Jeremy, Philip and Bear

Jeremy, Philip and Bear were walking through the forest when they stumbled upon a blue-green piece of metal the size of a frisbee. It smoldered in the foliage of a blueberry bush. The berries had turned to mush from the heat and withered like shrunken witch heads, their purple blood dripping.

"Can we take it home?" asked Philip, an avid collector of leaves, rocks, bottle caps pressed into the dirt like cobblestones.

"Is it food?" Bear asked, mouth watering and stomach growling.

"I think it's from outer space!" Jeremy said, pulling out his magnifying glass.

To take it home, choose 1.

To feed Bear, choose 2.

To investigate further, choose 3.

Jeremy, Philip and Bear

- 1 -

Philip leaned forward to pick it up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Jeremy said.

"It's just a dumb piece of metal," Philip snapped even though he knew it was anything but because as he moved closer, a ringing started in his ears, echoing through his body to his fingertips and toes. It sounded like his sister singing, in the times before her tantrums, her nightmares, the cries that woke the whole neighbourhood. It had been months since he'd seen her. His parents said she'd come home for his birthday and then Christmas and then and then... He leaned in closer. Is this where they put her?

"Philip!" Jeremy cried.

To answer, go to 4.

To ignore him, go to 2.

Jeremy, Philip and Bear

- 2 -

Bear had skipped breakfast and snackies and he couldn't take it anymore. The metal shimmered like freshly caught salmon slick with salt. The blueberries oozed as if they were atop a sundae. Dizzy with hunger, he thought he could smell something cooking. Human hamburgers on a barbecue in summer perhaps, swiped when a back is turned. Drool trickled down his fur in honey-like globs and he lunged forward, teeth gnawing.

Jeremy, Philip and Bear

- 3 -

"There's writing on here," Jeremy said, eyes magnified. "It's definitely not human. I'll call my mom, she'll know what to do." His hands shook with excitement. He'd always dreamed of finding an alien artifact, making first contact, traveling to far off worlds. He stayed up late watching the skies and studying constellations.

Jeremy pulled out his phone that he had for emergencies but it sizzled and popped in his hand, flew through the air towards the metal like a magnet.

"Ow!" he cried, inspecting the phone-shaped burn on his hand.

Go to 1.

Jeremy, Philip and Bear

- 4 -

"What?" Philip said, pulled from his trance.

"This thing is dangerous, look at what it's doing to Bear!"

The boys turned to see Bear drooling, his eyes the size of dinner plates and his paws twitching in anticipation. They screamed and ran home, narrowly avoiding Bear's sharp claws.

That night, Jeremy could swear the stars of Ursa Major shone a little bit brighter, and they never saw Bear again.