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Part 1, 2, 3

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In The City

The rest of the way we did without adventure and the next morning we approached the high wall surrounding the city. Iya quickly found a wicket with a window, pressed the belly button. The window opened, she said something to the man who looked out at him, the door opened and we entered the city.

We have a beautiful panorama of the city. Strict, in a futuristic style, buildings, with flowerbeds broken around them, on which the wildflowers bloomed with wild color, over which no less wonderful, beautiful creatures of unparalleled beauty fluttered. The air was drunk with a fragrant smell.

I involuntarily stopped, struck to the depths of my soul by this beauty.

Near one of the largest buildings stood a statue of a brave man with an eagle's eye, in a camisole thrown over his shoulders, and with something, like a sword, on his side.

I asked the girl who was sealed in this monument. But Iya could not really answer my question, just explained that this is her distant relative, famous for centuries in her exploits.

We went on. People on the streets were not so many, but those that met us on the way, looked at me with curiosity.

I wonder what I could attract the attention of the townspeople? Really, despite the local outfit, generously presented to me by Iya, did not hide the fact that I was an incomprehensible stranger to them. I was glad only that nobody was afraid of me. I still remember that first fright I experienced when I saw Iya.

But soon I stopped paying attention to the inhabitants of the city, considering the beauty of the architecture and landscape unusual for me, this dear in all respects, the city.

I did not notice any kind of transport here, and to my question about how the inhabitants of the city move here, Iya explained that only walking is allowed in the center, and you can get to the center by metro or taxi, but all the stops are behind the ring surrounding it Centre.

In other areas of the city you can move and other modes of transport. Flights on aircraft over the city are prohibited at all.

After we crossed the central square of the city and passed a lot of high-rise buildings, we found ourselves in a quieter area, where two- and three-story mansions predominated.

Here lived mainly people who held certain posts in the government of the city. In one of them, Uncle Iya Eastville also lived.

The house where Iyi's family lived was even further, in the neighborhoods where the less eminent citizens of the city lived.

Nevertheless, the houses here also looked solid and at the same time seemed to float slightly above the surface. Everywhere was a lot of greenery, flowers and trees. Children laughed on the lawns, followed by adults. Rest and grace reigned around.

All this was in such contrast with what was left outside the city, it was so good for nerves that I gradually calmed down. I had the hope that my journey from this moment will be only pleasant.

Finally, we reached the end of the road, stopping at a neat little house with a front garden. A creature that resembled the shape of a terrestrial dog jumped out to meet Iye, and, with a slight squeak, began rubbing against her leg. She patted him on the head and let me go ahead.

On the porch meanwhile came out two people in appearance not much older than the girl. Nevertheless, it was her parents. They greeted me with a smile, and my daughter hugged and kissed me. This scene was so similar to the earth, that I barely kept my tears.

Then we went into the house, the mother of the girl started to fuss, laying on the table, while we were putting ourselves in order after a long journey.

We hurriedly had lunch and went to the rooms. Especially for me, one of the guests was singled out, which had everything to relax, read and even watch TV.

Towards evening, Iya, when we had a little rest, suggested that I take a walk through the evening city and look at her uncle, whom she was supposed to deliver the letter to, and I could get acquainted with his famous zoo, which she told me earlier.

The evening city was very beautiful, illuminated by colorful illumination. There were many people walking in the streets and in the public gardens.

We walked slowly to the uncle's house, walking leisurely. There they welcomed us as cordially and fed us a delicious dinner, after which Iya quickly finished the business part of the meeting and asked my uncle to show me his menagerie.

He agreed, adding, however, that the time for the inspection was not chosen very well - many animals were already asleep, so he can only show his night inhabitants.

And in order to see the rest, you will have to come to another time, and preferably on the day off.

And indeed, almost all the animals peacefully snore in their enclosures. Some of them only slightly opened their eyelids and fell asleep again.

Only at the very end of the zoo were several of the animals awake, who met the aliens very unfriendly, but as soon as the owner spoke to them, they calmed down, but they kept away from us anyway.

The lighting was rather dim, so I could not make out the animals.

One of these animals was a creature that looked like a cross between an earth mole and an armadillo, only an unnatural pinkish color.

Also, it seemed to me quite an interesting creature, represented by the owner of the zoo as a wool-wing. He can not fly, he only plans in the air, thus moving from tree to tree. On the tree he finds food for himself, eats young leaves, shoots, flowers or fruits.

Very good was the little mole starlight with such an interesting organ of touch.

The tour of the zoo was brief, as, actually, and our very stay in this house. We parted with his master, having agreed to meet on the first day off, which had to wait not so long, only a couple of days.

The time for all sorts of troubles, which I'll talk about a little later, flew by unnoticed, and in our next coming, Uncle Iya was more kind and showed us the inhabitants of his amazing menagerie.

With particular pride, he talked about some of the individuals that live here.

In particular, they were such rare, endangered animals as red and maned wolves from the family of predators.

Really, are they charming?
I liked the beast, which is a symbiosis of a deer's pig.

Unfortunately, I did not remember his name, and the owner of the zoo did not allow me to take notes.

One of the largest predators reminded me of a small puma.

Also very sympathetic animal, which can decorate any terrestrial menagerie.

A giraffe gazelle - an antelope with a long neck, was so graceful that I could not take my eyes off her for a while.

There were many other animals, no less interesting, they would have to write about all for a very long time.

I also wanted to note the snub-nosed monkey, which reminded me of the inhabitants of our planet.

After examining the entire zoo in the most careful way, we returned to the house, on the terrace of which tea and local sweets awaited us.

I will not describe them, I will only say that everything was so delicious that I could barely stop.

During tea we had a leisurely conversation with the host. He told me about other animals inhabiting this planet, I in turn talked about my own and even sketched their images.

Then he asked me about the Earth for a long time, about the purposes of my trip and the causes of the catastrophe that occurred with the spacecraft.

At the end of the conversation, Eastwood said that rumors were circulating in the city council that a stranger appeared to me in one of the workers' settlements north-east of the city some time ago, but he does not know whether he is there now or has left.

I begged him to find out more about that man, maybe it was one of my friends who was here. Evstyl promised to find out about this in the near future.

Several days passed in meetings with numerous relatives and friends of my girlfriend, even in the city council I had to come up with stories about Earth and travel, so suddenly interrupted on this planet.

Along the way, I was looking for information about that stranger. I managed to find out that he had left the working village to the observatory, where he still is.

Can you imagine my excitement and desire to see this person sooner. And it was interesting to visit the local observatory, perhaps there I will also find the key to my salvation.

However, no matter how I hurried in the way, I decided to stay in this hospitable city, to visit the city library, to learn more about the history of this planet, before I go on a journey.

Yes, and Iya, who, not wanting to part with me, decided to accompany me further, there were still some things here.

To be continued...
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