Red Horizon (The Martian Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

SOL 54

A month and a half had passed since they were left stranded on Mars, and everything in the Hab had changed. The sterile environment had been transformed into a space covered with dark soil, makeshift irrigation systems, and duct-taped contraptions. The mad-scientist experiment that was Mark's potato farm had taken over every surface. But now, after weeks of hard work, they finally had something to show for it.

The days had blurred together, an endless cycle of Mark venting hydrazine, collecting water, spreading it over the soil, and repeating the process. Olivia watched him from her bunk, her leg still propped up on pillows, though she had started testing her weight on it little by little. Each time she tried to stand, the ache in her leg reminded her that she wasn't fully healed, but the pain was becoming manageable.

They still listened to music on and off to keep their morale up, and Mark always teased her whenever he caught her singing along. It had become a routine of sorts, their way of staying grounded amidst the chaos of survival. Mark never stopped moving, his energy seemingly endless, but Olivia made sure he ate, drank, and rested when needed. Even if she wasn't as mobile as she once was, she still took it upon herself to keep them both going.

It was late one evening when it happened.

Olivia was sitting on her bunk, absentmindedly humming along to a song playing in the background. Her leg was elevated, and she was gently stretching it, testing how much pressure she could handle. She winced slightly, but it was better than it had been even a few days ago.

Mark was at the table, finishing up yet another cycle of venting hydrazine, his face streaked with sweat and dirt. He moved like a man on a mission, his focus entirely on the task at hand. She admired him for that—his stubborn determination to survive, to make something grow on this barren planet. It was what kept them both going.

Then, in the middle of another routine check, Mark froze. His eyes locked onto a small patch of soil in the corner of the Hab, his expression unreadable for a moment. Olivia's heart skipped a beat, unsure of what had caught his attention.

She watched as he stood up slowly, moving toward the corner where the makeshift farm had been painstakingly nurtured. Olivia shifted on the bed, her curiosity piqued as she leaned forward.

And then she saw it.

A single, green sprout, breaking through the soil.

Olivia's breath caught in her throat as she stared at it, disbelief washing over her. After weeks of hard work, after everything they had been through, there it was—a sign of life. It wasn't much, just a tiny, fragile sprout, but it was more than enough.

Mark let out a breath, a wide grin spreading across his face as he turned to look at her. His eyes were bright with joy, and in that moment, the exhaustion and frustration that had been building up for weeks seemed to melt away.

"We did it," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Olivia smiled back, her chest swelling with pride and relief. It was a small victory, but it meant everything. She felt a surge of hope that she hadn't allowed herself to feel in weeks.

The sight of that tiny sprout—their first real sign of progress—filled the room with a renewed sense of purpose. It was proof that they could make it, that their efforts weren't in vain.

Olivia carefully swung her legs over the edge of the bed, her eyes never leaving the sprout as she pushed herself to stand. She winced as the pressure shifted to her injured leg, but she managed to stay upright, her hands gripping the edge of the bed for support.