#1000 Words Tales Celestial Inception June Entries

#1000 Words Tales June Entries

Winning Entry by Vikram

Zillion more dreams

 SnowFlakes and Sea Shells

 December 15th, 2121

 Juha was gazing at the sky, enjoying the view of rare Aurora Borealis with his qubit simulations. He spotted a fleet of space sensors rushing towards outer space on his telescope. Spending most of his childhood under the Lapland sky, the rush was a bit unusual.

 The last 100 years have over-weighed humanity’s ambitions w.r.t. what we eat, how we live, and why we should heal the earth. Humans today have managed to build interstellar space travel and send space probes to habitable zones of Proxima Centauri. But in contrast couldn’t solve the impact of climate change, because of which around 2 billion people have become climate refugees.

 A climate refugee activist, a rebel by nature Savitri is a Jack of all trades, She is influential in bringing together the islandic tribes into the Indo-Pacific who lost their land due to a rise in water levels on a pack of floating cities.

 She was doing her daily scuba walk around the sunken city walls when she received the message ‘purple’. To her further agape, news about the space probe from the planet EM05, confirmed the ground conditions to be suitable for human life.

 In reality, it must be a big moment for the earthlings, who were in search of a new habitable planet to seek an alternative from the never-ending threat of space asteroids. In contrast to Savitri, mission purple was a fallacy. She was neither inclined towards nor convinced about it’s the approach.

 Mission purple

 On the mainland, it was a doomsday situation at the UN headquarters. The space sensors reported the 70% probability that the asteroid DSD12 will collide the earth, the impact can bring down human civilization and snuff out any traces of life on earth.

 **************

 After an eye-catching red Borealis shower, Juha started skiing back towards his home. Susanna, his girlfriend, was waiting for him. As they kissed their cold lips to the fresh snowflake wind, Susana passed him the message ‘purple’. Before gaining the context of the situation, Juha realized it was a goodbye kiss.

 ***************

 

Mission purple was initiated by the UN, to prepare for the human existential crisis situation. People from around the world were picked and flocked together in the special programs to find the altered 21st-century Adam and Eve, who can reimage the earthlings as humanly as possible into the future.

 As she rises up from underwater, Savitri is time struck and cold seeing the wonder of the mortal engines that they have built together on the water for survival.

 Falcon’s Lift

 The Falcon’s rocket lifted Juha from Lapland and Savitri on a drone ship ground-up, from the middle of Indo-Pacific. Although being a hemisphere apart, they shared the same thought …

 ‘Am I ready?’

 At first, the Falcons landed them at Kennedy Space Center, they had to spend the next 9 hours unconsciously under clinical supervision to prep them into outer-space travel.

 Once The Big Falcon BFR boomed into space, Juha and Savitri slowly gained consciousness, noticed each other, making eye contact for the first time, modestly sharing this moment, while leaving the earth behind only to make a better version of it. 

 Breaking their silence, Janet jumped in between with a shriek pitch

“Hello people, this is Janet, with a pi years journey ahead”
“You can come out of the shell now, kkkk” concluded with its robotic voice leaving Savitri’s amused. As if he read her mind, Juha mentioned to Savitri “kkkk means hihihi/lol”

 Janet’s kkkk

 Juha with his usual curious instinct found a corner while Savitri settled herself with a splendid view of Jupiter’s rings along the window. Janet re-appears there to jump-start a conversation and break the ice.

 Janet, “You two strangers, consider this to be the arranged marriage that the earthlings have chosen for you, kkkk”

 ‘So Savitri, Juha, aka Juha Katari Kalio, is a social scientist. For him, everything is qubits and numbers. His ancestors hailed from the Andes region in South America and Lapland in Northern Europe.’

Turning towards Savitri, Janet continued, ‘And a fun fact, you were citing his social theories on inequality and climate refugees in your speech and articles’

 Thrusting back at Juha, ‘Juha, Savitri, aka Savitri Lakhwani Sridar, is an Olympic swimmer turned climate refugee activist. For her, compassion and love define everything. Her ancestors hailed from Himalayan regions and Southern India.’

 One thing that is common with you, is the DNA from your ancestors living in remote highlands, which was critical for the survival in EM05. All the algorithms synthesized you two to be the top pick, even though coming from contrast cultures, you share ideal principles and values towards progressive humanity.’

