Okman the Red Planet

In a world that defies imagination, lived two young men who couldn't care less about each other. The red sky was shining, the birds were flirting and singing love songs. The nature was really alive and beautiful.

Chrismano, who was 22 years of age, was a radiant tall Okmanian, born and raised on planet Okman in the Sabrabinan galaxy. He loved everything about his planet—the sky, the wild life, the reverse waterfalls— all of it. Due to the unbalanced gravitational field in some places, the water was rising from the ground. It was just breathtaking.

The only thing Chrismano didn't like was the government's immigration program welcoming citizens of other planets around the galaxy. Okmanian families were kindly forced to welcome immigrant in their homes. He hated that strangers could destroy such a beautiful heaven. Since the program began, few cycles back, he and his family were lucky to avoid this kind of uncomfortable situation. Until the day they received a letter confirming that they were selected to "welcome" a Damelian from planet Damel.

Complaining to the government wouldn't change a thing, so Chrismano thought that he would do everything in his power to make his or her life a living hell.

A few days later, someone knocked at the door. It was Chrismano's mother who opened it. A stunning man was standing there but said nothing for what seemed a really long time.

"Hi, my name is Arkin. I was sent at this address for shelter," said this handsome red-headed fella.

"Hi and I'm Samia. This is Chrismano, my son and his sister Lomathia. Come inside, it's starding to freeze out there," said the mother.

Okman was one of the last planet on the edge of the galaxy. Far from the "Luminus Star," there was not much heat left when the night came. The temperature could reach -90 celcius, what made impossible to survive outside during the dark hours. Chrismano didn't even look at the stranger invading his home. He left the room without a word.

After a tremendous effort to avoid the new kid for a couple of days, they bumped into each other in the hallway. "Hi, Chrismano is it? I didn't see much of you lately. I know the situation is not ideal, but..." Arkin was rudely interrupted.

"It's very far from ideal, so stay the f*** out of my way" said Chrismano. And just when he was going to gave him the stank eye, he began to, for a lack of better word, "vibrate" from the inside out. He knew exactly what it meant. He ran out of the house, as far as possible. It was impossible, not with a stranger, a Damelian for God's sake. He couldn't believe he just "linxed" with a foreigner.

After hours outside, he was forced to return because the night was falling fast. When he entered the house, he heard people talking and laughing. Arkin was a charming man who had everyone already wrapped around his finger. Everyone, except him. Each minute in the same room as Arkin, was torture. It was more and more difficult to ignore the linx he had felt. Months passed and the linx grew bigger and stronger. Until that day...

Arkin was working in the barn alone and Chrismano knew it. He entered the barn silently and violently pushed Arkin on the ground.

"What the hell man? Are you crazy or what?" said Arkin getting up.

"I'm sorry, I tried to fight it, I..." said Chrismano.

He let his sentence trailed off and started to move towards Arkin who wasn't sure how to react. Chrismano rapidly filled the space between them, grabbed a fistful of Arkin's hair and kissed him like the world was about to end. The linx he had felt several months earlier, was an Okmanian soul mate detector. It could happen with a man or a woman, but never in the history of this planet someone had linxed with an individual that wasn't Okmanian.

Surprised, Arkin fixed Chrismano for a second and dived right back in. He cupped Chrismano's face with his hand and kissed him back. He ripped the shirt off Chrismano's back and directed him on the nearest stack of hay. They were about to get to the good stuff when someone screamed. They both lifted their heads to see the young sister Lomathia looking shocked. She should've never seen this. Chrismano moved away from Arkin and tried to talk to her. Instead of listening, she ran towards the house where was Samia.

The thing is, no sexual contacts or flirting was allowed between hosts and immigrants. Death was the punishment for that, so-called, crime. Both knew that and both shared the same regrets for what was about to happen next.

Chrismano and Arkin ran behind Lomathia and caught her just before she reached the door knob. Her brother put a hand on her mouth and dragged her away in the woods. He knew he wouldn't be able to convince her to keep their shameful love a secret. He withdrew a small dagger from his boot, ironically Lomathia's gift to him, and without thinking any further, slew her throat. He didn't cry, because Okmanians were warriors and being linxed to someone was stronger than anything else. He could literally kill his mother to protect his soul mate if it was necessary.

They buried her next to her favorite tree and left no signs of her. At least, she took their secret to the grave. They came home together like everything was normal. Chrismano hugged his mother and they shared a meal. Samia was worried sick when she realized her daughter was missing. For a few hours she looked around the house, in the woods, even knocked on neighbor's doors. But no signs of her precious Lomathia. Finally the night came and Samia knew her child was lost in the cold and probably dead by now. She cried for a month straight, without ever knowing that the murderers were living under the same roof as her...

Faith brought them together and sealed Lomathia's by the same occasion. Was there ever a happy ending for star-crossed lovers?