A moment of silent followed after, Mort disturbed it, saying, “Let us haste, and search our way back to Earth”
“That’s not going to be that easy.” said Gael.
“Be optimistic, and don’t drag us to your pit of hopelessness. I have strong feelings that we will return home soon enough.”
“Leave your feeling to yourself,” Jack replied. “It is what drove us to this disaster in the first place.”
“True,” Gael agreed. “It is your stupidity that dragged us in here.”
Mort smiled, and said, “What’s wrong with you, kids? Take it from this perspective: We discovered a new planet! That’s mean new creatures, new ideas, new science, and new theories that will debunk and contradict lots of believes. New facts that will grind the brains of those who thought we are all alone. And probably -if the humans find out about it- new wars. And wars mean new heroes and villains. That’s going to be something good for he who seeks easy-pride by killing another being. We will make his wish come true, no? And look underneath your feet, kids. Gold! Gold with no one to fear, and no blade to chop off your hand if you simply take it. Easy money. That’s mean, we are filthy rich. Just be joyful, and enjoy it will it last …and by the way, as I have to remind you again, it is my ship that landed on this planet, and I am its captain, thus, I have the right to name everything in here the way I like. This is Planet Morton, in Mort’s Solar System, and its two moons, one of them is Morton, and the other is Olivia. I know it is not fair, but this is how it went in the past, and this is how it goes now.”
Gael replied, “Your loathsome sarcasm will bring nothing but trouble to you. It not healthy for an old doddering man.”
Mort shrugged, and replied, “Maybe, kid.”
“I am hungry,” said Bob.
“What!? you just ate!” Jack replied.
Kais agreed with Bob, and wanted to suggest that someone should go to pluck leaves for them, but got staggered and silenced by frighteningly loud cracking thunder.
Hemorrhaging Heaven
After the thunder crack, rain began tapping every surface its droplet touch. It quickly scaled from calm droplets to heavy torrential.
“It is raining, but I don’t think its water!” said Kais.
They rushed to opened the reddishly blurred window which was dripping red liquid. Carl, who outstretched his arm outside to see what kind of liquid the heavens are dropping, shockingly concluded, “It is raining blood!”
They all got staggered by this reality. Gael, who almost questioned his believe, said, “If you want to keep your sanity in this planet, you have to envision everything.”
Kaiser hummed in thought, and said, “Rivers of blood, and now rain? Am sure the seas are bloody as well.”
After the rain stopped, they reopened the windows to see a strange view. The streets were covered with gleaming red blood. The building drainage-pipes were gushing out what gathered on the roof. Parked car covered with blood droplets. Phugwaks walking the street while still sheltering themselves by umbrellas. A middle-aged mother urging her kids, whom were playing on a blood puddle that is gathered in an uneven street-dent, to get back home. And Edmond’s golden statue, slowly, rains blood through his prideful eyes. That peculiar scene brought them astonishment and fear at the same time. Carl took some pictures via his phone, and said, “If you can observe this view through a sight that is dethatched from familiarity, believes, and fears, I assure you will find it enchantingly beautiful.”
Jack almost fainted when he couldn’t help but to take some steps on a blood puddle in the sidewalk when he and Kaiser volunteered to pluck leaves from the blood-dripping trees. It was strange for the Phugwaks to see someon
e plucking out lots of leaves, but every one minded his own business.
In the hotel, Carl measurably prepared the food table with water and juice. They then cooked the fleshy leaves and ate it later. The food was delicious and good as they filled their stomachs without concerning about its source. Later, some passed time after finishing their lunch by napping, some by discussing this planet, reading anatomy books, and trying to assemble and turn on the Phugwak-made phones. Gael, who was putting both of his hands behind his head, was laying on his bed and gazing through the window at the blue sky of the Phugwak Planet. Carl was beside him on his own bed, reading an anatomy book. Gael was thinking about a troubling matter that didn’t click well in his head. He heaved when it became to irritating, and asked, “Is it true?”
“What?” Carl faintly replied.
“They are not human?”
“Yes, they are not humans.”
“Can’t it be a prolonged and an unexpected genetic mutation that happened to people who landed on this planet and never came back!?”
“That’s impossible... Why are you asking? You should be joyful. It is a new discovery.”
“You know... I believe in God. And sometimes, doubt storm my mind about that. But when I look at the galaxy and see that we are the only intelligent lifeform out there, it strengthens my faith in him. I thought that as long as we are the only creatures that are intelligent and free to act, then everything written in our books must be true. And now, I really don’t know. I fear them, Carl. I fear what kind of philosophy and revelation in their books. My faith is becoming more fragile by the minute in here...”
“I too have questions about the purpose of our existence. I do believe in the existence of a supernatural power that made all of this, but am not sure what is it. And I don’t think that the discovery of another intelligent lifeform will prove that there isn’t. And their philosophy and revelations will not be that different than ours. They are way too primitive, and I think not that they will have answers for that.”