- Text Size +

“Look. All I’m saying is you need to do something for yourself once in a while, ya know?” Pogo said as Mori handed down a sack full of pollen from the flower he was perched on top of. Pogo tossed the full bag into a makeshift wheelbarrow made from a discarded milk carton. He grabbed another empty sack and made his way back over to the flower Mori was still on.

 

“I mean. I get what you mean. I just. I don’t even know what I would do for myself.” Mori said as he reached down and grabbed the empty sack from Pogo. His legs wrapped around the pedicel; his feet hooked under his ankle. Mori took a breath and wiped his brow before he returned to his task of scraping pollen into the bag.

 

“That’s what I’m talking about!” Pogo said, raising his arms up into the air as he stood at the base of the flower. “You need to focus on you. Learn what you want out of life. You don’t wanna end up a mindless drone like all these guys, do you?” Pogo turned and motioned towards all the other teams of two collecting pollen in the flower field. “These guys never think about what they want either. It’s so weird!”

 

“Grand says that selfishness is a human trait,” Mori said simply as he handed another full bag down to Pogo.

 

“And what’s wrong with that? Just because Grand is a first-generation Mallow and doesn’t trust humans doesn’t mean we should all follow whatever he believes!”

 

“He’s the village elder so I’m pretty sure that is what that means, Pogo.”

 

“Elder shemlder! We live on Earth now so we should adapt to some of their customs and culture. And free thought and individualism is part of that!”

 

Mori climbed down the flower. Wordlessly signaling to Pogo that they had collected enough pollen from it. Pogo grabbed the handles of the makeshift wheelbarrow and moved onto the next flower on their route. The sun was high and bearing down on their, bare, off white bodies. A gentle breeze letting the flowers sway and dance in the fresh summer air. A slight chill with the breeze. The scent of the flowers they were harvesting so heavy in the air it was almost unpleasant.

 

Pogo began his ascent up the next flower. Mori and Pogo had a system in place where they would alternate who went up to get the pollen so neither of them tired out. The one on the ground would give the other an empty bag, collect the full bags, and watch to make sure they didn’t fall. Mori had to squint two of his four eyes and close the other two, as he looked up to spot Pogo’s climb. The sun failing to hide behind the flower’s petals.

 

Once Pogo was safely at the top of the flower, Mori handed him an empty sack and looked out into the flower field. It was a large field of yellow flowers. Planted in rows with dirt paths between them all. The field was settled in a small clearing between a few trees that usually provided some shade when the sun wasn’t at high noon. Most of the other workers were taking a break, settling down under the shade of a flower and eating the lunch they brought with them.

 

Mori and Pogo kept working, even under the intense heat of the noon sun. They had made a deal that they would work through lunch to get the job done faster. It was still the first week of the arrangement, though, and Mori was feeling a bit hungry. He looked over his shoulder and slid his hand into one of the pollen sacks in the wheelbarrow, and shoved it into the mouth on his belly.

 

 “Oi! I saw that. You can’t go eating on the job it’ll hurt our commissions!” Pogo complained as he took the sack from Mori’s hand.

 

“You’re the one telling me I need to think about myself more.”

 

“Thinking about yourself doesn’t mean giving in to any little temptation that crosses your mind.” Pogo still shoveling pollen into the sack as he looked down at Mori.

 

“So do what I want. But only sometimes?” Mori brushed his hand against his chin as he tried to understand what kind of philosophy Pogo was trying to teach him.

 

“Well. No, not really. It’s just. You do what you want you just have to consider the consequences.”

 

“I did. The consequence was I wouldn’t be as hungry.”

 

“But we’re a team here, Mori! That decision affects me just as well as it affects you!” Pogo groaned with mock annoyance as he handed a full bag down to Mori. Mori took the full bag in one hand; handing Pogo and empty bag before making his way back to the wheelbarrow.

 

 “So, you want me to think of myself and what I want but also think about how what I want will influence others? Isn’t that basically what Grand tells us to do when he says to look out for each other?”

 

“No. Well. Kind of. But it’s different! It’s totally different because Grand is all about putting yourself out for the greater good and the well being of the village but sometimes you havta do stuff for yourself regardless of how the rest of the village is impacted from it! You have to put yourself first sometimes!”

 

Mori simply slid his hand into the sack again and began to chew on another handful of pollen. The lips on his stomach curling into a sly grin as he glanced up at Pogo perched on the top of the flower.

