The tale of Zayra [in Review]

11. RETURN TO MARIAN

|| "Because now that his purpose has been fulfilled
He still feels empty
He realizes that nothing has changed in him" ||

Extraterrestre - Eugenio Finardi

|| "If you want to go there, there's another world
That will understand us, let's go home another day" ||

Un altro mondo - M&K, Tananai, Marracash

×~×~×

A bright and powerful white light blinds my eyes, forcing me to shut them instantly. When I reopen them, I find myself dematerialized on a spaceship. My hand still tightly grips my brother's as I follow him through the spacecraft.

After a while, we arrive at what I believe to be the navigation hub of the "machine." In front of a screen, a group of people works frantically, much like what I've seen in NASA documentaries. My brother greets everyone calmly, but I'm very worried. Night leads me to two adults who turn out to be King and Queen. They smile at me, and I respond with a shy smile, but we remain silent.

My mother's hand touches my face and then embraces me tightly. "Finally, you're with us," she says, hugging me even tighter.

I don't know what to say. I would like to be happy to be here with them, but I wish I could have said goodbye to my friends before leaving. I feel guilty for disappearing without a word... Bastet remains on my shoulder, observing everyone in silence. "Aren't you happy?" the king asks me.

I look at him a bit bitterly, showing a fake smile and nodding sadly. My parents also embrace my brother, finally reunited with the family. Wow, my brother loved me so much: he risked his life to come and save me. That's real love. It's incredible love.

Then they take my hand and have me look at Marian from space. In this exploration, I notice the planet colored in white, blue, green, yellow, and brown: Earth. Seen from here, it looks like a colorful marble. I realize how Earth is now just a distant memory. I look at it fascinated, thinking about my entire life and the choices that have brought me here, realizing that it won't be mine anymore.

"Did you like being there?" Night asks me, almost lovingly. I turn to him and nod timidly. "And you like Fedrick too," he exclaims. I blush like a tomato. "Is it that obvious? No, because I don't even know myself," I ask awkwardly. "No, I figured it out. And he likes you too; when he was at the University these days, he only talked about you." My face burns, and butterflies invade my stomach, dancing any dynamic dance. But now, I can't go back to Earth.

Night hugs me, and I strangely feel at home, even though I had never known I had a family until now. "Anyway, the passageway is accessible from Marian too," he tells me quietly in my ear. I hug him even tighter and thank him.

King and Queen decide to leave, but first, they would like me to be marked: a sort of tattoo, but it's used to identify whether someone is from Marian or from another planet. Of course, Night must accompany me, as if I needed an escort or a witness for the event.

Each mark has the same image, the design of our home planet, with writing in our language: "Zira Ma'ranith." "Zira" can be interpreted as "daughter of" or "descendant of," while "Ma'ranith" should mean "Marian" or "of Marian." So, the tattoo would be interpreted as "Daughter of Marian" or "Descendant of Marian." This word symbolizes the significance of the bond between the inhabitants of Marian and their planet, emphasizing their deep and lasting connection to the world they call home.

We can choose the color we prefer; I decided to have it done on my chest and in black. No one would notice it hidden under clothes. It's not that I'm ashamed, it's just... I don't know... I feel safer, even though I don't know if I'll go back to Earth. It doesn't hurt; it's like applying temporary tattoos, but this one will remain forever.