G'DAY MATES! I wish you are entertained and happy, and if you're not, I hope to assist in your metamorphosis. This time, I bring a bit of literature exhaled from the depths of my mind. I am fond of writing, and although I don't do it often, when that wave of creativity comes to me, I try to make the most of it, and yet, I always end up partially satisfied. Without preamble let's move on to the "Amble" (there's always a bad pun hehe).

It was about 7am, early morning, no sunrise yet, the city was just waking up, only small squares were empty, as the others were getting tender and disciplined old men as guests. There was among all the squares, a special, small one, which for the children was more like a playground, a place to do tricks and play near the centre of the city. In that square was Kikuhito, who was just 6 years old, playing on a little bench with his imagination, creating fantastic worlds, babbling onomatopoeias, chatting in his mind with surreal little friends or loving mothers and fathers. Kikuhito didn't have a house, at least not one with a roof, the square-park was enough for her, there she could be whoever she wanted without much effort, she could eat the peaches given to her by Momo, her good friend the tree, and from time to time she was delighted by the conversations of the stars, who almost always argued by singing, something that was difficult to notice. But Kikuhito, after all, had good hearing, the best of all, so good that if she focused, she could hear the slow heartbeats of the old men who sometimes passed nearby.

Kikuhito played, joyfully, with the energy that only a child has; she jumped there, she rolled around. The whole park belonged to her at that moment, there was no one else there. She went to say hello to Momo, who threw her some peaches in return for her hug, she took them and began to eat. After eating, she tried to listen to the stars, perhaps they were finishing their debate, and so it was, just a small whisper, a weak melody came to her ears from the sky. However, there was something strange, something that bothered Kikuhito, something that obstructed his hearing and did not allow her to enjoy the last words of the stars. It was a crackling, a rapid mumble, a kind of purring or chirping sound. Kikuhito looked for it, ran this way and looked that way. But she was clueless, this noise, this melodic grossness, was stressing her out. So she asked everything, she asked Momo, she asked the bushes, she asked the statue, she asked the benches, she asked even the things that only spoke in silence. And nothing, no one knew. Kikuhito walked around the Small-Park, to determine if the noise was coming from somewhere else, and when she almost finished his round, she smacked into a lamppost, a streetlight.

She looked at the pole, touched it, stuck her ear to it and listened. It was him, he was her invader, he was the one who kept her from enjoying the last few minutes of the stars' chatter. She frowned, hit the pole, which was still mumbling undecipherable sounds. The pole did not even flinch; it continued in its delirium. "What a crazy lamp post!" thought Kikuhito, "who in the right mind would talk like that alone?", and then, the murmur of the lamp post changed its intensity, it accelerated its babbling, and Kikuhito began to understand it. The lamp was desperate, it had to tell everyone something and it didn't know how. "You have to know! You have to know! My sisters, you tell them! I'm trapped in this glass jar...". Kikuhito, now more interested, asked the lamp for his worries "What's the matter? why are you so panicked? who are those sisters of yours?" she said in the sweetest tone she could find. The lamp then, without paying much attention to his inquisitor, increased his hysteria, and began to moan in a sort of sobbing "It's coming! It is coming! They don't have to die! Sisters, warn them! Do not go! Wait for me!" he repeated over and over again. Kikuhito, in mighty confusion, began to wonder and thought loudly, "Who's coming? Who are you calling for help?", and for some reason started to worry and shook the lamp with the little muscle she had.





The lamp, came to his senses for a few seconds and told Kikuhito to help him. "Please, you have to tell my sisters to help us, only they can," the lamp asked fervently. Kikuhito, pumping her fist, and breathed patiently, her ears picked up the awakening of the city, and the new silence of the lamp, now awaiting her response, allowed her to hear the slowly fading musical thread of the sky. Quickly, Kikuhito took advantage of the lamp's newfound consciousness and hurriedly asked what she could, "but who are your sisters? why do you say you are locked up? what is this that you fear?" she said until she was out of breath. The lighthouse, which had been silent, replied lethargically and sadly "My sisters, sweet creature, are the stars, with them I must be, but I find myself trapped on this pole, longing constantly to sing and debate with them. I want nothing more in this world, only to join, and yet I fear for you, for all here, for a monster is coming, made of stars, but it does not come to debate, it comes to condemn, it comes to sing a mighty requiem of destruction and pain", having said this, the lamp post returned to its state of madness.

Kikuhito, now supremely dazed, was left wondering, lay down next to the lamp, and tried to absorb the last minutes of the stars, which were already quieting their voices. Their soft, fragile songs swallowed her up and she felt she was floating in the universe among them, lost and in ecstasy, no game, no peach could carry Kakuhito into the cosmos as the stars did.

