Luzar Santiago.

Doctor Elion’s Zoo.

“Individuals of the Earth, today you’ll see a real delight for a single gold-coloured
coin of yours. The unknown giraffe-like people of Calisto. Fetched to you across
tons of miles of space. Gather to witness these marvels, hear them, study them,
tell your friends about them. Nonetheless, hurry! My ship will only stay here for
a couple of hours”

Those were the words of Doctor Elion, a very strange-looking being whose extra-
terrestrial zoo made him famous everywhere in the solar system. It was only one
time per year that his great dark-blue ship landed on the earth. Crowds of people
would form an unfinishable line, waiting for its arrival — commenting, guessing
and wondering what new creatures would this time amaze them all. In the past,
they had been treated to three-legged creatures from Saturn, or tall, thin men
from Pluto, or even spider-shaped horrors from somewhere more distant. This
year, they watched with admiration as the ship’s sides slowly opened to reveal
the familiar cages. In them, were this breed of nightmare, that moved with jerking
gestures and constantly babbled in a high-pitched tongue.

The crowds, horrified but also fascinated by these strange creatures that looked
like giraffes but could talk a sort of human-like language, walked around the
cages in non-stop motion. “This is more than you can expect for a coin, for sure''
a man claimed, hurrying away. “I'm going home to get my wife.''

It went like that all day long, until thousands of people had awed by the cages.
As the time of leaving approached, Doctor Elion once more spoke: “we shall go
now, but we will return next year on this date. If you happened to have enjoyed
my zoo, call your relatives and friends in other cities and notify them about it”.
He waved farewell to them and, as the ship rose from the ground, a young boy
excitedly declared to his parents: “this has been the best zoo ever”.

Some two months took the trip back home: The dark-blue ship settled at last
onto the irregular grounds of Calisto, and the queer giraffe-like creatures filed
rapidly out of their cages. Doctor Elion appeared to say a few parting words, and
then they scurried away in different directions, seeking their places among the
rocks.

A he-creature was happy to see the return of his beloved and offspring. He
babbled a greeting in the strange tongue and hurried to welcome them. “It was
a very long time you were gone. Was it good?''

And the she-creature nodded enthusiastically. “The little one enjoyed it

tremendously. We visited the earth and saw many things.''
Luzar Santiago.

Their offspring looked at its father and managed to say: “The place called Earth
was the best. The creatures there, they wear garments over their skins and they
walk on two legs. I couldn’t believe my eyes”

“wasn’t it dangerous?'' asked the he-creature. “No'' his mate answered. “There
were bars to protect us from them. We stayed right in them. Next time you must
come with us. It is well worth the one golden rock it costs.'' And the little one
nodded saying: “It was the best zoo ever”.