We ate what was left of last night’s dinner as we walked along, conversation desultory at best.
There were no roads or sidewalks, just a smooth, grassy expanse maybe twenty feet wide that we followed.
Now that we were on more or less flat ground, we made better progress, accompanied by the hum of insects and the calls and songs of what looked like birds. They never came close enough for us to see.
I grew so used to it that I didn’t notice when it stopped, but Nick did.
“There’s no sound.” He unzipped his jacket pocket and took out his gun.
“Um…I have a suggestion,” Ed said. “And don’t laugh at me.”
“We won’t,” I assured him.
“All right, then. I’ve been thinking about that…that lion. Suppose at one point in Terra’s history, aliens landed and took specimens?”
“You mean like those peo