The stars faded their beautiful song, and Kikuhito, like every day, wept. But this time her crying was disturbed by a huge noise in the sky, close to the city. Kikuhito focused her ear and blinked, she couldn't believe her eyes, it was a star, no, there were several of them, all ready to give a concert. It was already dawn and the sounds of the city were mingling and blocked her from listening closely to the chorus of stars. The lamp was now shouting unintelligible things, which Kikuhito didn't even bother to decode, her attention was on that thing, full of stars, a flying ship that roared a cosmic song, and inside, a sweet and childish voice, just like the lamp had said... Kikuhito hesitated, she wanted to hear the stars up close, never again would she be provided with such an opportunity. Her heart racing, tears on her cheeks, her legs braced themselves, and she ran off. There was nothing else in the world she wanted more, it was her greatest pleasure. However, she could only take a few strides, because the ship that ruminated like a bull and flew like a stilt dropped the stars, and just before touching the centre of the city, they screamed, it was a thunderous noise that left Kikuhito unconscious, she had never heard a star scream in terror, the stars didn't scream...

She woke up, everything was orange, everything glowed, everything burned, she no longer felt her body, the fire around her took away her strength and roared with violence, the street lamp was no longer heard anywhere, only a beautiful voice, so beautiful that it transformed all pain into delight. Kikuhito looked for Momo, the tree, she did not hear him, only the voice of the star monster could be heard, surrounded by the deep and majestic voice of the fire. She felt she was floating, she felt she was sleeping, she felt she was singing, she listened to the stars, she listened to the yawning of the sun, she listened to the lamp next to her, and she sang along with the destruction, she sang as a star...

This short story is unfortunately inspired by real events. The images were created by me using Aseprite, a pixelart editor, I hope you enjoyed them, without further ado, I dissolve, I mean goodbye. - fades away -

BUENAS Y MEJORES. Espero se encuentren entretenidos y felices, y si no es así, espero contribuir con su metamorfosis. Esta vez, traigo un poco de literatura exhalada desde los confines de mi mente. Escribir me apasiona, y aunque no lo hago seguido, cuando viene a mi esa ola de creatividad, trato de aprovecharla al máximo, y sin embargo, siempre termino parcialmente satisfecho. Sin mas mas preámbulo pasemos al posámbulo (nunca falta un chiste malo jeje).

Eran las 7am, todavía no amanecía, hacia un frío disfrutable, la ciudad apenas despertaba, solo pequeñas plazas estaban vacías, ya que las demás conseguían tiernos y disciplinados viejos como huéspedes. Habia entre toda las plazas, una especial, pequeña, que para los niños se confundía como parque infantil, un lugar para hacer acrobacias y jugar cerca del centro de la ciudad. En esa plaza se encontraba Kikuhito, de tan solo 6 años, jugando en un banquito con su imaginación, creando mundos fantásticos, despotricando onomatopeyas, conversando en su mente con surreales amiguitas o amorosos padres y madres. Kikuhito no tenia casa, al menos no una con techo, la plaza-parque le bastaba, allí podía ser quien quisiera sin mucho esfuerzo, podía comer los duraznos que le regalaba su buen amigo Momo, el árbol, y de vez en cuando se deleitaba con las tertulias de las estrellas, que casi siempre, discutían cantando, cosa que era difícil de distinguir. Pero Kikuhito, después de todo, tenia buen oído, el mejor de todos, tan bueno que si se concentraba, podía oír los lentos latidos de los viejos que a veces pasaban por ahí.

Kikuhito jugaba, alegremente, con la energía que solo un niña tiene; saltaba por allá, rodaba por aquí. Todo el parque era suyo en ese momento, no había nadie. Fue a saludar a Momo, que le lanzó unos duraznos en retribución a su abrazo, ella los cogió y empezó a comer. Luego de comer, trató de escuchar a las estrellas, que tal vez estarían finalizando ya su debate, y así era, tan solo un pequeño rumor, una tenue melodía llegaba a sus oídos desde el cielo. Sin embargo, había algo raro, algo que incomodaba a Kikuhito, algo que obstruía su audición y que no le permitía gozar de las ultimas palabras estelares. Era un crepitar, un murmullo rápido, una especie de ronroneo o canto de chicharra. Kikuhito lo buscó, corrió por aquí y miró por allá. Pero estaba desorientada, ese ruido, esa grosería melódica, la estresaba. Así que pregunto a todas las cosas, le preguntó a Momo, a los arbustos, a la estatua, y a los banquitos, le pregunto hasta a las cosas que solo hablaban con silencio. Y nada, nadie sabía. Kikuhito caminó alrededor del Parque-Placita, para determinar si el ruido venía de otro sitio, y cuando casi termina la ronda, chocó contra un farolito, un poste de luz.

