Earths Sad Surface

• Teagan Lill, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2018

It was roughly around about the 19th of November 2025. We had no idea what time it was as we had no clock. We were on the G609 rocket making our way to earth. The window was shaking slightly as I looked out, I was surrounded by stars. Mum had once told me that the stars are only the sky on earth and here they were our world. My name is Harper Martinez and I’m going to earth for the first time.
My mother’s name is Veronica and my father’s name is Shaw. Earth is the only place where we can find treatment for mum. She was diagnosed with Cancer by the Mars specialist in Camp 73 that was situated next to the graveyard. Toronto, Canada has one of the best hospitals available for us. I was born and raised on Mars. Mum tells me about all the amazing things on earth and how I will have the time of my life. I’m pretty sure that’s her covering up the painful and ugly reality of what it’s going to be like for us as a family.
The Rocket shook violently and we all strapped in for the bumpy landing on Canada’s fields. As the rocket stopped I gasped, Earth was beautiful. The rocket’s door slammed down onto the ground. It was the first time in years we could take off these stupid helmets. I unbuckled my seat. I, Harper, stepped off the hard iron onto Earth’s breathtaking surface. I’ve never seen natural greenery before only browns and dark oranges of Mars’s dusty surfaces. Dad didn’t get to enjoy the wonders of earth as much as I could as mum was too weak to walk by herself. Mum herself had already seen earth before, but not like this. From her perspective earth was never this green. The freedom was amazing. The breeze was incredible. Something called an uber was called for us, driven by a special agent working with the Mars program. Mum wanted to walk but it was too risky.
It wasn’t long and we were at the hospital. I had originally imagined that it was like a huge tent with sand beds and boxes of medical gear from the 1900s. But no, this was much more. The beds were white and the rooms were massive. Mum was taken to her room. The room was as big as our kitchen. She was put on a bed and I scrambled over to the colourful pictures and posters. Earth was as beautiful as the painting mum painted with anything she could find on Mars. I stopped as mum made a moaning sound, the beeping machine was beeping faster and stronger. Dad grabbed my arm and pulled me back. The doors shut and I couldn’t see mum anymore. I heard a constant sound, and dad cried furiously. Maybe life on earth wasn’t as wonderful as I thought.

Word Count: 485