
A tiny alien scout, no larger than a modest garden shed, slips silently into Earth’s atmosphere, intent on harvesting a rare hormone that could power an entire fleet of its kind. Its single occupant knows that a successful find will trigger a massive invasion, yet the mission itself is a quiet, methodical search—no explosions, no fanfare, just a careful sampling of the planet’s living tissue.
In a remote forest, an elderly shepherd named Antonio tends his flock, aided by his loyal dog Salazar, oblivious to the hidden craft nearby. When the alien finally emerges to collect its samples, the fragile balance between the unsuspecting man, his steadfast companion, and the sleek, secretive visitor creates a tense, uneasy standoff. Listeners will be drawn into the delicate dance of curiosity and survival that unfolds in the shadows of the woods.
Language
en
Duration
~42 minutes (41K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Columbia Publications, Inc., 1950.
Credits
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2023-03-27
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1896–1975
A prolific pioneer of science fiction, he helped shape the genre with fast-moving stories full of big ideas, practical ingenuity, and a sense that ordinary people could outthink extraordinary problems.
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