Julia pulled a few ciders out of the fridge. She wasn't much of a drinker, but right now she needed something to calm her nerves. She opened a bottle, collapsed in a chair, and took a long drink, making a face at its taste. She breathed deeply, and thought she could feel her heart rate begin to calm.

What should I do? She thought.

Briefly she entertained the notion of doing nothing. She'd go to bed, and wake up pretending the whole affair had been a vivid dream. She'd go about her life as though she'd never met a strange green creature behind her home.

No, that wouldn't do. There was no room in her impish nature for something so incredible to happen only for her to imagine it hadn't. That simply wasn't who she was. There was no way she'd be content going about her mundane life while an alien hid in her back yard.

She gave a small smile. The alien in her back yard. That was like poetry. She had always been a poetic.

Julia took another long drink, and then frowned. What's going to happen to it?

She realised she was worried about the alien.

She wondered it that should make her feel foolish – it had attacked her, after all. But that wasn't quite right. It was doubtless afraid, and only acting out of self-defence. Julia had known since a child that if you find a wild snake, it'll always be more afraid of you than you are of it.

Is this the same thing?

The alien was injured – that much she was sure of. It was missing a foot and some fingers, and had dents and cracks on its body. It was obviously in a weakened state. The idea of her being less frightened of the alien than the alien was of her was making more and more sense.

Could I try to help?

She knew the idea ought to be absurd, but it had taken hold, and she couldn't shake it out of her head. Looking at it another way, there was an injured person without a home living nearby. Alien or not, how could she not at least investigate, and see if she could do anything?

That settles it, then. Perhaps it was the cider having its effect, but she felt determined. I'm going back.

She went to bed full of plans of what to do the next day, wondering what she could say, what she should do, before eventually falling asleep.


Peridot spent the night thinking about her encounter. She wondered if the human would come back. There was nothing stopping it from changing its mind and bringing the whole town down on her. The night deepened, then turned into day, and still Peridot was alone.

It didn't last, though.

It was around early afternoon when it happened. The rain, which had been mercifully sporadic during the night, had returned with a vengeance. The humans that passed by her alley would run, hoping to outrun the storm, and she would hold her breath with nervousness until they had gone out of sight. A human stepped in front of the alley – and stopped. It was looking right at her.

Peridot panicked. It was the human from before. What did it want?

The human – Jewel-ia – had its arms full. In one hand was the same bowl-like device on a handle it had been holding the day before. She had thought it was a weapon, but Peridot realised it was likely a tool to protect humans from the rain. The other hand held a bag. She couldn't guess its contents. She tried to study its face instead. It looked afraid – but determined. It began to walk towards her.

Peridot considered trying to form her cannon again, but knew it'd only lead to exhaustion. She was defenceless. What do you want? She thought. Get it over with, then!

Jewel-ia stopped a few metres away.

"You – you really are an alien, aren't you?"

Peridot wanted to say something biting in return, but couldn't bring herself to. Did it want confirmation before exterminating her? She sighed, and glared up at the human.

"Yes."

The human swallowed, and began taking something out of her bag.

This is it, thought Peridot. She close her eyes. Make it quick. But she was afraid. What did the human have in store for her?

"I've brought you something to eat."

What?

Peridot opened her eyes. The human was taking some organic products out of the bag. They looked like fruit. It was starting to babble.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you – what you eat, so I just got some basic things, like apples… I mean, I thought you might not have eaten for a while, so I thought I'd…"

"I don't want it!"

Jewel-ia froze and stared at her with an open mouth. Peridot rolled her eyes. It's for real, isn't it?

"What do you want from me, human? If you want to finish me off, then get on with it!"

"I just – I thought you might be hungry…"

"I told you," hissed Peridot. "I don't want it."

"Oh… Okay…" It sounded discouraged. Finally. "You don't eat apples. Sorry. But – but I can be back tomorrow, and…"

"Why won't you leave me alone…" Peridot tried to use the human's name. Maybe that would make it leave. It sounded strange to say aloud. "…Jewel-ia?"

But the human seemed to brighten. "You remember my name! What's your name?"

Ugh. "It's Peridot." Immediately, Peridot wanted to slap herself. Why had she done that?

"Peridot…" The human paused, as though wracking its mind. "That's a gemstone, isn't it? It, um, it suits you."

"Are you done? I told you to leave!"

"Won't you at least let me give you my umbrella?"

Peridot frowned. What?

Jewel-ia knelt down, and held out the thing in her hand. Umbrella. Peridot stared at it, then back at Jewel-ia.

"Come on," it said. "Quickly. I'm getting wet."

Peridot reached for it tentatively, regarding her with suspicion. She took the umbrella feeling somewhat as though her world had begun to turn upside-down. Jewel-ia smiled, then looked uncertain. Did a human just try to help me, for no reason at all?

"Thank you." Peridot tried to say its awkward name again. "Jewel-ia."

"It's – never mind. Listen… Peridot, I'll be back tomorrow. I'll try to find something else you like. 'Bye!"

And then Jewel-ia turned and ran out of the alley, using its arms to protect itself from the rain.

Peridot stared after it – she supposed she ought to call it 'she', now. She wanted to ask 'why?' Why help me? What do you want?

She didn't feel like Jewel-ia was trying to trick her. She couldn't be sure, but her gift – and attempt at an offering of food – seemed to be a simple act of kindness.

Peridot looked at the umbrella in her hands, and held it above her head, the way she had seen Jewel-ia do. It was loud against the rain, but for the first time she was completely under cover. She listened to the sound of the rain against her umbrella, and decided it was calming.

"Jewel-ia…"