New

The wind rustles through the almost-empty husks, pushing the leaves aside to pass through the cornfields. Steadily passing the fields, it goes on and on, not knowing where to or why, and silently dying on the banks of the swamp. As it passes, farmers raise their sun-tanned faces to it, breathing in the fresh air. It is rare that wind ever comes this way.

Soon, though, the farmers turn back to their work. They open every husk, and examine it for kernels. It is rare to find an ear of corn, so every bit counts. They collect every edible ear in a bag and bring it home that night. They work as hard and as fast as they can.Today is the last day before the yearly storm.

The sweat drips off their faces as they examined the last stalks. A scattering of rain drops, hitting aluminum roofing and sending the people into a silent panic. The farmers were still out there.

The farmers eyes grew in fear and they ran. They ran back to their homes, back to their families. This was no time to be outside.

Families grabbed belongings and headed down into the cellar, stocked and prepared for the storm. The last one caught them unprepared, and they lost many in numbers. Now they didn’t have enough to lose anyone.

The farmers charge to their houses, trying to keep their balance in the now slippery dust. They needed to get back. They needed to.

Only a few made it.

The starmed washed over like a wave, crushing everything in its path. One little girl cried, as she forgot her favorite doll. Another cried for their house. But nothing would be spared.

The wind raged, as if making up for every time it hadn’t blown. The torrent of rain poured from the sky. Dead bushes of knotted wood uprooted, pulled from the muddy swampland that is now the earth.

As the week passes by, the citizens use stores and stocks to survive. No fresh air, no going outside. Just sitting in small buildings until the storm passes, feeling trapped - unprepared. Though, of course, they have been preparing since last year.

After the week is over, finally they leave - once again breathing in the fresh air, the purity of it all. It only last a little while, though, before the stench of the rotting planet comes back in full force. But for now, they were content with just being there and not being stuck in their cellars for a while.

As they relax, wondering when they could rebuild their houses, a siren pierced across the emptiness, filling the citizens minds with fear. Then, over the intercom, a voice is heard.

“Citizens, we are pleased to announce that, after centuries of study, we have found a new planet to inhabit. It is a bit cooler, more the temperature of our planet before the pollution, but it is uninhabitable. There is water, and a variety of landscapes not unlike our own, ranging from tall mountains to shrubby lowlands. We will be leaving next week, please pack your bags. Bring one carry-on and one suitcase each, all with identifiers on them. No more.”

The message was repeated twice more and then there was silence. Murmurs aroused in each family as hope began to once more paint their skies. A flurry of action followed this brief calm, with hurried packing and decision-making filling the noise. This was no longer a period of brief relaxation for their troubles - it was a time of action before peace.

Some were scared to leave the comfort of a home they had known their whole life, others were excited at the prospect of a new life. But all would agree - it would change their lives forever.

The next week they were packed and ready, and they slowly filled the seats of the rocket. With their carry-on in hand, and their luggage in the baggage, they set off. Anxious faces peered from the windows as they left their once-home forever, never to go back. Some cried, some cheered. But there was no turning back now.

They traveled for two months. Most of the time they stayed contained in their seats, but the occasionally entered the small lounge in the center of the plane. There was not much to do, and they quickly became bored and eventually resorted to a routine, each individualized and personalized. However, two months is not forever, though it certainly felt like it.

As the new planet became closer and closer, they oohed and ahhed over the spectacle. Unlike their once planet, this planet had vibrant hues and bright shades. You could make out the seas and the land, the coverage. You could see the wonder of the planet, the moon, and stars around it. It was beautiful.

As they landed, they noticed something not described before. There was life, and it seems intelligent. These beings were tall, seeming frail looking. Their skin ranged in many vibrant hues and shades, their eyes a variety of shades. They had odd, thin, tentacle-looking things on their skulls, flaps at the side of their heads. The wore garnishes that covered their bodies in very vibrant hues, and the citizens on the ship couldn’t help but wonder why everything was so bright. It was like looking at a candy world.

But, even with the bright hues, they were scared. They were on a foreign planet with aliens nearby and they didn’t know what to do. A crackling voice rang out in the confusion.

“Please remain seated. A team of scientists are being sent out to examine the aliens. Remain seated.”

Anxious citizens peered out the now-dusty windows, hoping to catch a glimpse of the team. They were in full hazmat suits, something the citizens had never seen before.

As the one who could see the alien creatures watched, one of them had a strange contortion of their face as the lifted one appendix to shout in a foreign language, unbeknownst to them.

However, friend, the language is not foreign to us, as we know it very well, and I can translate for you - “ALIENS!”

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