W4: "An Alien Has Landed in My Backyard"

It started with a noise—low, humming, and strange. The kind that makes your skin prickle even though you don’t know why. I was half-asleep when I heard it, a whirring sound outside my window. Curiosity got the better of me. I slipped on my shoes and stepped outside, the cool night air wrapping around me. That’s when I saw it.

The alien was nothing like I had imagined. It stood about four feet tall, its body shifting between pink, blue, and purple, like moving paint. Its round face was oddly cute, with big, shiny silver eyes that reflected everything around it. Instead of a mouth, it had tiny ridges that pulsed as it made soft clicking and whirring sounds—almost like a song. Its short arms ended in three small fingers, and its short legs wobbled as it moved. It looked scared. Lost. Alone.

I wanted to run, to scream, to wake up my parents. But something in those silver eyes stopped me. It raised a thin hand, and with surprising gentleness, tapped its own chest, then pointed at me. A greeting? A plea for help? I had no idea.

The biggest challenge was communication. Words didn’t work, so I tried gestures, pointing at myself and saying my name: “Yvonne.” It watched me, then pressed a stubby finger to its chest and made a series of soft chirps. I tried to copy them, but my human tongue failed. The alien tilted its head, then placed a hand against its forehead and stretched it outward—was it frustrated? Amused? I wasn’t sure.

It didn’t take long to figure out the basics. Hunger was shown by miming eating. Fear by curling up and holding itself. When I brought it some water, it hesitated before touching the surface, watching the ripples as if water was new to it.

The biggest surprise came when it reached out and touched my arm. A warm feeling rushed through me, and I saw blurry images in my head—unclear but full of emotion. Somehow, it could share thoughts through touch.

That’s when I realized it wasn’t just asking for help. It was asking for safety. And I had to decide what to do.

The alien looked at me, then pointed to the sky. Before I could react, a soft glow surrounded us, and in an instant, we were no longer in my backyard. My breath caught as I realized we were inside a spaceship, hovering high above Earth. My heart pounded, but the alien placed a gentle hand on my arm, sending a wave of calm through me.

Moments later, the ship landed on its home planet. The sky shimmered with colors I had never seen before, and floating islands drifted through the air. Strange but beautiful creatures roamed the land, some glowing softly as they moved. Towering plants swayed as if they were alive, whispering in the wind. The alien guided me through its world, introducing me to its people. They welcomed me with curious eyes and warm gestures, sharing their food and knowledge. I felt like I was part of something bigger than myself, experiencing wonders beyond my imagination.

But my time there couldn’t last forever. The alien sensed my longing for home and nodded in understanding. We returned to the spaceship, and in a blink, we were back on Earth. But as we landed, flashing lights filled the night—government agents had found us.

The men in dark suits rushed toward us, their voices sharp and demanding. The alien gripped my hand, its silver eyes filled with worry. They wanted to take it away, to study it, maybe even harm it. I couldn’t let that happen.

I stepped in front of the alien, shielding it from them. “It’s not a threat,” I said firmly. “It’s just lost.”

For a moment, there was silence. Then, before anyone could stop it, the alien pressed a hand to my forehead one last time, sending me an image—gratitude, sadness, home. A goodbye.

Then, in a sudden burst of light, it vanished. The spaceship disappeared into the sky, leaving nothing behind but the memories of an adventure I would never forget.

I walked home with a secret I could never share. The government never found the alien, but they never stopped watching me either. I knew the truth. I had met something from another world.