Journal Entry:

Named for the mega-volcano that graces this tiny world, Lilac Hill is as desolate as it is beautiful. The giant volcano has a long history of eruption and is still active to this day, with a near constant flow. At nearly 18 kilometers above the surface, it rises above the upper atmosphere and of course creates the weather for this moon. It also happens to be one of the largest mountains in the traveled universe.

Lilac Hill holds its place as one of six small worlds orbiting the gorgeous and colorful gas giant of Planar, in and of itself a planet worth mention. But here I want to chronicle this lovely little moon that I have physically walked across and spent some time getting to know.

From far across the plains, the massive volcano rises and rises… and rises. It is a rare day that one can see the hill in its entirety but it is not impossible, as clouds shroud its upper portion frequently as well as competing with the distortion from the lens of atmosphere. The height coupled with the upper layers of air make the mountain appear anywhere from a deep purple to a pale shade of lilac, especially at sunrise. It is truly a sight to behold, this singular tooth rising above the surface. It sits perfectly on the equator of Lilac Hill, as improbable as that seems. Perhaps this extra force from the moon’s spin helps account for its ability to continue its upward push. Speaking of rotation, which is really quite rapid, it revolves on its axis once every seven hours or so.

The dark soil here is quite compact and the plants are very hardy, with shallow root systems. Many of the shrub-like trees have incredibly wide trunks to support their branches of foliage for the roots just aren’t able to reach deep enough for adequate support. The scrubby grasses grow clumped together to create a safety in numbers, so to speak; their roots growing within the dead mass beneath, accentuating the clumpiness of each mound.

Each pole is covered a large yet relatively shallow freshwater sea within which, it seems, contains most of the life here. Whereas the land holds just a few species of smaller rodent-like mammalia and a handful of insect species, the seas contain hundreds of distinct life forms. There are a myriad of coral-like animals creating vast, stretching reefs. These creatures seem to be the hinge for everything else as they create the by-product oxygen as their waste. So the water is effervescent with minuscule oxygen bubbles and indeed I myself find it quite invigorating to swim in the shallow pools created by the reefs and found near the shore.

On the edges of the oxygen-rich waters of the reefs there are massive blooms of underwater flowering grasses. It looks as if one is viewing a botanist’s garden back home… but underwater. The variety of color and shape and size is astounding. Within these underwater gardens live shoals of shining and colorful fish ranging in size of a mere centimeter in length to monsters six meters long. There are also, living in the sands below, giant clams and other shellfish. Each one more spectacular than the last.

During the short nights, I can see the many underwater creatures that create their own light and indeed the reefs appear as if they are lit from below. Most commonly seen in shades of purples but here and there I also see dots of yellow or green. It’s intoxicating. I lay propped against my knapsack, staring out over the calm waters, with beautiful lights shining out and I find peace within my wandering soul. While there is desolation and hard compacted ground behind, where lies the continent and that massive purple mountain, to my face I see life bountiful and fresh clear beauty. I leave behind a piece of my heart by the seas of Lilac Hill.

Lifted high and far above
Lies that purple peak
Molten lava slowly spreading
Always glowing
Always increasing
Raising its massive stature
Reaching ever for the stars
And yet my eyes are drawn
Down below and to the north
Where lies the sea of life
Oxygen rich and aquamarine
Always gentle
Always quiet
I could spend my twilight years
Simply resting here
Serenity divine

tara caribou |© 2018

This is part of my on-going series, Explorations. I hope you’ll stick around for more of the Traveler’s journal entries.

Journal Entry:

Stepping onto the intoxicating world Mezakiah, my breath was immediately taken away. I’ve visited many places as you know but this one… this one is a gem in its own right. I had heard rumors of the planet amongst the Travelers such as myself whom I had the pleasure of crossing paths with over the years but until I set foot upon it myself, I could do nothing but dream.

There was a phenomenon here when the planet was formed which caused it to grow much like a geode. The outer shell is a hard crystal-like material which perfectly allows light in through tall, haphazardly grown crystal shafts. Standing within, light emanates from these columns, which can jut into the sky a thousand meters or more. Some have, as is to be expected, broken off and fallen in millennium past, creating shards and boulders and giant piles interspersed here and there and is very lovely to behold.

