The Phugwak planet: A Journey To Another Possibility

by Ayman Ghalit

  Everything horribly changed after that. Negative feelings exceedingly outpoured upon me. Insignificant I became. My existence doesn’t matter anymore. What tasted sweet turned bitter. Vacant, pointless, and depressing my life became. I dropped from collage as soon as I realized that I can’t meet the people’s glances anymore, for I always assume it is judgmental. My attitude turned aggressive and abhorrent toward everyone as I slowly swirled down in a hellish vortex of negativity. Suicidal thoughts began chasing me every day and night. The feelings she left for me were unbearably ill and painful. The feelings of being a beta, a worthless loser, a nothing... a nobody!

  I tried to hit the booze as hard as I could. I tried to drown my depression with it, but that didn’t work. It got worse with time, till I found easiness with being an introvert. I isolated myself from the outer world for too long. I started to say, ‘what the point?’ a lot. ‘What the point of living? Marrying? having children? and pushing this worthless life-chain a bit further? What the point of this universe in general? And this planet in particular?’ And as these questions echoed louder in my head, depression enclosed on me in an unbearable way. Solitude brought lots of bad thoughts that made me grab my father’s gun and pasted it against my head in a way that will surly shut down my brain immediately. My hands were trembling when the only thing that lied between me and Death that time was the movement of finger. But I didn’t do it... I didn’t. You want to know why, Gael?”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I said, ‘what the point?’ ... I dropped the gun, and said, “Fuck Emily, fuck this shallow ungrateful bitch. She doesn’t deserve a tear, she doesn’t deserve my concern, and surly, she does not deserve my life. In the depth of anguish, and in the rough narrow paths of Hell I hope to see you crawl in misery. All my joy and passion, my restless efforts, my innocent gifts, and my honest and embarrassing feelings I’ve exposed meant nothing to you!? all of it, simply, went down the drain!

  I stood, and in a strange way, the negative feeling simply vaporized? Somehow, I felt... anew!”

  “Strange, indeed,” Gael responded.

  “I decided that I have to move on, and to follow what they will say is good for me. It was hard at first, but I managed to do it. I returned to college after a year. Life goes on, and here I am, on this peculiar planet, sharing my story with an adversity companion.”

  “So, what happened to Emily?”

  “After a year, I found her in a supermarket, but with a new face, new nose, bigger lips, unfamiliar cheeks, and her rear and breasts got much bigger! She was with another man. And when she noticed my presence, she started to hug and kiss him. She thought that I would give a fuck, but how pitiful it was. I didn’t give her any form of attention … It is true I loved her once upon a time, but I left with a big smile on my face, looked at the sky, and said, ‘Thank you. Thank you for this outcome. Thank you for not allowing me to pull the trigger that day.”

  “If so, then why are you still have here number?”

  “I told you, I loved her. We spent a lot of good times together, and am pretty sure she won’t deny that. That simply can’t just die. The lack of a significant-other in the meantime drives me to check her social-status. I sometimes rebuke myself for that, but then I say, “It’s just a thumb movement.” Though, she indeed cracked my heart, but it’s her life after all, and I truly hope the best for her.”

  “So, what happen next?”

  “Nothing... She was my fifth endeavor to achieve true love, but am starting to disbelieve in that. The clock is ticking, and there is a female doctor that I might give her a chance.”

  “I really hope the best for you, Kaiser.”

  “Even in here?” he jokingly replied.

  “Aren’t you the one who try boosting me with hope? Who knows, true love might be hiding here in this planet.”

  “Yea… who knows!”

  Gael then stood, yawningly stretched, and said, “We’ve better go to sleep. Am truly glad we talked. I somehow feel better letting that out of my chest. umm, am loathed to say this, but please, about what you knew tod—”

  “Worry not.” Kais assured him.

  They left to sleep, and when Gael laid down on his white and cold bed, he desperately prayed to the supreme one whom he believes in, asking him in silent word:

  “To Thee I submit myself, and to Thee I entrust my affairs.

