When Worlds Run into Each Other

By: Mark O'Donnell

(Outer space. Two planets meet by accident and hail each other.)

ONE: Hey, whoa, how are you!

TWO: Hi! I must be way out of orbit, running into you! Look at you!

ONE: Hey, you look great! What is it, trillions?

TWO: Trillions of years, it has been. So how’s your civilization?

ONE: Well, they’re just discovering music, if you know what I mean.

TWO: Lotta drums, huh? My smallest satellite – Plutonis, that green bit in the distance, just broke out in mammals.

ONE: Very natural, mine had them. I notice your polar ice caps are larger.

TWO: Well, you’re not exactly molten, you old spheroid – how’s your star?

ONE: The red giant? No, seriously, fine, couldn’t break free if I wanted to!

(awkward silence)

TWO (out of chat): Well, you look great. Real atmosphere.

ONE: You, too. Bounce some cosmic rays in my direction.

TWO: Sure will, I sure will.

ONE: Bye!

TWO: Bye!

(They part. Pause, then each says to itself simultaneously)

BOTH: I thought she’d exploded!

(blackout)

*****

From May Contain Nuts by Michael J. Rosen. HarperCollins Publishers. Used by permission.

To order the book, click here: May Contain Nuts at Amazon.com

To learn more about the Mirth of a Nation anthologies, click here: Mirth of a Nation

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