Migrate

From the Mind of Muggington,

It’s my turn in front. I estimate there are over a hundred of us. The formation is perfect and we are making good progress. I see the city up ahead. Down below the inviting green rectangle looks like it will make a nice stop.

I lower my beak and tilt my wings and we start to descend. Hey, I remember that place. I see a grassy lawn. Down we go.

The grass is lush and filled with goodies. I bob my head as I walk plucking delicacies from the soil. One of my mates chirps to me that it’s time to go. I know, I know, it’s going to get cold.

I think about the cobalt blue water and palm trees. Alright everyone, off we go. I take off and the flock follows close behind.

Cave

From the Mind of Muggington

We found it in the cow pasture. The hole beckoned from behind a big rock. I couldn’t see a thing but I climbed right in. My friend went to get a flashlight and I started to feel my way forward. I knew that my eyes would adjust to the dark but for now I was blind as a bat.

I kept moving. This wasn’t one of those beautiful crystal caves with vaulted ceilings. I wonder if anyone ever came down here. Maybe long ago cave men and women hid in this place to escape predators. I looked at the cave wall hoping to see some cryptic drawings but all I saw was mud.

I heard my friend shout . “Hey, your Mom says it’s time for dinner. You better get out of there.” The ceiling was so low that I had to crawl on my belly. I had to decide. What’s it going to be dinner or intrepid explorer? I squeezed through the opening and kept going.

Morning routine

From the Mind of Muggington

The old man put the key in the door and applied gentle pressure. “Needs oil,” he said. He yanked the handle and the door came open with a screech. He walked in on unsteady legs and grabbed a broom.

Out he came like a bird from a cuckoo clock. He shuffled down the sidewalk until he had all the dust brushed into the street. After a jaunty spin which faced him back the way he had come, he tottered back into the shop and shut the door.

The neighbors across the street applauded. “He’s like clockwork,” one said. “Yes, I set my watch by him,” another said.

Everyone went about their business.

Look at this

From the Mind of Muggington

“Look what I found,” he said. He picked up a shiny silver disk. “It’s a coin,” he said. “I thought they all melted.” “Nah, some metal survived. I’m not sure why,” she said. They looked at riot of green that covered the land as far as they could see. “I wish we knew more about them,” he said. “Me too,” she said. “It’s sad. Almost everything we know came from those electromagnetic waves we received. I wish we could have met them.”

 

After

From the Mind of Muggington

I drifted off and never woke again. Surprisingly I still exist. Just not where I was before. I am in a new place. It’s not better or worse, just different. I am not in a human any more. I am not in a plant or animal. I know where and what I am but this old language has no words or concepts to describe it. There is no way back but that doesn’t matter. Time’s arrow rules here also. That is the only thing that is the same. Now I know. It never ends.

United

From the Mind of Muggington

No one thought it would ever happen. The last holdouts joined today. The human race is one. There are no more countries. Because of AI and machine translation we can all talk to each other. There are still different languages but they are mainly used for cultural purposes.

How did it happen? For awhile we thought everything was going to go boom. It seemed like all the big powers hated each other and crazies were sprouting everywhere.

Nothing big caused the change. It happened little by little. Maybe the kids started learning not to hate in schools. Maybe people got tired of the bloodshed. Maybe they didn’t want the stress every day.

But it happened. I still can’t believe it. Now we can get started with the fun stuff.

 

The Intruder

From the Mind of Muggington,

I’ve tracked it since it left the blue sphere. It is headed straight for us. I am not sure what to do. It is not possible to discern its intentions and it has not communicated with us. It is a rather ungainly object. I can’t understand why they would send it to us. I do not think we can allow it to land. After all, this is our home. Who knows what havoc it might wreak. I suggest that we deflect it instead of destroying it. That way whoever sent it will believe that it malfunctioned. We must keep our existence secret.

Agreed.