Holly & Bolly

That charming day, the devil was beating his wife as the result it was gusty, rainy as well as sunny. The rainbow formed a beautiful arc in the sky. Uncle Gopher, named Bolly, was looking outside the window of his sweet apple treehouse. His wife, Holly, made him Dandelion root coffee along with his favorite carrot cookies.

Suddenly, the sound of something crushing outside the apple made them run towards their storehouse. He would rather not bother himself than go outside his house without his golden round specs attached with a golden optical chain. And finally, for the last time, he checked whether his robe was manageable to look at. Whereas Holly was already taking a view of the strange thing.

Holly was thinking, “What is this weird thing?”

When Bolly reached that strange thing, he said, “Oh god! I thought it was a human being making a mess.”

Holly said “What?”

“Why are you making that face?… Yea, right! Human beings can’t make a mess because they are themself a mess.”

“Please Bolly… Let’s be serious this time. It can be something dangerous.”

The sixth-inch wide and twelve-inch tall, Top-shaped UFO opened. And two puffer balls look-alike came out of the UFO. Each had two eyes, one nose, and one mouth. But their skin color was different, one was yellow, and another was turquoise. They were smaller than Bolly and Holly. The turquoise one held Holly’s hand and the yellow one held Bolly’s hand. Both of them closed their eyes, and then after a few minutes, both of them released their hands and opened their eyes. They gained the knowledge of language from Bolly and Holly for removing the language barrier and better understanding.

The yellow one smiled and said “Hello, I’m Sunshine. We are from Puffer space.”

Holly said with astonishment, “Puffer space?”

The Turquoise one said, “Just a planet like yours....., but a little small than yours in shape. And I’m Sapphire.”

Holly was completely shocked, but Bolly was thrilled. He was the kind of person who loves to meet new people, eat good food, dress up handsomely and enjoy his life to the fullest. But Holly was a little serious and saw life seriously. Even after staying for years with Bolly, she couldn’t let go of her perspective.

Sunshine said worryingly, “We were supposed to return within Twenty-four hours to our planet because we don’t eat any kind of food rather we are charged and our sustaining capacity is about 24 hrs. We don’t have a charger in our space shuttle. Do you know someone, who has some experience with gadgets?”

Sapphire continued, “We will also help. We just need the basic things to be repaired.”

Holly questioned, “What exactly was your plan?”

Sapphire answered, “We planned to roam and explore your planet in twenty-four hours and then return to our planet.”

Sunshine continued, “Our satellites showed the weather of Earth was clearly sunny but unfortunately the sudden pour and wild wind wronged the calculations along with the plan.”

Bolly was least curious about Sapphire and Sunshine’s whereabouts, but he was interested in how his guest would enjoy their stay on Earth. So, he asked, “How much time do you have on Earth?”

Sunshine answered, “We needed seven hours to reach but as we were in our spaceship, which has an advanced air conditioning that put us in ultra-saver mood and doesn’t let our battery down quickly. So, seven hours was equivalent to three and a half-hour. We planned that if we traveled in that, then we could explore more than we planned.”

Sapphire and said, “Now, we are uncertain that, if we could return to our planet safely.”

Words from Sapphire moved Holly, and she said, “Let’s do it. We will help you.”

Bolly enthusiastically said, “Now we are doing some talk. First let’s go to Grandpa meerkat. He will surely help us.”

“Remember the burrow, which has a wheeled cart. And used only during emergencies. Let’s use it, this is an emergency.” Said Holly. “The cart is also big enough to hold the spaceship and all of us.”

Bolly nodded his and led the rest of them towards a field of lavender, there Bolly placed his feet on a plot of glass, which suddenly made a buzzing sound and opened up like a door, to a secret passage.

The passage seemed endless and dark, the moment Bolly shouted “Light up.” All the lights switched on and a cart came to the entrance of the passage. The cart was on wheels and was big enough for 2 human beings to sit in. Just then, Sapphire took the remote and flicked a switch on it. And after a few minutes, the spaceship reached where they were standing. The spaceship moved on its wheel. The remote acted like a caller, where the remote calls, there the space shuttle moves.

Then Holly sat in the cart and held the spaceship while Bolly carefully handed it over.

Everything was set perfectly. Then Bolly said in his loud tone, “Take us to Grandfather meerkat.” The cart worked on its own, and then the door automatically closed behind them.

The next moment, they were outside a glass door. Bolly gently knocked on it. An old meerkat opened the door. That old meerkat was wearing his white coat along with his black-rimmed round specs. His house was less house and more science lab. Everywhere there were scientific equipments, chemicals, and on and on.

