Stalag 13

Summer 1943

Carter spent a lot of time alone. He didn't mind it so much when he was down in his lab because who needs an audience while you're building a bomb? Other times, he found himself lonely. Perhaps that explained why the Being chose him.

Andrew was sitting in his favorite spot on the bench behind the delousing station. It was sunny and pleasant back there, and quiet to boot. Newkirk was down in the tunnel winning money off the new batch of pilots in a poker game, so he was alone at the moment.

Suddenly he wasn't alone. The Being spoke. "You are remarkably predictable. 77% of our conversations have taken place in this location. How do you account for this phenomenon?"

Carter sighed. "Because I like this spot. And you keep coming back."

If the Being had had a human face, it would have likely frowned in confusion. "What does the frequency of my appearance in this place have to do with anything?"

Carter huffed in frustration. He lit a cigarette and tried once again to explain things. "You know, for a supposedly superior intelligence, you're kinda dense. No offense intended."

The Being's Presence glowed a greyish-purple as it did when it was thinking, then turned its normal mellow orange. "None taken. Please explain. Why are you always here inside these fences?"

"I told you before, I'm a prisoner of war. I have to stay here until the end of the war. Then I can go home." If the Being hadn't noticed he wasn't always inside the wire, Andrew was not about to try to explain it to him.

"War is a concept I cannot understand. It makes no sense."

Andrew smirked. "Join the club, buddy."

The Being immediately began glowing greyish-purple. "Explain, please."

Andrew ground out his cigarette under his heel. He saw Newkirk heading towards him, and though he knew no one else could see the Being, it still made him uncomfortable. He stood up and replied, "I wish I could, Pal. I wish I could. I gotta go."

Andrew Carter walked away from the bench and the Being faded into nothingness. Both were frustrated by the senselessness of a concept neither understood.

~The End~

A/N: The challenge was for this to be an outrageous comedy piece about aliens. However, the Being took the conversation elsewhere. My apologies.