:2520

Binku was raking up leaves in her backyard, humming a tune. It was
not any particular song, but a tune which she made up to avoid noticing
the fatigue she was suffering from. The smell of dry leaves and dust
were making her nauseous but Binku consoled herself thinking that it
was worthwhile because the 'Krypton Festival' was just around the
corner. She had been cleaning the house for the past two days taking
optimum care to make her house sparklingly clean and her neck was
paining due to the strain. What worried her most was that there was
nobody in the neighborhood to note that she was cleaning. While she was
brushing around the rose bush something shiny and metallic caught her
sight. She looked at it queerly and picked it up. On brushing the mud
and dirt, she found it to be a used 'Equa' drink-can. At once her face
was red with anger.
She threw it into the waste-bin and started to mumble, "These kids!
They jump over the wall, play in the yard and throw away things. The
next time, I'll catch them and use the stick on those brats. That'll
teach them to behave!"
What she did not remember was that it was she, who had thrown the can a
week before because she was feeling too lazy to dispose it off in a
dustbin.

All of a sudden, she heard a whirring sound. It was very disturbing to
her ears. At first Binku chose not to mind it. Then she tried closing
her ears but it was not very helpful. The sound became continuous and
she could not restrain herself. She looked around. There was nothing.
But soon she felt something strange. She lifted her head. A bright
light was shone straight into her eyes. She winced. The intensity of
the light was so strong for her to withstand and caused her to faintly
pass out.

Her eyes felt droopy and it was quite difficult for her to open them.
She heard some voices. Someone shook her and said, "Ma'am! Ma'am wake
up!" She slowly got up and rubbed her eyes as she felt a mild
irritation in them. Then she slowly opened her eyes. At first her
vision was blurred but then it slowly returned to clarity. It was then
that she noticed the figures standing before her. They were four total
strangers. She perceived them with stupor. They were tall, out of shape
and it was hard for her to distinguish if they were male or female.
Even their attires were whimsical. On the whole, they did not look like
people.
Her throat was dry and aching but she managed to shout, "Who are you
and what are you doing here?!"
One of them said, "Don't shout. You may alarm someone. No one can know
that we are here."
Binku asked, "Why?" Her voice was quavering.
It replied in a subdued tone, "It's because we are from another
planet."
She shouted, "What! Wh?" She felt her head spinning.
All of them gestured, "Shhh?."
She then whispered, "Why are you here and where are you from?"
carefully concealing her fear.
Another creature said, "We are here to escape from the natural
calamities that are destroying our planet."
"Where are you??"
It interrupted, "Please you have got to help us. First lead us to your
home before anyone sees us."

Binku led them into her house not because she was warm or friendly but
because she was not aware of what she was doing. She was shivering with
utmost fear. She even felt her thighs shuddering. She began to obey
them as if she was hypnotized.

They washed and then refreshed themselves with snacks and drinks
served by their host. She just watched with fixed eyes.
But by that time Binku had grown more ardent and could not prevent
herself from asking. "Where are you??"
Another one intervened in a sweet tone, "We have to take the mud and
water samples. You have to help us. It may be even necessary for you to
come with us back home."
She exclaimed, "What! Why?"
"Because our planet is annihilating and you could help our people to
shift to your planet."
With all her courage she blurted, "All of the peo? First tell me where
you are from."
They said in unison, "Earth!"

THE END