  I lay myself down in dependence upon Thee.

  There is no refuge, nor escape but to Thee.

  I beg Thine mercy, and I fear Thine punishment.

  I confess my wrongful deeds, and I implore Thine forgiveness

  O, dear God,

  Do not forsake me. Not now… not here.”

  Strenuous Quest

  On the obnoxious barking of the birds, Kaiser woke up early in the morning. He found Mort in the kitchen and was cooking what left from the leaves. “Have a seat, the food will be ready soon,” he said. And after noticing the bruise Gael’s fist marked on his right cheek, Kais sat, and asked, “How do you feel?”

  “Am good,” he answered. Then, the kitchen turned awkwardly silent for moments. Kais disturbed it asking, “What about the keys?”

  “I searched the room twice… nothing.”

  “N-Now what?”

  With two platefuls of meat in hand, Morton sat after handing one to Kais, took a bite, and answered, “Well, time is not on our side, and our budget is decreasing by the day. Food is easy to get, but the water will be a major problem if it only courses inside this planet’s creatures.”

  “So?”

  “I have to head back to Narbiz. I will check Edward’s home, and I will check my car.”

  “I see you using singular form?”

  “You will stay here. Search far and wide for the key, go to the reception and try to contact Howareyou and ask him about the keys. Go to the mall, me and Gael went to and search there… And don’t worry, the cellphones will keep us in touch.”

  “Are you out of our mind!? The guys will never accept this. Its... inconvenient.”

  “It’s the best way,” said Carl as he was entering the kitchen. He pulled a chair, sat down, and went on, “I wasn’t eavesdropping… By the way, how you doing, Mort?”

  “Am fine, thank you.”

  “You agree with what he said?”

  Moments later, while discussing the idea, Gael, Jack, and Bob came along and delved into argument.

  “It is safer, that you do not go alone,” said Gael.

  Pointing at his bruise, Mort replied. “The one who drew this, cares about my safety!”

  “Our safety. We have to stay together.”

  “You got trust issue or something?” Mort replied.

  “Well, it is common sense... we mustn’t part ways.”

  Argument sparked as they discussed this matter, but Mort managed to convince them that this is the best way. Carl, who assembled and turned-on the cellphones, dialed Mort’s phone for him to save his phone number. Mort packed his stuff later, and said before leaving, “We will be in touch. It won’t take a day.” Gael, who was in doubt about this matter, followed him outside to apologize for his former behavior. Morton chucklingly accepted his apology, and before he steps into the taxi, he said, “You know how to swing a punch, kiddo.” Then, he left to Narbiz, leaving Gael in uncertainty.

  Jinxed Luck

  When Mort sat off to Narbiz, he left them to argue about their decision. How come they trusted him with their lives? Did he lie? Are the keys really lost? And if so, then, it is nearly impossible to find it in this planet. It is as searching for an earring in the desert. But after a while, they realized that talking will do them no good, so Carl suggested that Kais and Bob should go to the reception and contact Howareyou. And to Gael and Jack, he told them to search in the previous locations they were in. He then gave Gael the phone saying he may forget about it when he delves deep to find their way back in the astrology books.

  And at 8:35AM, Gael and Jack, who left and waited for a taxi to pick th
em up to McRalf megamall, got startled by a sudden and loud screeching brakes and crashing noise. It turned out it was a non-fatal accident that happened near them, followed by raged drivers exiting their cars and shouting at each other with foul language. Onlookers gathered and parted them away. One of the drivers, who was a 17 years old young man, approached and asked Gael, “Please, do you have a phone? I want to talk with my dad.” Gael admirably smiled as he noticed how The Father is a precious being no matter what you are. He gave him his phone, and it didn’t take much for the young man to thankfully give it back to him. After that, they stopped a taxi and left to the mall.

