After visiting a lot of sites involved in the A-Z Challenge. I’ve decided to try to devote the rest of my posts to speculative flash fiction. Writing one post a day is crazy-manic, but I feel like I’m learning a lot.

Deliberation

Life isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it becomes impossible, literally.

In her regular evals, supervisors often called Deana “upbeat” and “positive” and “a joy to be around.” She liked to say things like Attitude is everything and Never give up. Right now, she was terrified, wondering how they could possibly make it out of this alive.

Slowly, the backup backup plan came into laborious, slow realization. Days and days of planning gave way to drifting sands, unyielding rocks which looped and whorled around their base.

Supplies dwindled.

Within their domed walls, time passed: days, weeks, months, stretching out like the bleak and barren landscape, until the rescue ships arrived. By then, nearly a year had passed since the incident.

In the final report, drawn in relentlessly bureaucratic, non-descript typeface: Life on Mars not yet sustainable. Further deliberation needed. Fortunately, all settlers were rescued in time, thanks to careful planning and determination. Data collected will be priceless in easing over-population on earth, one day.