Drabble Wednesday: Years

Welcome to the New Year’s Edition of Drabble Wednesday, where I ring in the season from apocalypse to space, and beyond…

From Ashes

Dearest daughter,

Things have not changed much since you left. The protests have stopped, and the funeral pyres in the square increase daily. None of our neighbours and friends have succumbed to the plague yet.

The plague, that dreaded cloud hanging over this planet. It defines us now, it’s the clock by which we measure our existence. It will come for us all soon. All but you and your fellows.

You cannot imagine my heart’s joy when the government took you away, conscripted you for the space exodus. Live for me, for everyone, carry our new future to the stars.

~*~

  

Rising Horizon

We’ve kept Earth’s twenty-four hour time cycles on our ship, though it matters little in the depths of black void space. Our latest captain calls it an homage to the original crew, but it’s probably more a habit. Or acclimation. Our studies show this new planet has a similar orbital cycle to old Earth.

I wonder what it will be like, living planetside. For four generations the citizens of this ship have known nothing but metal bulkheads and confined communal existence. Strangely, by the old Earth calendar, planetary landfall coincides with a holiday. Humanity’s revival begins on New Year’s Day.

~*~

Brave New World

It is year sixteen After Planetfall, in this new world.

Life was not as we expected.

Adjustment from the ship to Nova Terra did not go… smoothly.

Adapting  to planetary gravity, weather, farming was problematic; even the novelty of open spaces created unforeseen difficulties. Many crew members grew fearful, even phobic, of our new life here.

Which led to the rebellion.

I still remember the day. Half our numbers seized the ship and abandoned us to our fate on Nova Terra.

If they could only see the thriving colony we’ve built, our paradise. I pity them, lost among the stars.

© A. F. Stewart 2015 All Rights Reserved