  Merciful Maternity

  Carl stayed largely alone in the hotel. He tried to read and search for a clue, but the noisy barking birds didn’t provide him with the proper atmosphere. For that, he made it a priority to catch one of these birds alive. He realizes that it is nearly impossible to catch any creature who is able to fly with primitive means. Thus, he wandered in the suite searching for anything that might ring an idea, but nothing did he find. While searching, he overheard some cute barking puppies sound. He tracked the sound till he reached the bathroom where he pulled out its vacuuming fan to find a nest with two, small, and featherless birds with puppy’s heads! He cracked a smile and said, “We might be from different planets, but am sure a mother’s mercy is mutual.”

  The helpless puppies barked loudly in hope of their mother’s help when carl picked them. The mother came to help, but Carl was much faster as he took them and installed the fan back in its place. He thought for moments on how to catch the mother alive? And came up with the simplest trap-idea ever known. He took a white drawer from a white bony closet, a cloth hanging-stick from a wardrobe, and a dental-floss that he happened to bring along. After that, in the bedroom, where the mother was restlessly staring through the window to her faint and helpless cups, he placed the puppies underneath the drawer with which is raised by the hanging-stick that is tied up with the floss. The mother flew off when Carl opened the window for her to go to the trap. He hid, and with the end of the floss in his hand, he said, “Now, I wait.”

  Cautiously, the mother entered the room, hopping and stopping to look left and right. And when reached the point, Carl pulled back the floss for the drawer to trap the mother that started to bark aggressively loud. He rushed to pin down the rapidly moving drawer by placing a weight above it. He thought about how could he control the aggressive bird without harming himself and without spilling the bird’s water? Moments later, he got an idea which was suffocating her by a thick blanket that he brought from Mort’s bedroom.

  By a foot, he removed the drawer. The mother swiftly flew off, but Carl was faster as he muffled her down and carefully placed his weight above her. Step by step, her voice turns from fearful hostile, to a sorrowful one that begs for mercy. Carl felt horribly bad, saying, “Am really sorry, but this is for our survival.” Minutes later, the mother went all mute. He removed the blanket, and poked it couple of time by the stick which assured her death. After that, he took her to the kitchen to see what kind of water course inside her.

  He prepared the anatomy tools which was golden forks and fruit-knifes, saying, “Alright, I am certain it won’t be harder than frogs… or humans.”

  The bird was slightly bigger than a city pigeon, but with a Doberman-like head, gray in color with two black line beneath its eyes. He brought a golden cup, chopped the bird’s head off, and poured and squeezed out the limpid water in. Barely, it filled it. Then, he starts plucking out its feather, sliced its belly to observe her organs; heart, liver, kidneys, and lungs... but not as he knew it, rather it was all green and clearly related to plant!

  Later, he skinned its bones from her botanical-flesh, and find it as he learned from the books, wooden. Then, he took a sib from the cup to find pure and fresh! That made him concerningly frightened, after realizing they will be needing lots of birds or bigger animals to survive if they ran out of water in here. After that, he extracted a wooden bone and left it to dry, threw the bird in the trash can, stored the water cup in the fridge to cool, and left to his astronomy books to search for any lead that might bring them back to home while completely forgetting about the puppies…

  Soothing Sight

  Kaiser and Bob went to the reception to contact Howareyou, whom was the one who reserved for them the suite. They did, and got disappointed when he told them he found nothing in his car. Bob wanted to get back, but Kaiser suggested to wander around. And with distrustful concern about the keys, they roamed the lively market street shops; clothes, electronics, shoes, etc. It was nice to walk the streets early in the morning for Kaiser who was wondering how life will be if they ever stuck in here. At the end of the street, they passed by an elegant and neatly designed coffee shop. called Mawan’s Cups. A strangely pleasing aroma pervading that area, drew their attention. The shop’s décor was neat in design and most of it was made of polished white tree bones. It was so attracting it made them agree to enter, and when they did, Kais stuttered from a sight that his brain couldn’t handle or analyze! He suddenly stopped as if pulled back when he beheld a girl working as a cashier. She was unbelievably beautiful; with flawless skin that shows not a scratch, nor a pimple to disquiet its surface. And a lovely round face, with soft, mushy, and reddish cheeks that no needle did inject, nor a brush had swept. And dazzlingly, wide hazel eyes that will stupor the sober and straighten the drunk. Above her long-lashed eyelids that hides a quarter of her eyes, were perfectly-slanted black eyebrows that need not a pen to adjust, nor a tweezer to pluck. Alluring the observer, squishy, and stuffed pink lips that no stick had painted, nor a needle did inflate. And with a perfectly shaped nose, which will never bother the bearer to search for the good-side in a picture. Gently resting on her shoulders, a long, soft, and wavy black hair that makes the one who stare at it swears its night. She wasn’t the tall, nor the short, more like in between closer a bit to be tall. Elegant and graceful in shape, modest in gaze, and naturally feminine.

