Thomas Charles Henry

The place where my writing lives.

Armstrong – Friday Fictioneers

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Thomas Charles Henry

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It’s Friday Fictioneers time! The challenge is to write 100 words based on a weekly photo prompt chosen by our host Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Check out her blog for more information by clicking here. Thank you to all who take the time to read, like, or comment.

2017-02-24

PHOTO PROMPT © Sarah Potter

Armstrong

The Lunar City of Armstrong. Population 6,001.

Simone squinted. The distant stars and the dust of the Moon’s surface almost resembled a quaint snow globe scene. However, the massive spectre of Earth loomed ever present: white, cold and oppressive.

Armstrong was constructed in secret when climate change became a reality. Humanity’s new home was a luxury afforded only to the richest 0.000001%. And Simone. Her father, a technician, had smuggled her aboard the final shuttle. He used to call her ‘Nina’. Now, the other children called her ‘Token’. The adults avoided her. Her black face reminded them of their guilt.

23 responses to “Armstrong – Friday Fictioneers”

  1. Kecia Sparlin Avatar
    Kecia Sparlin

    If there’s ever a city on the moon, they just better call it Armstrong. You packed a lot of ideas in a small space. Very interesting.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thank you! I was originally going to be dull and call it Lunar City One. I was pretty pleased with the revised name. Glad you appreciated it.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  2. Rommy Avatar
    Rommy

    I wonder if her father was left behind, leaving Nina alone. Without someone to care for her, I would still worry about her future. Humans don’t like reminders of their guilt.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks for your comment Rommy. My idea was that her father was a technician who was involved in building the shuttles. He smuggled her aboard but stayed behind.

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  3. James Avatar
    James

    I once looked it up, and all you need is a few hundred people to start reproducing and sustain humanity. If Nina is black, and the only child, and only rich white people were able to survive on the Moon, she’s a terrible liability, especially if their guilt drives them to do something rash…like put her out of an airlock.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks for reading and commenting James. She is in a very precarious situation indeed.

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  4. neilmacdon Avatar
    neilmacdon

    The up side is I’m not sure there’ll be enough genetic diversity in a population of 6,001 to keep them viable

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      True. I think they relocated out of panic without thinking everything through!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. rochellewisoff Avatar
    rochellewisoff

    Dear Thom,

    You’d think we’d be able to leave that nonsense behind. I suppose as long as there are people…Well done.

    Shalom,

    Rochelle

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      My thoughts exactly. Thanks Rochelle.

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      Reply
  6. gahlearner Avatar
    gahlearner

    Yes, that. And that’s the idea behind wanting to get to Mars asap as well, I’m sure. But what do I say, didn’t you know that climate change doesn’t exist? I wonder if they even know who Nina Simone was, up there.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Haha! How foolish of me! I suppose climate change can exist…in science fiction!

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  7. Magaly Guerrero Avatar
    Magaly Guerrero

    My heart just broke a little… It seems humanity carries its faults wherever it goes, like a nasty virus that won’t get out of the blood. We can only hope that one day we find a way to get healthier.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Magaly. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Like

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  8. The Voice Avatar
    The Voice

    Wow. I wasn’t expecting that. Great story you packed into that tiny tale, Thom. A really scathing and truthful examination of humanity. This is by far my favorite.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      And this is by far my favourite comment! Haha! Thank you so much!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  9. Christine Goodnough Avatar
    Christine Goodnough

    Intriguing! A lot to think about. Well told.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks Christine!

      Like

      Reply
  10. wmqcolby Avatar
    wmqcolby

    Interesting idea, Thom. I know many rich people, though, who are all colors of the spectrum. Now THAT might be something to write about in its impact on the Armstrong colony. It makes the story more interesting and avoids the predictable. Nice work.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Thom Carswell Avatar
      Thom Carswell

      Thanks for your feedback. Sorry if you found it predictable. This was one of those rare and wonderful instances where the story arrived, fully formed, as soon as I saw the picture. I know there are many rich people of all backgrounds but my thoughts were that this was a particular group of white elitists, who organised a mini evacuation in secret while the rest of the world was busy trying to come up with another solution. The trouble is, they didn’t think it through. Once up there, their money is worthless, and their future just as bleak. Then there’s Simone…

      And what of the people left behind to face the second ice age?

      This was merely a 100 word taster.

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      Reply
      1. wmqcolby Avatar
        wmqcolby

        Gotcha. I was hoping for a different type of angle, that’s all, mainly because the market is oversaturated with these types of people and situations. That doesn’t mean the story line doesn’t have any merit, though. Keep on pursuing it. Let characters speak for themselves and they’ll do interesting things.

        Like

  11. mandibelle16 Avatar
    mandibelle16

    Poor girl, it would be hard to be the only one of her skin color in the colony. It might mean racism to the extreme if everyone else is rich and white. Or perhaps it means greater diversity in the gene pool?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  12. Reena Saxena Avatar
    Reena Saxena

    Powerpacked punch!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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