 “Apart from that, let’s leave it to serendipity. Kkkk”

 ***************************

 Zillion dome

 As Juha and Savitri had the ice breaker, they slowly continued to get along discussing their visions, values, and passions while having the star trek moments. As they walk around the station, Juha was so excited to show the quantum computer to Savitri, explaining all the qubit simulations for the new planet to her.

 Savitri was over the moon to show her workshop, where she can design and hack ideas, the huge wall-e robots that she can hang-out with.

 Well aware about the responsibility ahead, they entered into the zillion dome, it was where the DNA of the crops, plants, trees, insects, birds and mammals species from the earth were stored, and on top of it, human cells representing all earthlings from different cultures, tribes, languages, and colors were hosted.

 This was their kairos, they realized they have a chance to reimage the future as humanly as possible with the zillion more awaiting dreams. As Juha saw Savitri, he could feel something in the air to which both were passionate for.

 Under this zillion dome, their eyes fell in love with each other, as they gripped each other, to reach their lips, it was the warmest kiss that made all of their other kisses in life void.

Entry by Anjali Susan paul

Somethings Never Change!

It had already been two years since Meera and Brian had landed on Mars. ‘An eventful two years,’thought Meera as a pensive smile appeared on her face. They had finally made it happen. Transforming Mars into a habitable piece of land was something that had only been envisioned over the past few years. But when survival was the question, anything was possible. Meera looked out into the vast expanse of arid land outside the glass dome that was their new house.

 The exorbitant expenses incurred in the process of terraforming (process of converting a hostile environment into one that can host humans without mediation) Mars had resulted in only making half of the planet livable. An entire ecosystem was installed within a span of 8 months. The water tasted a bit strange, yet it was drinkable. They also had supplies of food that would last them for generations, until their very own bio dome produced crops of its own.

As Meera gulped down the remnants of turmeric milk from her favorite mug, one of the few possessions she had got from Earth, she was thankful for that familiar flavor that surprisingly helped in ensconcing Meera in her new home. Who imagined that this very milk would be labelled as the elixir of the new world? After all it was the Indian way of cooking that had earned Meera a place on this planet. The unique style of cooking and food habits that had given Indians an edge over the rest of the world.

While Meera stirred the big pot in their kitchen, Brian sauntered inside.

“What’s cooking Meera?” he asked, sniffing the air in anticipation.

“It’s Rasam,” said Meera as she saw the liquid bubbling in excitement.

But seeing Brian’s downcast expression, Meera tapped at the pan next to the rasam

“There is some beef steak too Brian, but you have to handle that yourself, “said Meera with a cheeky smile on her face.

“Praise the lord! What would I have done without you?” exclaimed an exuberant Brian.

Some would say that Brian and Meera made an odd pair. Meera was a Tamilian Brahmin who hailed from the small town of Madurai in India. Meanwhile Brian’s ancestorscould be traced back to the Sacramento County of California, United states.They both were junior astronauts at NASA.

It had been a conscious decision to have a representative each from the first world and third world countries. While sendingan American was a unanimous decision, the Indian was a surprise. Billions of people had succumbed to the deadly virus. But it was the robust innate and adaptive immunity of the Indians that had everyone stunned. Several theories were attributed to this. From environmental and food habits to the extensive microbial load and general exposure to a variety of pathogens were deemed to have played a huge role in making the Indian diaspora develop immunity against the deadly virus.

With the dwindling monetary resources, it was decided that only two people were to be sent to Mars initially. They were to maintain regular contact with earth and if circumstances were favorable more survivors would be sent across to Mars.  When it came down to select two people who would be the harbingers of future generations of the nearly extinct human race, that too on a planet different from Earth, the obvious choice were the astronauts. Their perfect 20/20 vison, impeccable bloodwork, rigorousmedical tests from audiometry tests to cardiovascular screening made them ideal candidates. Simulations after simulations, sessions in the vomit comet, survival training, piloting skills and practicing spacewalk were just a few of the many skills they had mastered.

Meera was getting anxious with each passing day now. It had been nearly 6 days since they had made any contact with Earth. The possibility of no more survivors gave nightmares to Meera. Brian on the other hand seemed to be oblivious to the latest developments.

His biggest concern at the moment was to make Mars a completely survivable planet. Every day he would spend hours poring over the myriad of possible ways in doing the same.

