Bilal was happy to see that the woman had taken his offering. When he checked, the porch was bare. He went about the daily chores the next day while she peeked out of various windows at him. He began to hope that she would invite him inside. It was cold during the day and even colder at night.
He thought of the clothes in the many department stores that he had visited over the years. Now he didn't think he would have any problems wearing a big heavy coat. The clothes he had been given on the mother ship were simple linen pants and shirt and soft shoes. They were the normal clothing given to humans on the ship, but now they were filthy—and so was he. He washed his body a bit at the pump, but the water was cold.
That night as he huddled in the barn, he sneezed twice and swiped his forea
