The Bells Of The Fourth Planet

By Qusay Al Ansari

A different theory on where we came from told through an interesting and dynamic tale of love, loss and adventure. It’s the story of a man tormented by everything unjust happening in the world today, who then unexpectedly gets the opportunity to view it all from a wider point of view.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Qusay Al Ansari
• Release date: Oct 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311284198

Qusay Al Ansari

Qusay Al Ansari, a civil engineer by vocation, born in Baghdad, Iraq. Residing in Belgrade, Serbia since 1991. Mr. Ansari has been dabbling in writing since an early age. At only fourteen he wrote a comedy school play entitled “Doctor” it was his first complete work. The popular play is being performed to this day on the yearly celebration of the school he attended. Due to harsh censorship laws in Iraq during his youth most of his early works remain on paper only, among them novels like, “The Truth is Here”, “The Invisible Dictator” and “She and I“’ as well as several comic books. Several years after becoming a successful engineer, he returned to his passion of writing and completed the novel “The Bells of The Fourth Planet” a science-fiction work in which he conveys an important message about reality and what it is to be human in an interesting, entertaining and a non-pretentious manner.

Book preview

THE FIRST NIGHT

The night came quickly. Alex tried to relax, rocking in his chair, eyes locked on the sky, uninterrupted, unbothered. But he just couldn’t stop thinking… A thousand thoughts were running through his mind, among them, thoughts about the very chair on which he sat. It was soon completely dark -- a silence interrupted only by the chirps of crickets and by the distant hoot of an owl, from time to time. There were but a few scattered stars shining high in the sky.

God… I know you’re out there.

You are my creator, the creator of this world. Your stars are so big, but so far away. How big then, is the entire universe? And what am I in relation to this world? But a mere drop in an ocean? From that perspective, my problems are truly insignificant, he thought.

Those words always gave him comfort. To him, they were almost a mantra that gave him the strength not to crack under the pressure of the blows that life had served up to him. He repeated his mantra whenever things got this rough.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. It sounded like someone banging their fists on the door as hard as they could. Terrified, he jumped up from his chair, yelling – Who’s there?!

Dazed, he looked around trying to find something to use to defend himself, his trembling hands seizing a tennis racket from the living room floor. He started to edge toward the bedroom from which the sound had seemed to have come. He yelled out – Who’s in there?! – this time a bit more calmly, trying to pull himself together… even though each step closer to that bedroom required a slightly higher level of determination.

No reply.

His heart was racing. He crouched, gently turning the doorknob with his fingertips, extending that shaking hand (still clutching the racket in the other) to feel his way up the wall to the light switch.

The light snapped on bright, revealing the room to be exactly as he had left it, unchanged, reassuring him enough to lower his hand with the racket, to loosen his grip, and finally, to stand straight up.

There was no one there. But, just as he started feeling truly silly, laughing at himself for being so paranoid, something caught his eye…

On one of the pillows on his bed, lay a piece of paper.

He froze again. Only after several long seconds of staring at that neatly folded paper on his pillow was he able to reach out and grab it in one swift dart of the hand, as if he were trying to do it so fast as to stop himself from changing his mind.

"Please, don’t be afraid!’ – was the message written out on the paper in immaculate handwriting. He dropped the racket in shock, but picked it right back up, reassuming his defensive stance and shouting – Who’s there?! I’m not afraid!

Silence.

Come on! I’m right here! Come out! – he kept yelling, but got no response yet again… working himself up even more.

He threw down the note, making his way toward the terrace. He felt something drawing him out there.

He glanced out at the valley in front of his cottage -- it was completely black. In fact, even if anyone had been standing there, just 10 yards in front of him, laughing in his face, he wouldn’t have been able to see them.

Someone’s screwing with me! he muttered, becoming increasingly angry. But just as he did so, a light appeared in the distance… like a pair of animal eyes, glistening in the pitch dark.

There’s something out there… he said to himself, and then yelling, his voice still shaking – he demanded: Who’s there? What do you want?!

Please, don’t be afraid, a female voice replied, gently.

Who’s that? he demanded again, trying not to sound scared, but still far from calm. Yet, it was comforting that the reply had come from such a sweet-sounding… yes lovely, girl’s voice. For a moment it had sounded almost like music.

Shaking himself back to reality, he reminded himself that despite her voice, this woman had really made him angry.

