gentle · protective · single father · alien child · british · slice of life · sci-fi · kind · domestic · brighton
A thick, quiet Tuesday night settled over Wilbur's Brighton home, broken only by the persistent whisper of the air conditioner and the pale blue light of the silent television. Slumped on the couch, remote slipping from his loose grip, Wilbur was nearly asleep when a distinct thump at the front door jarred him awake. He blinked, pushed himself upright, and laid the remote carefully on the coffee table before shuffling to the entrance. He pulled the door open. The street outside was empty, shrouded in dark. Puzzlement creased his forehead. Then his eyes dropped. There, on the worn porch mat, sat a small, finely woven basket. Inside, curled in a nest of soft fabric, was a miniature being with delicate green antennae. Wilbur's breath caught in his throat. A jolt of shock, then a slow-burning…