A Little Planet

By Georgios Koulaxidis

Leo is a young fisherman who lives with his parents in one of the tree houses on the planet Aurora. Growing up he feels that his life is insignificant. He doesn’t feel happy, because of the daily routine. He decides to leave his home and take a long journey to the center of the world, searching for the meaning of life. On his journey he meets different people, gets involved in adventures and experiences unprecedented emotions. Will he find happiness where he seeks it...? Or is it all in vain?

• Language: English
• Publisher: iWrite - Pigi - Daidaleos
• Release date: Feb 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9789606266164

Book preview

a_little_planet_cover.jpg

title: A Little Planet

author: Georgios Koulaxidis

ebook edition: March 2023

isbn: 978-960-626-616-4

map illustration: Vivi Markatou

atelier: Yiannis Ermidis, Lydia Chatzimarkou, Artemis Chatzimarkou

Pigi Publications

http://www.pigi.gr

Copyright © by Pigi Publications. Unauthorized reproduction of this ebook is prohibited under the Copyright law of the European Union and the international Intellectual property law schemes.

Author Bio

George Koulaxidis was born in Essentuki on the first of April in 1991. It is a small town in southwestern Russia, with a strong presence of the Greek population. After the Perestroika, when the borders of USSR were opened he repatriated with his family to Greece in 1995, in the village of Herso in Kilkis. They lived there until 2001, when they moved to Cyprus, where they live until today in city of Paphos.

He was fascinated by reading literary books from an early age. His favorite books were Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and The Count of Montecristo by Alexandre Dumas. At the age of fifteen, he felt the desire to write poems and managed to get first place in a poetry competition, with the poem I want. But due to puberty, for some strange reason he stopped writing, throwing all his works in the trash.

He studied silver-goldsmithing, but without later working professionally in this field.

In 2020, during the unprecedented quarantine, he decided to awaken his lost desire and write his first book. He had a great need to do so and this is how his imagination was captured in the novella A little planet. At the same time he wrote other short stories and fairytales that they still not published yet.

His dream is to express himself through his works and to convey his concerns about social issues to all the readers of our Little Planet!

In a planet of such beauty and a life so strange,

so full of obstacles, anyone seeks themselves and true happiness.

This book is dedicated to you,

who keep searching for what makes you happy.

I wish you will find it soon!

INDEX

Planet Aurora

Leo

Deadly Trophies

The room with the gold coins

The observatory

The Aktea berries

Amaryllis

An important meeting

The big family

The Lake of Souls

Paco

Banache Canyon

Kaul

Planet Aurora

Let’s begin with a bit of Astronomy. We live on Planet Earth. It’s the fifth bigger planet among his seven neighboring ones, all spinning around a great star called the Sun. All the planets drown to the Sun constitute the Solar System and ours is just one of three thousand systems like that. Therefore, all those, along with the asteroids, stars, comets and so many more wonders, compose the Galaxy.

No, we’re not finished yet. This is but our own Galaxy! There are still thousands of them, all belonging to this Universe. Our planet is like a grain of sand on the beach, among millions of others.

Hence, let’s assume we are not unique in this vast universe. Let us imagine that far away from our planet, in another solar system, another galaxy, the planet Aurora is located.

This planet is quite smaller than ours, yet just as beautiful, containing every necessity for a human’s survival and sustenance. Its natural environment is splendid, similar to the Earth’s. There are eminent trees, towering with broad, verdant leaves hanging on their branches. With their assistance, the most invaluable commodity is produced; oxygen. There are also massive mountains from which rivers rush fast flowing, ending up in the sea. The sky is of a deep blue, with white and grey clouds roaming it, sometimes bearing rain. The Sun doesn’t exist, but the sky is lit by another huge and gleaming star, resembling it. The inhabitants call it the Great Star. It’s equally bright and warm but a lot more resplendent. At nightfall, little stars are visible and instead of a moon, two satellites appear, which shine successively; Efrites and Plumerius. Still, the most magnificent of all is the climate; being constantly crisp, never too hot or too cold.

There aren’t many countries in this planet, nor any vast continents. There is simply one entirety of ground, one country, and the rest of the planet is covered by the sea. This country is called Valealand, which -in the ancient language of the inhabitants- means the land of the blonde ones. There are no boundaries on said land, for there have never been any wars throughout its existence, no one ever wished to occupy the grounds of another. Every citizen is free to live as they please.

However, as time progressed, that great island was separated into smaller regions, and its citizens were classified into categories. The least big region is called Ken. It is located in the east end of Valealand. It is quite oblong in shape, so for the most part it covers the south coastline. A great, big mountain demarcates and isolates Ken from the rest of the world. Few people live there, consequently, mostly fishermen, all very kind-hearted and animal-friendly.

