The Notebook of Forsythia Bloom

I had to find out more about how I got here, so I decided to pay a visit to the place where I was found. Bud offered to walk out there with me. It wasn’t too far. As we approached, we could make out a shape on the horizon. When we got to the site we saw it–a plant–as tall as me, tube-like, with a soft, wispy flower at the top. Strangely beautiful. I sketched it quickly as the sun went down, then we rushed back to camp. When we got back I had another surprise…some Council lackey had come around asking about any strange activity going on at the camp. Bud said we should go  see this guy Leif at Food Rations because he sees everyone in the camp every day and he’d know more. Leif said the visitor was indeed from the Council, she had long, black hair, and she was asking about meteorites in the area and could we please quit holding up the line. He’s not the nicest guy, but at least he was helpful. I think the visitor was Rose.

Found out the reason for the smell–this is some kind of brick-making outfit. And apparently, if you’re able to stand, you’re fit for work. I’ve hardly had time to inquire about how I got here, and they’re not too interested in volunteering information around here. I did talk to a guy named Bud, who told me that a scouting party found me unconscious out on the desert plain a few days ago. One strange thing though. He said that when they tried to carry me back to the camp, they had to keep putting me down. My skin was burning their hands.

I’m alive. I’m ALIVE. Why am I still here? The sky closed in on me–it went black. Where is…it was cold, and the little pond plants were all around me. Hundreds. I felt calm. Then there was a kind of weightless feeling. Peace and serenity. Then nothing. I’ve just woken up somewhere else…I’m in a sort of tent, a white tent, and there’s a breeze outside. I can see the walls flapping. There’s a smell too, kind of like burning fuel packs and damp clay. I’m guessing this is not the afterlife. Time to find out where I am.

These will be the last words written by a native of this planet. Why am I even bothering? After all, I’ll be dust in a matter of hours. The ship is gone. They launched at first light. Rose was right all along. The Council was hiding something…that none of us ever had a chance. They built that ship for themselves. Everyone is gathering at The Center right now. Not me. I’ll meet my fate alone, sitting here by the pond. As I lay here on the grass I can see the last sliver of sky slowly dissolving into chaos. It’s actually kind of beautiful. Ah, and here come creeping my little lovelies…the plants I discovered. There are more now. Weird little things–I’ll be the only one who knew you existed. Wow, there really are a lot now. You don’t know what’s coming, do you? Nature’s just keeping on…right until the end.

Several days and still no reply. I’m getting worried. There is a large gathering at The Center right now. There’s concern that the blast wave might reach our barricades sooner than expected. I’ve noticed more activity going on at the launch site, too. If the Council decides to launch early…what if they haven’t even looked at my report yet? Please, please, please…I have to be on that ship.

The Council has agreed to review my findings! This is my ticket off this planet. Once they see my discovery, they’ll recognize what a valuable scientist I am, and they’ll be sure to grant me passage to New Home. Just in time, too…if the current predictions are true, the waves of the Geometry Bomb will soon reach our shores, and this territory will be obliterated. Anyone left here will be trapped forever, their atoms randomly dispersed through space–not living, but not truly dead. I don’t like to think about these ghosts. I will get to New Home.

I’ve found several more of these odd plants over the past few weeks. Each day there seem to be new ones…they seem to be taking over the pond. I set up a surveillance camera at the pond to get a better idea of how they are multiplying. The strange thing is, they don’t really seem to be mobile unless I’m around. Admittedly, this is a bit alarming, but they don’t appear to pose any kind of a threat. They don’t bite or sting, they just…grasp.

In my nightmare I’ve been caught in the geometric current of the reality bomb. I know we are far from the blast zone, but who doesn’t sense the doom that awaits this planet? Who can sleep soundly knowing that the blast zone continues to grow, as it has for hundreds of years?  I saw my hand disintegrating before my eyes- felt it in that strange way you feel things in dreams.  The sooner I can get off this planet the better. Teams are being assembled daily for the exploration of our new home. We’re so close now. Please let me be chosen.

I had heard enough crazy conspiracy theories about what is really

going on at Mars Labs. Rose could be so overly dramatic. I decided

to take a walk down to the Water Garden. The sound of the water

trickling down the rocks is always so relaxing. I walked right over

to the edge of the pond and peered in. No sooner had I glimpsed

my reflection than a strange vine-like tendril rose straight out of

the water and proceeded to wrap itself around my foot. I stood

utterly still, curious about what this strange little plant was

doing. Soon enough it was all the way out of the water, curled

around my ankle like a cuff. Back in my laboratory I carefully

removed the specimen to be preserved and studied. A discovery

like this could really get me noticed by the Council.