Happy Valentine’s Day! As promised, here is my 211 word entry for Susanna Leonard Hill’s 5th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest.

The challenge is to write a Valentine’s story appropriate for children that is a maximum of 214 words. The theme for this contest is curiosity.

For more details and to read the other wonderful contest entries, pop over to Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog .

Jaina’s UFO

Cruising through space, Jaina came to a stop.
She thought, “What’s that object with two humps on top?
It’s unable to fly but it glides with no sail.
There’s a point at its base with a long, flowing tail.

I know who I’ll ask. He’s a space auctioneer.”
“G’pop, I found this in Mars’ exosphere.”
He studied the object, then shook his square head.
“Why don’t you ask the ring skaters instead?

Intergalactics skate Saturn’s ice rings.
Surely they’ve seen such fantastical things.”
She flew to the rings. She approached a skate corps.
“Excuse me, has anyone seen this before?”

No one had answers, so Jaina departed.
“I’ll go to the moon. That planet’s kindhearted.”
“Mr. Moon, have you seen this red floatie I found?”
Moon nodded, “On Earth, they are carried around.”

“I’ve seen numerous held on this one special day.
They’re exchanged by the earthlings … for what I can’t say.
That day’s drawing near. You should fly down to speak
to an earthling who’ll have just the answer you seek.”

The earthling she asked said, “I know, yes, I do.
It’s a red heart balloon. It means, Hey, I love you!”
Jaina stared at this object found light years above.
This beautiful heart was a gift filled with love!