“Orbital mirrors are the solution,” said Brian as he snapped his fingers.“You have got to help me with this,” he begged Meera.

Meanwhile Meera looked in no mood to entertain Brian’s cranky requests.

“These white people and their crazy plans,” muttered Meera in Tamil.

“Hey not fair. No new language on this planet”, said Brian.

“Of course there will be a new language”, said Meera indignantly. “Our children will be multilingual, “said Meera with a sense of pride.

Brian looked at Meera in frustration.

“All this is so normal for you right. Two perfectly strangers thrown together and expected to copulate. After all love is not even a requirement in your marriages, right?” screamed Brian.

“What do you mean by that? Of course love is a huge part in all marriages, only thing is it happens after marriage. And let me assure you these marriages last much longer than the ones that happen at your place,” mumbled Meera.

“It’s been two years now Meera. We will really have to get things going, we have to start behaving like a family now”, said Brian in a calmer voice.

“How am I expected to sleep with a man who has beef,” said Meera in disgust. “It’sblasphemy, “she said in a quivering voice

“Now where did that come from,” said Brian, dumbstruck at the direction in which this argument was progressing.

“Just like how I bear the smell of all that curry that emanates from every pore of your body”, spat out Brian.

All the pent up anger and deep rooted prejudices suddenly came out like hot lava spouting from a volcano.

“Sleeping with a brown skinned woman was definitely not on the cards for me lady. It’s beneath my dignity you Asian scum,” said Brian menacingly.

All hell broke loose after that, the only two survivors had killed each other.

Writing Contest. | July . Participate Now.

Entry by Anamika Bhattacharya

Green Bangles and a Veshthi

Their first rendezvous began with a smile and ended in a virtual tussle. Both Aradhana and Satya had taken an instant disliking for teach other. Aradhana came from a staunch, orthodox Tamil Brahmin family. She had done double masters in philosophy and home science. At 26, she was teaching in a college and taking care of her parents. When Aradhana’s principal asked her to join this contest organized by the science and space technology researchers, she instantly said no. She hated being in contests. According to her – only weak and incompetent people took refuge to contests. But, when her principal approached her parents and they requested her to take it she couldn’t say no.

What are the two most important things you would like to carry to the space, Ms. Aradhana – asked one of the scientists.

My mother’s green glass bangles and my father’s veshthi, Sir – answers Aradhana.

Satya was a Rajput from Bihar. Strict non vegetarian, he loved drinking and eating meat. At 36, he was the director for an oil based company in Bangalore. Satya was also a national level cricket player. However, he was uncontrollable with alcohol. A complete workaholic and alcoholic, Satya had nothing that could attract a lady like Aradhana.

So, when both of them were declared winners of the Corona survival planet contest organized by the Science and Space Research of India (SSRI) in joint collaboration with government of India, Satya had banged his fist on his desktop table out of frustration. Aradhana had cried two days non-stop thinking about the man she would have to be alone in that spaceship for the rest of her life.  

About 6 months back, there was an outbreak of a pandemic that was calling for humanity to perish. Government of India and SSRI came together to start this unique experiment of identifying if a new generation of mankind could be created in a distant planet that had possibility of sustaining life. The space ship for the journey to Edward (a new planet) was already designed and ready. Scientists had done extensive research to design the ship though it had a limitation – only two people could be taken to Edward as the funds for accommodating more lives wasn’t feasible. If the experiment would be successful, SSRI and Indian government would ask some of the other countries to donate for more such couples to be sent to Edward.

Two days had passed in the spaceship and Aradhana had not come out of her room. She sat meditating holding on to her two most price possession. Satya was busy drinking and listening to some loud music. Not bothered an iota if Aradhana was eating, sleeping or already dead. His taste wasn’t the likes of Aradhana.

Intelligence ka achar dalengey kya (what good is intelligence if she isn’t hot),” he had exclaimed to his friends. His friends comforted him. Think of the positive side. You still have a hope of surviving. We all would be dead soon.

Satya went and knocked at the Aradhana’s capsule door.

“I am usually not rude, but the next time you come after me, I may just hurl abuses at you,” replied Aradhana half opening her capsule.

