Pg. 32
Flash Fiction by Mike Neis
The Crier
Passage translated from Talingadegn to English
Date: The 39th moon cycle of the 3012th seasonal rotation since the destruction of the Miyas Godhead
Strange Object Falls in the Maniskadeh Ghetto
Dozens reported a massive object falling in the middle of the Maniskadeh Ghetto. Since they were slaves who had ceased working, the superiors first flogged them. Then they found that a total of four slaves were killed while engaged in the tedious task of separating spendon seeds from the flax material.
The building where the slaves were working was completely crushed. The Property Master is still assessing the total cost, including the loss of the building, the slaves, the seed-separating fixtures, and the stored finished product. Three other slaves suffered minor injuries from the flying debris, but they should be restored to full productivity in a few days.
The object itself is mostly black, and about the size of a mature arboreal life form. It has three sections, the largest of which has two identical upright disks, side by side. Each disk is twice the height of a mature cart bearer. The existence of these disks is of great fascination to all onlookers. It appears as if nothing were there, but something is, in fact, present and touchable. It is impossible to perceive these disks by sight. One can only know of their existence by touch, so everyone is tapping these disks, amazed at this inexplicable curiosity. Young males have been throwing gershnen game toys at these two invisible walls, delighted to see balls bouncing off of, seemingly, nothing.
The other two sections of the object jut out from the ends of the main section at right angles. The surface of the object is as smooth as the eggs of our offspring.
The mystery object is now at the bottom of the crater it made upon impact. We have no method of moving it, so there it will remain. The property master has built a wall around the scene and is presently charging 2000 kilrodos to anyone wishing to view this mysterious wonder.
Mike Neis
Mike Neis lives in Orange County, CA and works as a technical writer for a commercial laboratory. His work has appeared in Amethyst Review, Rind Literary Magazine and elsewhere. Besides writing, his outside activities include church music, walking for health, and teaching English as a second language.