Alien

Alien:
Foreign
Different
Unusual
Strange
Out of place,
But not race
Or ethnicity–

This place
My home
Now unknown
Hatred sowed
Divided
Despair
Unfair
Unrecognizable:
Alien–

Migrants in a makeshift encampment outside a Border Patrol station in McAllen, Tex., in May.

– Written for FBCWoo Poetry Group Prompt 3: List Poem. Write a poem that takes the form of a list. Photo from Loren Elliott/Reuters featured in the New York Times article, Squalid Conditions at Border Detention Centers, Government Report Finds.

Celestial Predestination

Imprinted memories of a home I’ve never seen flash behind my eyes and my awakening begins. Earth served only as a sort of nursery school. Now it’s time for my extraction, and I am prepared. I scan the horizon for the vessel.

– Written for YeahWrite.me Microprose Challenge #312. Prompt was to answer the question “What’s so amazing that keeps us stargazing?” WC 42. Photo from Pixabay.

First Contact

I knew it had followed me and this time I caught a glimpse as the setting sun reflected off the shiny exterior, so I lured it toward the alleyway where my trap laid waiting.

From beneath my net, the small door on what I originally thought was a remote-controlled drone exploded and a little humanoid tumbled onto the concrete.

It stood clumsily brushing itself off before turning to me and shaking a tiny fist while unrecognizable sounds came vehemently rushing out of its scrunched up face.

– Written for Sonya’s (Only 100 Words) Three Line Tales: Week 61. Photo prompt by Caleb Woods. WC 86.

Gemini Symbiosis

Inseparable since birth. Telepathically shared thoughts and interchangeable feelings; we are only our obligation to our new home. Survive, repopulate, and solidify the allegiance with Earth.

– Written for Grammar Ghoul Press Shapeshifting 13 #70. Prompt was photo. WC 13. Photo from Cloudmind.info. Read part one, Gemini Redemption, here.

Gemini Redemption

We wanted to be left alone today, but no one seemed to care. Our birthday was never a celebration. We spent most of our time dreaming of the mother we had never met. We were blessed to be twins, but we were cursed to have sacrificed our human host so that we could help colonize a once wasted planet. We wished we could not think of her.

They told us that the remaining humans were willing to conceive with our species because their own males became sterile and the planet was quickly becoming uninhabitable for them. Between our species, we would evolve into a stronger more resilient being that could withstand the harsh atmosphere of Earth and other less friendly planets in the Universe.

Created in a lab, we then grew inside of our host. She knew in advance how it would end. We shouldn’t care, but perhaps we have too much human in us.

– Written for YeahWrite.me fiction|poetry #265. Prompt up sentence, “We want to be left alone.” WC 155. Photo from Pixabay.com. “Gemini Redemption” was named 3rd place by popular vote in this contest. Read part two, Gemini Symbiosis, here.

Epicurean

I arrived at the zoo, incognito, and followed signs to the aviary. The staff escorted me into the enclosure for the Arbor Day event. A conservation group organized it to raise awareness about humanity’s impact on Earth.

The itchy wig was necessary. My favorite diva-shades helped disguise large almond-shaped eyes, and the “Keep the planet clean, it’s not Uranus!” t-shirt was sure to avert suspicion.

A lecture about responsibility to the planet and its animal inhabitants preceded a meditative time to commune with nature, during which I snacked on Parakeets and stuffed a Macaw in my knapsack.

Being a celebrity on my planet afforded me exotic experiences, including cosmic delicacies.

– Written for Microcosms 18 weekly contest. Related to Arbor Day with prompts celebrity/zoo/comedy. WC 110. Photo by Eric Kilby. “Epicurean” won Judges Pick for this contest.