“Wow! The enchantress can open her lips also. I thought only your eyes and the incessant water in it could be opened,” answered Satya sarcastically. “Deal with it lady, I am the only one you’ve got. So, unless you want to go mad talking to yourself and endlessly gazing at the space outside, you better get adjusted to the situation,” muttered Satya hurling the finished whiskey bottle at her.

6 months have passed on the space ship and Aradhana hasn’t much bothered to move out of her capsule. Meanwhile, Satya has been drinking every night, taking updates from Earth about his family. He has also been taking updates on Aradhana’s family. The ground staffs at SSRI were depleting. Mostly all elderly people on Earth had perished. Satya’s parents had passed away three months now.

One evening, suddenly Aradhana hears a shriek and rushes out of her capsule. Satya had screamed her name out and sat still. Aradhana’s father was breathing his last. Humanity is at the verge of diminishing, her father said. Please save this species dear. We understand you don’t like Satya. But, there must be a reason why the superpowers chose you and him over the rest.

Aradhana almost faints. Satya tries to grab her by the waist to stop her from falling. Aradhana pushes Satya away. “Stay away from me you wretched drunkard. You stink of rotten animals,” Aradhana murmurs.

Satya grabs hold of Aradhana and starts violently kissing her on her lips. Sorry uncle, but if your snob of kind daughter understands this language, then so be it,” says Satya to Aradhana’s father. Aradhana pushes him away and starts weeping. “God what a beast you have sent my way. I can’t even say my last prayers for my father to rest-in-peace.”

Beast! You call me a beast. Well, let me show you what a beast I can be. He grabs Aradhana’s wrist, switches the connecting monitor off and moves towards his capsule. “I would have shown you what tender love is, by marrying you and making love to you in your capsule. But, now you are going to face humiliation and filth in my capsule,” mutters Satya.

Six months I have been alone and waiting, taking every tantrum of yours. Not today, when your dad too has entrusted your responsibility on me. Satya takes her to his capsule, locks the glass cover and by the time he can do anything, Aradhana goes unconscious.

Frustrated, enraged and totally clueless of what to do- he opens the capsule and picks Aradhana to drop her in her capsule. When he reaches the Aradhana’s capsule- he is awestruck.

By the side of Aradhana’s pillow is the bottle of whiskey Satya had hurled at her. Aradhana had wrapped it up with her father’s veshthi and her mother’s glass green bangles. 

Entry by Chandra

Praaná – The Revival

 

Earth, December 2060

3% oxygen left

18% water remaining

Whoosshhhhhhhh, a spaceshipescaped earth’s orbit, taking with it the last of mankind; leaving behind thousands, praying and hoping.

—————————————————————————————————————-

Year 2090, on a faraway planet

“Grams, can you pleasssse tell how you and Gramps came from there?” Rinja pleaded, pointing at the silhouette of a tiny planet. Arhantiglared, before breaking into a smile on looking at the puppy dog eyeshovering around her, “Arey bachche*, again? How many times do youwant to hear the same thing?”“Please Grams” a synchronised chorus melted her heart and she started with the story, again…

——————————————————————————————————————————-

“Life on Earth in 2058 was scary and dangerous”, she spoke pensively, “not a single day would pass, when one wouldn’t hear of acatastrophe happening in some part of the world. Not this world bachche*, but the one from which I have come. Life was changing drastically, and scarily not for the better.A mysterious calamity had stuck the Earth, people were vanishing just like that, poof!”she paused, lookingat her captivated audience.

“Our callous actions had been tormenting Earth since ages, vanity made us think of ourselves asindestructible. This catastrophe was Earth’s come back, she had had enough!Initially, the crisis was largely ignored as only“poor lives” were disappearing. The vanishing of monuments, forests, oceans, animals, birds and prominent peoplewas the moment of awakening.

The rate at which this invisible force was sucking life out of Earth, had alarmed the scientists. We were less than 700 days away from doomsday.For the first time ever, the entire human race joined hands to fight this unknown enemy. Two teamswere formed,comprising of best brains from the scientific community. One strived to save the earth while the other workedon an alternative plan”

“Grams, what were they working on?” questioned Brar.

“My dear, it was classified information known to select few. Soon, both teams collaborated as they realised it was too late to save Earth. Few decades ago,astronomers had discovered an uninhabited planet, quite similar to Earth and hence the secret plan was put into action.”“Yay! Our world, Praaná*”, exclaimed Cherry.

