New years eve. They watched the Earth from the viewport, a glass of champagne at the ready, the Universal clock read 23:59. The six of them had been celebrating and dancing in the confined floorspace of the orbital pod for almost two hours now, and their mood was high.
The clock flicked to 00:00, and they each took a sip from their glasses, there were hugs, kisses and cheering from them all.
“Well, the lack of funding in the space program has made the last twelve months totally forgettable, here's to a new year to remember.” Said Barker, she raised her glass to the others, then took another drink, a huge grin spreading across her face.
“Wow! Those fireworks displays must be absolutely awesome this year,” said Rawlings, “I can spot them even from this distance.”
Barker, her grin spreading even wider, walked across to the monitor, switched it on, and zoomed the view, her face fell, then paled. “They aren't fireworks,” she said, “they're mushroom clouds.”
©2010 Stephen. J. Green.
I don't know how you'd mistake mushroom clouds for fireworks. Certainly you dying a few minutes later would tip you off.
ReplyDeleteHaha, hi John, I don't know if you have misread, or my physics knowledge may not be what it should be, but they are in an orbital pod (orbiting the Earth), and probably too high for the explosions to reach.
ReplyDeleteNice one, Steve. Great little story.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!!!
Thanks David, and best wishes to you for 2011.
ReplyDeleteOddly enough, even with the lingering lack of funding, the new year promises to be a rather unforgettable one for this space party.
ReplyDeleteYou rang out the old with a bang Steve!
Happy New Year!
Thanks Harry, you read it exactly as I hoped it would be read.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year.
That's one way to ring in the New Year. Though it would be a mistake to add a Happy in front of it. Good story!
ReplyDeleteThanks Eric, well, the orbital crew will be safe up there, for a while, until the food runs out....
ReplyDeleteOne way to send the year out with a blast. Love the idea of zero-gravity dancing. Nice tidbit and hope your new year starts well!
ReplyDeleteThanks Aidan. Happy New Year to you.
ReplyDeleteWhat a horrifying thought: to be trapped in space because there's no returning home to a planet full of nuclear fall-out. A nice and twisted ending, Steve.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stephen, it leaves one to wonder who came out best, them or the people on the planet.
ReplyDeleteGreat story Dad :-)
ReplyDeleteI like your style of evilness. :-D
Why, thank you kindly darling. I like your style of writing too. :-D
ReplyDeleteThese lines from the song Space Oddity are flitting around in my brain now.
ReplyDelete"Here am I floatin' 'round my tin can far above the world
Planet Earth is blue and there's nothing I can do"
I too love the idea of zero-G dancing. With war like that on the ground it'll be interesting to see how they react within the confines of the pod.
ReplyDeleteHi Tim, putting the brilliant David Bowie's words into someone's mind can't be a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteHi Seleste, They can't get home, and their food and water are finite resources, in the long run, it's not looking too good for them.
Gosh Steve, is this a metaphor for how the world is going to be this year? A reference to funding cuts AND nuclear war. Is there a connection? Now I'm thinking the student protesters in the UK have got their hands on something really scary!
ReplyDeleteHi Flyingscribbler, Jeez I hope not, I don't think I could cope with nuclear war, I'm far too busy these days. :-D
ReplyDeleteThe mushroom clouds was a nice touch, Steve. That would be really scary to see from outer space.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel, yes, I think it would probably be quite a sight.
ReplyDelete