PoodleFrog



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    “Grace! Why you no say plants are on Hail Mary, question?!”

    The question puts me on my back foot. Literally. I jog up to the door after my morning run to find Rocky waiting for me on my side of the house, suited up and ticked off. I rock back on my heel.

    “Huh?”

    “What you mean ‘huh’, is simple question! Why no mention plants on Hail Mary when almost die of no vitamins?!”

    “No bud, I heard you the first time,” I scoff, shaking my head ruefully. He gets under my feet, tapping at my thighs with his claws to annoy me while I toe off my running shoes.

    “Hey, quit— quit it! You’ve gotta be confused, the only plant matter on the Hail Mary was the food in my meals, and that’s years gone.”

    ——-

    Aka, Grace gets a bittersweet surprise several years after he settles into his life on Erid.

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    17 Jun 2026

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    I lived with this hunger long before the Hail Mary. This is nothing new. I’m fine.

    Right up until Rocky asks another question.

    “When last time you touch other human person skin, question?”

    Oh. Oh no. “When I… a few days after I first woke up here.”

    Rocky starts to relax for a split second, but then tightens when something occurs to him.

    “Grace crewmates dead when you wake up. You said this, statement. You not even know your own name, remember nothing, see dead bodies, confirm?”

    I nod, because if I open my mouth I will gag.

    “When last time Grace touch ALIVE human person, question.”

    I swallow thickly. I don’t answer aloud because I know Rocky can hear the hitch in my breath. My stomach churns with fresh bile. He senses my vital signs tick over into stress patterns and goes very, very still again.

    “Grace. When last time, question.”

    I clench my jaw so hard my temples ache, and beg him with my eyes to just stop.

    “Grace. Please say not when… when Evil Stratt humans put you to sleep.”

    I can taste grass.

    ---

    AKA: Grace starves for more than just food on the journey to Erid.

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    17 Jun 2026

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    “What is a ‘field trip’?”   

    The unexpected question makes me stop in my tracks. I stumble over my own two feet and almost bite my own tongue which is a new low, even for me. If I keep going like this I am never going to beat the clumsy human allegations. At least Rocky is not here. If he’d witnessed my latest embarrassing blunder he would have found ways to tease me about it for a week straight. It’s unfortunate that my class has to see me like this but they are a lot more forgiving and understanding of their ungraceful teacher than my best friend. A fact I like to hold over his head from time to time. 

    Not that he cares. He maintains that he’s earned the right to mock me as much as he likes after having to watch me stumble and fall repeatedly over the same threshold for four years. 

    And maybe he’s not wrong. 

    Don’t ever tell him I said that.

    ********

    There is no way Grace can take the pebbles on a field trip. At least not without help.

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    02 Jun 2026

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    The Eridian thrills a high sound that doesn’t get picked up by the translator which means that it has no clear meaning. Like when a human gasps or sucks in a deep breath. It actually sounds a little like that. When they notice that I’m staring straight at them they scramble back into their hiding spot and hold very still. 

    A child, I realize with a start.

    That’s a child! 

    “Hey,” I call and the kid squeaks again. I was about to get to my feet but abort the movement and crawl closer on my hands and knees until I'm inches away from the xenonite wall. I wait and it takes me much too long to realize that they don’t have to peek around the corner to see if I’m still there.

    “Hey there,” I try again, my voice low and calm. It’s my teacher voice, the one I use for shy and scared students. 

    Used. 

    The fact that I haven’t had to use it for years and it still comes to me automatically almost knocks the air out of my lungs but this is not about me, it’s about making sure the little pebble doesn’t die of fright from the scary alien. “Hi, I’m Grace. It’s alright, you don’t have to be scared.”

    ***
    How Grace finally gets back into a classroom, where he belongs

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    02 Jun 2026

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    21 May 2026