Mark stepped down from the space shuttle, and with an exhilarated cheer, waved back at the friendly flight crew who had accompanied him for almost a year on the flight to Earth; but now, they would be travelling back home to the central space station. It was a stormy day, lightning crackling, wind whistling, hushed voices hurrying to their respective transports. This was Earth. Ever since he was little, Mark dreamed about Earth, its resplendent beauty, variety, and culture. He stepped into the spaciously air-conditioned spaceport, and was greeted by a bright cheerful couple with blond hair and blue eyes. All his life, Mark had lived on the dreary hunk of space rock called Mars. Artificial gravity, water recycling, and hydroponic technology had made space colonization possible. Mark’s parents viewed Earth as an overcrowded wasteland, contrary to Mark’s beliefs. Life on Mars was very dull and boring. Since his parents had long been successful in the ore mining industry, the other children viewed him as an outcast, since most of their parents actually worked for Mark’s. Everything on Mars was dedicated to survival, but it didn’t have much to offer in entertainment. Videos were limited to education and the many technical aspects of resource conservation. Anyone could’ve understood how miserable Mark was. That’s when he acquired the uncontrollable urge to visit Earth, the world of dreams. Only the rich remained after the terrible plaque, but the resilient human race rebuilt itself, and aspiring entrepreneurs set out on colonization missions to make their fortunes. Earth had recently recovered, and earned the reputation of being the most diverse place around. This was where Mark wanted to be, to free himself from this numb life, judging classmates, and distant parents. His parents finally relented when they saw how depressed he was, not eating or sleeping or talking. Arrangements were made for the expensive trip, much to the jealousy of the other kids. As the spaceship rose into the cloudy Mars air, a tear silently rolled down his mother’s cheek, but that was impossible. They never showed any kind of affection for him, not with grades, projects or anything. His father waved stoically like a lone monolith alongside his mother. Without another glance, Mark stepped on.
Mark was assaulted by a truckload of brilliance upon stepping into the bustling spaceport center. Glasses clinking, raucous shouting, rumbling wheels all melding into a sphere of wonder. So this was Earth.
“You’re overwhelmed by this?” the man asks, a twinkle in his eye, “This is only a slow hour. Wait till you see the mall!”
The woman, noticing how unsteady Mark was in this heavier gravity, steadied him, which he noted with a gratified grin. She smelled of roses and freshness, but most of all – kindness. These childless adults had readily accepted to take care of Mark while he was visiting. They would take care of his schooling as well. Sleep finally consumed him as he was led to their waiting hovercraft.
Something rich tempted his nose – richer than anything he’d ever smelled. Bolting upright in bed, the freshly comforting linen slipped away. All he could remember from last night was taking a shower and crawling in bed. The room was well-kept and plain, and Mark noticed some sort of flower in a glass container on the nightstand. The smell was nice, but what purpose did it serve? Back on Mars, the only flowers that existed were those from medicinal or food plants. The lure of frying eggs, though he didn’t know it yet, still beckoned, and Mark eagerly got dressed and hurried downstairs in baggy shorts and a T-shirt. This was yet another welcome difference. The clothes back on Mars were mostly tight-fitting one-piece suits, which Mark always hated. They were constricting and suffocating, though he had never heard of anyone suffocating in one.
Bright sunlight filtered down the windows as Mark descended the spiral stairs, still unused to the Earth’s stronger gravity. His