Miró al poste de luz, lo tocó, pegó su oreja y escuchó. Era el, el era su invasor, el era lo que no la dejaba deleitarse de las ultimos minutos de tertulia de los astros. Frunció el ceño, le pegó al poste, que seguía mumurando carrasposamente sonidos indescifrables. El poste ni se inmutó, siguió en su delirio. "Que faro tan loco!" pensó Kikuhito, "quien en su sano juicio hablaría solo de esa forma?!", y entonces, el murmullo del faro cambio de intensidad, aceleró su balbuceo, y Kikuhito empezó a entenderle. El faro estaba desesperado, estaba desquiciado, tenia que decirle algo a todos y no sabia como. "Tienen que saber! Tienen que saber! Hermanas mías, díganle ustedes! que yo estoy atrapado en este cubil de vidrio...". Kikuhito, ahora mas intrigada, le preguntó al faro por sus preocupaciones "Que te pasa? por qué estás tan desesperado? quienes son esas hermanas tuyas?" dijo en el tono mas dulce que encontró. El faro entonces, sin prestar mucha atención a su inquisidora, incrementó su histeria, y empezó a murmurar en una especie de sollozo "Ya viene! Ya viene! No tienen que morir! Hermanas avisen! No se vayan! Espérenme!" repetía una y otra vez. Kikuhito, en poderosa confusión, empezó a cavilar y pensó en voz alta "Quién Viene? a quién le pides auxilio?", y por alguna razón empezó a preocuparse y sacudió al faro con la poca fuerza que tenía.

El faro, entró en razón por unos segundos y le dijo a Kikuhito que lo ayudara "Por favor tienes que decirle a mis hermanas que nos ayuden, solo ellas pueden" pidió fervientemente el faro. Kikuhito, apretó el puño, y respiró con paciencia, sus oídos captaron el despertar de la ciudad, y el novedoso silencio del faro, expectante ahora, esperando su respuesta, le permitió oír el hilillo musical del cielo que se desvanecía con lentitud. Rápidamente, Kikuhito aprovechó que el faro tenía ya lucidez y preguntó apresuradamente lo que pudo "pero quienes son tus hermanas? por qué dices que estás encerrado? qué es eso a lo que temes?" dijo hasta quedar sin aire. El faro, que se había quedado callado, respondió con letargo y tristeza "Mis hermanas, dulce criatura, son las estrellas, con ellas debo estar, pero me encuentro atrapado en este poste, anhelando constantemente cantar y debatir con ellas. No quiero nada mas en este mundo, tan solo, unirme, y sin embargo, temo por ustedes, por todos aquí, ya que viene un monstruo, hecho de estrellas, pero no viene a debatir, viene a sentenciar, viene a entonar un poderoso réquiem de destrucción y dolor" dicho esto, el faro volvió a su estado de locura. Kikuhito, ahora supremamente aturdida, quedó cavilando, se recostó junto al faro, y trató de concentrarse en los últimos minutos de las estrellas, que iban ya a descansar sus voces.

Sus cantos frágiles y suaves la engulleron y sintió que flotaba en el universo entre ellas, perdida y en éxtasis, ningún juego, ningún durazno podía llevar a Kakuhito al cosmos como lo hacían las estrellas.

Las estrellas apagaron su hermoso canto, y Kikuhito, como todos los días, lloró. Pero esta vez su llanto tuvo una interrupción, debido a una enorme bulla que surcaba el cielo, cerca de la ciudad. Kikuhito apuntó su oído y pestañeó, no podía creer lo que veía, era una estrella, no, eran varías, preparadas todas para dar un concierto. Ya amanecía y los sonidos citadinos se entremezclaban y le impedian escuchar con atención al coro de estrellas. El faro gritaba ahora, cosas ininteligibles, que Kikuhito ni se molestó en descifrar, su atención estaba en esa cosa, llena de estrellas, una nave voladora que rugia un canto cósmico, y dentro, una voz dulce e infantil, justo como había dicho el faro... Kikuhito vaciló, quería escuchar a las estrellas de cerca, nunca más se le presentaría una oportunidad igual. Su corazón a todo motor, lágrimas en su mejillas, sus piernas se prepararon, y salio corriendo. No había mas nada en el mundo que deseara mas, era su máximo encanto. Sin embargo, tan solo pudo dar unas cuantas zancadas, pues la nave que rumia como toro y volaba como zancudo dejo caer las estrellas, y justo antes de tocar el centro de la ciudad, gritaron, fue un ruido ensordecedor que dejó a Kikuhito inconsciente, nunca había escuchado una estrella gritar de pavor, las estrellas no gritaban...

Despertó, todo era naranja, todo brillaba, todo quemaba, ya no sentía su cuerpo, el fuego a su alrededor le quitaba fuerzas y bramaba con violencia, el faro ya no se escuchaba en ningún lado, solo una hermosa voz, tan hermosa que transformaba todo dolor en deleite. Kikuhito buscó a Momo, el árbol, no lo oyó, solo se escuchaba la voz de la estrella, acompañada por la grave y majestuosa voz del fuego. Sintió que flotaba, sintió que dormía, sintió que cantaba, escuchó a las estrellas, escuchó el bostezo del sol, escuchó al faro junto a ella, y cantó junto a la destrucción, cantó como estrella...

Este corto cuento lamentablemente tiene inspiraciones en hechos reales. Las imagenes fueron creadas por mi usando Aseprite, un editor de pixelart, espero hayan disfrutado, sin mas que añadir me disipo, digo despido. - me desvanezco -