Pr0ton:

When I opened my eyes I was in a lightened environment. But the sky was still very dark. I looked to my side and I saw short grasses that had started appearing dead due to the deficiency in sunlight. I realized I was lying on then - I had been sleeping. I traced where the light was coming from, and there was the source, Maya, sitting on one of the branches of a fairly tall tree. She was looking to a direction that wasn't mine, and I was a bit lazy to check out what she was looking at.

Pr0ton: When will your feet ever touch the ground? (helping myself up)

Maya: After when the tasks have been completed. (turning to me with a smile)

I was moving closer to the tree.

Maya: Hope you had enough rest.

Pr0ton: I should think so.

When I realized I couldn't climb the tree after awkwardly failing three attempts I eventually opened up.

Pr0ton: Hey! Come down here!

Maya: Why?

I was short of words. I didn't really know why I was asking her down.

Pr0ton: I just want you down here.

Maya: Ok then.

She descended slowly and I watched closely to see if she would land on her feet, she didn't.

Maya: So, now I'm here. (with a smile)

The pure sincerity of her smile compelled me to smile back spontaneously.

Pr0ton: What happened yesterday?

Maya: Yesterday?

Pr0ton: That is what I can call it.

Maya: But you can't have a day without the Sun.

Pr0ton: What should I call it then?

Maya: Some time back.

Pr0ton: So what happened?

Maya: The intruders tried to stop us from getting the key.

Pr0ton: How did they know we were there?

Maya: Didn't I tell you they are here on earth already? They are everywhere. They always know where we are. Even this place. But they are all not here yet. Just some of them.

Pr0ton: (I raised my eyebrow) Here? You mean they can see us now?

Maya: Relax. (she smiled) Yes, they can.

Pr0ton: Interesting (Not sure whether to smile back.

Maya: Everything within my light is protected. So you are safe.

Pr0ton: What? You didn't tell me that before!

Maya: Were you planning to run away from me?

Pr0ton: You couldn't have known.

Maya: I did. I could read your mind.

Pr0ton: (broke down)

Maya: But there is still much you need to know (she faced down)

******************************

Now she was moving her hands in strange ways, though I was familiar with the movement. I remembered. She would do that whenever she was magically providing food. I knew it was time to eat.

While eating...

Pr0ton: Tell me a joke (I stopped eating and pondered on what I just said)

Maya: (with a surprized face) Joke?

The deal was done.

Pr0ton: Yeah, joke. You don't know jokes? (with a stern face)

Maya: (she chuckled) Okay. One day, while Pr0ton was on duty in a company, his boss called him to his office.

"Here I am sir." Pr0ton said, entering his office.

His boss wasn't looking friendly. He looked serious and was putting a little frown on.

"Have your sit." his boss said.

Pr0ton sat on the leather chair, made himself comfortable, and looked up to his boss expectant of anything he had to say.

"You remember our project? The machine we are building?"

"Yes sir" Pr0ton answered.

"Very good." his boss commended, "The ECD made us understand that the machine is deficient of a single proton and will not work except the proton is provided."

"Machine deficient of proton?" Pr0ton asked looking surprized.

"Yeahh." The boss said sluggishly. He was a short fat man.

"But how come?" asked Pr0ton.

"That's what the ECD showed." said his boss standing up. He came close to Pr0ton and then sat on the table opposite him, still looking serious.

"So what is gonna happen?" asked Pr0ton with a curious face.

"You are a proton..."

"I'm not a proton," Pr0ton cut in. "I am Pr0ton, sir."

His boss looked confused.

"There is no difference," said his boss.

"But protons aint human."

"Have you seen one before?" asked the boss sharply.

"No."

"And that's it!" his boss exclaimed. "We will be throwing you into the machine in the next three minutes."

Pr0ton couldn't believe his ears.

"I will die." said Pr0ton slowly.

"But you will be useful." his boss replied.

Pr0ton: Hmmm

Maya: "But I'm not a proton. I'm Pr0ton. That is my name." Pr0ton tried to explain.

"And I said there is no difference!" barked his boss.

Pr0ton then realized he had been working for a dummy. In short, he was alone in a room with a mad man.

"But sir..."

"No sir!" his boss cut in harshly, getting furious.

"In fact." said his boss, stepping down from the table.

"Romeo, Harry, Kelvin!" his boss called. Within some seconds the workers were in.

"Yes sir" they choroused hurriedly.

Now Pr0ton was a bit relieved. At least sane beings were there to help him out, he thought.

"Remember the fault our machine has?" saod his boss rhetorically.

"Yeah!" one of the guys said. "Deficient of a proton."

"Fortunately for us we have a proton here." said the boss grinning and pointing at Pr0ton.

Pr0ton was now expecting his co-workers to look surprized, but no, he was beholding happy faces.

"Holy God!" said a guy with a bigger grin staring at Pr0ton.

"What are we waiting for?" asked another excitedly.

"what!?" Pr0ton exclaimed with a shock, realizing he had been working with dummies.

Before he could say anything else, they had all carried him. They threw him into the machine which blended him into juice.

Maya finished and looked at me, but my face was still. She then burst into laughter.

Pr0ton: Is that a joke to you?

Maya: I told you what you asked for.

Pr0ton: It is not funny at all.

Maya: You didn't ask for a funny one.

I was silent.

Pr0ton: And you said they threw me, right?

Maya: Right.

Pr0ton: Like this (I picked an apple to make for Maya, but before I could finish she was on the branch laughing)