Story 2 Flying to the Moon
Flying to the Moon
No. 8 says: ‘Alright, it’s my turn.’
She sits on the swing and begins to ponder on how she would start her story.
After a brief silence, she begins: ‘You all remember my wish to walk on the Moon ever since I was little.’ ‘Last night, when I was half asleep, I felt a whisper my ear. I turned around and lo and behold, there was a red ant sitting right there!’
The Ant then suddenly spoke: ‘I can sense your desire to walk on the lunar surface, yet without my help that will be nothing but a fleeting dream. Can you place your trust with me?’
Of course, few could even begin to listen to the words of a stranger, let alone those of a mere ant. However, to No. 8, the ant’s proposal sparked an interest that betrayed her natural skepticism. She wanted to know what price she would need to pay in order to meet the ant’s expectations.
‘How much would I need to pay you?’ No. 8 asked.
The Ant answered: ‘while there is no payment, I do ask that you perform a task for me: I would like you to pick up a handful of sand from your trip to the moon.’
No. 8, overwhelmed with astonishment and joy, immediately accepted the ant’s proposal without a second thought. The ant asked No. 8 to stand on his back. No. 8, knowing that she is at least 1000 times heavier than the Ant, naturally refused.
The Ant said: ‘With hope and faith, many things can become true. Quick! Don’t waste time and just stand on my back!’
No.8 had no choice but to follow his word. As No. 8 gently stepped on the Ant’s back, she began to worry whether she would hurt it. ‘It’s getting itchy’, the Ant remarked as it let out a chuckle.
No. 8 still felt uncomfortable and turns her head to the bed. AMUSING ! She finds herself lying on bed and she is sleeping with a smile of content on her face. Only her spirit is flying to the Moon. ‘No wonder The Ant can carry me.’
No. 8 put her face on the back of the Ant; the sensation was soft, with a touch of sweetness, like sticking to jelly candy. As she looked down, a pair of rose-gold wings stretched out from the Ant’s body. Its movements sent gales so strong that they rustled No. 8’s fur until she was barely recognizable, but such was the price to pay as they soared into the stars to the Moon.
The Moon was not as beautiful as No. 8 imagined. Looking up from Mother Earth, the lunar surface was beautiful – the Pale Lady illuminated the night sky with its pure white colour with hints of light grey. But as No. 8 stood on the very Moon that she revered so much, she could only see dullness: dark grey sand land; light grey sky and many grey striped stones in all sizes. To her saddest, she would not find the Lady Moonie there.
No. 8 was awfully disappointed. She had long dreamt of feeding rabbits with Lady Moonie for long time. As she realized that she would never meet with Lady Moonie, she cried.
Starring at No. 8, the Ant took out an hourglass from his hook.
The Ant said to No. 8: ’Remember our promise? Could you put sand into this hourglass?’
As her mood soured, No. 8 made no effort to question the Ant. As she what she was told, the rough surface of the Moon remained as grey and dull as when No. 8 first set foot here.
The Ant said: ’Don’t cry. Remember what I told you earlier? About the importance of hope and faith?’ He then turned the hourglass upside down and in an instant, the world changed.
The grey world became clear. Everything that transpired was beyond No. 8’s imagination.
A single grain of sand could indeed change the world.
A massive complex shaped in kaleidoscopic glass emerged from beyond the horizon into No. 8’s view.
This was the Moon Palace and from the towering entrance, Lady Moonie and her friends came out to greet No. 8 and the Ant.
Lady Moonie addressed the Ant: ‘It is so nice to see you again, my friend.’ She turns to No. 8 and gave her a warm smile.
‘Is this a new companion? How wonderful of you to introduce her to us.’
The Ant replied: ‘I’ve miss you all so much that I simply had no choice but to come back. I have been seeing No. 8 talking in her sleep about her desire to meet you on many occasions. As such, I brought her to you.’
Lady Moonie held No. 8’s hands and said: ‘Thank you No.8. I think this is the so-called “fate” that everyone talks about.’
No. 8 gleefully explored the Moon with Lady Moonie. They travelled from the East to the West, the North to the South. The weather was quite distinct at each place: in the East, flowers were just beginning to bloom; In the South, it is as arid as a desert; In the West, lush maple trees grew in every corner; In the North, the frigid cold brought icebergs piling up on the streets.
No. 8 was so happy on the Moon and never wanted to leave. Nevertheless, lady Moonie says to her: ‘It’s getting late now. You should go home as you need to go to school tomorrow.”
No. 8 believed in her words and said farewell to Lady Moonie and the other fairies. Before she left, she asked: ‘Is there any chance I could come by again?’
‘I don’t know but surely time will tell.’ Lady Moonie replied.
As she flew back home, No. 8’s body and soul became whole again. As her consciousness returned, she rose up from her bed and thanked the Ant for taking her on such an amazing journey.
‘Why did you want me to pick up the sand from the Moon? Why couldn’t you do it yourself?’
‘Because I am not the Chosen One’, The Ant replied.
No. 8 widened as she did not understand what he meant. She then asked whether they would ever meet again.
Just like Lady Moonie, The Ant replied, ‘Time will tell.’
No. 8 did not want to end it here but alas, the Ant had to soon leave. She asked him what his name was.
‘Epoh’ The Ant curtly answered as he flew away.
‘Did you see him again?’ Kara asks and No. 8 says no.
‘Each ant looks exactly the same; how can you tell whether it is him or not?’ An B asks with a doubtful voice.
‘His hooks are unique they shine with a golden. It is very easy to recognize him.’ No.8 replies.
‘You’ll definitely meet him again when the time comes,’ Super IV assures No. 8.
The next story for Super N – “Searching for the Paradise of Pineappples” will be continue on Sat, 17 June