“But how didyou survive?”interjected Melvin. “Let me answer that, MonCher*”, the children gleamed on hearing Simon. “Gramps, tell us how you came here!”quizzed Careem. Simon placed a gentle kiss on Arhanti’s lips before joining the group.

“One day, I woke up to find myself in a strange place. I was told it was the global research centre somewhere near the South Pole. I have no memories of how I had reached there. It wasunnerving to be suddenly in the midst of unknown people in an unfamiliar place. The people seemed to be knowing what they were doing,there was just one more person who was caught unawares, like me”he looked lovingly at Arhanti.

The kids listened with rapt attention as Arhanti spoke, “The Chief, Mr. Xion Ping addressed us, explaininghow the two of ushad been chosen for this mission. I was trembling, when Simon held my hand and comforted me ‘We are in this together, don’t worry’. We were scared, yet proud.

Annie probed, “why did they choose you both from amongst all the people?”“Je ne sais pas, mon chère”*, Simon replied,“Mr. Ping and his team were working diligently towards saving the human race, and we were entrusted with thehumungous responsibility of successfully implementing it”.

He looked around, satisfied. “All the life that you see here originated on Earth. We did not come here empty handed, we brought along with us thousands of vials- containing frozen embryos, not only of humans but of birds and animals too. Also, a seed vault containing all known species of flora was prepared and loaded onto the spaceship. Our scientists worked real hard to ensurelife goes on, even after Earth is destroyed.

As we embarked on our voyage, we resolved to never let the efforts of all these brave people go in vain.”

“Arey, tell them about my favourite items which we brought along with us”, interjected Arhanti. “Yes of course, how can I not mention them? Life is meaningless without knowledge, isn’t it children?” They nodded in excitement. “All the books known to humans were saved in a super micron chip, and that’s how we ensured the knowledge gained,right from pre historic times till the 21^st century was never lost”.

“It was a bittersweet moment for us, as we left Earth to recreate life here. We landed into the unknown, scared and excited. This place was a vast span of land and water. Nothing else! Weconscientiously followed the instructions given to us. It was heartening to see the barren lands soon covered by green. Humans, birds and animals started thriving and cohabiting peacefully. The sounds and sights of life resonating here was our award. The first gens were the first and last ones to originate from frozen embryos. And thus we recreated life on Praaná*”, Arhanti and Simon’s voices were drowned by the enthusiastic applause.

This was the story they narrated every time, never revealing the fact thatthe embryos had been genetically modified to be forever bereft of disease, fear, anger, jealousy, disgust, rage, greed and superstition. The secret would die with them.

The inhabitants of Praaná were forever thankful to the great sacrifice made by the people of Earth.Praaná wouldn’t have existed if not for them.

The humans of Earth had successfully recreated and regenerated a better life, more humane humans and a civilized civilization.Inspite of being multi-racial, they were undivided by race; and united by the one common religion they all believed in-“Humanity”.

Glossary of non-English words used

Arey –colloquial equivalent of Hey! (Hindi)

Bachche – endearing way of calling a child (Hindi)

Mon Cher – My dear (French)

Praaná – Life (Sanskrit)

Je ne sais pas –I don ’t know (French)

Entry by Debaprasad Mukherjee

EXTRO

“Isn’t it gratifying, Greg?” I ask, producing a potful of chukka to him with my wrinkly hand that shakes a bit. Greg’s hand, equally wrinkly, shakes as well, as he gleefully accepts the pot. This drink is his invention that he made as soon as we landed up at Extro, and that’s all he has invented in these sixty years of our stay at this planet. Both of us relax on hammocks placed side by side tied to a couple of crimson coloured trees. Our grandchildren are splashing red water of the sea at each other playfully as we celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of Planet Extro. Incidentally, it is the eightieth birthday of both of us. Greg nods cheerfully.

“Ye, ye.” Then it gives way to another of his dissonant spell of singing, “’Ere goes da maan on Extro-o-o-o. Tra-la-la-la-la.” I have loathed his singing all along, but one doesn’t loathe her partner on their last days.

Other than our age, nothing matched as we landed first on this planet sixty years back. It was the year 2020 on Earth at that point. I, the gorgeous looking Priya of twenty, was a bit proud of my precocious scientific talent as I was pursuing my course in university. I believed science could break the human barriers of race, economy, and religion. I glob-trotted on a mission. And let me admit, young scientists went gaga over my looks and talent.

