The only time I can relax is when I’m up here where the air
is thin enough to breathe – the atmosphere at ground level is like hot soup.
Also, from a mile up, the planet is shrunk by distance. I
wasn’t warned about the size difference when I volunteered for this assignment
– perhaps the astronomers didn’t know. Although Xeb feigns nonchalance I know
she too is overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of everything, but being
comparatively small makes hitching a ride on a jet’s wing simple.
I am looking forward to Greenland – I believe that snow is
wonderfully cold.
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Edited to add; After four comments, three of which seem not to have understood my story, perhaps I should add that the narrator is a tiny alien from a cold planet!
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Edited to add; After four comments, three of which seem not to have understood my story, perhaps I should add that the narrator is a tiny alien from a cold planet!
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Another story prompted by a photograph posted on Rochelle's blog.
http://rochellewisofffields.wordpress.com/ Follow the link on there to read more.
Meanwhile, if you haven't looked before, and will excuse this shameless bit of advertising, see my post from last week about my apartment in Tenerife which is for sale.
Intriguing!
ReplyDeleteThe narrator's an alien. From the three comments following yours I will have to explain again.
DeleteGood one, LIz. The atmosphere up there is extremely cold, although I wouldn't want to fly on the wing. No seat belt or OH SHIT handles.
ReplyDeleteAh - Russell - thank you! You appear to have got my point. I'm glad someone did!
DeleteI have to admit, I'm completely baffled by this one. I don't know what's going on!
ReplyDeleteThe narrator is an alien - a very small one - who likes thin air and cold. He volunteered for an earth mission without knowing that all Earthlings were much larger than him, and that the atmosphere would be much thicker and hotter than his home planet. Sorry you were confused!
DeleteAh, got it. :-)
DeleteRiding on a jet wing...scary thought! Interesting take on the prompt.
ReplyDeleteI hope by "interesting" you don't mean "baffling"? Read my answer to Annalisa if you're confused!
DeleteYou are one cool little Gremlin! Nice twist to the story,
ReplyDeleteThanks Perry - I am glad you got it, at least!
DeleteI suspect Greenland will prove entirely too cold.
ReplyDeleteIt will depend on his point of reference!
DeletePoor alien.. Good that he can find a decent place to visit.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you feel sorry for him.
DeleteDear Liz,
ReplyDeleteSuddenly the song "Hitchin' a Ride" is running through my head. Cute story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Than ks Rochelle. I hope the song doesn't go on all day!
DeleteI got it right away. With a name like Xeb, these have to be aliens. Alicia
ReplyDeleteOh Alicia! You have made my night! I thought I'd lost it completely when nobody realised what I was writing about! Thank you.
DeleteThat's adorable! Thanks for the explanation about her being an alien. I was wondering too, I was also thinking an ice fairy from another dimension or something like that. (My brand of weird!) I think it works without needing to know.
ReplyDeleteThanks Annehiga - ice fairy works too, and if you're weird, we both are!
DeleteDear Lizy, I got it right away - not the difference in size, but the overall cleverness of your story! You are so good at writing Lizy! Thanks, Nan
ReplyDeleteThanks to you too Nan - I can always rely on you for a nice comment!
DeleteLiz, I also figured it was an alien with that name. Either that or his parents were hippies. No one but an alien could breathe that far up in that cold. He must have sticky feet to be able to stay on that wing. I wish him luck in Greenland and hope no one steps on him. Good, humorous, and well-written story. : ) ---Susan
ReplyDeleteThanks Susan - another comment almost as long as my story - love it!
Delete