#cosmic

"I’m going to Saturn,” Isaac said under his breath. I looked over towards his desk and jokingly said back, “You’re going there for summer break?” Isaac just stared downward scribbling something in his notebook, ignoring me, mumbling to himself. I sighed and moved back in my seat and stared at the clock. Only 10 minutes until we’re out of here and summer finally begins.

There was a time before history. Before words. Before sanity.

The human race breathed a sigh of relief when we finally colonized Mars. Years of overpopulation and resource shortages left our first planet stressed. Mars was seen as a pressure valve. A new planet for us to build up and eventually ruin. But we all knew it wasn’t a permanent solution. With the way our population grows, it would only give us a finite amount of time before we were in the same boat as before. We needed more planets. Planets that are farther away and host a greater abundance of…

A flame burst from the darkness. It was hesitant for a moment, but flashed for an instant, showing the faint glimpse of a lone figure. A second flame was made, but it sizzled low before fading away. The third, like the first, was shy for a moment. However, soon it became full of thorns and nipped at the fingers of its master, but it was held in its place. It would not go its own way, no, it must be sealed in a cage of iron and glass.

THE BEGINNING Every American child is familiar with the Statue of Liberty. Green woman. torch. crown. Greetings to the bunched masses, and the exhausted. Since 1886, she has stood atop that pedestal, grinning at cameras, ships, and school groups that wave back. The sole, covert goal of Division 0 was to ensure that she stood on her place. On one unfortunate day, they decided they won't monitor The Statue of Liberty. Midnight struck upon the clock, Guards patrol without focus.