Tales of a forgotten planetA Story by Thomas AshtonIn a frozen wasteland a lone soul recounts fleeting memories of his home.Fear. Panic. Death. Sounds; a voice screaming out in fear. Silence. Waking, the man stirred, his mind working against him as the
thoughts of endless battles fought for his attention. But his mind was put to
ease as a hand touched his shoulder, “You were having a nightmare,” it said,
looking he saw the beautiful face of his companion, Ellen. He tried to sit up
but his wound wouldn't allow it. It had been two days, two days of fear, emptiness and pain. Two days since a plane crash had left the duo stranded in a frozen wasteland and the man deeply wounded. “Does it hurt?” she asked, looking at the makeshift bandage at a glance it seemed fine, though underneath was a severe puncture wound that kept him immobile.
“No, you
need not worry about me…I heal fast…but…it would seem that the cold is not
helping,” he replied, shivering she could sense the exhaustion in the man’s
voice and it seemed that he was seconds away from slipping into
unconsciousness. Groaning he lay back down, his eyes straining to stay open. Sleep beckoned. “No, don’t sleep,” exclaimed Ellen, her voice was full of
care which made him smile. “You need to stay awake. Stay focused. Tell me…Tell
me a story…Of…home?” she asked, knowing that he hadn't enough energy to
disagree. “Home?” he began knowing that he was being manipulated. “My home was…Beautiful, the most beautiful place you would ever
see. Each morning the twin suns would rise opposite each other, reflecting off
the crystal dome of our city and explode in a million points of light. The
marble buildings stood steadfast as they rose up above the clouds, casting
shadows larger than the mountains themselves. The great forest beneath would
blaze red as the suns spread across the horizon. The distant mountains shined
as the crystal waterfalls, just like the dome, caught the light and exploded. It
was a spectacle to be seen, the most beautiful event in the entire Universe. And
we got to see it every day” A single lone tear fell from his eye, to many; the
tears of this man are the most valuable substance of all. But those who knew of
the liquid’s value were long since gone. “What happened?” Ellen whispered, watching the tears swell in
his eyes. “It’s gone,” he said fighting back sadness. “All gone, the mountains, the waterfalls, even the sky is gone, all taken before their time…My people. Were all taken before their time," “You always speak, but you never mention home,” she said, observing
his grey eyes fill with sorrow. “I know,” he replied. His inclination for further speech was
lost with the raging storm, though he soon found that like the storm, it indeed
subsided. “It was foolishness, which drove us to our end. A
foolishness that brought about the end of generations of history and culture. A
folly that led to the death of 9.87 Billion children and 19 Billion others. If
you are to learn anything from us Ellen, it is this. Forgot your human pride,
denounce your deep seeded beliefs of divine intervention and don’t let your ego
exceed that of your heart,” he said fighting against the pain he stood and
looked straight into Ellen’s eyes. “I have lived a long and unhappy life,’-he stated-‘You wish
to lead a better life that I have? I’ll tell you how. Look after those that
love you, embrace and protect them. Or don’t. It’s your choice.” He said he
turned and walked to the mouth of the cave, pondering on the thoughts of a long
forgotten Planet. Of the mistakes they made. Of Home. © 2014 Thomas AshtonAuthor's Note
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2 Reviews Added on March 30, 2014 Last Updated on March 30, 2014 AuthorThomas AshtonTownsville, QLD, AustraliaAboutI am a science fiction writer that currently lives in Townsville Australia. more..Writing
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