Author
Brooks C. Mendell
Holes in the Fence
A wall of hardened earth, scribbled with runes and pocked with holes, separated us from the Tribes of Beverlee, our troublesome neighbors to the East. I rode six days with scouts to reach Fendig, seated beyond the far side of Beverlee. The people of Fendig also stared at an…
Alien at Home Again
Daniel carried a kettle of boiling water out to the edge of the driveway where I stood reading the newspaper. "Two steps to the left, Dad, if you don't mind," he said, as I looked down at the melon-sized mound teeming with fire ants inches from my feet. I walked away while…
Alien at Home
Daniel, our nine-year old son, walked his cockroach out to the edge of the driveway where I stood reading the newspaper. "Full frontal assault in the kitchen, Dad," he said. "I've got even money on Mom. She's battle-tested." I turned the page to scan headlines about aliens…
Water Carrier
Day Four My arrival at Rundar caused less commotion than the discovery of my NPR coffee mug. The Rundarians appear technologically inconsistent. While they developed remarkable weaving techniques, they seem to lack the basic insights for storing, collecting or carrying liquids.…