The Mission...

I could have chosen another place, another time, another mission... Maybe...

But sometimes, deep in your gut you just know. That even though the universe decides to place several options before you, you only truly ever have one choice... None...

Source: Pixabay

It was the year 1628, and I'd been sent down to earth on a sales mission. For this mission, I chose, or rather the universe in it's own uncanny way forced on me a small tribal village in the heart, or should i say heat of West Africa. From the moment I got wind of my mission details, I knew it would be a very hot travel.

I spent three hours on the journey down to earth, and two days trying to locate the village of Ile-Ife, my intended destination. A lot happened in those long hours, but then that is a tale for another time.

My first view of Ile-Ife was not as expected. This was supposed to be a big village, one of the biggest around this part of Earth if my mission chart was to be believed. But the way the forest spread as far as my eyes could see did little to encourage me. This was not only going to be a hot mission, it was also going to be a hard one.

Quickly, I located the first settlement I could find. But after knocking on about six thatch doors in the mud-brick huts, I knew that it was futile. No one was within a mile of this place. And I was as clueless as you to why that was.

At this point I was more than discouraged. The scorching heat and exhaustion did little to make me feel any better. It seemed I was already failing in a mission which I had barely even begun.

But then again, when the universe wants you on a path, you only really have one choice... follow that path.

This took a literal meaning when I took the next path which led out of that settlement. And because the universe wanted me to, I found my first customers here...

Now I would tell you how our deal went, but truth is, these people didn't really buy what I had to sell, not yet anyway. So instead I'll just tell you what came out of our short conversation...

"Hello, my name is..."

Wait... But of course, the Ile-Ife people do not speak English, so again, I'll just go back to my narration and tell you what came out of that brief meeting... Or not.

After my first words of the tribal earthly language, I had begun to feel comfortable again. I had discovered why the settlement had been deserted. Today was a market day, and everyone had gone to the village center to either buy or sell, or maybe both. I knew I was in luck, I was a trader here on a sales mission after all...

The village center felt much hotter than the settlement, but looked much much better to my eye. And though the many strange stares I got in return told me that blue jeans, an old rock-band tee shirt, and a fedora was not the perfect dress code for this mission, at least I knew I was making progress. Here I could proceed on my mission, and I was sure to find more than enough buyers. All I needed to do was to find a perfect spot.

But then the universe did its thing again, and my spot found me...

"Where is my fluffy green slippers!?"

Now let's pause a bit here. You see, 1628 was bang in the thick of colonization. You know that period in history where the white skinned earthling tried to show his superiority over their dark skinned counterparts to varying results? Well, without giving you a detailed lesson in history, let's just say in these parts of Earth where I was, at this time, the white earthling had achieved a certain level of success.

Now let's return to my tale...

"Where is my fluffy green slippers!?"

The fact that this person spoke English, my preferred earthly language, was what made me turn. But the sharp difference in skin colour and the almost visible air of authority he seemed to carry on his shoulders made me decide to walk towards him. This person, I told myself, would help me sell my goods.

In little time I had made his acquaintance. The fact that like him I wasn't from these parts and that I spoke perfect English helped in no small part. His pride and eagerness to please me was definitely not a hindrance as well.

As if he feared I would forget, he continuously mentioned he was the district head, a supposedly high rank among his peers. Well, so long as it was high enough to get me the attention I needed, I didn't mind hearing the title a million times. And hear it I did...

Like clockwork, he predictably pedalled to my desires. I had the attention of the people, or about 99% of them anyway. Not that anyone was counting...

Anyway, I proceeded to open the pack I carried. In it was a solar-powered laptop, a portable projector... Don't be surprised. It's 1628, but I wasn't from earth remember? Exactly.

Then finally, I took out the key component of my mission, the...

Wait! Now of course I can't tell you that, and you should know why... It's classified information, hello!

So I proceeded to do what a trader like me does best... Sell. And sell I did.

It took three long hours and three different kind of demonstrations, but as I left, I knew I had overkilled the mission. The look one cow probably up for sale gave me as I repacked my bag told me everything I needed to know...

We all could have chosen another place, another time, another mission... Maybe...

But sometimes, deep in our guts we know. That even though the universe decides to place several options before us, we only truly ever have one choice... To die...

And couple months later, die they all did...

THE END...?

#SladenSpeaks

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Written for @mctiller's Twenty Four Hour Short Story Contest and though it is past deadline, @tygertyger's Electric Dreams

Sometimes the story walks away from you when you write. Don't blame me, blame the universe...

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