Mrs. Spiffy's Adventures On Saturn

By Alicia Braos

Mrs. Spiffy is a cool calico cat who loves poetry, space traveling, her friends, and tuna (not in that particular order), and this is the first volume narrating her interesting and exciting life.
On board a vinyl record, she and her friend Marlene the hamster visit Saturn's music festival, where their favorite band, Glacier Birdies, is going to play. Feeling protected by the guards of Light, Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene just want to have lots of fun listening to good songs and blending in with the crowd of music lovers, but little do they know that they're going to be involved in a mystery that is going to make them feel vulnerable, putting their friendship and their beliefs to the test...
This is a story about Love for readers of all ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Dec 29, 2017
• ISBN: 9781387477050

Book preview

Mrs. Spiffy's Adventures On Saturn

Mrs. Spiffy's Adventures On Saturn

Alicia Braos

Copyright

Copyright © 2017 by Alicia Braos.

All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher and copyright holder.

Published by Lulu.com     

www.aliciabraos.com     

ISBN 978-1-387-47705-0

Dedication

To Gus,

My guide and companion

in interstellar travels

Prologue

Mrs. Spiffy is a quiet and loving calico cat

who always wears a green velvet hat

Her tricolor face is wide and a bit flat

She loves her friends, no matter bat or rat

She was born in a big city's outskirts

But she loves traveling through the Universe

And even when the situation is bad or worse

She'll always find time to write you a verse

This special cat really enjoys poetry and art

And also loves music with all her heart

If you ever throw a party she will take part

Because she's very funny besides being smart

So if you want to know Mrs. Spiffy a bit more

Keep on reading to see what she has in store

Don't hesitate any longer and open this door

And she'll take you on a journey to a new shore

Chapter 1

Mrs. Spiffy the cat and Marlene the hamster were listening to vinyl records on a cold afternoon. And yes, Mrs. Spiffy would very much like to eat a hamster but she and Marlene were best friends and they shared a love for the same bands, so they liked to spend time together listening to music and attending concerts. Simply put, music made their friendship grow stronger and stronger.

They were enjoying the greatest hits of Glacier Birdies when Marlene came up with a terrific idea.

Hey! It's been a long time since we last visited Saturn, why don't we go again?

Ahh, you always have to interrupt in the best part of the song...

Oops sorry, Mrs. Spiffy.

Don't worry, I think it's a great idea... Let's go!

Both Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene jumped onto the vinyl record, which shook frantically for a few seconds and then it slowly started to rise, spinning slowly but steadily, while Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene held on tightly to each other. When the record finally flew through the window and up into the sky the two friends relaxed and began singing along their favorite Glacier Birdies songs (yes, the music kept playing during the flight).

They were having lots of fun watching the sky get darker and the stars bigger and brighter, and were very happy to see some of these stars welcoming them to the heights as they passed by.

Hello, visitors! a small star said to them while making a big food tray orbit around him. Nice music!

Yeah! We're listening to Glacier Birdies! Marlene said with a big smile on her face.

They sound really good! the star said. Is this your first time in Space?

No, Mrs. Spiffy replied, we were here a couple of weeks ago.

Oh! Okay, if you need guidance just shout my name. I'm Hector. Here, some sandwiches for you. Have a safe trip!

Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene took some sandwiches from the food tray, thanked Hector and lay down on the record to munch on their food while looking at the stars around them. They noticed that everyone seemed very lively that afternoon. There were groups of stars marching and singing, planets spinning around to the rhythm of distant music, and many different creatures going up and down, smiling and dancing.

Don't you think the sky looks like... happier or something? Than the last time? Mrs. Spiffy asked Marlene.

Yes! It's usually much calmer. Maybe there's some kind of celebration going on...

After some time Saturn finally came into view, with its twisting clouds of gas, and it was now pretty obvious that something special was happening. Lots of spaceships, stars, mini planets, flying creatures, and all types of transport devices were gathering around the planet. Music coming from it could be heard even above the Glacier Birdies tunes the two friends were still listening and dancing to.

They approached the planet's rings for landing, but they were extremely surprised to see how overcrowded they were.

Oh dear, where are we gonna park our record now, Mrs. Spiffy? Marlene asked, worried but still moving to the sound of Icebound, her favorite Glacier Birdies song.

I don't know... I don't even have a driving license for this thing... the cat replied looking down at the rings.

