I was relaxing | Enjoying the day at home | Then a package came
How did they find me? | I live atop a mountain. | Is this not absurd?
Author's Notes: This is a parody story. Any names of real people or companies mentioned are by mere coincidence. Thank You.
***
Relaxing at home.
I get approached by a drone.
It's from Euphrates.
...
It drops a box off
then proceeds to fly away.
What did it bring me?
...
I take it inside.
Carefully, I cut the tape.
I open the folds.
...
It's another box.
An arrow says, "This side up."
It feels cold to touch.
...
I move it with me.
I move to the living room.
I sit on the couch.
...
The Styrofoam's cold.
There's condensed water on it.
I lift off the top.
...
I hear a humming.
I pull out something stunning.
A machine's running.
...
I pull out a tank.
There's a small town with a bank.
A small card says, "Thanks.
...
"There's people inside.
Though they are not of your kind.
They still need to hide.
...
"Their blood is ancient.
With them, you must be patient.
Ready to face them?
...
"Ready to committ?
Yes? Put the card in the slit.
If not, return it.
...
"Prepare for the drone,
outside of your mountain home.
You'll be left alone."
...
I read what it said.
I pondered in my own head.
"Small people have fled?"
...
I peruse a thought.
I put the card in the slot.
To me, what's been brought?
...
I hear a small ding!
Colors shift. I see something.
What did the drone bring?
...
Now, what did I find?
I will stop trying to rhyme.
This is not the time.
...
So, what did I spy?
I saw a few octopi.
They seem to be shy.
...
They all looked at me.
Now, I can't eat my sushi.
"Do you need the sea?"
...
One of them walked near.
We both had initial fear.
The tank's glass was clear.
...
Its arm touched the glass.
I did too, not to be crass.
A bond formed at last.
...
Magic? Weird Voodoo?
It's a group of small Cthulhu.
Help, I need a clue.
...
No, they don't have wings.
Yet, they mimic fractal things,
infinite small rings.
...
My brain was confused.
To others, it then changed hues.
I think that's my clue.
...
They speak through colours.
I hope they know another,
way to talk with me.
...
I go grab a book.
Marine biology, look
at the nice pictures.
...
I showed them a squid.
The leader then had turned red.
Then, I turned the page.
...
They saw a shellfish.
Then, they all got excited.
They were delighted.
...
They wanted to eat.
They wanted a slab of crab.
I flip the next page.
...
They're still excited.
Some of them hug each other.
It's a shrimp photo.
...
Turning the pages,
they stop and let out some ink.
"Why did they do that?"
...
The tank filters the
water, everything is clear.
They're camouflaging.
...
I look at the book.
The picture's of a dolphin.
They're large predators.
...
I rip out the page.
I tear that photo to shreds.
Then, they stop hiding.
...
I show them the shrimp.
They act as if they are saved.
I grab my sushi.
...
The aquarium
has no openings for me
to try to feed them.
...
I set the plate down.
One of them swims to the top.
It opens a latch.
...
I sit down, in awe.
The creature opens the tank.
A lone scout exits.
...
It points at the shrimp.
I place the shrimp on the lid.
It grabs at the shrimp.
...
The leader touches
the tank again, and I do
the same thing it does.
...
The scout holds the shrimp.
They all look at me, once more.
As if they're waiting.
...
I take the shrimp on
my plate. Chewing it, then I
proceed to swallow.
...
I open my mouth
and stick out my tongue for them
to see what I've done.
...
I show them it's safe
to eat the shrimp without fear
of being poisoned.
...
They tear the shrimp up,
passing it around their group.
They all start to eat.
...
They fill their hunger.
I bring up the book again.
I flip through the book.
...
I find a picture.
I show them an octopus.
They show me their joy.
...
They change their colours.
I'm starting to learn patterns.
At least, I think so.
...
The leader touches
the tank with a shell it has.
It makes tapping sounds.
...
I start to realize
that it's speaking in Morse code.
I grab my laptop.
...
With my microphone
I start recording. We start
exchanging signals.
...
They feel my laptop's
vibrations through its speakers.
I begin learning.
...
They help clean the seas.
Major corporations are
polluting oceans.
...
"I hate Mack Benson,"
the leader tells me. "That man
has ruined our seas.
...
"We had a contract.
He helped us to stay hidden.
We'd help with shrimp farms.
...
"Our population
dwindled down to what you see
standing before you.
...
"He promised to help
keep the ocean clean with us.
We use our oysters
...
"and sea sponges. They
would use their scientific
machines to help us."
...
Then, they grew silent.
Their colours turned to a dull
grey. They were saddened.
...
"Will you help us, large
friend? My time is running out.
Please, help us live on.
...
"Our people used to
live in every ocean of
this beautiful world."
...
I typed into the
translator. I told them that,
"I'll do what I can.
...
"I am sorry, though.
I will make no promises.
Trust in my actions."
...
They perked up at this.
Their hope was now returning.
They all touched the glass.
...
I sent a message.
"Let's bankrupt Mack's company
together, as one."
...
"How? That man's too rich."
I pulled out another book.
"Simple, we will learn.
...
"We can buy their stock,
getting us some voter rights."
They were stunned by this.
...
"How will that help us?"
The translator beeped away.
"We'll clean the oceans.
...
"With enough voter
rights of a company we
can change their actions."
...
"You can make them care
about our precious oceans?"
I nodded my head.
...
They celebrated.
"We can also donate our
excess money too.
...
"That way we can fund
charities that already
help clean the oceans."
...
This made them happy.
We would be saving their home,
slowly but surely.
...
That night, I went out.
I went to buy some more food.
I bought some more shrimp
More Author's Notes: Since there were so many challenges in such a short time period at once, a bunch of people were confused and joking about what to write. So, this is a mountain of haikus of a fictional story that takes place in a home atop a mountain in which a drone delivers an aquarium.
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Comments (2)
I’m always impressed by the way you’re able to write poem stories completely made of haikus like this. 😅 They are fun to read. Great work!
You actually made this work, and I enjoyed it :)