Hell is the Moon (Flash Fiction)
"I wake up and see the Earth above me. Quickly, I realize that something is wrong."
Author’s Note: As you may notice, it’s Tuesday. So why did I post a story in Germanicus Publishing? Because I want to get this story out while it’s still October (and Halloween). I’ll send something out on Thursday. Stay tuned. But for now, enjoy this quick little story.
I wake up and see the Earth up above me. Quickly, I realize that something is wrong.
The Earth? Where am I?
Around me, there’s nothing. It’s all lifeless and rocky and… dark. It takes some time for me to realize that I’m on the Moon.
I struggle to accept it, but it’s the only possibility worth entertaining. Being surrounded by nothing but rocks, being able to see the Earth in the sky. It all makes sense. But then, I ask myself, how am I breathing?
I panic before realizing that I’m not breathing at all. In fact, my heart’s not even beating. How is that even possible?
I realize then that I’m dead.
I remember now: late for work, I was speeding with my car; and then there was a truck. The next thing I knew, I’m on the Moon.
This is not the afterlife that I expect, being on the Moon all by myself.
Awesome!
Finally, no one to bother me. No annoying nephews asking me to play, no brothers pestering me to go to Church, no parents barging in my business! I can just relax. Why not? I’m finally all alone. I can do whatever I want.
***
But what can I do though?
Video games? No, they have no video games on the Moon, or computers, or the internet. Getting something to eat? Even if there is a place to eat, I’m dead. I can’t sleep either, what good is sleep for a dead person?
They got nothing on the Moon. Nothing at all.
I scream as loud as I can, looking for people, anyone. I run around aimlessly on this lifeless ball of rock. I don’t know for how long, but my actions are in vain. There’s nobody here!
I look upon the Earth and see the Western Hemisphere. Glancing at the North American continent down below, I can see the place where I died hundreds of thousands of miles away.
In desperation I jump as hard as I can, hoping to reach the Earth. No such luck. Even in death, I’m still bound by the laws of gravity. Perhaps even more so, as I realize that the Moon should have lower gravity than the Earth, and yet my body feels heavier than ever.
Or should that be my soul?
I remember harder, hoping that there’s something I had missed that can help me get out of this nightmare. Then, I realize that there’s more to what had happened to me after my unfortunate accident. I met God, He was not pleased with me. I gave all of the excuses of why I stopped going to Church, why I mistreated those around me, why I stopped paying attention to Him. He wouldn’t have any of that.
In short, that’s how I got here.
***
I hear pathetic wailings and aggressive gnashing of teeth - my own.
In despair, I have been sitting down for so long that I end up losing track of time, not that time means anything where I am. Deep down, I know that I deserve this. The life that I had led were as lifeless and empty as the planetoid that I am on now.
Funny, I used to believe that hell is other people. I now know that hell is the lack of others.
Thanks for reading. But if you want something less depressing, check out my novel Inquisitor’s Promise. Available on Amazon as Kindle and Paperback:
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