O. Richards

Stuck O. Richards

Stuck is a lightly satirical and philosophical fiction presented through the observations of Friendly, a human-like marsupial with a pouch, and her subconscious writing assistant named Soki. In 1988, Friendly (with one of her mates, Fargo) arrives on earth to find only four adult human beings alive. The two marsupials use scientific means to ensure the human species does not die out. One of their primary reasons for visiting earth in the first place is because humans (like themselves) have a developed sense of spiritual consciousness. Upon returning alone to earth twelve years later, Friendly discovers the planet is as we knew it in the year 2000. Billions of people are alive, unaware they should be dead from an unknown disease or biological mishap. What does a good marsupial do under the circumstances? While waiting for her comrades to arrive, Friendly focuses on the human neighbors in a wealthy suburb of Chicago near where she positions her hidden spacecraft. She follows Justin, an American archeologist, his spouse, Pyl, who is a college art professor, and her brother, Blake, who is an independent scientist. Each has an agenda that does not include an alien marsupial named Friendly.