Rather than looking over a horizon that curves away from the eye, standing (within) on the surface of Mezakiah, one looks overhead and sees not sky in the distance but instead the land of the planet directly across the circumference. The outside shell is, as I understand it, moderately smooth such as a raw quartz crystal. And in fact, the similarities do not end there as the crystal spires themselves are six-sided with a mild taper, extending out in all manner of assorted angles into the air.

Speaking of the air, it is crisp and sweet and stimulating, a real refreshing of the senses. More so than any I’ve breathed before. It has a natural healing quality to it which leaves me feeling youthful. Couple this with the light gravity, which is approximately half that of earth-standard, and one nearly feels as if you could jump high enough, you could simply spread your arms and fly.

The surface of the planet, a mere half-kilometer in thickness, is covered in a springy bright bluish-green moss interspersed with all manner of flowering plant and berries. Trees, of sorts, grow thickly, especially near the bases of the crystals. There are several varieties. Some giants with wide, spreading canopies, thick trunks a dozen men hand-in-hand could scarce encircle and long ropey vines hanging from strong branches. Some shorter, stockier trees, more like bushes really, with intertwining and twisting limbs and tiny pale flowers. A tall, thin variety that grows long, shiny leaves in the deepest red hue, looking very nearly like blood, as I have ever seen previous. They are quite beautiful to behold. Their scent reminded me of orange and eucalyptus.

It feels lush and full of life, does Mezakiah, so delightfully peaceful. There are seemingly endless species of flying avians in many shapes and colors. Each with their own unique call which makes for a constant background of song and whistles, chirps and warbles, although not overwhelmingly so. I have sketched here a few as best I can, but there are so very many and my hand is not steady enough to capture the rich diversity here.

Of note, I see no predation here and in fact the entire planet appears to live in complete symbiosis. The birds, for their part, feast on the wide array of seeds and fruits and nuts from which the plant matter springs forth from. Instead of stripping a plant down to nothing, they seem to carefully groom it before moving on. The only insect-life I have come across were pollinators and they also kept meticulous care of their home. All life here seems to be well aware of its unique individual role and that of the other life forms they share it with. Interconnected is the best way of describing it.

As I look about me, the realization has come to me that this world is about as perfect as one could imagine, really. With each entity living and thriving in accord with one another. Even the weather cooperates, a light and constant breeze moving always in the one direction, never gusting nor stilling completely. Each evening, as it is, for day and night are a bit ambiguous here, with the light always shining through the crystals somewhere or other, days wax and wane into dusk without becoming full twilight (except on the occasion the planet is eclipsed by one of its double moons, which happened several times during my stay), a thick dew rises upon the surfaces of every plant and crystal thereby providing a steady supply of water. There also runs a continuous network of connected streams and creeks, without any true source except that of itself, criss-crossing along the land. It is mildly eerie to look overhead with a spyglass and far off in the distance witness these glimmering ribbons and not expect them to rain down upon your head instead of staying within their banks as they do.

So this geode-like macrocosm world is a paradise of sorts. Many times we look about ourselves at the tragedy of violence and sigh out the words, ‘this is the way of the world’. And yet, it is not the way of the world everywhere. Harmony and unity can be found, if only we put our hearts and minds to it. I wish I could show you just a glimpse of the possibilities and wonder that traveling Mezakiah has shown me.

Sheer beauty
Crystal clear
Fresh and bright and clean

Global harmony
Impossible heights
Blissful and invigorating and natural

Glorious views
Unfathomable richness
Peace and joy and rest

Gentle glow
Perfect home
Quietude and tranquillity and serenity

That is Mezakiah

tara caribou | ©2018

This is part of my ongoing series in the category Explorations. Criticism and comments always welcome.

Journal Entry:

The longer I remain here, the more I find myself unable to cling to the will to live, to do anything at all. Merely picking up this pen has taken every scrap of will that is rapidly fading from existence. In an attempt to lift myself from this malaise, I will set forth to explain recent events.

I arrived on this planet some five months prior to these writings, this being known to me only by reading my chronometer, as the passage of time seems to be non-existent here.