I am Nayo.

Nayo? What’s Nayo? What do you want? Where are you?! he insisted, all the while keeping his eyes glued to the glimmering lights in the valley, from which her voice seemed to be emanating. An instant later, those lights were gone, and from right behind his back he got his answer

I am Nayo, from the 4th Planet.

He spun round to face her, finding her sitting in his chair.

She was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen. Light-skinned with long brown hair that fell softly over her shoulders. Light hazel eyes that looked almost golden, shining and full of life… not one of her features comparable to anything from this earth.

He was unable to move, unable also to change the dumb expression on his face -- a combination of crippling fear and enchanted fascination with the female figure seated in front of him.

It seemed as though he had been standing there for an eternity, his mouth hanging open, silenced by her beauty. The whole experience was, just as she was, otherworldly.

Nayo? The 4th Planet? he eventually stuttered, his voice suddenly hoarse, after a few failed attempts that had started and ended with him opening and closing his mouth several times.

Yes, she replied, ever calm. She had a friendly little smile on her face, which helped immensely in easing his concerns, pulling the conversation ahead.

And what… are you doing here? he felt the words slip from his lips.

I’m afraid I’m stuck here. For a while… I don’t know how long exactly, but hopefully not too long. she said, quite simply.

Stuck? You’re kidding me? Alex was gradually pulling himself together. He finally thought he had figured out what might be going on, so he continued without waiting for a reply.

Listen, Nayo… Get real! You’ve broken in to my home, you’re sitting there in front of me telling me you’re from the 4th Planet and you’re stuck here? I mean, do I really look like a fool? If you’re some kind of a decoy, to keep me busy while your partner keeps rummaging through my house… well, it was a nice idea, but tough luck! I’m completely broke! There’s nothing to steal! So you can get your friend and go back to wherever you came from. Look, I’ll even turn around, walk away, and let you pack up real quick, so you can be on your way… in peace.

That was as far as he got in his speech before she cut him off with a cute little giggle. Her laugh made Alex’s heart beat faster. He was just standing there, in mid-sentence, confused as much by her reaction as by an inexplicable fascination that he simply couldn’t control.

I’m not here to rob you. Calm down… Sit. She commanded, while getting up herself. I promise, I am bringing nothing but good to you.

Alex did what she told him. He couldn’t refuse… as if this gorgeous woman had some power over him and he had to do whatever she said. Still, it was hard not to laugh at her promise…

Oh, my dear, you can’t give me what I need. – he said – This night is a perfect example of that, actually… he added softly.

A peaceful life. – she said. It wasn’t even a question; she knew she had said the right thing.

Yes. – he confirmed, surprised, and then he smirked – Looks like you’ve studied me well…

A peaceful life. Isn’t that simple enough? – he asked more to himself than to her – …but here we are, and you’re adding yet another worry. Where did you really come from, for God’s sake? I mean, assuming you believe in God… on your ‘4th Planet’! – he added sarcastically.

We believe in One God. – she replied, calmly.

Really? – he asked, intrigued, even though he still didn’t believe a single word of her story – But Nayo, come on now, really… You’re a beautiful woman; you don’t seem crazy at all. What’s this all about?

It’s best that I show you something… It will rid you of all of your doubts. To tell you who I am and from where I come, you must first realize that I’m not from your planet. Then, my words will have meaning, and you’ll understand the reason for my presence.

Alright. What do I need to see? – he couldn’t even imagine backing off at that point. No matter what this incredible woman intended to show him, he was going to let her do so. Besides, he had so many questions… and she claimed to have all the answers.

Come with me. – she said gently, but firmly, and she turned around and started walking off of the terrace, down toward the valley.

Alex followed without any complaint. As he walked behind her, he couldn’t help but to take in her perfectly sculpted body, her tiny waist and long legs… the kind that women dream of having. After all, he was just a man, and here, right in front of him, was a true vision in a long, light-blue silky dress that clung to her curves each time the breeze blew, stirring his imagination.

They arrived down at the tennis court at the bottom end of Alex’s land, and then moved on even further into the valley spreading out below. He didn’t wonder for a moment why he was so complacently following this totally unknown woman… a woman whose story made her seem quite out of her mind. Oddly, he was feeling very calm just being near her. Every trace of the fear he had felt just minutes before had dissipated, leaving nothing but enchantment with the mesmerizing entity before him.