Then it all started, one after the other. One virus followed by a deadlier one, hurricane, typhoon, tornado and earthquake. As if it were not enough, humans waged war under different pretext. Finally it turned to nuclear war. Earth was on the verge of extinction. That was when I received a strange message on my smartphone: YOU ARE TO PROCREATE HUMAN RACE IN ANOTHER PLANET. I’m an atheist. Neither do I believe in god, nor in things like Noah’s Ark. Yet the message seemed exciting.

The next thing I knew was I woke up in a strange land that was had a different hue and feel from Earth. Blue soil, red water, crimson trees with violet leaves, and a sky with a mix of green and magenta. Reptiles, birds and mammals of strange shapes and colours roamed around. I thought I was dead, and then I remembered the graffiti on my phone. I searched my pocket. Nothing was there! I realised I was not left with any belonging. Even the clothing I had was bare minimum.

I wondered who my partner would be to procreate. A young black man of my age was waving at me from a nearby treetop. He jumped down and bounced twice before settling. I had a good look at him. Although muscular, he looked raw and grotesque. He grinned at me in an uncivilised, blunt way. I closed my eyes in intense agony. ‘God! I’d better have died than staying with such a human sample!’ Perhaps that was the first time I addressed God.

However, I had no choice. Even at a later stage, I discovered it was not that bad a combination. I had the brains, and he had the brawns. I instructed, and he built. We built a shelter, we cultivated food, we made dress materials from the available resources, and we procreated. We procreated fast as well. I discovered some better trait in the man in time to come. In spite of his looks and lack of intelligence, the man had a golden heart. He made me sober and helped me shed off my pride. We made a good unit. I explored the man, and we explored the planet in an animal-driven cart. There is no day and night in this planet we called Extro by now. A golden light glows around all along. The temperature varies from time to time, but never becomes intolerable. The weather changes though. It varies from gentle breeze to mild storm with greenish red rainfall, but never bad enough to blow our humble shelter away. We are safe.

With my scientific brain I could’ve generated artificial power, but my lessons in Earth has showed me to be humble and go slow on improvement. I know we shouldn’t disturb the nature beyond our basic needs. I don’t want to make it another Earth. By now we’ve got forty-odd progeny; black, white, brown, male, female, even twins and triplets. They, in their turn, have their own. I’ve taught them the basics of life. I taught them language, calculation, craft of procuring the basic needs of life.

It was about eight years after we landed in Extro. Greg came to me carrying Pesky, our five year old girl, on his shoulder. His face looked dismayed. Pesky was panting heavily. “Ho, Pri!” he sobbed, “Pesky die.”

The girl indeed was dying. For a moment I wished I were in Earth where I could call for an ambulance and shift the girl to a well-equipped hospital. Then common sense prevailed on me, and I made her sip a concoction of weeds. It succeeded in some occasions, but this time it didn’t.

We cried listlessly over the body of Pesky. Greg was disconsolate. But I realised in a sober manner: though we are the creator of human race in this planet, we can’t play God. Some others have also died in the meantime, but most survived. We are no more afraid of death. We know it’s the eternal truth.

So, at a ripe old age we await our death eagerly. I’m happy the way things are. At the same time I know in time to come this human race will invent, quarrel in future over supremacy. Their brain will be their greatest enemy in a setup they’ll call civilisation. Unlike our forefathers we’ve provided our children a clean planet. But can they? I doubt. So long let me enjoy the celestial spectacle of Greg having chukka with an unblemished smile. What more does a man need?

Entry by Meryl Jacob Rock

In the beginning ofconception itself, there was a man;a being who lived in a conscientious dimension unknown to the world which was yet to be dawned, this man was prompt and punctual and he moved in a circle like a hamsters wheel. He stopped for none but always desired for one to learn. A few valued him and many took him for granted, yet he always had a way to strike. This dependable geezer was time. Yes, the time in your clock, who ticked and who tocked,was alas a human we obeyed whenever he struck.You must think he lived in a prison of 9 to 5, but trust me,while he was on a run, he could make a dame laugh endlessly yet make a lad have regressions. All along, time wasn’t a what, he was a who; a mortal, a being. Time longed for a world, a planet of mortal beings who could breathe and perish timely and rightfully. Thus, he gathered his hours, minutes andseconds and collectively framed an inhabitable universe.