 

Pogo grumbled as he tied the bag shut now that it was full. Tossing it at Mori before sliding down the stem. “Fine. I had that one coming. You’re pushing the cart back though!”

 

Mori simply nodded. Still chewing on the pollen. It was a pure sweet taste that filled his mouth and melted on his tongue. He took the cart and pushed it along the small dirt path. They made their way back in silence. Both worn out from working under the heat of the sun. They dropped their pollen off at the storehouse. The manager there gave them their meal vouchers and commented on how quickly they got the job done, and telling them that they shouldn’t overwork themselves as they left.

 

It was a short walk back to the village from the storehouse. A small dirt path leading the way through the grass that came up to their knees. The village was a modest sized farming town. The buildings made of cardboard with plastic tarps covering them for when it rained. There was a small fence around the village made from small fallen branches and popsicle sticks that were bound together with plant fiber. The posts were buried into the ground with a walkway on top for watchmen to guard and keep an eye on possible threats.

 

Mori and Pogo walked up to the entryway. Two other mallow people standing on either side of the gate. Each wielding a thumb tack on their hip. Their bodies bare from clothes other than a belt made from weaved together dental floss that went around their waist and held a small pocket where they could put the thumbtack weapons when they weren’t using them.

“Identification.” One of the two spoke as Mori and Pogo approached.

 

Pogo groaned as Mori began to dig around in the small satchel, made from similar material as the guard’s belt, that was over his shoulder. “You know who we are, Borris. The village is small enough that we all know each other. I don’t know why Grand makes you guys stand out here all day anyway.”

 

“Just show your ID, Pogo,” Mori said as he pulled a small card out and handed it to Borris. “This is for wandering Mallows. If someone new comes to town Grand wants to know about it so he can give them a place and a job if they’re looking for it. You know how hard it is out there on your own more than most here.”

 

“I didn’t have to go through any of that stuff when I got here!” Pogo continued to complain even as he began digging around in his bag for his ID.

 

Borris handed Mori his ID back and finally spoke up. “You lazed around and mooched off the commune for a good two weeks before anyone caught on. You’re the reason we have these checks now.”

 

“Yeah? Well, look at me now! I’m a thriving helpful member of the community! All because you let me in with open arms and let me gather my strength up first!” Pogo said as he pulled his own card out of the satchel around his shoulder. Handing it to Borris.

 

Borris looked it over and handed it back. “It expires in two days. Might wanna renew it tonight.”

“What? I just got it last month! Why does Mori’s last for a year but mine is only good for a month?!” Pogo waved his arms around dramatically. Mori glanced over his shoulder as Pogo made a scene. He knew he could go in without him, but that if he did it would only cause an even bigger scene later on.

 

“Because you’re an outsider,” Borris said simply. “Mori was born here. He’s more trusted than you are.”

 

“Damn this human-esque bureaucracy anyway! Mallow people aren’t meant to be tied down by paperwork and red tape! We’re supposed to be free!”

 

“Weren’t you just saying how we should embrace human culture in the fields, though?”

Pogo looked over at Mori. All four of his eyes narrowing at him before he turned and walked through the gate into the village. “Shut it, Mori.”

 

Mori laughed and followed Pogo into town. A grin stretching across his stomach. They walked together in silence until Pogo came to his house. Walking up to his door as Mori kept walking. Pogo turning and yelling out. “See you at dinner!”

 

“See ya there!” Mori yelled back as he turned and walked backward for a few steps. Mori returned Pogo’s smile and waved to him before he watched him enter his home. A small cardboard house that only had one room inside of it. Several beds lining the walls all stacked on top of each other for the other field workers Pogo shared the housing with.

 

Mori kept walking towards the center of town. There was a large building in the middle that everything else seemed to have been built around. The only two-story building in the entire village. There was a small gate around it made from toothpicks and thin copper wire. Mori walked along the fence until he came to the entryway. He turned and began to walk up the long dirt path up to the front door.

 

There were no locks on any of the doors. Anyone was free to come and go as they pleased. Mori sighed softly as he stepped inside. He took his satchel off of to put it on a hook close to the front door.  He raised his arms and let out a soft groan as he stretched. Only taking a few steps inside before he called out. “Grand? You home?”

 

“Mori?” A voice called out from the other room. It was deeper and a bit more gravely than Mori’s

 

“You’re home early. I’m in my study.”

 

“Yeah. Pogo and I work well together.” Mori said as he walked to the study. He pushed the cardboard flap that they used for a door and leaned against the door frame as he peered into Grand’s study.

