The Explorer's logbook: 12th Sep 2245

 

It took a while for John to realize he was no longer on Earth. The bizarre planet looked like an animation of one of those modern day paintings. You know, the ones we stare at in museums pretending that we understand the meaning they are trying to convey. The pink hills, the hazy yellow sky and  orange tree-like structures growing out of the ground had an unsettling effect on John. The colors seemed wrong and out of place. 

He was prepared for this but it takes a while for reality to settle in. He went for his backpack and pulled out his logbook. After all he was here for a purpose. He had to justify the expensive mission. He needed to get a detailed understanding of the world and take the information back to Earth. He popped open his logbook and started taking notes.

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Bizarre colors everywhere. Air has a funny smell of strawberry ice-cream. On further examination the tree-like structures were emitting the odor into the air. Need a name for the trees. Problem is, they are orange in color, look like broccoli and smell of strawberries. The scent seems to draw fly like creatures towards them which get smacked on the head with one of the branches. The unconscious flies land on the ground and the root of the tree pops out from the soil to suck in the fly. Quite similar to a vacuum cleaner.

The flies are like flies on Earth but larger. Maybe 4 times as large. I am concerned about capturing a live one because I do not know if they will attack me. I will have to wait for one to be smacked unconscious by the tree and quickly snatch it before it gets consumed.

I did not have to wait long. I can see one right in front of me. A very clear observation is that the flies are gullible and are easy prey to the trees. So far I do not have a very good image of them but I hope investigations will reveal some more details.

I have managed to drag one of them away from the roots. They do not have a proboscis. Rather they have a very large nose. There seem to be no openings resembling a mouth. I do not know how they eat. Need more information here.

I am currently waiting to see what happens to the flies that survive the branch smacking and make their way to the trees. Even though they are gullible, chance will help one of them reach the trunk. It seems like the tree could be a source of nourishment for the flies.

Three hours have gone by. Luck does not seem to favor the flies. 

Finally, one has landed. I am looking at them through the super magnifier to get a better image. 

It seems like the fly is sniffing the tree with its big nose. It is rather strange. It does not seem like the fly is trying to eat anything. The thorax region is starting to expand slowly but there does not seem to be any food entering. The fly has now lunged off of the tree and is flying in a staggering zig-zag manner, much like me after a family dinner. 

My initial hypothesis is that they flies do not consume food in the same way as creatures on Earth do. Rather, they feed on strawberry scent. 

I just evaded being attacked by the vacuum cleaner root of the tree. Need to keep moving in order to not be captured like the gullible fly. 

I can hear the sound of a water body close by. I hope it is water.

Through the clearing of the trees, I can see a stream but the fluid is of a reddish color. I draw closer to take a good look. Visually, it looks like a liquid-jelly like substance. 

I take a few samples and pour it into the analyzer to understand the composition. 

I am very surprised. It says the composition is that of raspberry jelly. 

I am going to take a leap of faith hear and taste the sample. The initial sip revealed that it really was raspberry jelly flavored but it wasn't as viscous. It was delicious. Much better than anything I had tasted on Earth. I can conclude that I have determined one source of food here which is good news. My inner child is very happy although I cannot say so about the outer adult.

I am starting to feel drowsy now. I think I will take a nap.