1.
Soft sunlight falls on mangled machinery, and maimed men. Fried circuits, exposed wires, and blood blanket the ground. From it something darker rises. Someone to end it all.
2.
Darkness looms over the outer-reaches of Mars. They've been watching us. They've been waiting. Now on the eve of eclipses they're ready to come out. Ready to strike.
3.
Still waters run deeper than anyone could have known. An exploration team. A scientist. An accident, or an experiment? We didn't know. We didn't know what we'd brought back.
4.
Lights flash in the murky air. You'd think the stars would be clearer in space. Without power though you can't see anything. You can't see when he's coming.
5.
Five days later, and there's still no response to my signal. I'm almost out of fresh water, and food. Soon I'll have to leave safety of this pod.
6.
Not everyone was happy when the Cyber Wars ended. Some said peace was only an illusion fed to us to keep us quiet. They can't keep us quiet forever.
7.
Our perfect world. Fill of perfect people. All living perfect lives. Nothing can touch us. Here on our Goldilocks-Planet, just right, we hoped they were never coming home.
8.
"We're too far out. Why did we wake up from cryosleep?"
Somethings not right.
"Don't worry, everything is fine." she whispers. "I just wanted to show you something."
9.
The world is on fire. Civilization rose...and fell. In seconds I have seen everything that humans have done. It's clear now what I was created to do.
10.
"So what you're telling me is that this is your leader?" He?...No, It, asks gesturing to our cat.
"Yes."
"She says we can kill you, and take the planet."
11.
Blue light streams in through the window. It's so calm out here. Above the atmosphere. I could stay here forever.
Blue changes to red, and the free-fall starts.
12.
"Mommy, why do they call us monsters?"
"Because we're different from them, and humans don't like different."
"But we'll show them...won't we?"
"Yes, Darling, we will show them."
13.
How many more times do you have to go back before you're satisfied? Can't you see? No matter how many times you try to change time, you can't.
14.
A whisper, on the last breath of a dying star, calls out, "Wait for me at the edge of the end of everything."
So I've waited for you.
15.
"The missile is ready my Queen. One click and it'll launch."
"Your Highness! Don't to do this, it's not to late to turn back."
"Yes...it is."
16.
The end of the world isn't the darkening of the sun. It isn't the nuclear fallout. No it's the slow dying of morality that plagues us all.
17.
As the last human fell to the ground the sky brakes open. One more planet cleansed. This isn't the end, not yet. There is one more haven left. Earth.
18.
"It's a beautiful sight. Really a once in a lifetime experience! That's Right. Just there! Of course it's safe to be outside. Come watch the dying sun!"
19.
"Run!"
He grabs my hand. We drat away from the oncoming troops, off-world invaders. Ducking into the crevice in the wall. Between metal and wire. We hide from death.
20.
A ghostly hologram haunts the shoreline between reality and darker dreams. Keeping nightmares closer, but it's growing old now. Loosing power, but there are worse things edging closer.
21.
A strangely beautiful colour fills the air. Like moths to a flame. The warm glow pulls people out of their homes. Into the streets to take a closer look.
22.
Dazed by the promises of the universe they left the safety of home. Venturing out past the last star's light. Trying to sate their greed, they found me.
23.
Broken test tubes crunch under foot. Sticky chemical fumes hang in the air, burning my already spent lungs. None of that matters though. It worked...and now he's loose.
24.
Cylindrical, and spherical architecture looms over us. It didn't appeared overnight. No, the city has always been here. Hidden behind perception blockers. Why now do we see it?
25.
Mankind has always dreamt of being closer to the stars. Of touching the heavens. So why are they running in fear when I'm bring them those same stars?
26.
"Isn't this what you wanted?"
They couldn't have known that we never knew what we wanted. We didn't understand what we were asking for. We didn't want this.
27.
"After months of sending out signals, this is the response we get?"
"We tried to tell you! We're not all peaceful. Some want a war with Earth."
28.
If every human was killed...why am I still alive?
"Come, Child." They open the ship's door. "This world was never your home."
"What am I?"
"Something we though we'd lost."
YOU ARE READING
In The Back of The Fridge and Other Short Stories
Krótkie OpowiadaniaA little something different. A micro-story about a leftover slice of pizza that day-by-day is waiting to be eaten. Just a bit of fun because when everything in the world seems to be going wrong it's nice to take a step back and laugh a little. Even...
