Tell Me About Daddy Again
A sci-fi story
A cool, gentle breeze blew through the garden as Luan pulled the last of the weeds. She selected the ripest tomatoes and some greens for that evening’s dinner. Daniel would be home from primary school soon. The older he got, the more he reminded her of Justin.
That evening, Luan quietly picked at her dinner. As if sensing what his mother was thinking, Daniel said, “Tell me about Daddy again.”
Luan snapped back to the present. “Are you sure? You must have the story memorized by now.”
“I like the way you tell it.”
Luan smiled. “Very well.”
“One afternoon, I was in the garden and saw something fly across the sky. I watched as a strange ship floated to the ground not far from our house. I ran over to take a look, and a man came out. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen. Young and tall, with red hair and hazel eyes.”
“Like mine,” Daniel said.
“That’s right. You look more like him each day.”
Daniel smiled.
“Daddy said he was from a world far, far away but was unable to return home. I invited him to stay here, and he accepted. Then I asked if he was hungry. He said yes, so I prepared a meal. Afterward, we took a walk in the garden, and I showed him what I was growing. He told me he had seeds on his flying ship, so we went and got them. The following morning, we planted the seeds together. In hardly any time, we fell madly in love and committed to each other. We were both so happy.”
Daniel smiled again.
“But Daddy started aging quickly. He said it was normal for his kind. And in a matter of months, Daddy was an old man. When he died, I was heartbroken. But I have you to remind me of him. Our time together was too short, but I would do it all again.”
“What did Daddy call his planet again?”
“Earth, my love. He called it Earth.”
I have to admit, I am envious of the writers taking part in The Substack Zone tommorrow. What a cool idea. The Twilight Zone was my favorite show as a kid, and it definitely influenced my storytelling. So, I decided to post my own “Zone” inspired story today.
Thanks for reading and responding. You make it fun.
Mark
The twist at the end is well done! I didn't see it coming. Thanks for the story.
Wow! Such a touching story, Mark. It just suits my mood perfectly this morning. And those last two lines really give us pause. You surprise me, Mr Starlin. A lot.