The planet was lit, every home in every street and corner, as if it were Diwali or Christmas, or any festival of lights anywhere in the universe.
Sitting beside the park wall, a little lost, like many of us are when we pause to take a break from a restless day, he seemed to be smoking. Look closely, and you’ll see that he was smoking. But it wasn’t a regular cigarette. Look even closer, and you’ll notice that the tip of his index finger was lit, and he drew in smoke through the pores of his fingers.
Was it the fire from within him? His blood! Or was he capable of lighting up any part of his body, or just his fingers, at will?
This was not a cold planet by any means. Hot, in fact. Not too hot, but hot. Did these creatures emit heat, or absorb it from the planet? (By the way, I haven’t seen any sun here since we arrived.) Except for the fire flickering on their fingertips, they were human in every other way.
I know you have many questions — I do too. But I’ll wait a little longer. It’s better to be cautious before digging deeper here.
Next time…