Leave it to me! a familiar voice startled the two friends, making them turn around.

Hector! both Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene recognized the little star instantly.

Yep! I've been monitoring the space traffic all the time, I saw you in the distance and thought I could lend a hand. I'll park your vinyl for you. Now jump off and have some fun, ladies!

Oh, thanks, Mrs. Spiffy said, but please tell us, where and how are we supposed to have fun? Why is the place so crowded?

I thought you knew! It's Saturn's music festival!

The cat and the hamster opened their eyes wide in excitement and looked at each other:

Music... said Mrs. Spiffy.

Festival... added Marlene.

The little hamster suddenly turned to look at Hector:

Will the Glacier Birdies play? she asked, her eyes wide, shiny and sparkly.

Yes! Hector replied cheerfully.

When Marlene heard Hector's affirmative answer she quickly jumped off the vinyl onto the rocks and particles that formed Saturn's rings and, after jumping swiftly from rock to rock, she got in one of Saturn's shuttles.

Hey, wait for me! Mrs. Spiffy shouted, and she got off the record too.

Marlene is an art loving hamster

And she loves writing songs

She dreams of being a dancer

And performing in Hong Kong

Chapter 2

Mrs. Spiffy the cat and Marlene the hamster were enjoying the view from the shuttle that was taking them to Saturn's core. They went through several layers of gas clouds of all colors, and even though they knew they were highly toxic they looked beautiful and harmless from the shuttle's windows. The vehicle was full of beings from all corners of the Universe and they all looked and sounded super excited, even though most of them talked in languages our two friends couldn't understand.

After a while, the shuttle stopped moving and the doors opened. Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene, together with the rest of passengers, stepped on the core's surface. It looked totally smooth despite the fact that it was made of rock. Above their heads, they could see the sky... And that puzzled our friends. How was that possible, if the sky was beyond all the gas layers?

They were also a bit afraid in case they had trouble breathing, because the last time they were on Saturn they had to wear special masks, but they were greatly relieved when they breathed deeply with no problem. A hostess of Light came to them. Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene had met beings of Light before and knew that they could take any shape they wanted, but they were always radiant and dazzling. They were the purest and loveliest creatures ever, and legends said that they weren't really made of Light, but of Love. So our two friends smiled when they saw her. Even though she had the shape, height, and facial features of a human she actually was a very big speck of Light:

Hello! I'm Martha and I'm here to welcome guests and provide them with info. I think you may be wondering about our atmosphere. Don't worry! The festival organizers made the air breathable for all creatures, thanks to a super secret special device which has been created for the occasion. And they have also designed a live representation of the sky so you know when it's day or night. So breathe in, breathe out and enjoy your stay!

Martha gave them some flyers and two little transparent spheres of some material that resembled crystal. When the two friends looked at them closely both spheres emitted a white Light beam that seemed to scan their entire bodies, and once their scan finished, both spheres placed themselves right above the friends' heads, turning violet immediately afterward.

These must be our identifications Mrs. Spiffy said.

Yes, you're right, look, everybody has a shiny violet sphere over their head.

Saturnians really know how to provide security!

Yeah! Marlene agreed. And they speak very good English too!

The two friends smiled at each other and walked towards what seemed to be the festival's entrance. A big billboard saying Music takes over Saturn. Five days of endless fun for everyone floated in the air, and right below it, a group of guards of Light checked everybody's sphere.

They must be making sure no one has faked their sphere... Mrs. Spiffy observed.

Mmmh... But we didn't have to pay or do anything special to get it, the hostess just gave them to us. Why would anyone want to fake it when they can get it so easily?

That's true... But then, why are they checking them? Maybe it's some routinary task with not much meaning and that's all.

While still pondering these questions, Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene noticed how the ground was gradually losing its smooth appearance as they approached the entrance. Looking beyond the line of guards they could see that the festival site was a rough, gravelly and sandy ground, with areas of bluish vegetation.

When they passed under the billboard two guards of Light scanned their violet spheres with their hands. The spheres just emitted a soft brrr sound and the guards let them in with a nod and a laconic but friendly Welcome.

To everyone's surprise, even though there was no physical barrier separating the inside from the outside, the moment they stepped beyond the guards' line the music suddenly got SUPER louder.

Woah! Mrs. Spiffy said. I didn't expect that!

Me neither! Marlene replied laughing as she covered her little ears with her hands. Why don't we check some bands before Glacier Birdies start playing?