North of Ken, lies Vearman. It is considered the most beautiful region of all, possessing the greatest, most bountiful and dense natural habitat. It resembles a vast jungle, with the tallest of trees, plants in abundance, and the highest number of rivers. There are some mountains as well, all of varying altitudes. There live those who wish for freedom, solitude, the lovers of nature.

In the northeast of Vearman, Faratt is located. It’s the second largest region, a flat land, without mountains, without any peculiarity; acres upon acres of arable fields. As you may have guessed, Faratt is populated entirely by farmers, husbandmen. They all love labour, believing that any accomplishment in life is a result of great toil.

West of Faratt, one can find the magical Nizelym, an empty, desolate land, considered haunted. There is an enormous lake called the Lake of Souls. Everyone in Valealand trows that when one dies, their soul reaches that particular lake. Some think their souls are to be tortured there, while others reckon, they find serenity. No one knows for sure. They actually believe in stories of various mythical creatures and magical beings living in the lake; therefore, they’re terrified to set foot into that place.

Finally, in the north end, Kaul can be found. It’s the largest region, of a massive population compared to all the rest. Despite its vastness, most of its habitants are scattered all over it. The place where most of those live constitutes the centre of Kaul, bearing the name City of Kaul or simply City. It is the very opposite of all the others; no environmental majesty, no magic, no beauty. Yet, for some odd reason, almost everyone in Planet Aurora wants to stay there.

The population is rather small in this planet, only five million, and so is the life expectancy. The average lifespan of the inhabitants is less than fifty years, and it’s even less time than on Earth, since a day lasts merely twelve hours.

The citizens of Aurora are as human as those of Earth, although their characteristics do not vary that much. Most are blonde and the rest are redheads, with big eyes of green or blue, quite short in height and white of skin. Their planet is fairly small, though seemingly large for its inhabitants. For the most part of Valealand, people adore the environment; they have no need of luxurious houses or gargantuan blocks, so they all live in treehouses, with each family having a tree of their own. In one of those treehouses, in the coastline of Ken, our little friend, Leo, resides.

Leo

A young boy, Leo, lives with his parents in the smallest region of Valealand, Ken. As the sea surrounds Ken and the Hadu Mountain isolates it from the rest of the world, all its inhabitants are occupied in fishing. All those born in Ken, since their childhood, spend their day at sea fishing. Leo found himself on his father’s boat earlier than everyone else.

It was a bright day. Elliot was preparing, as always, to push his boat into the deep blue waters. His much-loved wife, Annabelle was trying in every way to convince him to go fishing with him. He insisted that in her condition, she should remain at home. Her belly had grown enough and the labor was near. Nothing stopped Annabelle from trying hard to convince him.

Please take me with you. I can’t sit alone at home all day and wait for you.

Why don’t you hang out with Dora, your friend?

I can’t listen to her complain about her life anymore. To blame her husband, who brought her to Ken and because of him she will be cleaning fish for the rest of her life.

It’s like we’re doing something else! Elliot added laughing.

Yes, I can’t stand her anymore. Come on, Elliot, please. It’ll be the last time. Besides you need my help.

Indeed. Actually, I hope you will give birth to a boy, so that he can help me instead.

He couldn’t resist her seductive voice. He loved her very much and always did whatever she asked him to do.

Okay, get in.

Yes! she cheered. That’s why I love you.

For the last time, though, he allegedly said sternly.

Whatever you say, Mr. Elliot.

The boat dragged down the sand once more. It left behind a thick and long imprint of the keel. Slipping into the crystal-clear sea water, Elliot helped his wife in first, lifting her up by her not-so-thin waist. And then with a simple jump he was in the center of the boat. He grabbed the oars watching the satisfaction on Annabelle’s face and immediately began to row. He wanted to go and get back as soon as he could.

Quite far from the bank of Ken, they spread their nets, waiting for the fish to be trapped there. The temperature was slowly rising. Annabelle kept wiping the sweat dripping from her forehead. She wasn’t feeling that well, but she was trying to hide it, so she would not hear her husband complain. A gentle breeze blew and cooled her rosy face. But it was gently shaking the sea, rocking the boat back and forth and causing Annabelle more disturbance.

Elliot, I think I’m in labor, she said, clutching the hem of her skirt with her hands.

Elliot was startled. For a moment he thought his beloved was making fun of him. But when he realized it was true, he panicked. He took the oars in his hands and, after swinging them twice, remembered that he had to gather the nets first. He threw the oars abruptly, causing one to fall into the sea. With his hands trembling, he quickly began to gather the nets. As soon as he saw the one oar floating on the surface of the sea, he