A (very) short story titled 'Our World is Beautiful'

[Elsa F]

Home.
How I longed to return, to be able to feel a cool breeze wash over my face once more. But I could not return. Ever.
Securing my helmet firmly, I unlocked the vacuum-sealed door before me, and drifted into the unknown. When I left the spacecraft, I left all boundaries with it. I became weightless. Free… yet I would gladly forsake it all for the presence of another living, breathing being like myself.
Far, painfully far, below me, I saw the Earth hanging in the thick void of space: an orb of shimmering green and blue. Perfectly sculpted. Our planet was the very image of tranquillity- how ironic! It took hundreds of kilometres to fully distance myself from its ceaseless turmoil, and already I wanted it all back. Despite the chaos, despite the horrors, despite its inhabitants.
There was just one problem: would the Earth accept me? No, what a suggestion! I was an outcast, left on my lonely orbit until I ran out of food, oxygen, or worse. The last playing card left on the table. Or the only remaining chocolate in the box.
My world may have rejected me, but I could not do the same. How could anyone bear the idea of leaving such wonders for good. The splash of a falling raindrop. The softness of a cat’s coat. The sting of salt in my eyes, nose, and mouth, as it sprayed up from the sea. Like a magpie, I sought out only what shined, ignoring the darker memories, hoping there were some that I could forget. Shouting, crying, fear, pain, hatred, murder, war… it tore at my soul to know that so much suffering still goes on, but I remained truly helpless.
If I could return one day… perhaps… who knows? Yet what was the purpose in dwelling on what I cannot possibly achieve? There was only one option left for me: if I couldn’t join the bright joy of my planet again, I had nowhere else to go. Nothing else to reach towards… nothing else, except the wilderness that lay beyond. An unexplored universe, filled with new promises, waiting to be broken. It beckoned, drawing me away from my past. Eventually, the pull was too much to resist; I had been drawn in by the force of its intrigue, stronger than magnetism, even stronger than gravity. Soon my control failed me. I let go. I unchained my spirit. I removed the one life-line that had kept me attached to the rest of mankind, without once looking back at our beautiful, beautiful world.

[aparsons]

This has a rhythm to is, like one of those singing stories. I like the imagery you give us, and it's such a sad story. Thanks for sharing!

[DATo]

Wow! This was short but sweet. I really like your writing style and the voice of this piece. Besides being a well-penned story it can also serve as a wakeup call to remind us of all the good things we have on earth. We take so much for granted until it is gone. Early in the piece I heard the hopeless echoes of George Bailey's thoughts before Clarence appeared. We are left to ponder why this space adventurer appeared to be exiled which adds a bit of mystery to the story as well. Sometimes leaving a bit of mystery can be a good story device.

Very nice story. Thank you for sharing!

[Gannon]

A charming short story, very well written. I absolutely love the sentence, "It took hundreds of kilometres to fully distance myself from its ceaseless turmoil, and already I wanted it all back." Beautiful sentence. In fact the whole thing is beautifully written. I love the dilemma posed to the space man to leave the world that he obviously loves and yet hates at the same time or just to let go and embrace uncertainty and the unknown. Loved it, kudos Elsa F.

[e-tasana-williams]

Great story Elsa F! Thank you for sharing it with us. The rhythm and pace drew me in right away and kept me reading smoothly until the end. Well written!

[Vermont Reviews]

Great story Elsa F! Thank you for sharing it with us. The rhythm and pace drew me in right away and kept me reading smoothly until the end. Well written!

I agree very well written.

Keep up the great work

Vermont Reviews

[KatherineEWall]

This is the type of story which I love to read aloud. There is as much beauty in the cadence as there is melancholy in the meaning. Thank you for sharing this. You have a real talent for tugging on emotions.