It was a dark and stormy night........ All the villagers lay sleeping in their beds, peacefully slumbering. Only one sleepy-eyed little boy peeked out his window. All was normal. The stars were out. The moon was bright. And something unknown was crashing into the neighbors backyard. Wait, what? Oh well, he must have only imagined it. Tired, he fell asleep.


The next day the sun was clouded by gray wisps in the sky. The air was thick in the farmers market. It was Sunday, so all the villagers were selling their goods along the streets as tourists strolled through the park. The little boy was out shopping with his mom for purple sweet potatoes and fiddleheads. He was placing the fiddleheads his mom had set aside one by one into their basket, when someone bumped him. The fiddleheads when flying.


He turned around to apologize. A hooded figure greeted him. The figure smelled of old socks and horse hair. The little boy began his apologies, when a bony finger snuck out from under the robe of the figure, and was placed on the boy's lips in the universal "shhhh" sign. Even more confused, the boy continued muttering softly. The finger pressed harder against his mouth, urging him to be quiet. This time he obeyed.


The figure beckoned him towards the park. Startled, the boy turned to his mother to excuse himself. After receiving her permission, he followed the figure. As he walked, he thought. While he had never so much as heard the figure breathe, he trusted it. He was led deeper and deeper into the forest of the park.


Finally they reached a clearing. The figure squatted, and the boy found a stump to sit on, and rested his small legs. The figure's hood blew back in the wind. The little boy saw human features, but the face was fuzzy, and seemed to have pointed ears. As if it was normal, the boy didn't question it. The figure was an alien. It seemed so right to this silent creature.


The alien began pulling a round, blue, spotted plant out of his robe. The plant seemed to be dying. Or maybe that was how it was supposed to look. The boy had never seen on before, so how could be know? It looked like a vegetable, but it smelled like a strawberry-watermelon Popsicle. The combination was strange. Not a strange as the fact the he was standing next to an alien, but still strange, nonetheless.


The figure spoke. "This is a fraptourg plant from my planet. It is dying. We need these plants for survival. They are our only source of food. All of these plants are dead, though, save this one. Only a humanoid with a pure heart can water the plant back to health."


The boy was confused. How could he help? What could he do for this plant that the kind alien could not?


The alien pulled a small vial out of his pocket. "By giving me the power of a smile, I can restore all the plants to their healthiest state. Just smile once! Please!?!"


"Okay," the boy agreed. He smiled his widest and, to his amazement, the vial made a whirring sound, then glowed brightly.


"Thank you!" Said the alien. "You have helped my people."


"It was my pleasure!" Replied the boy. Still smiling, he turned around, and headed home for his moms purple sweet potato soup.