15 Feb 2011

First Encounter

The alien creature gazed at me through slanting eyes, black beady almond shaped things, with a blank and menacing stare that added nothing to its charm. It was impossible to tell whether the crinkled surface of its face was its own skin, or that of some breathing-apparatus-cum-hood, designed to keep it alive in our polluted atmosphere.
Its features reminded me of an owl, for the outer tips of its eye sockets resembled the ears of one of those majestic birds, and the white triangle of its forehead ended in a rounded snout, or possibly, beak, although it gave no sign of incorporating a mouth.
Atop its head, a short, cylindrical dome might have been either headgear, or part of its strange anatomy, and from time to time, laser beams spiralled upwards from the small openings in the domed apex. The lower part of its body disappeared into the blackness which surrounded it...
I stood still and waited for it to make the first move.

Thus goes my offering for this week's Magpie Tales, thanks to Willow.
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23 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 February 2011 at 10:35

    Interesting that you saw so much.

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  2. Louise15 February 2011 at 11:12

    That was a fantastic take on the prompt. When I looked at the small image first I thought it looked a bit like a crystal devil, so I get completely where you are coming from. Really good descriptions. Scary and real.

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  3. Berowne15 February 2011 at 11:40

    Fascinating take on the prompt.

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  4. chiccoreal15 February 2011 at 11:55

    Great imagination! Loved the line; "laser beams spiralled upwards from the small openings in the domed apex". I can so see this, am I hallucinating?

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  5. Lyn15 February 2011 at 13:22

    I've seen this little guy around too..He drops in from outer space to measure our progress..Zero! You did a really "stellar" write here...

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  6. Pat - Arkansas15 February 2011 at 14:30

    Wooo!! That's a great description for an alien. I like your tweak on the photo that created 'shoulders' for it.

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  7. jabblog15 February 2011 at 16:21

    I don't think I'd hang around but you certainly made me look at the image with different (not alien) eyes!

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  8. Strummed words15 February 2011 at 16:34

    I think it's a glass salt shaker but your imagination gives it a certain mystery.

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  9. Helen15 February 2011 at 16:37

    Perfectly in-depth description of that shaker.

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  10. Brian Miller15 February 2011 at 17:42

    i think i might be making that first move...lol.

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  11. Maggie15 February 2011 at 19:55

    Checkmate. Who moves first? Love this.

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  12. Brigid O'Connor15 February 2011 at 21:28

    Jinksy, I am glad I am not the only one who saw the strange face in the bottle.
    Very creative take on the prompt, we better be careful.

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  13. Tumblewords:15 February 2011 at 22:23

    I'm sure I'd move first...quickly and far. Nice piece!

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  14. Paul C15 February 2011 at 23:42

    Creepy alien apparition. Fun to read.

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  15. LeAnn16 February 2011 at 03:36

    Ah Jinksy I almost went along the same lines and then kept thinking--- oh it is wearing a little hat! So I did a 180 and went deep instead lol

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  16. Other Mary16 February 2011 at 13:50

    Good eye, and good imagination! I saw a gargyole.

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  17. Chrissy16 February 2011 at 16:23

    yep...I saw it too! Glad I am not the only one...sometimes I think I see too much! :) Enjoyed this write!

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  18. Carolina16 February 2011 at 19:01

    I'll never ask 'can you pass me the salt please' again before getting my alien-zapper out first ;-) (assuming the alien is actually a salt thingy - can't think of the word)

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  19. The Blog of Bee17 February 2011 at 21:01

    Brilliant take. All I saw when I first looked at the picture were eyes - and dark ones at that! I was going to go down that road but just couldn't get it right. I'm glad I didn't persevere because there is no way I could have come up with anything near as good as this piece.

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  20. Tess Kincaid17 February 2011 at 21:22

    I think I might smack it before the first move!

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  21. Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall18 February 2011 at 02:03

    like it.

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  22. Kavita18 February 2011 at 06:29

    Woowww...You are a brave one, my friend... I would have just run!!! Anyway...so did it? (make the first move, I mean)

    Loved the details and that suspense you created, Jinksy!! :)

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  23. Stafford Ray23 February 2011 at 01:02

    Ah, so you met Sol Tshaker from the Seizning Tribe!
    Sol invented the saying, "I need it like a hole in the head!"

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