The Eve
Once upon a time, I was on a bus late at night, and saw absolutely common sight for me. Lights of a plane leading for landing. But this time, I got a weird idea for a fragment of a story...
Time went by, and some other fragments emerged. And today, still suffering from upper respiratory tract infection and in quite a strange mood, I decided to patch them together. Few hours later, here it is. Just a page and a bit...
If it makes you chuckle, mission accomplished. If it makes you think, even better. If it offends you...your problem.
But most of all, for me it is a test of my writing potential. It's first time I'm actually trying to write some kind of (hopefully) original story. So any honest critique is welcome. If there is any language problem, let me know...I'm not a native user of English, so a spelling error or wrong phrase might have slipped in.
Edit: after bit of browsing I see everyone here posts the stuff directly. Oh well:
The Eve
by individual know at some corners of the internet as Sar1n or Sarin, for anyone who bothers to read this
It was just a flicker of light, almost imperceptible change, but it made me look up. Above in the dark sky, a tiny light twinkled that was not there a moment ago. Of course, that is not unusual this time of year. In just a few minutes, the sky will erupt in all the colours of the rainbow. And yet, this humble light was infinitely more majestic than the entire flood that is now waiting for a spark from its masters, entirely oblivious to the wonder that just happened far above them.
“Come on,“ squealed my little companion, ”we'll be late for the meeting!”
“Of course we will be.” I replied. “That does not change anything.”
“You know how I hate being late. We're almost there anyway.”
When we reached the circle of snow-laden trees, the meeting was already in full progress. Just now, a strange figure got up to speak. A small, grey skinned creature with black bulging eyes and no hair to be seen. Of course, there was also nothing that needed covering by it.
“You think it is bad? At least you get their parents to do something, even if just for a show. But when they see a passing light, they don't bother to look twice anymore. They know it's an airplane. How are we supposed to be noticed in that traffic?”
“And it's even worse when we visit them at night!” complemented him his taller, greener companion. Or was it her? Its? Humans would even argue about that simple thing, while staring in the face of wonder. I emerged from that train of thought just to hear the final part of the rant.
“...and the things they sometimes expect from us! Absolutely...unhygienic! How are we supposed to do our job in that environment?”
“Just be glad they don't pay you too much attention.” came a deep voice from behind a thick tree. “Few years ago, one of them shot me. It still itches.”
“Oh, I know the feeling only too well.” chuckled the grey one. Then nodded to me. “Thanks for that cover, by the way. Meteorological balloon, my grey-” Only a strange clicking sound from the green companion prevented him from finishing the sentence.
“At least you get some variety.” pitched in a voice of an overgrown rabbit that recently accompanied me here. “I get the same routine every year, same show for little children, and then nobody cares about me until Easter comes again.”
“I wish I could afford that kind of peace.” boomed a voice from the other side of the ring. “They're not content in keeping me busy just around Christmas anymore, and they don't realize that I gotta be halfway across the world in a week.”
“You know they can't.” I reminded him.
“That's not the point. And those new trends. The malls, have you seen what they do there? Travesty. And the pies...ever had a vegan, gluten free, sugar free and probably also reason free mince pie? I swear that it tastes just like those Rudolf leaves in his stable.”
“You're sure that it wasn't the mix of sherry and Guiness you chugged beforehand?” asked him a man standing behind my shoulder. “If you don't respect the gifts given to you, they won't respect you, either.”
“I wish those little brats thought the same, greybeard. Ah, in the old days, I'd teach them that lesson in a manner they wouldn't forget in a hurry. But back then, I wasn't giving presents, either.”
At that moment I felt everyone present turning to me, physically or mentally, with same question arising in their minds.
“And what about you? Are you going back?”
Those words stirred memories, most of them old. But also one fresh.
“No,I don't think so. They never understand. And what follows when they try...I've had enough. The sword, the cross, the stake, the shocks, and last time the injections. They don't want it this way, so be it.”
But I smiled as I said that. Because I knew that among the oblivious billions, there are some who saw the same wonder as I did, and they will wonder. And think. And that is perhaps more than I can do for them now.
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