 

“I’m happy to hear you’re making friends.” Grand said as he sat at a plastic desk. A pile of papers covering the desk. A small broken off piece of graphite in his hand. He looked up from the mountain of work to give his full attention to Mori as they spoke.

 

“Yeah. Pogo is a really good guy. Borris said his ID expired in a couple of days, though. Any chance we could surprise him with a new one at dinner tonight? I know he’s going to push it off and forget about it. Then it’s going to cause a whole scene when we can’t get back into the village after working the fields and it would just be way easier if we could just do it for him.”

 

Grand simply sat and nodded along as Mori rambled. His four eyes showing his smile with the desk and paperwork blocking the sight of his stomach. “I’ll see what I can do.”

 

“Thanks! You’re the best!” Mori beamed as he pushed himself off of the door frame. He turned to leave but stopped when Grand suddenly spoke.

 

“And in return, you’ll have all of your studies completed by dinner time?”

Mori groaned “Oh fine! But now you made this a deal so you have to do it as long as I do my part!”

 

Grand chuckled as he watched Mori rush towards the stairs. After Mori was out of sight, he turned his attention back to the mountain of paperwork. A deep sigh he dove back in, content that Mori had proper motivation to study now.

 

As the sun began to settle behind the trees, Mori stood behind a counter with Grand as a line of Mallows stood with empty bowls. Mori had a brighter smile than usual as he prepared to serve the village. He had completed his studies, and as promised, Grand had Pogo’s updated ID ready. The canteen was quickly filling up as Grand and Mori portioned out the food. It was a tradition that the village elder makes sure their people are taken care of before taking care of themselves. Mori being groomed to be the new Elder once Grand passed the title was constrained by a similar tradition.

 

Mori dug the wooden spoon into the gruel. A soupy mix of water, pollen, and whatever other foodstuffs the scavenging team could return to the village with. Tonight, there were chunks of apple mixed in with the gruel.

 

Pogo was near the end of the line. He knew that he ran the risk of not getting food that way if some of the teams didn’t provide that day, but that never seemed to bother him much. The teams had always provided for as long as he had been there, and it gave him the excuse to end up eating with Mori. Despite how well Pogo had integrated into the village there were still Mallows that viewed him as little more than an outsider. Tainted by the influence of humans.

In his vast curiosity, Mori had asked Pogo about what the humans were like. How the Mallows that interacted with them were different, or if they even were at all. The village had a mistrust of humans. Grand, being one of the first generations of Mallows to come to Earth, claimed that he had seen their true nature. He would say that Humans were never to be trusted. That they would only ever take advantage of Mallows and treat them poorly.

 

Mori never got a straight answer from Grand or Pogo about what humans were like. Grand usually too angry to properly discuss what he had experienced. Pogo would always grow very distant when asked about his past before he came to the village. Often staying away from whoever asked for several days. It only took this happening twice for Mori to accept he should stop asking.

 

“What’s got you so happy?” Pogo asked as he finally made his way to the front of the line. Mori took his plastic bowl and filled it with the gruel.

 

Mori opened his mouth, but his words stopped as the ground began to shake. The canteen was little more than a small tent covering the modest seating that they were able to put together from scraps. They all looked to the sky as the ground shook again, and again. The rhythmic shaking seemed to chill Pogo to the core. All four of his eyes were wide with shock and terror. Plagued with memories of his previous life shook from his mind by the quaking ground.

 

As Mori looked towards what felt like the source of the small tremors along with the rest of the village, he laid eyes upon his first ever human. The walls surrounding the village came up to her shins. The light of the sun slowly dying behind her. The glowing embers at the end of the girl’s cigarette illuminated her face. She was staring down at the village.

 

She brushed a tassel of green hair from her pale, piercing covered face.  Dark eye shadow made her glare more intimidating to the Mallows below her. She wore a black t-shirt with a strange design on the front. Her pale arms were covered with drawings. Her jeans were tight. They clung to her thighs so tight they seemed to be painted on.

 

She raised a foot and stepped over the wall. Her red converse crushing one of the cardboard buildings under it. She looked around the small village. All of the buildings came up to her shin. She didn’t see any of the small residents she had expected to see running from her presence until she heard a bell. It grabbed her attention. She looked over towards it and saw a massive gathering of the little mallows.

 

“This shit day just got a whole lot better.” She said as she began to walk towards the gathering with an empty terrarium in her hands.

 

You must login (register) to review.