The rotation of this tiny world is incremental. It takes about 36 earth-standard days to make one full rotation. As such, I suppose I have been here a mere four-and-one-half days. It took me two such days to make a complete circumference of the planet, which I have named Mush. Mush for that is what my brain and body seem to be becoming, the longer I wander barren speck.

There are no large bodies of water that I have found and truthfully I believe I’ve seen most of it. There seems to be something in the air that makes one feel lethargic and depressed. The orange sun is a tiny mote not quite overhead and never setting. The stars are hazy, not crisp and clear. There are no clouds to speak of but wispy, stringy affairs that melt in and out of existence to the point you wonder if you really saw them at all. None but the very slightest breeze stirs the tepid air.

Nothing breaks the monotony. No large mountains, no seas, no giant trees, no animal groups (or tracks for that matter, I have yet to find a single species of animals or insect life-form), no moon, no large boulders or cliffs. Nothing but a gentle smooth slightly sloping landscape. Fields of grasses and thigh-high shrubs. Everything is dull in color. Muted tans and greys. It is quiet. Nothing competes with anything else. No brightly colored flowers or dazzling sunsets. No sharp calls of birds or the chirping of insects. Silence.

As such, and unsurprisingly, I find myself no longer walking about. I couldn’t even find a scenic spot to stop and ponder. There are no such places. I simply stopped walking after nearly four months. I’ve been sitting in this same spot for over a month now. Nothing has changed. I find myself wondering what it’s all for. What’s the point? How did I come to be here? Is it worth it? Why do I walk the worlds? Will you read what I’ve written? Or do I merely throw these musings out into the ether, to spin and become lonely galaxies in their own right?

Journal Entry:

You won’t know it, but it has been two weeks since I last wrote. I have slept much. Eaten little. I managed to move about ten minutes walk away, just to leave behind the matted down grass and personal smells behind. It did little for my moral.

Journal Entry:

I am mildly interested to note that it has been ten days since my last entry. I have nothing to say. There is little reasoning behind it.

Journal Entry:

I write this portion with the hindsight of time and a clear mind. I have since moved on from Mush to another place but I felt I should explain what transpired from then to now, some two months later.

As I lay in my depression on a depressing little planet named Mush, my mind became a feedback loop of nihilism and self-loathing. What was it for? I could find no answers on that miserable little rock. My thoughts atrophied. One day, from sheer boredom, I stood up and stretched. Looking to the horizon, I saw a shiny point of light. It was a star, a beacon of hope. I had to find out what it was. Hurriedly, I packed my knapsack once more and set off straight away for that meager tiny light.

As I hiked, I felt that lost feeling of excitement for the unknown, the hope, the eagerness, the Curiosity. It felt foreign and beautiful. It was then that I realized what I did mattered. If I didn’t explore these stars, who would? To pen the strangeness of it. The universality of it. The wonder. I need to do this. For me and for those that come after me. I need to do this for the planets themselves. Each individual living entities of themselves. I give them voice. I speak for those who can’t speak. I plant seeds of imagination and wanderlust.

Mush needs a voice too. There are times we can’t understand everything around us. It is the searching, the journey, that makes all the difference. I found the path off the planet and I turned back and bowed deeply in respect for this tiny world and it’s lesson to me.

Mush was making me
Understand that it too
Spoke in its own voice and
Had meaningful things to say

Mush was quiet
Unable to reach out on its own
Soundwaves damp and
Heavy with ancient silence

Mush was clever and
Unique, whispering wisdom
Seeping in, we are all valuable
Heed this lesson learned

tara caribou | ©2018

This is part of my ongoing collection of Explorations of the galaxy. Criticism and comments always welcome.

Journal Entry:

Along the hills and vales of Sagamore Venom lie twisting narrow trails which, if followed, seemingly lead nowhere yet you’ll still inevitably find yourself somewhere. Clearly not natural; as every so often, along regular intervals, you will find a short metal pole forced into the hard soil adorned with a small triangular flag atop. Along with the markers, as you traverse the footpaths you’ll find boulders or large rocks which may be etched with foreign symbols. I never was able to make head nor tail of them but they always left my spine tingling and the hair on the back of my neck sticking straight out. This should have served as a warning to me but alas, I am a Traveler heart and soul and I’ve never let a case of the jitters stop me before.

