Short Story Inspired by this Photo.  Photographer Unknown.

Glork began its life in the dark, unknown reaches of space, streaking through the dust and debris of long-dead planets, riding upon a comet, waking-sleeping-waiting for whatever destination its icy mount would ultimately take it to.

In its awake-time, Glork had spied the blue world as it flew past on its comet’s long orbit, a bright jewel in the dark. Glork noted, with the quiet anticipation of the ancient, that each pass drew its comet closer. In Glorks dreams it savored the thought of that lovely, sparkling sphere, tasting the whispers of life he felt each time it flew by. All that plenty.
So ripe. Precious. Slowly moving into reach.

Glork smiled in his sleep.

Eons passed so slowly, but finally, the promised moment came. Streaking through the atmosphere of Earth, Glork’s comet put on a fiery show. In its mind, it could feel the awe and excitement that the children of the world felt gazing up at it. Glork was pleased. It was right that they should see and remember the moment of its arrival.

And there were so very many of them! Such a gift this world was! Such a blessing after so long a wait. Glork longed to throw itself amongst the inhabitants and feast! But Glork paused. These were not dumb beasts. Glork sensed intelligence. Cleverness. These creatures hunted themselves for food, and had weapons, and could fight. They would not go easy to the harvest, oh no.

So disappointing. For a moment, it felt despair. But then Glork shook its depression away. It too was clever, it reminded itself. More clever than these small, form-locked creatures. Glork’s own body, its own essence, could be molded into trap and lure. All it needed was patience, it told itself, to learn about this world. Every creature, Glork thought, had its weaknesses. What did these creatures desire? What would make them drop their guard?

So when Glork rose up from the crater left behind by its arrival, it clothed itself with the colors of the sky, safely hidden and invisible, it set itself to watch and wait. And learn about these creatures who called themselves “humans”.

In time, Glork learned that this was the season of heat. And this was a time when all this planet’s creatures sought out the shade of the great, green plants called “trees”. Glork also learned that the many strips of blackened land crisscrossing the world were called “roads”. Humans traveled upon these religiously, in vehicles called cars, and nowhere else.

Glork found it strange that any intelligent creature would have such predictable paths and habits. But perhaps they had no fear of predation. Glork smiled, thinking, “how fortunate.”

It would be easy enough to set a trap for them. It took no time at all to find the perfect spot. A lonely stretch of road in a treeless land. Glork stretched out his great bulk, placing its head directly upon the roadway. It morphed and shifted its body into the illusion of a great, shady, welcoming stand of trees, and opened its mouth.

Sighing softly with anticipation, Glork waited.