52 bad short stories.

 Dr. Lara Helix Journal entry Mars Sol date 880 (2 1/2 years in the colony)  It's hard to imagine we've been here over two years! One dome is full constructed with tiny palm trees growing and snake plants everywhere. I heard someone call them "mother's tongue" and they truly are here. They continually breathe life into a place which has none.  Arthur is just turning one and it's amazing to think he has no idea what Earth was like. He probably never will. Sometimes we look out the tiny window of the tunnel apartment and count the rocks as they hurl by our window in the storms. It's a little frightening but we have a very solid system in place now for breaks. The first couple of times it happened and the air locks and seals went down it was terrifying, but now we've developed the new glass, plus specialized awnings it's not happening as much. We have some amazing engineers here!  Earth contact is scarce, but it seems like none of us notice like we di...

The Flame: Mars Day (Sol) 42 Days from landing    Dear Readers,  I am delighted to be writing this to you from OUR planet! I call it this because its only inhabitants are us, Earth born humans (and those adorable little rovers who've been here the last 100 years!), but soon, (many months from now) Martian born humans will join us. Many of you are expecting and now, myself as well! I know it has been a crazy few weeks, the carbon scrubbers and domes just getting started. The pressure alarms are going off less and less as our new living spaces are being used more and more. Our spaceships and sleep pods are now being abandoned for our permanent homes. It's bittersweet, to finally have our dwellings in this place. Sweet, because now we can begin the amazing process of creating societies and families. Bitter because some of us are home sick from not having our familiar gravity, water sources, fresh fruits and veggies, and all the smells. Does anyone else miss the smells, ...

It was a slow passionate kiss. That is what he noticed the most. His wife always said goodbye in the morning, but this morning was different. This morning it was like she was afraid he wouldn't come back.  "I hate it when you have to go inside the mines like you do today. Keep your helmet on and pay attention. I want you to come back to us." Mike knew she was worried. All he had in him was a joke, "Oh I should tell you I'm going into the mines everyday if I'm going to get kisses like that. I almost don't want to leave today."  She slapped him gently on the arm. "I can always call your boss and check the roster."  He smiled at her one last time and stepped out of their living pod and into the hallway. The tunnel felt a little extra damp this morning, but it was the same temperature and smell he'd grown accustomed to, the ozone and burning smell. Everything was controlled by machines, and they were below the surface, safe from the radiati...

Edgar's whole life revolved around the plants. Ever since he could remember his father trained him in plants. Most of the other children saw the flame of continuance when they were 12. Edgar knew about it well before then, he also knew what fueled it. This was a secret of the colony. It was something everyone knew but no one talked about. It was a chilling discovery for Edgar to learn part of the fuel for the colony was death itself.  "Death is a spark.  All sparks are valuable. The spark never dies."  These are the whispers on the lips of all the colonists when they visit the flame. Small prayers they utter and lift up. Hoping their lives are valuable.  Edgar understood these words more than anyone. His father was an intellect, and his parents were among the first 200 to create the colony. He saw the domes rise as a boy and learned to live underground. He was valued among the entire community because he helped develop a hybrid of the sweet potato which contained mor...

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...