Hello Fam :)
I am supposed to write two journal papers to be submitted by Monday and guess what I am writing? My professor would definitely not proud of myself. At least you guys compensate for me. :P
An irrelevant context: I have been itching to write Harry Potter. I had a rough draft so yesterday and the day before I wrote the first chapter and I am really eager for you guys to read it. Very soon. :)
Warning: People are sad all around. :(
Happy Reading...
Aryaman started the Autoturisme when they reached the vehicle. Once everyone is inside, seatbelts in place, he flew them underground but they heard something, vicious and strange.
Manik: What's that noise?
Zain: It's a dust storm. We have that regularly.
They turned their heads and saw what he said. The sand had just started to float.
Zain: Don't worry. It would take a few minutes to take effect and this vehicle protects us. It's built to withstand dust storms.
Surprisingly, as Zain further explained them to it, patiently answering their questions, Aryaman barely uttered a word. Minutes later when they reached the residential arena, he muttered about parking the vehicle but Zain grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug.
Zain(muttered): It's not your fault.
Arya: I should've known.
Zain: No, you idiot. This wasn't expected for at least another month and we wouldn't have invited them here if that were the case. So, stop blaming yourself. You need some time alone? Go and park the vehicle. You want to self-blame yourself? Better get inside and let me do that myself.
Aryaman threw his hands around the boy for a brief moment before storming off.
Nandu: What happened to him?
Zain: Nothing I could tell you. Ask him yourself when he comes back.
He ruffles Nandini's hair before leaving for his house. The other three went to Aryaman's house.
Nandu: Manik, do you want to dig up something?
Manik(sighing): No, Nandini. I don't want to dig up something at my friend's place to know about the reason behind him being upset because it would breach his privacy which would upset him even more. Hurt even.
Nandu: I was worried.
Manik pulled her into a hug.
Manik: If he isn't coming back within an hour, we will track him down.
Cabir: What are we going to do till then?
Manik: I don't know, Cabir. Why don't you try something new? Like shutting up your mouth?
Cabir: You didn't get irritated when she asked you a question.
Manik: I swear if you don't shut up at this instant, I would make you an entertainment source for Nandu for the next one hour.
That shut him up for good. And Manik didn't let Nandini leave his side even for once.
XXX
It was two hours when Manik lost his patience. He has been trying to reason but then there was a point when the nerves start getting to him. Half an hour after when Cabir couldn't stay still without knowing what happened, he went to try his luck with Zain.
Nandu: Where are we going?
Manik: let's try some places we have already visited. He took me to his office. Let's go there.
Fortunately for them, Aryaman wasn't feeling particularly adventurous because they found him in his cabin, lying on a visitor's couch and staring at the stars on a projected screen.
Nandu: You never took me to star-gazing here.
Aryaman chuckled but didn't bother to lift his head. Nandu took it as a cue to invite herself in and took a seat beside his knees on the couch. Manik settled down, putting his hand in Arya's hair.
Manik: Are you okay?
When he didn't answer, Nandini rolled her eyes.
Nandu: he is not. I don't know the reason but I am definitely not okay and I know the reason why.
Manik: Why?
Instead of answering Manik, Nandu slapped Aryaman on his arm.
Nandu: Why is Manik invited to your cabin and not me? Are you partial towards your guests? And you call me your sister?
Arya: I could have shown you but then you got yourself kidnapped.
Nandu: Technicalities. I got myself kidnapped because you took Manik away and I didn't know what to do.
Arya tugged at her arm.
Arya: Don't talk about Manik as if he were a commodity. He is the love of your life.
Nandu: Yeah but he is my teddy bear too.
She said and winked at the said human teddy bear.
Manik: Okay, why am I your topic of discussion?
Nandu: Because you are the love of my life and I could announce it for the whole universe. Aryaman, will you take me on a tour of the whole universe.
Manik: No. And neither is he going. We are living together for very long years.
Nandini glared at him before pestering Aryaman.
Nandu: Why are you looking at the artificial stars?
Arya: Because we have to go up to see the stars and as you already know there's a dust storm.
Nandu: They are beautiful.
He nodded.
Nandu: Is that your moon?
Arya: yeah.
He took the remote and pressed a button. The stars rotated in fast forward.
Nandu: What are you doing?
Arya: Going forward in time. Phobos would tear apart after many years and then Mars would have a ring similar to Saturn.
Nandu: That's cool.
They stayed in silence for some time.
Nandu: You know I don't have much patience, to begin with?
Arya(chuckled): I am surprised you didn't barge in with a question already.
Nandu: I wanted to. But this idiot asked me to wait. Anyway, why are you being sad? It's affecting me. And I don't want to leave the limited time I have with you like this.
Aryaman stayed silent for a few minutes as he played with Nandu's fingers and with Manik's fingers running through his hair, his nerves have died down to a comfortable level. Seriously, he had missed the two idiots.
Arya: My dad died in one of these storms.
Manik: What?
Arya: The dust storms are the worse on Mars. It occurs occasionally but it destroys anything on the surface. Before we had the access to Autoturisme, there were different methods of transportation to the surface. It wasn't effective but it's the only tech we had at that time. Dad was stuck there for hours before we lost him to the cosmic storm. It took us four days to get his body.
Nandu: What happened after that?
Aryaman shrugged.
Arya: They extracted the DNA from his body and I was created. I never had the chance to meet him but mom said he was really a nice person. Autoturisme was his plan actually along with his friends. And there were developments after he left. We wanted it to withstand any possible cosmic disasters. Until today. We usually keep the weather in check and avoid the surface for this time. This time, it was unpredictable and I couldn't have forgiven myself if something had happened to any of you.
He was startled when Nandini lied down on top of him in a silent gesture of comfort and he tightened his hold on her. Manik removed his hand to ruffle the girl's head before putting it back on Aryaman's head.
Manik: We are fine. Don't blame yourself for something you don't have control of it.
When Aryaman nodded, Manik assured him with a smile that it was all okay.
He glanced at the stars. They were peaceful. As Earth. But there's something even more peaceful about their planet. They didn't have to fight for their lives every day. Yet. And that's peaceful. He might like the technology but having the mundane life without constantly being worried about their loved ones was bliss. He would lose his mind if anything would happen to their parents or Nandini. And he had come close to losing her multiple times already. Manik took a decision. He just wanted to run it through his Martian friend.
The apparent dust storm on Mars. I don't know how real it is but the dust storms are totally real.
That's how the moon of Mars would tear apart and the remnants would became a ring like Saturn around Mars. Unfortunately, we wouldn't be alive to watch this beaut. :)