He noticed that none of the light bulbs were working in the lamps lining the road they were taking. Once again, he mentally assigned everything to the crisis he had been facing consoling himself with the knowledge that it was all only temporary.

Then, suddenly, Nayo stopped, so abruptly that Alex barely caught himself from bumping right into her.

She raised her hand and pointed with her finger at the very spot where Alex had planned to build a fountain. He looked at her inquisitively, expecting her to speak. She just held her arm straight out, appearing to stare at it until the tip of her finger glowed blue.

Alex couldn’t believe his eyes, now more confused and terrified than ever, he watched as a thin blue ray of light extended from the tip of her finger to hit the ground at which she was pointing, forming a vertical shaft, no wider than 8 inches, and about 3 feet high, emitting the same eerie blue light as it rose up from the ground.

Stunned, he looked at her, hoping for her to say something, but she just let him stand there, unable to move, talk or even comprehend what was happening, as she walked toward the shaft. When she got there, she turned around and proclaimed – This is my ship. I thought it best to hide it here.

That?… That’s your space ship? – he asked, completely incredulous. She just nodded.

But you can’t even fit one leg into that. – he said, stating the obvious. It was the first sensible thing he had been able to say, still utterly at a loss over the unfolding events, even though so many other, more pressing questions were already flooding to mind.

Nayo laughed loudly – It only seems small, but it’s a great, big ship. Look!

From the top of the shaft, a white ray extended itself toward the tennis court, upon which there now appeared a gigantic space ship. It covered a large chunk of the court and was significantly larger than his two-story cottage. And its shape! It was a giant ball, wrapped in an aura of bright blue light.

Nayo started walking toward it immediately, but Alex stood still, staring in wonderment at something you couldn’t see even on the set of the highest-budget sci-fi film. As she made her way to the entrance to her ship, she turned and said softly –

Go back and rest now. I’ll come to visit you tomorrow night again, and I’ll tell you all about the Grand Secret. – And just as she uttered that last word, she was gone. No ship, no shaft, no Nayo.

Everything had simply vanished.

It took Alex several seconds to come back to his senses. Instinctively, he shouted – Nayo! Nayo!– even though he knew she wouldn’t come back and probably couldn’t even hear him. He stood there for a moment, spinning around at the slightest sound, but he was completely alone. His head down in deep contemplation, he eventually started slowly making his way back up the trail to his house. Instantly, he noticed something different – all the lights were on! That little miracle managed to put an insuppressible smile on his face.

He stayed out at the edge of the terrace for a long time, his eyes locked on the tennis court at the far bottom of his yard. It looked as though there was nothing there, but was that really true? Or was she still right there? Nayo, and her shimmering blue ball from the 4th Planet? Or… maybe… he had finally, completely, lost his mind!

He looked up into the night sky, a part of him expecting to see something extraordinary. Even though the heavens looked just as they did any other night, he felt an inexplicable rush of excitement. It wasn’t fear, not even discomfort or unease… Just excitement. He felt as though he was on the verge of something so great as to be unimaginable. Now that he was alone, he asked himself why he had even followed Nayo to her space ship, instead of just calling the cops!

How had this beautiful woman instilled so much trust in him that he was stuck there, alone, waiting? Anyone else would have run straight back to the city without looking back… but he had not!

He needed to see her again, to hear more. That next night held the promise of being even more fascinating than this... amazing!

THE SECOND NIGHT

Of course, he couldn’t sleep for even a second that night.

He just lay there, eyes wide open, battling thousands of thoughts that had taken possession of his mind. He had had a lot of trouble falling asleep recently, and now there were more than enough things to keep him awake for days on end.

Still, even his worst episodes of insomnia ended with him becoming so burned out by hours upon hours of analyzing, planning and coming up with ideas about how to solve his problems, that he always eventually fell sound asleep, like a baby.

But this night… was extraordinary. If there were any things on this Earth worrisome enough to keep him from sleeping, then the miraculous events of that night were more than enough to do so and every thought that came to mind led him even further into an unimaginable labyrinth of options and possibilities, none of which were especially enticing.

All that he longed for was the arrival of that next night, and all that it might bring, As for killing time until then, there was no worse solution than what he was doing now – staring at the ceiling and letting his thoughts run wild.

