Page 122 - Gyananda YearBook 2022-23

120

THE WORLD

OF ALIENS

Have you heard?" asked Zochi in an adenoidal voice. The three kids sat by the swamps, surrounded by
fungi of different shapes and sizes. His pet Axolotl snuggled by his side, wagging its tail. "What is it
now, dim-wit? Another one of your crazy stories?" said Luna, patting an adorable Axolotl on its head as
it endearingly leaned into the touch. It was another day for the playmates on planet Nyx. Luna was
undeniably annoyed by Zochi’s hogwash tales; she groaned as she looked up at the pink sky mixed in
with hues of purple. Oh, how anyone could stare at the mystical expanse for hours and not become
weary of it. "Oh no, my mother always taught me to tell the truth! "I never make up any tales," Zochi
said in a defensive tone, looking down as if he were caught with his hand in the cookie jar. "Just cut to
the chase, will you?" Mama said. “I have to be home before Sirius sets," Vito chirps in, his voice a few
octaves lower. "It is about the Earth," Zochi whispers, yelling as if he were exchanging confidential
information, finally able to state his point.

Their heads snapped at him, and a loud silence settled in the air, only the
sound of tiny glittering swamp fairies playing around. A rather ordinary
sight. "What about the Earth? "I have heard a few scandalous stories
about the blue planet," Luna said, her voice merely a whisper. "My papa
is an astronaut. I heard him talk over the pixie cell. He said that the
earthlings might venture into space and capture our planet!" he
continued, sounding eerie to the bunch. The other two let out an audible
gasp, startling Axolotl. Oh, the horror! I heard they have massive
weapons that explode and take lives and that they use them on each
other, "said Vito, the thrill evident in his voice. "Their kind!" Luna
screeched, appalled by the idea.
"Oh yes, my teacher said they only have two eyes, not four like us. How
do they even see who is behind them? They have little shell-like ears, not
large ones like we do, and other impractical anatomical features. "What a
shame!" announced Zochi, enjoying the undivided attention. "They even
discriminate against and alienate their own people," he added, suddenly
sounding knowledgeable. "How does one even do that?" Vito was fairly
unfamiliar with the concept.

Zochi fidgeted, exhausted from sitting on the stones covered in moss as he flung his long arms
grasped onto the mangrove-like roots swinging over the swamp, still interested in the conversation.
"You silly goose, so if your skin was a different colour than our own, or if you belonged to a different
gender, or perhaps a different kingdom, "Luna explained, quietly finishing her sentence.” How does

that even make sense? Aren’t we the same at the end of the day? Why would you do that to me if I
were a little different? Isn’t everyone unique? " Vito retorted, clearly disturbed. "That is human logic,
my friend.