There were men on the ground

There were men on the ground, and they went about their business. Some happy about life, others not so happy - but life went on marvellously if only for its own sake...this could not be - nothing was supposed to live for itself.

So what did life live for if not for its very own self? Does life love us? Does she love anyone? what about me? Why was I here - these could not be new questions.

I looked down with compassion on the silver blue scene below watching as men on the ground went about their business - meaningless business? From a cosmic viewpoint, much of it was meaningless! What was it which we did which could have any possible significance on a cosmic scale? I thought about mother Theresa and her good works...maybe there were exceptions.

The clouds started to drift up from below the horizon towards a point above my head just as we set foot on the lovely silver grass of this alien world. Ay-ii said nothing and I asked nothing.

The clouds continued to converge – with great speed. and the men around us looked up.

There was worry on their faces, I looked up too not knowing what to expect. The clouds were dark and they converged to a point directly above - where the mid day sun normally stayed. The entire valley (for we were in a valley) darkened sufficiently to cause concern to the men below us. Most of them gesticulated. Some wnet to their knees. This conveyed to me clearly the fact that they were surely not expecting darkness at this time. A few went about their businesses unperturbed.

Suddenly without warning, sodium night candles came on - glowing with the softest orange light I could have imagined.

I turned to question Ay-ii about the meaning of these things he simply pointed to the sky. In the sky, from the only patch of evening sky left, was a bright shaft of yellow light which became more focussed and more intense. By now there was panic in the mannerisms of the men on the ground as this sharp ray of light danced with erratic impunity illuminating the men on the ground. This caused them to run hither and thither. I was worried about the lack of grace as the men ran - why were the men with the meaningless lives subjected to this harassment? This indignity?.

The light continued to harass the men on the ground, finally settling on the side of a mighty ridge which hemmed in the valley ,- changing from yellow to green, then blue. Then there was a blinding flash - and we all fell to our knees and covered our eyes with the palms of our hands - eventually the boldest amongst us spread their fingers and peeped. There were gasps from the men on the ground - those who had been bold and had spread their fingers and had peeped, slowly rose to their feet.

Looking too, I saw that the ridge was no more and from the ground where it once stood rose a dome - smooth as the marbles I played with as a child a mighty dome the curved surface would have covered a football field easily. The dome emerged from the ground and was as high as the ridge It glowed not with a colour my eyes saw, but with a warmth which made my heart yearn with a yearning for something I had never before yearned for.

The men on the ground ran to the dome - some with pneumatic drills others with pick axes. They assaulted the dome to no avail - it was made of the horniest of substances.

I turned to ask Ay-ii what this was about but he was pointing to the far end of the dome. There I saw some men on the ground walk right through the horny membrane into the inside of the dome - right beside the men who assaulted the dome with their drills and hammers. There were motions of unhappiness from the men on the ground who sought to gain entry by force into the dome and failed. Some grabbed at those who were walking in with majestic impunity that they may gain entry thereby - no luck. They were simply filtered and kept out. My heart filled with compassion for them and I fell to my knees and wept that they sought but could gain no entry.

Other men on the ground continued to walk in unhindered - but this number was far fewer than those who assaulted the dome I saw another man cling to the hand of another who was about to walk into the dome. His attempt at entry this way failed.

In a little while all the pneumatic drills fell silent as the futility of their efforts finally dawned.

Ay-ii took my hand and we floated into the dome.

The clouds started to diverge and the patch in the sky grew larger. Eventually the sodium night candles went out, and there was light every where

The beautiful silver blue world reappeared, and the men on the ground went about their business - some happily, others not. But life went on marvelously if only for its own sake and the dome went into the ground and there was darkness in the dome and the sodium night candles within the dome lighted and bathed the entire dome in the most beautiful orange colour I had ever seen.

What's going on? I asked Ay-ii.

This is Lokinanga. I will tell you more.