 

And in due course, a human race was ruled by a man who was stern and unforgiving, yet also had analtruisticheart. The populace had theliberty and exemption to express and suppress and to lead an ebullient and vivacious life. It was a world full of beauty and wonder filled with humans who didn’t know how to admire. Eventually, the mortals turned malevolent andunpropitious, they were morally corrupted and deceived time’s benevolence. They had the consent to explore the bathos of the cosmos yet somehow they were busy collecting offal.There were brawls, wars, deaths, resentments and homicides.They destroyed nature and every living species, and brought about new maladies. Humanity had turned a divine welkin into anabominable abyss.Taking heed of this chaos, timewas dejected and vexed, he grew anxiousand thought of putting an end to human kind.This sphere, that he had once fabricated with love and stoicism had turned out to be nefarious and grim and had driven him to spare nobody.

 

At last, the bottled up rage hailed on humanity with cyclones, earthquakes, locusts and diseases. Death had become the new normal and as the metaphor goes, “Time will show” became a fact. Time had accorded nature to punish the mortals for their iniquities and the wrath of quintessence blew so hard that it wiped out half of the humanity. Time could see the tears that touched the ground and heard the cries that screamed for help, so he decided not to be selfish like the humans and be bias with the people who weren’t guilty of blood on their hands. Hence, time had to do, what time does; put humanity to the test. A trial where humans would have to prove their worth to survive. Thus, time called for a convergence, it was a survival call to every living mortal on the planet. The congregation had gathered and the curiosity was broadening. After scowling with exasperation, time proffereda proposal to the mass; an overture which advocated the only solution to reclaim humanity.

 

Time looked at the crowdwith a hunch of remorseand said, “You mortals have tested my patience and haveforgotten the intent of love. Thus, humanity has lost it’s essence and in order  to procure it, a man and a woman has to travel world’s apart, to another galaxy,find the essence and restore it back. Which one of you is willing to commence on this expedition?”. Comprehending these stern words and a menacing mission,the throng steppedaside and repudiated. Amidst an inevitable silence, there came a loud, “I will go”, and it was from anotablyfetching woman who seemed bold and bravewhile following behind came a man who agreed to accompany the woman, this particular chap didn’t really fit the smart squad yet his heroic decisiondepicted that hefancied risks.Before this dyad set out on this plucky journey, time gives them a puzzling phrase to rememberwhich would help them to recognise the essence when they reachthe destination.

 

 

And the phrase said, “I always run but never walk, I sometimes sing but cannot talk, no head on which a hat to place, you always look me in the face”. The man and the womanheard everything time had said andbrushed it off like an unsolved riddle, not knowing the significance it held. After a long road, and forty-eight days, the pair reached a galaxy which looked like a deserted island withhot sandand no water toquench a parched throat. As they got closer to the dry and broken ground, they encountered three objects placed parallelto each other andhad a note which said, “I am the essence or am I?”. The first was a ring, the second was a crown and the third was a clock, the duo were muddled at the sight and couldn’t really fathom the concept behind the same. They tried hard to pick the right essence but were tentative as it was the only chance to save humanity. After many sceptic thoughts, the man remembered the phrase that time had spoken about and tried pondering on it.

Post a long thought, hecame to a conclusion that the essence was the clock itself, but the woman couldn’t understandit yet she trusted the man and decided to take the clock with no questions asked. As they were returning back, timesimpered from afar andagnized that the humans were brave and hadchosen the right essence. Eventually, the humans asked time about the significance behind the whole journey and time answered, “The essence was a piece of me, which humanity had lost, yet your bravery and the willingness to try gave the human kind a second chance”

And that’s how humanity was saved.

 

Moral:- “Time is watching you,he’ll tick until you are trying and he’ll tock when you stop”.

Entry by Sushma Choudhary

It all happened in a blur. One day there was a planet called earth and the next day there isn’t and just like that the galaxy changed forever. Our home is gone and with it many people. Even though this was anticipated,no one ever thought that ‘the day’ would arrive so soon with no warning. Just before ‘the day’ a space pod was sent to mars, on which there were two humans- the last of the species. Now that agriculture is possible on Mars, a botanist and a climate scientist- Victor penn and Shruthi Datta-were sent on a mission to the mars base to keep the previously planted crop growing.

