LXI. Home ?

The little Martian sobs fitfully now.

Unabashed and all consuming.

“Can I please go home? Please. Please can I go home now?" he sobs politely, masking terror behind a veneer of propriety.

I rifle through the maps, but nothing makes sense to me. Swirling galaxies whizz like mandalas and my head swims with the enormity of it all.

The Martian grows sadder, softer , almost invisible beside me. I need to help him.

“I’m trying, I’m trying!” I cry too, as I scramble to find a route.

“I just really want to go home now” he hiccups against my canary kurta, “I just want to go home” he whispers now. My heart breaks for my Little Martian, his chest heaves like a butterfly beating its last breaths

“Home. Please. home” he chokes out.

“Where is home Little Martian? “

“i-I, can't remember"  he confesses.