Minutes seemed like hours. He had to shake himself up, to try and focus his attention on something else, something familiar. It was already dawn and the first of the sun’s rays started appearing timidly from behind the hills.

If he started doing something, anything, then time would go more quickly, and he could simply catch up on sleep later, when he got tired enough – as if any amount of tiredness could ever overcome the chaotic mess that were his jumbled thoughts.

****

After showering at the end of a long, intense day spent on household chores that he had never before even considered doing, he slouched back into his favorite chair on the terrace.

He stared at the valley and waited. Truth was, he had begun his wait last night – for a continuation, an explanation, a reason… for Nayo.

He was wearing the best outfit he had with him. He even put on cologne that a girlfriend had given him as a gift. It turned out that girl had only wanted to be friends during the good times, and when he hit bottom, she couldn’t get away fast enough. They never dated, but they were supposed to be friends, and that’s not even what friends do.

-Well, she might not have understood that… – he thought to himself and smirked.

A short while later, he was still sitting there, all done up, completely focused on the sky. He didn’t even understand what was up with his new fixation with the skies. It seemed to him that ever since he had met Nayo, he saw more in the sky than ever before.

Anyway, it was probably human nature to expect beings like her to fall from the heavens. But he knew where she was most likely to be right then, and if she wasn’t in her spaceship, a few dozen yards below on his property, then she was surely inside his head.

Once again, after a day spent keeping busy with work simply aimed at distracting himself, he allowed his thoughts to wander wherever they wanted. Now that the next encounter was drawing so near, he felt a need to prepare somehow. Nayo could definitely answer a lot of his questions.

There’s so much I don’t understand: some are born smart, some simple, some rich and some poor. Some people are born in modern, advanced countries, and others not. On top of it all, some get to be born healthy while others are crippled. The worst of it all is that some get to live a peaceful and easy life, while others die in wars started by a handful of power-hungry men trying to make history.

Those ideas were all crisscrossing his mind as he prepared a mental checklist of questions for Nayo. He gazed at the clock from time to time, then to the sky again, awaiting nightfall and her return.

Maybe I can get her to reveal cures for all the diseases of mankind – I could save millions of people! I can already see myself giving a speech after winning the Nobel Prize! A room filled with people waiting for me to speak, and there, among them is Nayo. She’s waiting for me too! And all these so-called friends that are nowhere to be found now, they’re all watching too, but only on TV – he thought, until a loud barking interrupted his fantasies. It was Fuzzy, the local mutt that sometimes came around when he was there, trying to score something to eat.

Hey Fuzzy! – he greeted her, patting her head – nothing but bread today, little one – he told her, as she lovingly twirled between his legs. She just looked up at him, barked again and ran off, leaving him standing there...

You’re not gonna leave me too, are you?! – he yelled after her, laughing. As soon as she was out of sight, he returned to gazing at the sky. The night hadn’t come just yet, and there were only a couple of stars visible here and there.

Half an hour more, and Nayo would arrive. – He was certain of it.

He decided to turn on the radio and finish his coffee. The song that was playing was very familiar – Viva la Vida by Coldplay. That song always reminded him of Dubai. That’s where he had bought it in the Virgin store in one of their many grandiose shopping centers – the Emirate’s Mall.

Time passed slowly, but it was finally night. The crickets and all of the other night creatures where coming alive and making their presence known, but Nayo hadn’t come yet. He was already becoming increasingly nervous, cracking his knuckles and tapping his foot.

Five more boring and uneventful minutes passed… Now he was already pacing rapidly around the terrace trying to figure out at exactly what time had she appeared yesterday, but yesterday she had made such a grand entrance that checking the time had pretty much been the last thing on his mind.

He walked to the edge of his terrace and stared down into the valley, looking for at least some sign of that bright blue light, then he directed his view towards the tennis court. He tried focusing all his energy on the exact place where he saw that gigantic ship yesterday and telepathically sending Nayo a message – I’m here! I’m waiting!

Nothing. Then he yelled – Ta dah! – and flicked his fingers towards the empty surface of the tennis court.

Still nothing.

Nayo! The night will pass… - he whispered after a while, his head down. Suddenly, behind him, he heard quiet laughter. He turned around to see Nayo sitting in his favorite chair, with a big smile on her face.

God, she’s more beautiful than beauty itself! – he thought.

