He huddled at the cupola and waited.
Sirens blared and klaxon warnings bleated in time with the flash of red strobe lights and a monotone woman’s voice repeating: “Evacuate! Evacuate!”
He shook his head at the cluelessness of programmers. Who chose this particular word for the code-red recordings?
Evacuate to where?
The wall behind him warped and heaved, and it was as if the very apparatus was gasping for air. He slowed his own breath and tuned out the scream of bending metal and the meaning of the accelerated frequency of the voice commands.
He glued his eyes to the view. Finally.
His finger traced the line of green against blue and traveled inland to the approximate spec that was Bamboi.
Was anyone home looking up? They’d been so proud. The first of their own at the space-station, and … for at least another moment, the last astronaut alive.
For the What Pegman Saw Challenge: Bamboi, Ghana
Wonderfully original take on the prompt, Na’ama! I loved this… even if the ending appears to be dire…
Thank you, Dale. Dire, yes … enough to have me pause before I posted, hoping (though I’m fortunately not QUITE that famous as to really be worried about it …) that no one from the ISS will bump into this and feel alarmed … 😉 But, yes, thank you for the feedback, and I’m glad you liked it, dire or not … xoxo
😀 I think you’re safe…
xoxo
Whew … 😉 (then again, what if I WERE that famous… ;))
Then, maybe, just maybe, we’d be looking into witness protection…
Oh my! 😉
Oh, you’ve written this so well! It’s a tremendous take on the prompt. And there are so many stories; the first astronaut from Ghana; the importance of that last view of home as he is dying; the irritation of a crass piece of programming; the break-up of the spacecraft with the death of its occupants; the pride of the astronaut’s family and neighbours. So much in 150 words! Kudos, Na’ama!
Thank you, Penny! 🙂 This is such a kind comment to leave! We are, all of us, such complicated beings, and so much takes place in every second … on so many layers. Most times, of course, we cannot be aware of it all or we’ll be unable to do the many mundane and not so mundane things life entails … But there are those exquisite moments (both joyful and tragic) when life slows and moments stretch and those layers are revealed more fully. I’m so glad if I managed to convey some of it in this piece! 🙂 Na’ama
Brilliantly imaginative and thought-provoking.
Thank you JS! 🙂 I hope you come visit my blog again and I’d be happy for your feedback when you do. 🙂
Na’ama Y’karah,
That was a unique take on the prompt. Imaginative and well written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Yeah…I linked but…;) https://rochellewisoff.com/2018/09/16/who-nu/
Thanks, Rochelle … I can be a bit of a rebel when it comes to vantage points … So I’m glad this one worked! Thank you for the comment! Off to reading yours! 🙂 Na’ama
Excellent story–a novel’s worth of world, emotion, and stakes all packed into 150 words. Loved it, Na’ama.
Thank you, K! I loved your comment! 🙂
I agree that this was a nice story for 150 words – and sad too- but rich in detail and felt like I was there gluing my eyes to the view with him…
Thank you! I appreciate your feedback and your taking the time to do so. How very kind! Do stop by again 🙂 Na’ama
🙂 I will and thx for the nice reply
Great take. I like the God’s-eye (or in this case astronaut’s) view.
Thanks, J! 🙂 God’s eye might zoom closer or make the whole Earth a speck in the massive universe of things … but, yes, isn’t that a sort of God’s Eye View? 🙂 I like the image! 🙂 Na’ama
I really like this story. High stakes, ground control to major tom stuff. I like the details of seeing his country from space one last time, and the metal warping as he awaits death.
You might want to check to see if you meant cupola instead of copula in the first line. 😊
OH!!! Good catch! Thank you, yes, I totally did mean cupola! 🙂 Them Typos are sneaky little buggers, ain’t they?
Thank you also for the feedback — I am glad you liked the story! 🙂
A man from Bamboi in space!
Why not, right?! 🙂 Only that when a person from Bamboi makes it to space, I hope they return home safely along with all of their astronaut colleagues. …