Green Eggs in the Silver Domes
The silver UFO spun beside The Rocket, and the two martians waved their bendy antennas. One of them held up a card with a drawing of a round silver house. Gemma looked at Yaya. Yaya smiled. The martians wanted them to visit.
"Can we go, Yaya?" Gemma asked. "Of course we can," said Yaya. Lola buckled her seat, and Disco wagged his tail so hard that his whole back end wiggled. Gemma steered The Rocket after the UFO, down toward the orange ground.
Below them, silver domes shone like round bowls turned upside down. The Rocket landed softly on a patch of flat pale stones. Dust floated up in little orange clouds, then settled again. Everything was very quiet.
Gemma looked at the door. She had a big pink button to press, and a puzzle piece from home sat in her pocket. She wanted to do one more thing before stepping out. She took a slow breath.
Gemma pulled the puzzle piece from her pocket and turned it around. It fit a notch beside the door, and the door slid open. Gemma grinned. Puzzles always had an answer if she kept trying.
The martians led them across the dust to the biggest dome. Gemma held Yaya's hand. Lola walked right behind, and Disco trotted ahead, then back, then ahead again, his nose busy.
A bright light swept over the dust. A white spaceship was coming down beside The Rocket. The door opened, and out stepped Mom and Dad, waving. Gemma ran to them with her arms wide.
Dad lifted her up and gave her a big squeeze. "We followed your rocket," he said. Gemma looked at the martians. "Can Mom and Dad visit too?" she asked. The martians nodded so hard that their antennas bobbed.
Inside the dome, a round table sat low to the floor with cushions all around. Everybody sat down, even Disco, who curled up right away. The air smelled warm and salty, and Gemma's tummy gave a small rumble.
The tall martian lifted the lid from a steaming pot. Inside were pale green eggs and a pile of sausages. Gemma poked an egg with her fork. It wobbled. She tasted it, and it was warm and soft and good.
Everyone ate. Dad had three sausages. Yaya said the eggs were just right, and Lola asked for more. At the end, one pale green egg was left on the big plate, shining in the yellow light.
Gemma held the last egg on her fork. Disco lifted his head and looked at it with big eyes. Gemma thought hard about what to do with it.
Gemma wrapped the last egg in a napkin and tucked it into her pocket. Mom raised an eyebrow, and Dad chuckled. Gemma patted her pocket and said, "For later."
The martians waved goodbye at the door, and Gemma waved back. Disco, still sleepy, rode in Dad's arms. Everyone stepped out under the dark sky, with the silver domes glowing warm behind them.
Back in The Rocket, Gemma felt something wiggle in her pocket. She unwrapped the napkin. The pale green egg had cracked, and a tiny pink chick blinked up at her. Gemma gasped, then smiled, and held it close.