I walked the world for a solid three weeks, earth-standard time, before I crossed paths with one of the indigenous apex creatures who call this harsh planet home. I came to realize that they lived in small groups and seemed to travel further only under necessity. The creatures, whom I have named the Sagamores (for the Venom part comes later), were vicious and vile-looking creatures. I have included here a sketch as best I know how to draw, but you know my skills lie in diplomacy, a level head, and written word more than artistry.

The Sagamores walk almost exclusively upright on two scaly legs which somewhat reminded me of a cross between a lizard and a turkey. Their skin, a deep, dark purple with rough scales, quite reptilian, really, was thick and heavy over the legs and feet, seemed to soften as they moved up until by the crown of the head they appeared almost soft like feathers. A thin prehensile tail completed the look and the tail was longer than they were tall. Speaking of height, they tended to stand about five feet tall on average though I did observe some as small as three feet and two giants which stood over seven feet. Along the short torso were two sets of arm-like appendages, the lower set being short and ending in two-claws, the upper pair more muscly and longer with two elbow-like joints and ending in a more hand-like appearance of three fingers and an opposing thumb. The neck was elongated and allowed the head to swivel approximately 270-degrees either direction. It was quite disconcerting, I must admit. The head itself was a beaked affair with two wide-set hard unblinking eyes in which occasionally a long forked tongue would lash out and clean off.

The Sagamores wore no clothing although they did wear adornments of fashioned jewelry, I assume, as I did not ascertain any reason other than beauty. Mostly they wore arm or neck bands but some wore leg bands as well. It appeared to be beaten silver and other shiny malleable metals. I was not in captivity long enough to see any being produced. Along with the jewelry, many wore pouches of varying sizes and configurations to carry whatever it was that one deemed necessary to carry, I imagine. I would have enjoyed more time to fully observe this aspect of their lifestyle.

They certainly communicated. Mostly with body language and posturing but also hisses, clicks and warbles. This led me to believe they were not telepathic in any way.

I chanced upon one of their villages while walking along a footpath, as I mentioned, for nearly three weeks. Immediately I was taken into captivity, though not mistreated. They clearly did not know what I was nor what to do with me. And in fact they seemed to debate for several days as to what exactly to do with me. They seemed to know I was an intelligent, thinking being such as themselves. Other than when they initially took me into custody, and realizing we could in no way communicate, they did not attempt to talk with me at all. I seemed to be a mystery. I was kept in a corral with some, what I can only imagine were an equivalent of, sheep or other livestock. They didn’t appear worried by me, nor curious, so much as perplexed what to do with me. They did not begrudge me my physical needs when I opened my knapsack for provisions. And in fact, they gave me fresh water bowls whenever mine emptied.

They seemed to pay me the attention one would pay a stray dog, and in this way I was able to observe and take notes. Within about three days time they came to some sort of conclusion amongst themselves and six of them drew lots and accompanied me out of the village and down another trail. It took about a day and a half to reach the next village. In that time we marched at a steady but not uncomfortable pace. While on the way, they paused twice to hunt with the short spears they carried with them.

It was a brutal, perfunctory affair, two would remain with me while four would chase down a mule-deer sized creature. With vicious-sounding screeches they would attack, jumping onto its back before one or more would spit a vile liquid into the face of the poor beast. It did not kill the creature, instead stunning or paralyzing it as they would descend and hastily devour it while it was still alive.

My reception at the next village was much the same as the first, and after several days of deliberation, the Sagamores must have decided I wasn’t worth any more energy, for a group of them unceremoniously took me a short distance out of view of the village and formed a barrier of sorts and one pointed out and away. I took it to mean I was not welcome nor a threat.

I do wish I could have had more time to study these interesting beings however I chose wisdom over curiosity this time and continued on my way.

Sagamore Venom
Vicious and alien
Barren and empty
Curiosity piqued

A planet of many mysteries
Rocky tors to tumbling rivers
The sky an emerald green shade
Never a single cloud

Trails crisscrossed
Wild and untamed
Strange symbolism
Sagamore Venom

tara caribou | ©️2018

This is the start of a series of short stories in the category “Explorations” in which you’ll read journal entries made for the planets our intrepid explorer has traveled to across the galaxy. I hope you enjoy it. Criticism always welcome.