lived out here on
earth’s surface anymore. Erect skyscrapers and other iconic
structural formations that once covered the planet’s surface had
been erased out of existence. The only evidence that the domain
formerly harbored one of the universe’s super exceptional
civilizations was the few dark forms of the shattered buildings
remains, noticeable at night thanks to a very faint light emanated
from distant stars hidden from sight by a thick cloud cover that
forever hung above the dead planet.
For a while it appeared this night wasn’t
any different from the others that passed already. All changed in
the blink of an eye however. Peculiar scorpion-like small
constructs with pulsing white-blue lights at their tops and
multiple differently colored lights flashing on their sides, tore
through the dense cloud cover above. The two spacecrafts came
cannonballing from the black skies with incredibly fast speeds like
Lucifer’s bats from hell, and plunged downwards towards the still
planet’s surface; their intense dazzling lights facing downwards,
fixed on the surface of the dead planet earth. The crafts’ dizzying
speeds dropped abruptly, they appeared to hover overhead for a
second, and then swooped further downwards as if they were starved
hawks locked onto prey. The dark erratic shadows they cast on the
surface with their blinding white beams of light danced and touched
tips with one another, changing shapes instantaneously as the
spacecrafts soared past at very low altitudes, heading south. These
unusual vessels maintained their low altitudes and proceeded
southwards at an unhurried pace, their pilots’ eyes glued to the
ruins below.
Xerla was barely paying attention to the
ruins below. Her craft’s comforting hum made it a huge task to keep
her eyes open as she and Kocz kept gliding onwards smoothly. They
were now passing Kgalagadi desert.
“Kocz, I literally can’t keep my eyes open,
my body is shitting down by itself.” Again Xerla received no
response from her partner.
“Seriously Kocz?”
“Was still taken by the ruins below.” Kocz
responded. “Look, some of the structures are still standing. I
would love to go at least a thousand miles before we can head back
to the carrier”
“Come on, we‘ll explore the planet later. We
have lots of time to explore. We will be here for three full days
remember? Let’s go back, I’m really tired.” Xerla pleaded. She
might have been in love with flying but at the moment her body was
almost at its limit, she needed sleep.
“Just a few miles. Please?” Kocz
beseeched.
“Fine. Just a few miles, not more than two
hundred though. When we reach the two hundredth mile mark from
here, I am returning to The Maztica . With or without
you.” Xerla told him.
“Aaaah, party-pooper. Don’t tell me you
aren’t mesmerized by the beauty of the ruins below.” Kocz said
quizzically.
“Not even slightly. Although I do wonder
what transpired on this planet for it to have lost orbit, to be
plunged into deep space, cursed to be forever spinning in the cold
and cruel space.” She informed him.
“It’s simple. This planet’s people angered
God. This is what happens when you piss him off.” Kocz commented.
He was a devout Inzperu . The one and
only existing religion in all of Ekcyr. The
Inzperu credited a god named Zuralyrkro to have created
planets, galaxies and all life in the whole multiverse. Theirs was
a religion that acknowledged the existence of sentient
extra-terrestrial life forms in other space vectors, and
encouraged people to love one another and live
peacefully. Although like most religions in the
multiverse, The Inzperu also preached against
their ‘the devil’ and warned the religion’s
followers about the looming end times.
“You Inzperu and your childish beliefs.”
Xerla started. She loved getting into debates with him about his
religion “You really believe that God did this?”
“Tell me Kocz, how is it that you are
John Steinbeck, Richard Astro