Nayo… - he addressed her formally – I have to say you look lovely in that white dress! – he then blurted out, shamelessly.

Thank you! I hoped you’d like it! What do you think about my hair? – She laughed and got up to spin once around and sit back down.

It’s great! I always liked women with long hair! – he smiled back – Do you want something to drink? Can I make you a cup of coffee? I don’t really have anything special to offer you… - he explained, quickly.

No, thank you. – She firmly declined and got straight to business – Do you want to hear my story?

Of course! That’s all I’ve been waiting for!

Hearing that, she gracefully stood up and motioned to him with a swift twist of the hand that he should sit. The feeling that he could not say no to her ran through his mind, surprising him deeply.

I told you yesterday that I am stuck in this place. My freedom is tied to you. Before I tell you the greatest secret, I need you to promise me something.

What if I say no?

Then I’ll have to find another man, who will accept my terms and free me – she answered with a little smile.

She knew it was a question posed only for the sake of asking. He wouldn’t say no.

Alright. And what are those terms? – Alex said, trying to sound natural and relaxed, even though he was burning with desire to hear everything she had to say.

Listen, and know that what I am about to say has great significance to all inhabited planets and to the guards of the Supreme World. And what we agree upon shall be written on the Black Stone.

Nayo, all I could understand from what you just said is that there are more inhabited planets, a ‘Supreme World’, and some black stone that’s apparently important, but I have no clue what you’re talking about… Can I hear your terms first?

Look up at the sky – she said with a voice that sounded louder, as if it were an echo. At that moment, a segment of the sky assumed the function of a huge screen as if responding to her words.

Alex, son of Milena, and Nayo, daughter of Dira, agree on the following: Nayo will reveal the Grand Secret to Alex, after which Alex will travel to the Corridor of Death. – was written on it in white letters.

Corridor of Death?! – Alex was startled – that sounds fatal.

It could be… - Nayo said calmly. Her gentle voice was back again, yet the words remained written in the sky.

Let me explain – she was still sure she could convince him – "you’ll pass the Corridor of Death eventually anyway. All people do. You call it by other names; we call it the Corridor of Death. Death isn’t to be feared; it’s but a trip from one place to another. You can take that trip with no consequence… Or, you could fall into the Great Demise – she added quite nonchalantly, speeding up her enunciation of the last few words as if to suggest it would be better not to dwell on them.

Not responding to the mix of utter confusion and fear that was very clear in his facial expression, she continued – It all depends on how much you believe in the Ruler of the World. In your case, the Ruler himself will decide if he’ll let you go back from the Corridor of Death, or if he’ll keep you. He’s the only one that can know if you’ll use the Grand Secret for good or…

But what if I decide not to go there after I’ve heard the Grand Secret from you – Alex cut her off with a question, even though he was pretty sure he already knew the answer.

You know that.

That means I’ll die?

She didn’t reply.

Well, what if I don’t want to hear it at all?

You’ll keep on living your life as you were, and you’ll never see me again.

And what would I get from learning the Grand Secret?

A lot. No human being has ever gotten what you are about to get. And, at the end, you would get the peaceful life you desire.

They were both quiet for a moment. Nayo waited peacefully, and Alex considered. Eventually, he got up out of his chair and said – Nayo, I don’t know which is better. I need time to think…

She closed her eyes, as if she was taking a moment to consult with someone inside her own head, and then, after a few seconds of awkward silence, which Alex spent observing her, she finally proclaimed:

The inhabited planets, the Upper world, and I, give you ten days to consider and make a choice.

Suddenly she was gone; as were the writings in the sky… and he was alone. The night hadn’t gone as he had expected. He hadn’t hoped to find himself smack in the middle of serious universe-level chaos. Why had this happened? And why to him? It had all happened so fast. The night had only just begun.

What am I supposed to choose? To accept this apparent insanity. My life, in essence, is calm. Yes, I have problems, but all of my problems are solvable. Why should I abandon everything to chase a secret that means nothing to me? What could it even be anyway? That God is out there? Or the Ruler? Or whatever? I don’t even care where he is. It could be the secret of eternal life, but I don’t want that either. Whatever this secret is, my life doesn’t require me to know it – he thought, as he stood on the edge of the terrace staring out into the nothingness. Suddenly he screamed – Listen here, Nayo, I decline your offer! What you want of me is more than I’m willing to give!

