“Little Blue Men Like Cookies”

Rated G

[Clara age 6 years 8 months]

12/28/2005

Clara walked into the kitchen as she wiped the sleep out of her eyes with the sleeve of her white nightgown. John and Martha looked at her for a moment before Martha said, “Good morning, Honey.”

Clara said, “Morning Mommy. Morning Daddy.”

Martha asked, “You probably don’t want breakfast now, do you?”

Clara said, “Yes please.”

Jon asked, “Aren’t you full from eating all those cookies?”

Clara said, “Ummm. I did not eat cookies. Mommy make more?”

Martha said, “No, I didn’t. Four dozen should have been plenty.”

Jon said, “Clara sweetie, it’s okay if you ate the cookies. We were just surprised to see all the cookies gone this morning.”

Clara said, “Them ate all cookies! Them like them! Much! I had want one but let them eat and … ummmm …. them not left one for Clara!”

Jon asked, “Who ate the cookies?”

Clara said, “Oans.”

Jon asked, “What are Oans?”

Clara said, “Men … little men … from Oa.”

Jon said, “Little men? Do you mean boys?”

Clara said, “No. Old and small like elf.”

Jon said, “Elves from Oa ate all the cookies?

Clara nodded her head and said, “I ask them do them cook cookies in tree. Them say no that don’t know what are cookies. I host them like Mommy host people and give cookies and they eat and talk at Clara.”

Martha said, “There must have been a lot of the elves from OA to eat ALL those cookies.” Clara held up three fingers. Martha asked, “Only three?”

Clara said, “Three! Liked cookies good!”

Jon asked, “How little were they?” Clara held her hand up to indicate a height. Jon said, “Three feet high? Were they green?”

Clara said, “No. Sky color … day sky color. Them wore red dresses.”

Jon asked, “Did they have big eyes?”

Clara laughed and said in a funny voice, “The better to see you with, my Dear! Like Red Riding Hood story! No Little men NOT have big eyes – have eyes like size of Daddy. Head like size of Daddy. No hair top of head … like pretty boy-man took to healing place … him that give Clara Krypto Two. Little men have no-color hair over ears and round back of head. Clara show you!” Clara left the kitchen.

Jon said to Martha, “I didn’t realize that one of her talents was telling tall tales about little blue men. She has quite an imagination, but we have to put a stop to this before it gets out of hand.”

Clara came back into the kitchen with paper and crayons. She sat at the kitchen table and began drawing. She held a crayon in each hand and her arms were a blur of motion. Soon she had drawn a fully rendered picture of three small men with light blue skin. They looked like balding, white haired old midgets dressed in bright red robes. The way Clara drew the shadows cast by the men indicated that they were hovering slightly above the floor.

Jon said, “I’ll never get used to that. No stick figure pictures of people are going to be hung on our fridge … unless I draw them myself.”

Martha said, “Did the little men frighten you, Clara?”

Clara said, “Ummmm. Them nice. Not smile much but them good. Scared them take Clara. Scared them eat all cookies. Ate cookies … left Clara with Mommy and Daddy.”

Jon asked, “So they came to eat cookies?”

Clara said, “No. Them not understand cookies. Them want Clara okay.”

Martha said, “They wanted you?”

Clara said, “Ask Clara okay here. Ask Clara like it here. Talk to Clara like people talk where Clara from.”

Martha asked, “What did you tell them?”

Clara said, “I say I like … I stay. Can I have French toast?”

Jonathan said, “We’re glad you want to stay. We want you to stay too. You know you can be honest with us. You can tell us the truth if you eat all the cookies.”

Clara said, “Okay! I will.”

Jon said, “So, did you?”

Clara asked, “Did what?

Jon asked, “Did you eat all the cookies?”

Clara said, “No. Told you that!”

Jon said, “We know how good they are. We would understand.”

Clara said, “Ummm. Them looked good. Mommy make more so I try some?”

Jon said, “Clara ….”

Martha said, “Drop it Jon. It’s harmless.”

Jon said, “I don’t know.”

Clara said, “Oh!” She ran from the kitchen then came back with something in her hand. She said, “Put away this please. Don’t want it.”

Martha looked at it. She asked, “What is it Dear?”

Jon said, “It looks like a part off my tractor!”

Clara said, “Little men said push if not want be here. Don’t want it!”

Jon said, “Give it to me.” Clara handed him the little device. He said, “This is silly. Here. Watch what happens.” Jon pushed the button.

Clara said, “Oh no! No, no, NO! Daddy! Them come take Clara now! Them take Clara far away!”

Jon said, “Calm down. No one will take you away! I pushed the button and no one came.” Everyone’s head turned when they heard the front doorbell ring. Jon said, “It’s just a coincidence.”

Martha went to the front door and opened it. She choked back a scream when she saw the tall red-skinned man in the tight green and black costume. He had pointy ears and eyes that had no pupils. Martha swallowed hard and said, “May … may I … help you?” Clara ran up to Martha and peeked out at the man from behind Martha’s legs.

The man said, “I am Abin Sur – the Green Lantern of this sector of space. I was ordered by the Guardians of the Universe to check in on Kayla Jor-El if she ever summoned me. I believe that she just did.”

Martha said, “I … I … I don’t believe that I know anyone by that name.” Abin Sur raised his arm and pointed at Clara. Martha said, “That … that’s our daughter Clara.”

Abin Sur said, “She was known as Kayla Jor-El on Krypton before that planet’s core exploded. To our knowledge, only Kayla Jor-El and her DNA donors Jor-El and Alura In-Ze survived the explosion and only Kayla Jor-El survived the journey to this world.”

Martha said, “We didn’t know about her planet … just that her parents are dead and that she wasn’t from here. We thought that her name was Clara.”

Abin Sur said, “The name she is called is of little consequence. But that child is special in the eyes of the Guardians so she must be special indeed. I need to know, did she activate the device that summoned me here?”

Martha said, “No, it was an accident. My husband pushed the button thinking that it wouldn’t do anything.”

Abin Sur said, “It is my duty to ask the child if she wants me to take her with me.”

Clara said, “Don’t take Kayla! I want stay here!”

Abin Sur said, “That’s all I needed to hear.” He looked from Martha to Jon and said, “The Guardians told me that this child’s welfare is critical to the future of this sector of space and, in the course of time, of the entire universe. You have been entrusted with a great responsibility. The Guardians also told me … they told me about a form of sustenance called cookies.”

Clara said, “Oans ate them all!”

Abin Sur said, “Typical. The foot soldier does the dangerous work but gets few of the perks that the leaders do. It’s doubly unfair because, unlike me, the Guardians are immortal and never need to eat anything.”

Clara said, “Mommy make GREAT French Toast!”

Martha said, “Would … would you … like some French Toast?

Abin Sur said, “If you don’t mind. I have come a long way and I am quite hungry.”

Clara stepped out from behind Martha, took Abin Sur’s gloved hand and led him past Jon and into the kitchen saying, “Mommy host you. I show you thing called sharing.”

Martha followed but paused next to Jon and said, “Jon, next time she tells us something, let’s take her word for it!”

THE END