No Longer Alone

Part 2

Marina carried the bags to her car and put them in the backseat. Isso was equally fascinated with the workings of her car as it had been with the dynamics of the grocery store. Apparently, on Stibium people, or creatures, didn't use vehicles.

"So how do you get around then?" She asked Isso.

"We teleport."

"Of course you do," she said.

"It's easier to do teleport there than on earth."

"How come?"

"The gravity is less."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I don't really know. I'm not very good at science."

"Well for someone who is not very good at science you know a lot about astronomy."

"Astronomy is not science. It's geography. Earth people don't need to know much astronomy because your planet is so big and you do not travel. But when you are small it is important to know who your neighbors are."

"I see. Well I guess that makes sense. So do you, um, Entachtike go to school?"

"Yes. I think homework is one of the few universal constants."

Marina smiled. "That is something I do not miss, that's for sure. Hey, how old are you anyways? Are you still in school?"

"Yes. I am almost done with primary school and then I can go on to specialty training. I haven't decided what I will train in though. It's hard to decide. I like building things. I also like cooking."

"The struggle is real," Marina agreed emphatically. "So you're like a high schooler then."

"A high schooler?"

"Yeah, on Earth, or at least in this country, our school is divided up into elementary school, middle school, high school, and then college."

"That's so many schools."

"Yeah. It's a bit redundant, too. You kind of just learn the same stuff over and over and then forget it all anyways."

"That doesn't sound very helpful."

"We don't think so either."

"I don't remember everything I learn either, but I remember a lot of it. Probably because we talk about it outside of school, too."

"How come?"

"How come we talk about it outside of classes?"

"Yeah. Usually we try to forget about school as soon as classes are over."

Isso made a noise that Marina could not quite interpret but thought sounded disapproving. "That doesn't sound very interesting," it said.

"No it's not. That's why we don't talk about it."

"Well I meant the not talking about it doesn't sound interesting. If you don't talk about things then how could you get into an argument with your friend Mikka and wager five cucumbers that the president would lose the trade agreement with Iona and then have him call you a purple headed speggot?"

"How, uh, oddly specific. Does that mean you talk about stuff like trade agreements in school?"

"Yes, of course. Don't you?"

"Well no, not really. People wouldn't agree."

"That's why you present both the positives and the negatives together and let the students decide. That's the point of school, isn't it?"

"I thought the point of school was to prepare us to work in an industrialized society," Marina muttered.

"What?"

"Uh nothing. That's just not quite how our school's work."

"That's sad. And boring."

"Definitely. Most of us are very glad to finish school and not have to go back."

"I will be glad to finish primary school because there will less homework. I like talking but I do not like writing essays."

Marina smiled at that. "Funny, I always liked the writing part and not the talking. I still prefer it that way actually."

"You prefer writing to talking?"

"Yes. It's less complicated that way."

"Why is talking complicated? You're talking with me. I didn't think that was complicated."

"No, it's not. You aren't complicated to talk with. It's not really the talking that is complicated; it's the people. People always make everything messy and stressful. Writing is easier because you can say what you mean without having to be afraid."

"Why are you afraid?"

Marina regretted saying anything. I'm so stupid. Why did I say that? I should just stop talking. I say stupid things. And to a space salamander? Now it's going to think I'm weird and hate me like everyone else. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Isso on her shoulder looking up at her. "Uh," she said, her mind going blank and fuzzy, "well talking to people can be scary because they judge you or I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry. Why do they judge you?"

"Isso, humans can be very judgemental. None of us know what we are doing but everyone feels like we are supposed to have it together, so we judge people who have it less together than we do. I think it makes us feel more secure."

"Do you judge people?"

"Sometimes. I try not to. And often I'm too busy being anxious."

"Is that what makes you allergic to humans?"

She smiled and reached up to stroke its head. "Yes, that's why I'm allergic to humans."

"What would you do if you weren't anxious?"

She was caught off guard by its question. "I don't know," she replied after a pause, "I haven't really thought of it like that before."

"What do you usually do?'

"Well, I wake up, get ready for the day, go to work, come home and watch TV, then I go to bed. On weekends I run errands and usually read books and watch more TV."

Isso nodded. "Do you like this?"

"Not particularly," Marina admitted.

"What about food?" Isso asked, seemingly having noticed a hole in her routine.

"I don't eat very much."

"Why not? Do you not like food? There was a lot of delicious food in that store."

"Yes, there was, and I like food. It's just that sometimes I don't feel like eating."

Isso accepted this. "At home," it said, "when it is cold and my siblings and I do not want to eat much, my mom just adds a little fire. It adds pizzazz.

Marina blinked a few times unable to decide if this was brilliant or complete hogwash, but she decided to copy Isso's accepting demeanor for the time being and give this idea a chance. "Okay," she said, "add fire.That makes sense. Um, how much fire exactly does she add?"

"Just enough so it's exciting and tastes better. But not enough to burn it up."

"Hmm. Well I suppose that would of course make sense." She was silent for a moment. "You know what, let's do it. Let's try it."

"Yes?" It sounded excited.

"Yes! Why not? It could be fun don't you think?" She put on her blinker and got into the right turn lane.

"Yes!" Isso agreed joyfully, "I love fire."

"Hang on," she said, "I know a place."