52 bad short stories.

Our entire existence is about survival. Nothing else matters, at least it's not supposed to matter. When we are raised, we are trained to follow all the rules. We learn about the reckoning when we are 12. It's another trip we take, to see the flame of continuance. It's beautiful and I think it was the first time (other than the sunset) where I have seen the color blue. We don't use it in clothing, it's pretty drab, our food is mostly yellow, orange, and green based on the plant used to make it, and everything is made out of steel and metal. Blue is not commonly seen and according to my research, on Earth blue is the rarest color in nature, not a lot of flowers or plants are blue, only the vast oceans and bodies of water are blue... but we don't have those.  This flame has been burning since the beginning of our arrival on Mars and only goes out once a month when the reckoning is complete. It is relit after 3 days of mourning. It's a beautiful flame. Flames a...

Roberta and Edward could not conceal their excitement Orion had been picked. They expected Milo, or one of his classmates, never could they have guessed Rion would be so excited about bees, or that his lack of schoolwork would end in any kind of reward. They just wanted him to make it through the school year; this honor would be a giant boost for him.  "What a wonderful surprise!" she was hugging and kissing her smaller son.  "Ok Mom, don't make this a thing." Orion shrugged Roberta off and looked at his brother for guidance. Milo just smiled back at him.  "Are you sure you don't want to do it?" Orion looked at Milo, worried he was taking his brother's spot in the ceremony.  Milo's bright eyes shined back at him happily, "No, I think they picked the right guy."  Jenny Balata chimed in next, her brown ponytail, white lab coat and glasses, "Let's see if these bees picked you!" she said with a smile.  As a group they he...

Edgar watched as Roberta walked over to Carl. He was relieved. She could be a lot to handle sometimes. He'd whisper Carl a 'godspeed' if he didn't dislike him so much. He watched Edward talking to every waiter and waitress he encountered, probably looking for the tastiest treats, sugar, and caffeine. Edgar decided this would be a good time to look in on the youth program. This was always the main event for the colony. "The Children are our future", the wise words of Dr. Lira Helix carved into the cement bench by where the children were sitting.  Sorted by ages, the smallest children sat in a semi-circle around their teacher. The older ones, ages 6-11 were standing near Jenny Balata and listening intently. Milo and Orion would be found in this group.  Milo stood in the front talking to Jenny about a self-pollinating peach tree. He was an excellent student and would be going on his walk to the Remembrance Flame next year.  Edgar shuttered remembering his own exp...

The giant glass dome glowed red from the sky, reflecting the color of the Martian regolith surrounding it outside. In the distance the view of the Mountain and other domes clearly in view, no dust storms today. Inside people were gathering around and looking at the green plants scattered throughout the space. Automatic watering devices whirring while tending to the plants. The hellish land outside was unimaginable in this green, lush paradise.  "It's beautiful in here and it smells great!" Roberta commented to her husband, various plant and flower smells filled the dome. It was very different from the ozone and machine smells all the human Martians were accustomed to experiencing. Edward was ignoring her and looking in the direction of a blonde woman serving small liquid beakers for nourishment. The theme was science and technology; the decor and food, down to the smallest detailed microchip shaped crackers, were perfect. Even the test tubes of flavored protein showed the...

Heather did not know she was selected to be reckoned. The person chosen does not find until it's time to die. She brushed her grey hair and went about her business. She was of the age that is normally chosen but of the 8,000 people on the planet, chances seemed unlikely. She had heard about being chosen. She had two friends last year who received the "honor" of the reckoning. They both worked in the greenhouses. The remembrance ceremony for both was amazing and the people who were chosen to end their lives were merciful. They went painlessly into their death and their bodies were entered into the compost which feeds the continuance flame.  This is the protocol for all who are reckoned.  As she dressed and got ready to go to section 4 and work in her medical unit, the reckoning did not even cross her mind, why would it? Humans don't think of their own death every second of the day. Her grown daughter, Silvia, joined her, for the last 4 years they both worked in the sam...

Edgar knew it was expressly forbidden, but he couldn't help it. Almost like it was an addiction, a desire which burned inside of him to make sure that he could spread the word. Maybe this was what he read about religious zealots; he didn't understand the concept. Mars only had one religion: the book of continuance, staying alive.  He had been working for months, in his lab in his greenhouses, bioengineering plants no one on Mars had seen before, plants his grandfather brought in the hopes that one day Mars would be terraformed. Bioluminescent plants, flowers bringing him smells he had never experienced and neither had anyone else alive on Mars today.  He sat in a chair, with his dark, warm robe, as people walked by, it was a market, he had vegetables and herbs on his table, with a tent over his booth, in the dome the Martian sun beat down, but it was still cold. It was always cold.  It was fine to sell these vegetables, people were selling all sorts of random things, the ...