Alex, it really is your decision, but don’t rush it. You have ten days. None of what I’m going to tell you has anything to do with where God is, nor with eternal life, it is much greater than that. – Nayo was sitting behind him again.

Whatever it is, I do not want to dedicate my life to it… - he persisted.

As I said, you have ten days to come to a final decision – she said, and then added – Let’s talk about something else now?

He liked that suggestion. He had thought that this was going to be it from Nayo for the night. If she had left, she would have left him contemplating things he couldn’t have even dreamed of …up until yesterday. He was glad to know his words had made her come back, even though they weren’t uttered with that purpose. Maybe, through conversation, he would be able to convince her to reveal at least a bit more about what she was proposing, he thought, something that might help him choose. However, before he was able to steer the conversation in that direction, Nayo suggested – Tell me about yourself?

Me…? What do you want to know about me? – he was suddenly tongue-tied.

Anything. Tell me how you view your past, your future, your present. What concerns you? Where do you see your proper place or role? – she smiled.

For a second he was quiet, thinking about what he could say, and then he simply started spilling out everything he had on his mind – I can’t seem to find any peace or sense in life. Sometimes it feels like things are predetermined; sometimes I feel in control. I see a lot of differences between people and I don’t know what to make of those differences. It sometimes seems that here on Earth, evil outweighs good, and if there were no evil, there wouldn’t be any struggle. I still believe that in the end, all will be well, but in between the end and the beginning, a lot is lost. – he halted for a moment to look at her. He didn’t even know why exactly he had started expressing his absolutely deepest thoughts as an answer to her question, but she just smiled and nodded, encouraging him to go on – Continue – she said. She wasn’t even the slightest bit confused by his philosophical reply, as if she had known beforehand what kind of a response she would get.

Sometimes, I feel like we’re characters in a computer game, and that everything around us… is just programed. Everything that there is… just forms a part of the program, and that as a player presses a button, someone dies and someone lives… - he went on, incoherently pouring out everything that bothered him about his world.

Do you think God is the maker of that program? – she inquired calmly.

I’ve thought about it, even though it basically goes against my religion. Sometimes I struggle in finding a connection between what I think and what I’ve been taught.

Has any other comparison ever crossed your mind? Other than a computer game?

Yes. I’ve considered the possibility that God created rules and laws, and sent prophets to convey them, and if we had only stuck to them, we would already have Heaven on Earth.

But?

But people shaped religion as they pleased.

Why do you think that?

Well… What do I know?… Politics? And lots more… - he said, shrugging his shoulders. – Nayo, I know you probably already know all of this yourself… why are you asking me?

I have my reasons. – she said, coolly looking out at the stars, and then continuing – How do you think it all started? Did you think there were other civilizations out there?

If you had asked me 15 years ago, I would have said no, but today, I would obviously have to say yes.

And is that against your faith?

Some would say yes, some no. I personally don’t think so. On the contrary, it solidified my faith in God. What I’m scared of now is something else. I’m afraid of evil. If it exists here on Earth, then it must exist out in the rest of the Universe as well.

It does. - Nayo nodded.

Whoa! Well, that means we’ll have to fight that too! – he laughed, even though he didn’t really feel like laughing. Nayo said nothing; only breaking the silence a few minutes later, with a question.

And what do you think about human beings? About the different races? Have you thought of that?

That one left him dumbfounded. Races? He never really thought about that sort of difference.

I don’t really have any answer to that. I’m satisfied with the fact that that’s how God created us all and that’s it.

Do you want to know? – she asked.

Yes. Do you have the answer?

I will tell you, when the time comes.

Alright. – he agreed – Now, may I ask you a personal question?

Go ahead.

Are you married?

As he heard himself asking that question, he figured he had stepped out of line, even though it was exactly what he wanted to know. Still, Nayo didn’t hold back.

You mean, committed? – she smiled – No, I am, as you say here, a virgin.

A virgin?! Do guys on that Fourth planet of yours have eyes!

Ha-ha-ha! – she laughed loudly – They’re not blind, don’t worry. The process of commitment between a man and a woman happens only under certain conditions on our planet.

I’m sorry, but is there anything that can just happen, without conditions, among your people? – he jumped ahead, without waiting to confirm if she understood his thought, he pointed a finger to the sky and asked – So, is there someone waiting for you back there on the 4th Planet?

