“What is love?” the small alien asked, avoiding the sun as Heather was washing the dishes. Heather just smiled and replied, “something you feel, not eat” she said, wiping the plate dry with her towel. Then she paused and thought for a second as Kelly’s looked up, blinking her eyes. “Think of a tree” she said.

Kelly replied, “Why? Will they eat me?” Kelly asked, and Heather then grinned from ear to ear.

“Of course not, silly” Heather replied as she threw the towel over her shoulder and let the water drain from the sink. The sun was beaming through the small window, filling the house with warmth and no AC. Only a fan that Heather needed to fix.

Then she looked down at Kelly to finish her story. “If you plant a seed and take good care of it, the tree will grow to be strong with roots that never will move, even if the tree is cut down” she finished, watching to see Kelly’s response. “It will grow again to be tall and strong” she added, and watched Kelly’s eyes fill with curiosity. “That is true love, to survive the storm and still be tall” Heather said, as memories replayed through her broken soul. She felt like a rose with hundreds of thorns and just a few pedals left full of love. Nothing like a tree that had limbs and leaves full of beauty. Jay cut her down, roots and all.

Her hair was now thin, and her skin full of wrinkles from three plus years of fighting a fight she never wanted to join. And Kelly knew nothing about human souls, how painful they were for nothing but greed like vultures that fed on innocent prey.

Her eyes now moist, she walked away from the sink as Kelly then followed to see where she went. Heather walked upstairs and into the attic.

“Where are you going, Heather” the alien asked. “I saw a tree just outside the house. Do you want it?” Kelly asked, watching as Heather made noise in the attic.

Heather didn’t respond as she went through boxes and boxes of old photos she took. Her grandfather knew she had a good skill, and taught her everything that she knew. Even to climb mountains in their own back yard. She loved the outdoors and so did he. Together, she learned how to fend for herself.

Her grandmother said nothing when they came back exhausted from hiking out west. Colorado was home to Heather, even if her mother knew nothing was wrong.

A few minutes later, Heather came back downstairs holding a box as Kelly just watched. She sat the box down on the wooden floor, full of dust and one small crack. She pulled out a photo and inspected it close, then showed Kelly and said “See this tree?” Heather said somberly, kneeling down beside the torn box.

Kelly looked and saw an oak tree, tall with limbs and plenty of shade. Standing next to the tree was Jay with an ax, a look of pride as he was ready to swing and cut the tree down her father had grown.

“He has no soul” Heather said softly, wishing she never knew who he was.

Kelly just watched and then replied “Why?”, as Heather’s eyes became mosit.

“His soul is broken, and so is mine” she said, putting the photo back in the box. The tree was gone and so was her love. Kelly was all she had left, an innocent creature so full of life.

Then Kelly replied “But you still love the tree?”