 

Victor, a British botanist loves plants and actually prefers them to humans. He single handedly,through years of research discovered a bacteria to turn the high sulphur content of the mars soil into useful energy compounds for the plants. His discovery made Mars habitable. With the recent climate change on Mars, NASA has started mass producing space shuttles in lieu of possible colonisation. Shruthi Datta- an Indian climate scientist,professor at the Oxford university, has passionately argued on several occasions for carbon tax and has written many articles warning people of the future demise of the planet,if things were to continue as they were.

 

Never in the six months since they arrived on Mars, was there a day when the comms were this silent. “I wonder what’s wrong? Why haven’t we received any notifications today?” Said Shruthi aloud.

“Uh-ha” shrugged Victor without looking up from his book.

“Something’s wrong. They are not answering my calls. They always do” said Shruthi worried.

“They must be on a break. Don’t worry” said Victor still engrossed in his book.

Later that day Shruthi looked up the satellite channels and realised there are no satellites on the other end. Terrified, Shruthi looked through the cameras for the blue dot and saw nothing but,chunks of debri scattered where her home used to be.

Victor came up behind her “oh god! What happened?”

Shruthi, still in shock, couldn’t answer him. Victor sank into his chair. Shruthi started sobbing thinking of her family and friends. Victor not knowing what to do just let her be. “We really are the only two people left in this galaxy” sighed Victor.

 

“Have you checked the inventory?” asked Victor.

“Yes there’s enough food for a year before we have to harvest” said Shruthi with a smile on her face. It took her a long time to accept her reality. She still from time to time cries herself to sleep but things have gotten better. Victor has been checking up on her everyday. In the afternoon they have scheduled time for cognitive behavioural therapy- for which they have found a brochure full of questions to address their emotions openly. Shruthi often finds herself looking forward to this time. This was the only time Victor actually spoke his mind. And now they are having long chats at night getting to know each other. Victor to his surprise realised that he enjoyed these chats more than he expected.

 

“I used to love masala tea but I don’t remember the taste anymore” said Shruthi, hugging the blanket around her. “ My mother made the best chai. In the winters we used to sit out under the stars with a warm cup of chai and have the best time.”

“I know and your brother made fun of the way you slurped the tea” said Victor with a grin. When you are, the only two people on a newly and unexpectedly colonised planet, you are bound to run out of things to talk about. They learnt everything about each other and their nightly chats were slowly replaced by silent acknowledgement of each other’s presence.

 

“Do you realise we are Adam and Eve of Mars” asked Victor with a sly smile.

“And we have a garden-sort of. Also animals but as eggs and frozen. I bet there is a snake egg in the incubator that we can bring to life and we’d be living the Bible life”chuckled Shruthi.

“Our species dies with us, unless we copulate” said Victor looking away.

“Woah There! Did you just suggest we have sex? ” asked Shruthi, stunned.

“I’m sure you’ve given it a thought, at least once” said Victor nonchalantly.

“Yes, Mr.Penn such a gentleman you are. I’d love to copulate and populate Mars” mocked Shruthi.

 

“I’ve grown thrice my size” said Shruthi rubbing her belly lovingly.

“You look beautiful darling” said Victor kissing her temple.

“You’d think otherwise in a few days after you see me deliver.”

“Never, I love you dear” reassured Victor.

 

To their surprise they found frozen embryos of humans from different races hidden deep in the cryopreservation unit.They decided that they will be their non-biological parents.

Shruthi and Victor made a list of things that they wish to teach their kids- love,friendship,family,sexuality,gender,religion,technology,science,culture,race,all the wars that took place, the reasons for such cruelty and all that they can think of and hoped that their children would be better humans.

 

We have been documenting all our experiences on earth and here. Everything that went wrong on earth that led to its extinction is in these books.We have raised you to be good people and these books could be your guides,feel free to change things as you learn and adapt to changing times. These are the mistakes we made and we want you to learn from them. Keep humanity alive. Treat others like you’d want them to treat you. Be considerate and take time for self-introspection. Respect the land and the resources it provides. Be better humans and make it a better place for generations to come.We couldn’t condense a billion years of evolution in these books and soon you’ll have to make decisions on your own. We hope that you keep three things in mind before you make your decisions-love,respect and understanding. We hope that life treats you well and when it doesn’t remember your family and seek solace in them.