As the dawn approaches and the sun starts climbing over the horizon illuminating the old monastery at the top of the hill in the warm orange glow, the little girl wrapped up in old woolen quits like a dumpling stirred awake slowly.
Waking up to the chirping of birds with the warm glow of the sun, shine through the window, Zera's eyelashes quiver for a while before slowly opening her eyes and observing the surroundings a little confused.
'Waking up to find that the room in which I slept has changed and I am wrapped up like a dumpling, I am sure that it wasn't a dream last night about me getting knocked out again. Thinking of the last scene before fainting, It looks like there was an earthquake, hope that aunt Jen, mum, and dad are fine.'
'As I walk out of the room, I was nearly blinded by the shining heads of a group of kids wearing saffron color clothes and doing morning chores along with a few kinds looking old men with the same blinding head. Is it just me or this is a popular hairstyle on this planet? I shuddered thinking about how dazzling it would be if a million troops march on the battlefield on a hot day with bald heads. We can simply win by blinding the enemy without any weapons.'
Amused at seeing Zera looking at the kids with her eyes wide open, an old man who was sitting under a tree near her beckoned her to come close.
"little girl, your aunt Jen just went out to get the undamaged food supplies from your house." Seeing me not panicking and seriously nodding my head as if I understood, he went to explain "There was an earthquake last night and most of the houses on the hillside were damaged, so your aunt and the few families living near have come to the monastery last night as it wasn't much affected."
"Grandpa why are everyone bald is it a popular hairstyle nowadays?" I asked quite confused about their choice and all I got was laughter from everyone.
'Seeing that everyone was laughing and looking at the dark face of the old man I knew I must have asked a very dumb thing. Anyway, I am a little kid and I still got some advantages of simply pretending to be innocent after messing up and looking at the old man with a clear gauge waiting for an answer seriously.'
'After hearing the explanation of the old man, I got to know about the monks and monasteries. What can I say, the previous life didn't have any religions like here only worshipping the strong was popular. But it's kind of novel though, how a Tier-9 planet has myths about becoming gods and eternal life after listening to the old man telling myths to the kids while waiting for the adult's comeback till noon.'
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
Watching aunt Jen climbing up the stair of the monastery Zera quickly sprinted towards her," aunt Jen have you got the tablet from your house which was on the bed last night?" Zera asked.
"Oh my god! Stop running like that on the stair Zera, what would I do if an accident happens again, you already got a bump on your head and you would want any more do you? What about that tablet you are talking about, I remember asking you to put it in your bag before you sleep. Don't tell me you are watching cartoons after I slept, little girl." Aunt Jen said seriously with some rebuke and concern in her tone while checking me if I am alright.
"I just slept with it under the pillow aunt, really I promise. I just wanted to call my parents to see if they are safe with the tablet." I answered with a little guilt conscience but with a straight face.
"But we lost the network last night and the road leading the town is also blocked by a land slide. It's going to take a few weeks to a few months to get the road repaired and the network fixed." Said aunt Jen with worry all over her face.
"Aunt dad has got a satellite receiver at home, let's check if it still works now and try to contact mom and dad," I said.
By the time we returned from our little hunt to find the satellite receiver and the tablet it was evening. After deciding to try it after dinner, we to have a meal of a simple bowl of porridge with a group of little bald heads and the local families.
After confirming that the receiver is still working, aunt Jen tried the internet. Seeing that it was connected, aunt Jen quickly called my parents after seeing the missed calls. As soon as it got connected, the first thing that came into view is my mom's haggard face.
" How are you and Zera Jen? You aren't injured right!" Mom quickly fired off at aunt Jen.
" We are all I good health Sylvia, why don't you talk to your daughter. She is the one who reminded us of the satellite receiver." aunt Jen handed me the tablet after that.
"Mom I am fine, I just bumped my head last night. Except for that, it's all fine. Oh, I almost forgot, dad's collection of alcohol at home is all smashed as the cellar collapsed." I said innocently as I watched my dads wore down figure appeared in view.
"You tell the truth, little witch, I don't believe in your evil if you say that it was not your fault the cellar collapsed. I am pretty sure that those bottles were in crates with wooden boards as a cover." Dad almost roared through the tablet as soon as he heard that his precious alcohol got wasted.
"That, it really wasn't because of me that they are wasted," I said with my eyes wandering everywhere and my little finger twitching.
"You lied, I can see pinky twitching," dad said pointing at me pinky through the screen with a dark face.
Seeing that I was seen through I just said innocently" Seriously dad it wasn't my fault, you remember casing me yesterday. I might have climbed into the crate to hide in hurry and later forgot about the lid."
"So you are saying that it's my fault that it got smashed," Dad said dumbfounded.
"I didn't say that, you just said it yourself," I replied as sweetly as possible.
Watching the pair of father and daughter still in the mood to quarrel after an earthquake Sylvia let go of her worries as a smile appeared on her face again.