Void

19th October, 2020.

Monday.

Going through case files from C110-Mars

Came across an anomaly in file 23 section L

“ Mission Report

Day 1

I saw asteroids. They flew by with a burning trail of fire and ice

behind them, tailing them with splendour and a magisterial burst

of light, I watched them zoom by from the little hatch in the

space mobile. It took me three years to get here. It’s only been

three minutes and I’m already tired of this. The little shrub in the

corner of this pale white marble mobile doesn’t seem to move or

grow. No signs of life whatsoever. The stars were twinkling brightly

outside. They band across the galaxy like a screen of hope. However,

I’m in here stuck on this little square of a bed. I feel like I’m

tucked in like a matchstick into it. I signed up for this programme

thinking, I would be on an adventure, but I guess I’m the faulty

matchstick tucked in here. All I did was eat and sleep today. No

friends. No phones. Nothing. I feel sick in my stomach.”

He’ll get used to it, I’m certain.

“ Mission Report

Day 117

The flowers grew! They actually grew. There’s no unnecessary

stress and I work to my own good. I’m so glad I searched that

mysterious rover with all the seeds. Truly worth it.”

That’s great, an actual win for us.

“ Mission Report

Day 349

I’m scared. It keeps staring at me with those steely blue eyes.

They never blink. Ever. It just stares at me when I’m out on the

field or when I’m about to sleep or even if I walk out to check the

mobile’s stats. It’s terrifying me. It shows up in my nightmares.

Or I think it’s actually there. I’m scared to open my eyes. I think I

see it standing in the corner of the room behind the shrub; Just

silently peering at me. It’s frozen in place and it’s scaring me.

I’m really petrified. “

That is strange, we’ve recorded absolutely no signs of life on

the Red Planet, he’s probably hallucinating.

“ Mission Report

Day 409

Logan showed up today. He was my crewmate on Earth in the

bunker the both of us shared. He was reluctant at first to travel

to space. Nonetheless, I’m glad he’s showed up. That creature

is gone. I don’t see it anymore. I’m glad. We stare at the Earth and it’s a pale blue and green. Not that we can tell the time, but after a day of toil, the spectacular view is really worth it to soothe a pair of aching eyes. Hopefully, they call us back tomorrow as it’s day 410, and our crops are showing results. New habitats can grow here. Perhaps a new life even. “

It sounds alright now.

“ Mission Report

Day 410

There’s this constant ring of knocking on the door. It’s trilling in

my eardrums. ‘Let me in!’, he shouts. Logan keeps banging on

the door, his voice gruff as his fists pound on the door in pure

agony. “Let. Me. In. Right. Now.”, he angrily huffs out. I can hear

his ragged breathing, and a familiar shuffle of feet, as he

slumps his body against the door. The thing is, I would let him

in. If only the Logan behind me wasn’t cowering in the pitch

black."

Oh no!