“I’m a big fan of strong, dynamic storytelling. This is a bold and haunting story about a scientist trying to escape a doomed space station – and trying to understand what has been more important to him – family and home or his work trying to help humanity. His final understanding is chilling.” Charlie Higson, author, comedy actor and Orwell Youth Prize 2024 judge
T-minus 50 seconds. T-minus 49 seconds. T-minus 48 seconds.
The flickering ruby-red lights flashed on and off as Solomon scrambled to his feet, sweat beading his forehead. Explosions rocked the chamber, a piece of debris narrowly missing his head.
“Ranger 12, do you copy?” The young cosmonaut yelled into his communications device. “I repeat, do you copy?”
Nothing but static buzzed from the speaker.
Solomon tried to keep his hand from trembling. He grunted as he pulled another lever. His voice began to palpitate. “Ranger 12, shutting down all doors and systems. Preparing for evacuation. If you can hear this, please advise. Over.”
The astronaut leaped through the zero-gravity chamber and reached the emergency escape. An unused space suit hung in a cabinet ahead – it would be his only chance at survival. Hastily, he strapped on the suit and helmet, filling up his suit with oxygen.
The escape pod lay before him. All he needed to do was to board the small craft, and he could be on his way back home. He stared back at the entrance to the emergency escape while stepping into the escape pod’s compact seat.
He felt something clouding his mind, curling its tail around his brain, whispering into his thoughts. Your research… your work… all of it gone? Every single one of your efforts for the past dozen years…
Solomon shook his head. There are things more important than fame and glory. But it’s your life’s work, Solomon. Your goal from day one. What will you be if you go back without your progress? You would be nothing…
In an instant, images shot through Solomon’s mind. An electrocardiogram gradually flatlining. A fire burning. A woman pleading for help.
This is not what we wanted.
The memories stunned his thought process. Momentarily frozen, Solomon was only halfway into the escape pod when another detonation sounded behind him, a fireball spreading into the chamber. There was a bright white light and Solomon cried out.
It was as if Solomon had been sucked inside of a void – a void full of whispers and archived memories. He felt his body floating, as if he was traversing through the empty reaches of space. A voice called out to him from a distance.
Solomon.
A face appeared from a distance. Ghastly hair and weary eyes came into focus as Solomon’s mouth widened.
Rhea?
Solomon tried to lunge forwards but he couldn’t. Invisible chains of metal held his arms into place, restraining him from embracing his late wife.
The woman whispered out a murmuring breath. Solomon…
Solomon tried to speak to her, but found out that his mouth was now held shut by some unseen force.
Rhea shook her head, a subtle move full of bittersweet disappointment.
All those years since I died, and you’re still no different.
Do you remember what happened, Solomon?
The noise of a raging flame reached Solomon’s ears. He felt metal falling down around him, his arms wrapped around a model of a space station.
Solomon opened his eyes to find a younger Rhea staring desperately back at him from the distance, her own arms clutching a crying child of around twelve years of age, uttering a single, choking phrase.
This is not what we wanted.
Solomon howled as they disappeared into the fire. Not this. Anything but this. Rhea’s voice echoed over the horrifying scene. A young child appeared beside her, his eyes devoid of life. Do you remember that day? Do you even remember your own son? Solomon wept. I do remember… Of course I do.
Please, Rhea. I tried to change. I meant it. You were my home… My family… A tear fell from her ghostly face.
I’m sorry, Solomon. You made your own home, and now you will be trapped in it. Rhea’s face morphed into some grotesque horror, as did the young child. It was as if they were laughing at Solomon, who screamed again and again until he was pulled from the void, his world spinning like a rollercoaster he could not disembark from.
All at once, the chaos stopped and there was silence.
Absolute silence.
Solomon lay there, a faint beeping noise ringing in the emptiness of his helmet. He felt himself drifting backwards, and opened his eyes. The scene appeared before him, the space station disappearing in a conflagration of fire and explosions. He breathed in.
Breathed out.
The crack in his helmet widened slowly as a faint red light blinked on and off in the visor of the helmet.
Solomon, unable to move, floated aloft through space, utterly alone. The earth slowly came into view as he sailed past the last of the debris.
I just wanted to go home…
He felt the familiar notion of something unnatural wrapping around his head. You see? You put your work and fame before your own wife, children and family… You let them burn in that fire… What kind of person are you?
A acrid taste spread through Solomon’s dry throat. I was just trying to make my research help humanity. I didn’t want this to happen. Please…
You’ve spent your whole life trying to achieve your goal. But you’ve put everything aside: your friends, your family. You’ve made scientific breakthroughs and so many discoveries, but you’re still too… stupid. To realise that you’re not what you think you are. You’re not perfect – and it’s about time you found out.
The entity that enveloped his thoughts slowly faded away, leaving an uneasy, icy feeling in his brain. Solomon gasped at the numb shock, but there was no more air around him to breathe.
Earth hung before him, like a tantalizing piece of fruit he could never obtain. The crack in the helmet spread out ever so slightly, as did his smile.
Maybe that voice in my head was right. Maybe Rhea was right. Maybe my home is out here after all.
He laughed derisively. He laughed until the visor of his helmet finally gave way, and he couldn’t laugh anymore.