Empyrean

Empyrean

Madsen squinted in the bright light, repositioned the tarp that was his sunscreen, and moved deeper into the paltry shadow it afforded.

"Empyrean indeed," he snorted. "This isn't heaven – it's not even the Garden of Eden."

Madsen was a forward scout for the IMG – the Interplanetary Migration Guild - and had been sent to get the real world facts about "Empyrean."

Some scientist had a real sense of humor, he thought. This place is more like Hell. That much was evident from orbit. Vast deserts covered the planet's surface. Still, he was obligated to land and take samples.

"If not today, then tomorrow," he quoted IMG's motto. In spite of the number of earth-like planets that had been discovered, it was amazing to him that so many were "like" and not "earth." The majority – like this one – would need to be tweaked before colonization began.

"Damn sand," he muttered, as the wind abraded him. A sudden storm had clogged his ship's engines during descent forcing him to crash land. Now, his challenge was simple: survival until a rescue craft could come.

"Let's see what we've got," he muttered, taking stock of his salvaged supplies. He confirmed what he already knew. Water was in short supply.

He opened the core-sampler box. The device looked like a long drill with a lawn mower engine on top. If I'm lucky ... his thoughts trailed off.

Hefting the device, he brought it to life and began to force it into the earth. Once through the top layer of sand, he felt the bit slow as it hit solid ground. As he watched, a dark wet stain began to spread.

"Well I'll be ... " Madsen stopped. "No, not damned, that's for sure."

He grinned. "This may not be heaven but you can see God's smile from here."

The wind whispered assent.


Notes:
An entry for the 6/29/10 round of "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"  [13+]
Prompt: Write a story that includes the words: sunscreen, garden, lawn mower

empyrean ~ The highest heaven, in ancient belief usually thought to be a realm of pure fire or light.

Word Limit: 300
Word Count: 300

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please, as long as you're here, leave a comment. Criticisms, thoughts, reactions, yes – even words of encouragement or praise – are all equally welcome

Ken