Savior of the Anukalii
"Good night, mom! Good night, dad!" I yell down the stairs.
I brush my teeth. Wash my face. Floss. Time for bed.
There's a green glow under my door when I get to my room. I turn the knob. The door swings slowly open.
Three aliens hang on the air in the middle of my bedroom, floating like a child has drawn them crudely across reality. They have tiny rag-doll bodies and giant heads with slits for mouths and black dots for eyes.
"We have descended from your earth-heavens to be with you, Julian!"
"Julian! In our cosmos-home we sing hymn-praises of Julian's good will!"
"But Julian, now is the time of our great peril! The anukalii cry out in anguish and call to you, Julian!"
I remove my shirt. Shuck my pants. Put on my pajamas.
"Julian! It is you who can save us!"
"Julian! The fremma-beasts, they have invaded our planet-home!"
"Julian! We must take you with us to the outer rings of Anukalii-Prime, so you might take up arms and vanquish the terrible Violet Menace!"
I sit down on my bed and yawn. "Guys, guys, one at a time. I can never understand you when you all speak at once."
The smallest of the aliens descends to sit on my knee.
"Now," I say and pat its rubbery head,"who do you need me to save tonight?"
I brush my teeth. Wash my face. Floss. Time for bed.
There's a green glow under my door when I get to my room. I turn the knob. The door swings slowly open.
Three aliens hang on the air in the middle of my bedroom, floating like a child has drawn them crudely across reality. They have tiny rag-doll bodies and giant heads with slits for mouths and black dots for eyes.
"We have descended from your earth-heavens to be with you, Julian!"
"Julian! In our cosmos-home we sing hymn-praises of Julian's good will!"
"But Julian, now is the time of our great peril! The anukalii cry out in anguish and call to you, Julian!"
I remove my shirt. Shuck my pants. Put on my pajamas.
"Julian! It is you who can save us!"
"Julian! The fremma-beasts, they have invaded our planet-home!"
"Julian! We must take you with us to the outer rings of Anukalii-Prime, so you might take up arms and vanquish the terrible Violet Menace!"
I sit down on my bed and yawn. "Guys, guys, one at a time. I can never understand you when you all speak at once."
The smallest of the aliens descends to sit on my knee.
"Now," I say and pat its rubbery head,"who do you need me to save tonight?"