Planet Fall
by Steve Johnson

The sun was shining bright above the trees, casting shadows over the lush green hills that rolled across the horizon.  A few sheep grazed on the plush grass that seemed to go on forever.

Suddenly, the peacefulness of it all was broken by a deep whirring noise, getting louder and louder every second, the sheep were startled and ran to shelter, the whirring turned into a harsh rumble, filling the air all around.

Out of the clouds, a craft emerged, looking battered and out of control, bearing down on the unspoilt ground below.  Crashing through the trees, the craft hit the ground hard, breaking apart some of its wing and nose in the impact.

The craft slid across the ground like a stone skipping through water, the speed and the weight combining to force the craft through the ground and digging up the green grass.  Slowly the craft came to a halt, not far from the lakeside, the water disturbed by flying debris and chunks of ground.

After a few moments, the sheep that had ran off had all but come back, dead silence now engulfed the craft and the sheep felt safe, returning to feed.  Smoke started to emit from the rear of the craft, lights flashed, but still no sound or sign of life.

An alarm sounded from the craft, the huge metal cargo door at the rear started to open and then slammed to the ground, making flat anything beneath its steel structure.  Out of the cargo bay area that was now revealed, a man stumbled forwards and out of the shadows, shielding his eyes from the bright light.  He took a couple of steps forward, blood stained across his face and hands.

As he took a look at his new surroundings, his mind and body were both drained and he fell to his knees, no longer able to go on.  His body had taken enough damage and he needed to rest.

 

He had travelled far, far beyond any man before him yet little did he realise that his journey had only just begun.