■ 5 Waiting for fifteen thousand years

'It's too bright in here， 'I said． 'I can't see． '

The light suddenly wasn't so bright and I could see again． I was in a round room， which was empty except for a large square computer．

The computer didn't look like the modern computers we have．

'You are't God！ 'I said． 'You're just a computer！ Just a strange old computer！ '

A voice came from it． 'Yes， this is computer． Who are you？ '

Oh， the computer still worked！ I was surprised as it looked so very old． It didn't speak in a natural way as modern computers do．

'I'm Hummingbird， 'I answered．

'You are not a hummingbird． Hummingbirds fly in the forests here， in Star Zoo． You are human． You are not a child of Star Zoo． Computer is happy． '

I listened but I didn't understand． 'Hummingbird'was just my name—and the name of one of the animals in the Book of Remembering． Why was this place called the Star Zoo？ What was a 'zoo'？ I had so many questions to ask！

'Computer， 'I said， 'where do you come from？ I never heard of a spaceship as big as this！ You speak my language but it sounds different． Why do Hee-Haw and Hoo-Woo think you're God？ '

'Who is Hee-Haw？ Who is Hoo-Woo？ 'the computer asked．

'The two monsters that brought me here， 'I answered．

'Yes． Dondey． Wolf． All animals believe computer is God． Computer makes ultrasonic sound． Ultrasonics make fear． '

'Animals？ 'I said slowly． Animals were only a story in the Book of Remembering． There were no animals alive today． What was the computer talking about？ 'Animals…like EeeEee and Cheep-Cheep？ '

'Eee－ Eee is a squirrel， 'the computer said． 'Cheep-Cheep is a bird． Animals take care of you． '

I was very afraid． Donkey， wolf， squirrel， and bird were all animals named in the Book of Remembering．

'Where did these animals come from？ 'I asked．

'Star Zoo came from Earth， 'the computer answered． 'Star Zoo left Earth． Earth was hot． '

I suddenly couldn't stand． I fell down and my mind exploded again． This time I wasn't angry． I was sad， empty， afraid， and a little crazy． This was the Book of Remembering come to life！

Earth hot？ That was the Burning！ We made the Earth too hot and all life except humans died． And we humans did it！

'Not necessary to fall down， 'the computer said． 'Computer is not God． Computer wants to talk to humans． Computer is sad that humans have not spoken for fifteen thousand years． '

I stood up slowly． The Book of Remembering was forremembering the animals but they had been dead for twenty thousand years．

But the animals were here！ Yes， here in the Star Zoo， after travelling between stars for twenty thousand years！

'Why did you leave Earth？ What happened？ 'I asked．

The computer answered， 'Humans polluted Earth． Earth was hot． Animals died． '

'Yes， 'I said． 'I know that． '

The computer continued， 'Humans made zoo in space． No money． Used plastic bottles． '

'What？ 'I said． I didn't understand．

'Collected old plastic bottles． Made zoo with plastic bottles． Cheap． Made big zoo with many rooms． '

'Why are there different rooms？ 'I asked．

'Animals and plants live in different ways， 'the computer said． 'Hot， cold， wet， dry． Impossible to keep all animals and all plants in one room． Need different things． Difficult work to get everything right． Necessary to have big computer． No money． Got old computer from army． '

'So that's you？ 'I said． 'You're an old army computer from Earth？ '

'Computer works and never stops． '

'I understand！ 'I said． 'A group of people made this Star Zoo． They knew that Earth was dying． They wanted to save the animals． They sent the Star Zoo away from Earth． '

'Star Zoo went， 'the computer said． 'No money． Went slowly． '

'Very slowly， 'I agreed． 'But What happened to the humans inside the Star Zoo？ '

'Five thousand years humans gave orders． Computer worked． Computer mended walls． Computer kept Star Zoo alive and safe． Star Zoo worked well． No problems． Humans stopped giving orders． Not necessary to talk． Humans enjoyed eating， playing， sleeping． Computer can do work． For fifteen thousand years computer has worked， thought， learnt， grown． Now you have come． Computer is happy． '

I was happy too and I wasn't afraid． It was wonderful news． The Galaxy wasn't empty！ Animals could live on all the worlds and all humans could be happy again．

Humans were lonely without animals． Humans needed animals．

'The animals must leave the Star Zoo， 'I said to the computer． 'We have planets where they can live． Do you agree？ '

'Star Zoo is not strong， 'the computer said． 'Holes in walls lose air and water． Animals need planets． Can have more animals on planets． '

'Then I must go home， 'I said． 'I will come back with spaceships． We will take the animals to different planets． Planets everywhere in the Galaxy． '

'Computer will choose planets for different animals， 'it said． 'First plants will grow． Animals will follow． '

'You can tell us what to do， 'I said． 'This is wonderful．

I want to leave now． Is Hee-Haw waiting？ '

'Donkey waits． 'the computer made a noise that was like crying． 'Donkey has waited for a few minutes． Computer has waited for fifteen thousand years． You come back． Computer is sad and afraid． '

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