New short story.

I’m not a human like you. I’m a multi-cellular chemosynthetic organism. That’s like algae, only bigger, and able to interact with you.

Yes. Algae. The green stuff on ponds.

Yes. Precisely like that.

No. No, I am not slimy.

Yes, you can touch my hand. See? Feels just like yours.

My blood? Well, it’s really more blue than green, due to the nature of the chemicals that power the reactions that provide me with energy.

That is an excellent question, I’m not actually pink like you humans, this outer bit is camouflage, developed by my ancestors, to allows us to blend in, much like a chameleon does.

Well, um, no. I appreciate the offer, but I don’t eat the same things you do. I can manage a cup of black coffee, but for the most part the things you ingest would make me sick—my body simply cannot process them.

Anyway, I see it’s time for me to go. I may not be back any time soon, but in a few years, when you are grown-up, we’ll come back, and you’ll remember us, and I hope we can be friends then too.