The Grandpa Meerkat opened the door and he seemed busy like always. But the moment, his eyes lay on the spaceship, he left all the work behind became interested.

He asked, “What do we have here?”

Bolly said in his evergreen cheery tone, “Meet our new friends.”

Then Sapphire and sunshine hopped in front of Grandpa meerkat, and said “Hello! nice to meet you.”

Holly said, “Dearest Grandpa, we need your help. These fellows are from Puffer space and were visiting our planet, but unfortunately, their spaceship broke because of today’s wind. Can you please help us?”

Grandpa nodded his head and said, “Okay, but what do I get?”

Sunshine stepped to the front and said, “We will give you the master plan of our Spaceship, you can repair our spaceship and keep it.”

“Now we are doing some talking…. Exactly how much time do I have?”

“We are thinking of returning to our planet in ten hours.”

Bolly jumped up high in the air and said, “Why did you not say us?... We only have ten hours... What do we do?”

Holly calmingly said, “Let’s use the special tunnel… At least we can visit five places in ten hours. Grandpa, do we have the permission?”

“Okay, but be careful.”

Then Grandpa lowered a changer and then, suddenly, a backdoor opened up and another cart came to the door, but they made this cart of metal, unlike the previous one, which was made of wood. The cart also had a protective layer, like a rooftop, which was strong enough to protect the people inside.

Bolly said, “Let’s get in.”

All of them got on the cart and Holly commended the cart “Take us to the land of Aqua, where the beauty never dies.”

They covered the path of the cart with strong glass to protect the cart.

On the way to the first destination, Sapphire said, “We are giving you so much trouble, we are really sorry… If only we did calculations correctly.”

“What’s done is done… Let’s see what we can do from now.” Said Holly.

Sunshine said explaining, “We said ten hours because we are keeping some time in our hand just in case, Grandpa did any errors.”

Bolly said, “Maybe Grandpa seems old and timid but, that old person knows what he exactly he is doing.”

Then suddenly, the sound of sea waves made the environment feel happier. Puffer space had nothing like it, so Sapphire and Sunshine were early to know what was happening outside. Bolly touched Sunshine and said, “It seems like your skin is water-resistant.”

Suddenly, they entered a metal room, and the door opened. The moment we stepped out of the cart, they were in a middle of a sea. The beautiful coral covered the ground of the sea. It was near the magnificent land of Malaysia. All different fishes filled the sea with their grace and elegance. First, the parade of Angelfishes went by, followed by the goldfishes and then the clownfishes along with the starfish. They roamed around till they felt well fed.

Then Bolly said, “Let’s go to our next stop.” All of them jumped out of the cart. And the metal door closed and finally the cart’s rooftop.

Holly commented on the cart, “Take us to the place, where the world seems below our feet.”

The cart left the room and was back on the path of strong glass. This the cart moved faster and at one point, it felt like the cart was putting more pressure than required. The cart was moving against the force of gravity. This time the door, when opened and the vibrant sunbeams fell on them. The place in which they stood was the peak of one of the largest mountains on the planet, mount Fiji. 

The fresh breeze along with the soothing smell of the cherry blossoms, the scenery itself, was a picture of heaven on Earth. They sat there for a while and ate Bolly’s favorite carrot cookies. Bolly would always carry few eatables just in case he is randomly hungry. Grandpa Meerkat gifted Bolly a pocket, which could carry any kind of eatable he wants, for his birthday.

Holly stood up and said, “Let’s go. We have many places to see and time is less.”

All of them loaded in the cart, and it went inside the dark path.

Bolly commented on the cart, “Take us where lies the enchanting Black Forest, which has inspired several mystical fairy tales.”

While the cart moved, Holly took out her antique pocket watch from her pocket. She also received a pocket from Grandpa Meerkat, but unlike Bolly, she would carry important things like her watch, an extra pair of shoes, and so and so. Then she realized that two hours have already passed away, and eight more were left. They have to hurry; it was already past afternoon.

The suddenly cart stopped moving, and they knew they reached their destination. But suddenly there was a sound of a low flowing river. The cart stopped for a while and then, like a life, rose upwards like a lift, and finally, the door of the cart opened. The bright chirruping of the birds, along with the light ray of sunlight coming through the branches of evergreen trees and colorful flowers like violet, cypress, wood sorrel, etc made the forest gorgeous. They roamed every inch of the forest, lay on the carpet of smooth grass, and enjoyed the lively view of the splendid sky of Germany.

Bolly and others returned to where they left, the moment Bolly touched the position where the cart left them. The cart rose again, and all of them loaded in the cart nicely. The cart again dug inside the ground like it never existed before. Bolly commented, “One of the most useful travel machinery made by human beings, is the must ride on. Take us where the most beautiful train passes by.”