  Kais stood with a paralyzed tongue when his brain couldn’t function well due to a strange mixture of feelings; desire, fear, passion, curiosity, doubt, and hope. His heart throbs accelerated as his belly fearfully cramped. He then shook his head, cleared his throat, and approached her with a greeting. And with a soft voice and a heart-melting smile, she welcomed them, “How may I serve you?”

  That smile -which exposed her perfectly aligned pearly teeth with frontal slightly longer than its peers- blazingly ignited the chemical-reaction inside of him. Resurrecting feelings he thought it all died and will never come back. He felt awkward as his tongue stuttered, saying, “what’s… what’s in the menu?”

  While gorgeously smiling, she said, “Oh! here you go.”

  Something odd happened, she gave Bob the menu, though Kais’s hand was outstretched toward her. He felt it happen in slow motion when careless Bob took it, and said, “Much obliged, mam.”

  While Kais slightly trying to swallow that, a girl came from inside a room behind the cashiers, saying, “Alma, come check the coffee machine, its stuck again.” And before she leaves, Kais swiftly glanced at her soft hands to see if someone had put a ring on it. Relief embraced him when he didn’t find any, saying in thoughts, “Alma! this beauty must not be abounded.”

  He slightly pulled Bob by his shirt, telling him to take a seat. And when they sat on golden chairs, he said, “Bob, there is something odd in here.”

  While checking the menu, Bob hummed, and said, “We should order these cupcakes, looks so delicious.”

  Frustrated Kais snatched the menu, and said, “Be with me… you saw the girl?”

  “Yea, she is beautiful.”

  Kais, who stuttered and felt awkward again when Alma returned to the cashier, said, “Oh! she is back. Don’t look!” Bob turned and looked at her as she did the same while bashfully smiling. Kaiser noticed that as he felt confused for a bit while his brain started to connect the dots; the gals in the super market yesterday, the adve
rtising posters, and now Alma!? And it didn’t take much for him to figured it out, saying, “Did you notice anything odd?”

  “Is there anything that isn’t in this planet?”

  “What will you here now will be hard to believe, but trust me on this, the girls adore you, Bob.”

  He sarcastically cackled, and said “Adore! who? me?”

  “It is true, you are the handsome one in here. Yesterday, in the market, the girls were literally prying on your beauty. Add to that the advertising posters we saw. You are prince charming, Bob. You are their beautiful view.”

  “Beautiful view! Oh! Kais, don’t you ever say to an ugly person, who knows that he is an ugly person, that he isn’t. Especially ‘prince charming or beautiful view.’ But, lots of people had mocked my ugliness till it gave me an unbreakable immunity, thus, your apology is not required.”

  “I am not making fun of you. It is the truth. Didn’t you notice how Alma was glancing you?”

  “Alma?” he confusingly asked.

  “The coffee girl!”

  “I find this stupid and hard to believe”

  As Bob was checking the menu, Kais kept silent for a bit and got confused when no one from the Phugwak cares or even noticed Alma’s presence, so he wondered, “Why am I seeing this angle all alone?” And after a while without ordering a thing, Alma, who were wearing a purple apron on a long blue pants, smilingly approached them, and said, “Can I take your orders?”