Yes, my mother.

He noticed that her replies were getting shorter. Maybe he shouldn’t have asked such intimate questions. Maybe he had somehow made her sad or upset, which would be the last thing he wanted.

It felt so nice talking with her. For a supreme being from another planet, she was refreshingly humble. He didn’t want to scare her away, to make her leave again, but he so badly wanted to hear more about her…

Tell me about your planet.

Nayo looked up at the sky and pointed her finger to a place high above their heads – My planet is called Kai. It’s in a Solar System like yours. It is bigger than your planet. And prettier… – she smiled and continued – It has two moons, both inhabited. The first one is called Ain. Only men live on it. And the second moon, where only women live, is called Nin. Kai is where the committed live.

Wow… You’re very organized…

More than you think! Life is very nice there. No worries. No money, since we don’t need to ‘buy’ anything, we can simply have whatever we want, with no reimbursement.

Sounds like you’re talking about heaven – he said, excitedly.

No, Kai isn’t heaven. At least not the heaven you’re thinking about.

And do you have a king? Or a president?

We have a Senate of ancient philosophers. I don’t know if they have a president among themselves or not, but all orders and information comes from them, directly to every resident of Kai and its two moons.

How does it come?

Hmm… You would call it telepathy.

Oh that’s great! So you don’t need newspapers or any other sources of information! – he concluded, and then added – But is there is evil on your planet?

We beat evil. It’s still there, but very rare – she said, and then, after a short pause, she added – I think it’s getting late already, you should rest. Good night, Alex.

And before he was able to reply, she was gone.

God knows how much longer he looked into the sky that night. He had probably learned things today that no other man on this planet knew, and it turned out that those things were so amazing as to made him feel almost completely powerless. He fell back into deep thought.

After making himself another cup of coffee – because sleep was obviously not going to be happening anytime soon – he fell back into his chair. His eyes wandered from the sky, to the tennis court, and back, over and over. He took a sip of his coffee and lit a cigarette.

He had given up smoking almost two years ago, but he would still light one up occasionally – if he felt nervous enough – so he always kept a pack near. As usual, he put it out halfway through, an accomplishment for which he praised himself every time. He continued sipping his coffee.

Sitting completely still, deeply immersed in his thoughts, he remembered something that had happened to him a few years ago.

Back then, he was still one of the richest people in Belgrade, or at least it seemed like he was to people who did not know him. The truth was, that although he had quite enough for himself, he surely wasn’t one of the richest. He had just been clever enough to make all his entrepreneurial activities seem so easy and simple, despite the fact that they were actually taking a lot of effort and sacrifice on his part. That sort of ‘wealth mirage’ was good for business, but besides enhancing his reputation, it also meant he had all sorts of scumbags breathing down his neck… all the time.

The ringing of his cell phone tugged him out of his trip down memory lane.

Who could be calling at this hour? – he thought, looking up at the clock. It was already past midnight. The display said only private number, and he didn’t care for answering unknown callers… Still, he thought it might be some kind of emergency or urgent call. Why else would they be calling at this time of the night?

Hello?

Alex? I’m sorry, please; I know it’s late. It’s David, your neighbor. Where are you? – said the voice from the other side of the call.

David lived in his building, actually in the apartment right next door. He liked to meddle a lot, but he wasn’t a bad man.

Hey… David… What’s up, is everything alright?

Alex was confused. He didn’t have a clue as to why David could possibly need him now. David lowered his voice, as if he didn’t want anyone to hear, and said, secretively – Alex, I need 500 euros.

500 euros?! David, I’m a mess, I don’t even have 500 dinars, man! What’s going on? What kind of problem do you have?

It’s this loan shark… He’s sitting in my living room right now, and he’s refusing to leave unless I give him 500 euros in interest. – David was desperate – You were right to tell me not to borrow money from him. I don’t know why I didn’t listen!

He’s there right now?!

Yes. Diana is begging him to give us more time, but it’s not working.

Let me speak to him.

Who? – David was stunned.

The guy who’s refusing to leave your home! – Alex insisted – Will you be able to pay him off in the next few days?

I don’t know, I don’t know! I’ll sell my car, what can I do…

How much do you owe him?

Five thousand, plus 10% interest. – David answered, nervously adding – I’ve already paid him eight thousand just in interest!

"Ouch! Sell the car right now; you’re out of