Earthling Ambassador by Liane Moriarty Page A

10
    â€œDon’t stare!”
    â€œBut Mom, look at her! Why is she so short? What’s wrong with her?”
    â€œShhhh!”
    Nicola was walking with Georgio from the community hall to his house and she knew that people, especially children, were staring at her as they walked by, but it didn’t matter because she was staring goggle-eyed up at the people herself. It had been strange enough seeing just one person of Georgio’s height back on Earth. Here, everywhere she looked she could see giant-size people casually going about their business.There was a distracted-looking mother, as tall as a lamppost, hurrying down the street with a baby on her hip.Two men, as tall as small trees, had stopped to laugh heartily over something. A hunched-up old lady as tall as Nicola’s wardrobe sat on a bench enjoying the sunset.
    Actually, there wasn’t just one sunset.There were two . Twin cherry-colored suns shone cherry-colored rays as they simultaneously sank on the horizon, giving everything a rosy glow.The houses were lofty dazzling buildings of gold, silver, or copper.Their front gardens were crammed with giant tropical flowers with heavy, fragrant scents.
    â€œWe live just around the corner,” explained Georgio. “Obviously, there’s no need to use the spaceship for such a short journey and I thought you might enjoy seeing our local neighborhood.What do you think?”
    â€œIt’s very—” Nicola searched for the right word. “Impressive.”
    Globagaskar was so big, so colorful, and so confident. It made Nicola feel about as significant as a mosquito.
    â€œHere we are.” Georgio stopped in front of a silver house, slightly smaller than the ones on either side, with a profusion of pale pink roses as big as cauliflowers lining the footpath.
    â€œGorgioskio family!” shouted Georgio as he bounded up to the front door and swiped a card across a screen. “Your lord and master has returned!” He winked at Nicola. “My little joke. I’m not really their lord and master.”
    â€œHa ha,” said Nicola politely. It seemed that dads all across the galaxy made similar terrible jokes.
    The door sprang open and Nicola followed Georgio into a circular room with brightly colored murals painted on the walls and a strangely springy floor that seemed to make her do a cheerful little bounce with each step.
    â€œIt’s an Easy-Walk floor,” explained Georgio. “It puts a spring in your step. Or so the advertisements say.”
    One whole wall of the room was taken up by a giant movie screen. Lying on the floor in front of it was a boy sucking his thumb.
    â€œThat’s my son, Squid,” said Georgio proudly. “Come and say hello to the Earthling Ambassador, Squid!”
    The boy bounced to his feet and ran to his father. He was probably only about two or three years old, but he was exactly the same height as Nicola.
    â€œEarthling!” Squid pointed at Nicola. “I want an Earthling!”
    â€œEarthlings are not toys, Squid,” said Georgio firmly.
    â€œWell, hello! I’ve been wondering when you’d get home!”
    A woman walked into the room. She was just a little shorter than Georgio, with apple-red cheeks and short, curly blond hair. She could have been any one of the moms from Nicola’s school, except that she was as tall as a stilt-walker.
    â€œNicola, I’d like you to meet my wife, Mully,” said Georgio. “Mully, this is Nicola Berry, the Earthling Ambassador. I’ve had a terrible time tracking her down but she’s definitely the one for the job!”
    â€œLovely!” Mully squatted down to shake Nicola’s hand. “Congratulations! You must be starved.”
    â€œWell, I’m starved, if anyone is interested! Hey, Dad, guess what, we won the play-off!”
    A girl wearing a sports uniform walked into the room. Her thick black hair was tied back in a ponytail and