The cart moved at full speed. Holly saw her pocket watch again. One hour gone, seven hours left. The next stop required at least three hours, so she was getting worried. Sapphire consoled her and said, “Holly, don’t worry if we can’t visit all the places as we have planned. Then it is okay. We can always return to you guys.”

The cart stopped and rose upwards, like all the previous stoppages. This time it was nowhere special. It was in weeds. At the bottom of the mountain, the weather was lovely and airy. Suddenly the sound of a train whistle filled the air and then Bolly shouted “Now, Sunshine climb on my back, and Sapphire climb on Holly’s back.” So they did. And the train was finally in view. Bolly and Holly rapidly climbed the stairs of the train, leading to the rooftop of the train. 

The train passed through the warm cities and hearty towns of Switzerland. The only word that would describe the scenery of Switzerland was “SPECTACULAR”. Where ever the train passed through, whether it was city or town, people would shout “Look the Gophers, sitting up at the top of the train along with their toys”. That whole situation appeared hilarious to the viewers, speakers, and to Bolly, Holly, Sunshine, and Sapphire. What is a journey without food? Bolly took out the Apple cupcakes baked by Holly. If Holly was a human being, then she would have been a baker. Even the gods, heaven above, can’t say NO to her bakery. 

Switzerland, cities, and towns were sweetness to the viewer’s eyes and memories that can’t be forgotten even after death. The train finally reached its final destination, Italy. The sun was already down; people were spending their time merrily in their homes.

Italy’s Bridge of Sigh was world-renowned, due to Venice's architectural beauty and a bittersweet reminder of the cruelty of life. The enclosed bridge is made of white limestone, has windows with stone bars, passes over the Rio di Palazzo, and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. Bolly went slowly and took off the rope from the Bollard and said “Come, guys, the boat is ready.” And he became a wherryman for all of them. They took the view of the whole of Venice in the boat. The boat moved slowly cutting through the river, Sunshine and Sapphire were scared in starting but later they become acquired.  The streetlights finally lit up. The street lights were also like a magical device to Sunshine and Sapphire.

Finally, they took a return journey. And tied the boat in the same bollard they took the boat from. Then, they went into a dark alley, where there was no solid road but the soil was available. Bolly touched the ground. This time cart didn’t come up instead the soil opened up and all of them fell into the cart. Then, the hole covered up. Bolly commented to the cart “Take us to the city of love, passion, and fashion.”

The cart moved at high speed but stopped in a random place and rose above the ground. Sunshine asked Bolly, “Should we step out now?”… Bolly nodded his head in disagreement. Then a parachute opened up along with a fireplace, which has to be lit up for the parachute to work. Holly took out a lighter from her pocket and lit up the fireplace. And finally, the parachute rose high in the sky. Sunshine and Sapphire were in complete awe of the parachute.

 Venice and France looked exceptional dazzling from bird views. Then out of blue, Bolly said, “What luxurious life birds must be living…No stress...eat from the street…see different things daily.” Holly heard but didn’t take it seriously because Bolly has been saying these things for years then. Holly realized that the Parachute was lowering downwards.

Then it reached ground level. What stood in front of them was the marvelous Eiffel Tower, all dressed up in the light. The pink sky of France, made the Eiffel tower look more beautiful than ever. Sunshine and Sapphire were completely lost in the view. All of them took a view inside. After the view, all of them came back to where they left. Even though sat in the cart, their hearts were looked inside the Eiffel Tower and their eyes were not ready to move aside from the Eiffel tower.

The cart went underground and its rooftop slowly closed down. Holly gave a command “Take us where the skies are painted wonderfully with magic.” The cart moved faster but the time taken to reach the destination was longer compared to the other places. But finally, they reached their last destination.

Ahh, the last destination was not beautiful but rather pretty. The sky of Northern lights in Aurora Village, the whole scenario was painted by an artist. It was the first time even for Bolly and Holly. What a beauty that scene was.

After sitting for the time that was left, and eating the leftover carrot biscuit and apple cupcakes. They finally left for Grandpa’s lab. That cart felt like it was moving at express speed, maybe because it was the time for farewell. They went to the lab, but Grandpa was not there. So, they went outside only to see Grandpa was waiting for them.

Sunshine and Sapphire checked the Spaceship properly and praised Grandpa for how errorless his work was, everything was placed perfectly and implementation was excellent. And in few minutes, Sunshine and Sapphire were invisible in thin air. The last moment farewell was emotional for all of them, but a few years later Sunshine and Sapphire returned again to Earth, but this time for a long stay with their friends, Bolly and Holly.