Challenge #01267-C172: Nothing to See Here

Your challenge today is to write your entire oneshot without using the word "the" -- Gallifreya

[AN: and one of my favourite words, too]

They never came to Barabindaru, a tiny little town that used to have its glory days in years of steam, when coal and water were vital to moving. They did not settle in Farmer Tarlee's paddock and wander around for up to half an hour before Kid Tarlee paddled over to have a chat.

There was some extended difficulties, because nobody spoke each other's language. Pantomime helped a little, and some symbols are universal. Things progressed significantly when Kid Tarlee (now aged 23, but nicknames stick) drew necks on his symbolic people shapes.

Symbolic people shapes are beheaded when they don't have necks. That sort of thing can be really disturbing on a sigil for 'hotel'.

Waste disposal was another problem. Stee'gorath had four genders, none of which applied to traditional human gender roles. Kid Tarlee explained those by bringing his wife up to them and showing them symbols for male and female.

They, in turn, displayed examples of their four genders and symbols to match.

That was a bit of a problem, solved by two renta-dunnies added on either side of public toilets at Barabindaru park.

Other problems would surface much, much later. When people at Barabindaru discovered exactly what alien waste did to septic systems. Fatburgs weren't in it.

And most certainly, People at Barabindaru did not hold a massive, bring-a-plate barbecue party to honour their Stee'gorath visitors. Where alien selections of offerings rekindled an ongoing Feud between Sandy Ethilton and Mari Carrawonga. It's a sad day indeed when even aliens won't try your organic, gluten-free lemon bars.

Nobody thought to alert any army bases. Nobody, especially Stee'gorath, brought out weaponry. And that was probably why Barabindaru is now Australia's answer to Silicon Valley, only much, much more advanced.

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