Nikki’s rules:
Subject: Aliens!
Length: 333 words

The barbecue over the weekend went off without a hitch. The little ones swam in the lake, played blind one’s bluff, and scared its winged residents into taking flight. They ran and played tag on the grass for hours before we had our picnic lunch of fruit, bread, cheese, and a little black wine. Later, we all sat on the banks and fished for dinner, talking about life, the world, the universe. We caught a fairly decent-sized fellow with scales so blue and shiny, with a tail and fins so fine, that we grilled him as he was, legs dangling right over the fire.

The littlest one couldn’t wait to eat again, so we let him roast a sweet treat over the flames, his cheeks pink from the heat, his eyes wandering over the field, and as we all sat there, each on our own warm rocks around the campfire, he asked if anyone else was doing what we were, having a barbecue and spending time with family. I hummed a bit, turned our dinner on the spit, and answered, “Yes. Perhaps they are.”

“That’s good,” he said. “I like to barbecue. Everyone should get to do it.”

The older one, the one who dreams of flight, remained silent and mostly gazed up into the beautiful sky, contemplating the face of the luminous moon and its reflection on the lake. When he spoke, it nearly startled me; he’d been so quiet for most of the day. He asked, “Do aliens exist? Out of all the planets out there, do you think there are others like us, but not really?”

I shrugged and gave it some thought. “It’s possible. The universe is big enough, so who’s to say?”

More silence. I turned the spit again and watched as the sweet treat caught fire, and after a long moment, as though pondering possibilities, the littlest one spoke again.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, son?”

“Do aliens like barbecue?”

I sighed. “I don’t know, son. I just don’t know.”

I’m open for more topic suggestions and rules for next week’s drabble. So bring them on if you have any. 🙂

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