Sure! That's what we're here for anyway, ha ha. Let's check the flyer with the schedule. Mrs. Spiffy took the flyers out of her hat, where she had placed them. What would you like to listen to? Rock, Hip Hop, Jazz... Oh, Mr. Spiffy loves Jazz! He'd love to be here.

Is he still working on Mars?

Yes, and it seems he'll stay there for a few more months... Mrs. Spiffy seemed to get a bit melancholic for a second, then she added: "Oh, check this: Rhythmic Wavelengths, I've never heard that music style! Some band named Arconomasti seem to be very good at it. Should we check them out?"

Yeah, why not! I love discovering new bands and sounds! Marlene jumped in excitement.

Their concert is not far from here, let's go.

After some walking, Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene reached the stage where Arconomasti were about to perform. It was some kind of glass platform that floated in the air, above a set of twenty or thirty spheres which were placed on the ground and emitted light beams of different colors into the platform.

A few minutes later the band appeared on stage out of nowhere as if they had been teletransported from some other place and they started to play some strange looking metal instruments that our two friends hadn't seen before. The colorful light beams that went through the glass platform didn't hurt the band members' eyes at all, in fact, once the light beams passed through the glass the light just scattered around each band member, as if each one of them was surrounded by an aura of a different color. And, to be truthful, their music was as beautiful as their light show.

I've never heard anything like this! Mrs. Spiffy said.

Me neither Marlene, who was on top of the cat's shoulders, replied. Sounds a bit like old telephone ring tones but there's some sort of wind-like quality to the sound... Hard to explain!

Yeah! And I love it!

Me too!

Our two friends and all the crowd surrounding them enjoyed the concert, dancing and jumping to the rhythm of Arconomasti... And totally unaware that something was going on at the entrance of the festival. The conversations between guards of Light couldn't be heard by the rest of people, but they were sharing information among themselves:

Where did he go?

I don't know, but he was super fast!

And you're sure he had a fake violet sphere, right?

Yes, 100% sure. It didn't vibrate like a real one.

Alright, we have to find him!

It seems an intruder is on the loose

Who is he and what will he do?

Will the guards make him a recluse?

For now, we just don't have a clue...

Chapter 3

Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene applauded and shouted Bravo when Arconomasti finished their set. It had been a great performance and they and everyone around them commented on how good the band was. The concert had lasted for more than an hour and so much dancing and singing had made our friends thirsty and hungry. A few hours had passed since they ate the sandwiches Hector had given them.

Why don't we eat something? Mrs. Spiffy proposed. I'm very hungry.

Yes, great idea, I'm starving! Marlene replied.

How long do we have until Glacier Birdies start playing?

About an hour. We can go to that café over there. Marlene said, pointing at a small tent not far from them. I've seen some people have bought some delicious looking carrots from there.

Ugh. I hope they have some delicious looking tuna too! Mrs. Spiffy laughed. All right, let's go there.

When they got to the counter a bartender of Light greeted them:

Welcome to Sammy's Yummy Snacks, what would you like to eat?

I'd like some carrots, please... Do you have any? the little hamster asked.

Of course, we have a selection of Earth vegetables that everyone loves! Would you like to try it?

Yes, please. Marlene replied, almost salivating.

Here, the bartender handed Marlene a tiny bag of sliced vegetables (tiny for the bartender... It was half the size of the hamster) and then he looked at Mrs. Spiffy, and you, what would you like?

I'll have a tuna sandwich, please.

Sure, here you are.

How much is it? Mrs. Spiffy asked, taking her bank cards out of her hat.

Oh, you don't have to pay. This isn't a capitalist world like your home planet. Your happiness is our currency The bartender said with a wink and a big smile.

Mrs. Spiffy and Marlene looked at each other in puzzlement for a second, then they shrugged and walked out of the tent nibbling on their meals.

On their way to the stage where Glacier Birdies were going to perform, they passed by a crowd that was dancing happily and clapping along to the sound of Gospel music.

Amazing! Is a Gospel group playing too? Marlene asked with her mouth full of carrot.

Let me check... Mrs. Spiffy browsed the schedule flyer. The band is Green Layer, precursors of Cosmic Gospel, according to this.

Can we get to the front row, please? The music sounds super...

Yeah, let's try it. Mrs. Spiffy replied and she immediately picked up Marlene by the scruff of her neck.

After a couple