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#Post#: 28955--------------------------------------------------
Eileen's Short Stories
By: Eileen MDW Date: December 20, 2015, 8:53 pm
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Self-explanatory.
#Post#: 28956--------------------------------------------------
What We Stand to Lose
By: Eileen MDW Date: December 20, 2015, 9:22 pm
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On one midsummer evening when the sun dipped halfway below the
horizon, when a familiar chill had settled in the air,
Grandfather told us a story.
My younger brother Aiden and I lay, quiet and drowsy, side by
side in our sleeping bags while Grandfather sat comfortably on
his recliner. The distant sunset illuminated the wrinkles on his
gentle face. Cradling his cat in his arms, he cleared his
throat and began.
"A long, long time ago - when science was not so advanced as it
is today - our ancestors lived on another planet. They called
this planet 'Earth'.
"Earth was a beautiful place. There were vast, snowy mountains
and golden canyons. There were navy seas and rich green plains
where flowers of every shape and color grew. Best of all, the
planet was filled with more creatures than you could ever
imagine. Great, scaly reptiles that prowled the lands. Birds
that laid giant eggs. Furry mammals that burped rather loudly."
"Our ancestors thrived on Earth," Grandfather continued. Aiden
stifled a yawn while I sat still, listening intently. "Slowly,
they began to learn the laws that governed their universe. They
harnessed the power of electricity. They invented telephones and
cars. They designed cities that glowed. They constructed
buildings taller than the eye could see, so tall that they
seemed to reach into the clouds and sc**** the blue sky.
"But with creation comes destruction." Grandfather's deep voice
turned sad, and he gazed at us unblinkingly. "Our ancestors
polluted the Earth with their inventions. They waged violent
wars that left the land bloody and infertile in the quest for
more - more territory, more followers, more riches. The water
became poisoned. The air became dirty. Many humans, along with
other creatures, perished from these unspeakable acts. The Earth
became unlivable, destroyed by the greed of our ancestors."
There was a profound silence, until I murmured, "And what
happened then?"
Next to me, Aiden had already fallen asleep, his arms suspended
above his chest and his golden lashes fluttering. "They fled, so
to speak." Grandfather heaved a bitter sigh, seemingly lost in
thought, and climbed into his own sleeping bag on the metal
tiles. "That's enough for today. Time for bed now." He muttered,
despite my wide, pleading eyes.
I lay awake for a long time after that, trying to imagine as
clearly as possible a world that wasn't crimson and desert.
Smooth green grass I could lie down upon. Endless blue oceans,
cool and salty. Blindingly white snow in the winters. Animals as
companions, not prey. Warm sunlight and fluffy clouds travelling
across endless sky. Lush fruits picked fresh from trees with
leaves as broad as Grandfather's palms. Collecting pearly
seashells and skipping stones with Aiden, hot sand between my
toes. And above all, I imagined that I would experience all of
this without having to wear my spacesuit. For the first time in
my life, I would be able to feel spring breeze on my skin, to
run freely down hills and meadows and rocky paths, unhindered by
the bulky technology that my life depended on here on Mars.
I slipped out of the sleeping bag and bounded across the room to
the great telescope fixed on the east wall, a long aluminum
tube. After fiddling with it for a while, I could finally see
it: a lonely spot of bright white among the spattering of stars
in the inky heavens. From here, Earth didn't look like it had
been ravaged by their ancestors.
"When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut." I whispered in the
darkness to no one in particular.
Across the room, Grandfather tossed and turned in a dreamless
sleep. Bathed in the light of the constellations, he seemed
older than ever.
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