Earthshot
A sci-fi story about achieving your dream through hard work and determination
Last week’s story, “Don’t Leave,” was written by me. It was partly inspired by the movie 10 Cloverfield Lane (which is great; if you haven’t seen it yet, definitely check it out!) The poll results were right on, with 100 percent of people pegging the story as written by me. Now, check out this week’s story and see if you can tell if it’s written by man or machine.
The boy sat on the edge of his bed, staring out at the endless expanse of gray rock that surrounded the moon colony. He was just seventeen years old, but he felt older than time itself. He had spent his entire life on this barren, lifeless rock, and he longed for something more.
"What're you thinking about, kid?" came a voice from the doorway. It was his father, a grizzled old miner who had spent his entire life working the mines beneath the moon's surface.
The boy didn't answer. He just kept staring out into the darkness.
His father sighed and came into the room. "You still thinking about going to Earth, huh?"
The boy nodded slowly.
His father shook his head. "It's not gonna be easy, son. It takes a lot of money to get off this rock, and we don't exactly have much of that."
The boy knew that all too well. His father worked long, hard hours in the mines, but they barely made enough to get by.
"I'll find a way," the boy said quietly.
His father gave him a skeptical look. "You'll have to work hard … harder than you've ever worked before. But if that's what you want, then I'll support you."
The boy nodded, determination etched into his features.
Over the next few months, the boy threw himself into his work. He took on extra shifts at the colony's greenhouse, tending to the delicate plants that kept the colony alive. He worked tirelessly in the colony's metal shop, honing his skills at crafting intricate pieces of machinery.
Through it all, he never lost sight of his goal. He saved every penny he could, socking it away in a small tin can hidden beneath his bed.
Eventually, he had saved up enough money to buy a ticket on the next transport ship to Earth. His heart swelled with excitement as he boarded the ship, his meager belongings packed tightly into a small duffel bag.
The journey was long and grueling, but when he finally stepped off the ship and onto the soil of Earth, he knew that it had all been worth it.
He spent weeks exploring the vibrant, sprawling cities that stretched out before him, but he couldn't help but feel a weight on his body that he had never experienced before. The gravity on Earth was so much stronger than on the moon, and it was taking a toll on him.
He walked through Central Park, his steps heavy and slow, his body struggling to adjust to the pull of the planet. He stood in awe before the glittering lights of Times Square, but his legs ached from the effort of standing upright for so long.
He sampled exotic foods from street vendors, but found that he couldn't eat as much as he could on the moon — his stomach had shrunk from lack of use. He visited museums and art galleries, but had to take frequent breaks to rest his weary body.
Even venturing out into the countryside was a challenge. The rolling hills and vast, open fields that stretched out before him seemed impossibly vast, and he struggled to make his way across them.
As the days went by, he longed for the low-gravity environment of the moon. He missed the feeling of weightlessness, the freedom of movement that he had taken for granted his entire life.
In the end, he realized that he would always be a child of the moon, that the gravity there was a part of who he was. But he also knew that he would never forget the thrill of finally achieving his dream and setting foot on the land of his ancestors, even if it came with a heavy price.