The Skerricks of Truth
Truth was a strange place.
I knew that the moment I stepped out of the shuttle and into the clearing. It was probably the oxygen level of Truth’s atmosphere more than anything else, but I gasped as I looked at the dense forest around me. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer size of the vegetation.
Giant trees which must have been growing for Earth Standard centuries reached upwards till I almost lost sight of them, much of the green bark having a strange sinewy quality, as if it was made up of huge cords of rope. Giant leaves – some heart-shaped, some sickle-shaped, some transparent, some fluorescent green – hung like grape clusters from long stems. Vines and creepers snaked their way across the larger vegetation, giving the whole forest a living fluidity. Where the ground was visible, I could see thick, moss-like coverings, and the entire scene was washed by green-tinged light filtering through the canopy like a watercolour.
It took me a while to notice the soft, almost bell-like tinkling; a half whisper, half laughter that seemed to pervade the air like the pale green of the light. Half believing it was a ringing in my head, I covered my ears with cupped hands. But the sound faded.
Illustration by Paul Potiki
I knew that the moment I stepped out of the shuttle and into the clearing. It was probably the oxygen level of Truth’s atmosphere more than anything else, but I gasped as I looked at the dense forest around me. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer size of the vegetation.
Giant trees which must have been growing for Earth Standard centuries reached upwards till I almost lost sight of them, much of the green bark having a strange sinewy quality, as if it was made up of huge cords of rope. Giant leaves – some heart-shaped, some sickle-shaped, some transparent, some fluorescent green – hung like grape clusters from long stems. Vines and creepers snaked their way across the larger vegetation, giving the whole forest a living fluidity. Where the ground was visible, I could see thick, moss-like coverings, and the entire scene was washed by green-tinged light filtering through the canopy like a watercolour.
It took me a while to notice the soft, almost bell-like tinkling; a half whisper, half laughter that seemed to pervade the air like the pale green of the light. Half believing it was a ringing in my head, I covered my ears with cupped hands. But the sound faded.
Illustration by Paul Potiki
Praise for "The Skerricks of Truth"
Aurealis Awards Finalist Best Science Fiction Short Story 2002.
Publishing History
"The Skerricks of Truth" started out as a 13500 word novelette which appeared in the German anthology, Die säumige Zeitmaschine, as "Die Skerricks von Truth". The novelette version has never been published in English. The Aurealis Award finalist version that appeared in Aurealis #27/28 was 5000 words.
Buy Aurealis #27/28.
Buy Aurealis #27/28.
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