Picturesque Earth lay peaceful, to the untrained eye.
One final pod slid up its cable to a ship in orbit.
I peered down from the viewing deck.
A streak of fire. Then an explosion. The cable rocked.
Another streak. Closer.
Pod integrity lost. Passengers compromised.
Ship sirens wailed. Incredible engines rumbled to life. The cable detached and drifted loose.
“Human harvest complete, hey?” a man stepped in close, watching the Earth shrink away.
“Failed, more like it,” I said, distancing myself.
“Ah well,” he winked, “I’m happy with the new Mars crop.”
My stomach turned, where’s the training deck?
© 2017-2021 Rebecca Glaessner
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