Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Write in the SCIENCE FICTION genre (05/10/07)
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TITLE: The Alien Who Came to Dinner | Previous Challenge Entry
By Teri Wilson
05/16/07 -
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This was particularly true with regard to the creature’s neck. Billy stood on the concrete basketball court and stared at the long neck slithering like a snake beneath the alien’s head. It reminded him of a spaghetti noodle. A pink spaghetti noodle.
Billy held his basketball in front of his body, a barrier between him and the unusual creature standing among the shrubbery surrounding the court.
“What are you?”
Silence.
He asked the obvious question. “Are you a Martian?”
More silence.
He seriously doubted the alien was a Martian. Everyone knew Martians were green, not pink.
“Are you hungry?”
At this last question, the alien finally spoke. He unwound his worm-neck and let out a loud honk. Surprised, Billy dropped the ball and it bounced at his feet. He figured the honk meant “yes”, but he couldn’t be entirely sure since he didn’t speak Pink Alien language.
“Do you want to come home with me? We have lots of stuff in our kitchen.”
Silence.
“Okay, follow me.” Billy turned around and headed for home, through the alley so no one would notice a boy walking down the street with a big pink alien on his heels.
They heard voices coming from the house as they approached the garage. Adult voices.
Billy looked the alien straight in the eyes and tried to ignore the neck, which was busy twisting into a figure eight. “You need to stay here until I can sneak you into my room, okay?”
Honk.
“Just don’t go anywhere.”
Billy burst through the back door and nearly ran smack into his mother. “Good gracious, Billy. Go wash up. Grandpa is joining us for dinner tonight.”
“But Mom…”
“No buts young man.”
Billy tried to concentrate on dinner which was, ironically, spaghetti. He spun the thin pasta around his fork and tried not to think about the alien he had stashed away in the garage. It was impossible.
“Dad, can I be excused for just a minute?”
“No, Billy. Sit still and eat your dinner.”
Billy’s Grandpa winked at him and he could no longer stand it. “I found an alien and I hid it in the garage.”
“Billy, what on earth are you talking about?”
“I found an alien with a pink body, stick legs and a neck like a noodle. It’s in our garage right now.”
Grandpa chuckled and Billy’s father looked at the spaghetti dinner with newfound suspicion. His mother was the first to reply. “Honestly, Billy. Eat your dinner.”
“But I’m telling the truth. It’s in the garage right now.”
“Why don’t you go check and see if it’s still there, Billy? And see if it wants to join us for dinner.” Grandpa winked again and Billy’s parents rolled their eyes.
Billy jumped up from the table and returned a moment later holding one end of a dog leash. At the other end was not Buster, the family dog, but a pink creature with skinny legs and a long spaghetti noodle for a neck. The three adults at the table all dropped their forks in unison.
“Billy, what is that thing?” Billy’s father had never looked so pale.
“I told you. It’s an alien.”
Grandpa interrupted in a calm voice filled with wonder. “No, Billy, it’s not an alien.”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s a flamingo.”
Billy was confused. “What’s a flamingo, Grandpa?”
“A flamingo is a type of bird.” Everyone in the room gasped. He may as well have announced that there was a dinosaur in the house.
“But, Grandpa, there’s no such things as birds. My science teacher told us they all disappeared and became extinct 100 years ago.”
“Yes, that’s true Billy. The avian flu wiped out all the birds back in 2007. But you found one… this is a flamingo, a bird. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Where do you think it came from?” The flamingo wound his neck like an accordion and rested his head on his large feathered body.
“I don’t know Billy, but God does.”
“What do you mean, Grandpa?”
“Psalm 50, Billy. For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.”
Everyone in the room looked at the exotic bird with great reverence.
“So what do we do now??”
* * * * * * * *
“For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine.”
Psalm 50:10-11, New International Version, The Holy Bible.
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