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Jonah Billings

Ms. Lukins

Language Arts Period 3

17 October 2017

The Red Planet

Roy and Ciara Thomas walked silently along the flat red landscape, all senses

straining for any kind of hint that the silver thing Roy had seen was not, in fact, a figment

of his imagination. They wanted to believe that there would be life to discover,

something that would take their mind off the loneliness that was already setting in. This

was Mars, after all, and they were the first humans to walk on this alien surface.

Mission control to Operation Red Planet, come in Operation Red Planet, the

voice crackled suddenly through their helmets.

I read you loud and clear, captain. Roy responded. Should we head back and

set up camp, or keep looking?

Head back. Theres a dust storm welling up that will hit in about 3 hours. You

need to set up the THU before it comes, or youre dead meat.

Roger. Over and out. He turned to his wife and smiled. Mars grand welcome:

a dust storm. Fantastic. They turned and walked back toward the ship together.

The THU stood for Temporary Housing Unit, but it wasnt like something you

would see at a trailer park. It was an airtight capsule that looked a bit like a massive,

shiny Tic-Tac with smaller pods attached to it that included food, water, bunks,

communication, and toilets. Ciara sighed as she stood outside and surveyed the newly
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erected THU that would be her home for the next 5 years. This was the bare minimum

for anyone to live off, she thought disdainfully.

Are you sure there isnt a better option? she asked for the third time that day.

The only other living spaces they sent us with are the emergency THUs, and

those are even worse. Roy responded, though he felt like complaining too.

Look, I know that we are here as scientists and not tourists, but this? They didnt

train us to live here! Theres a reason these things are temporary! Ciara raged.

Im not happy it about it either, honey. Remember, I dont even get Netflix up

here! Right now, we just have to get inside before this dust storm hits. Roy said in an

attempt to console her.

They walked briskly into the airtight tunnel that sealed off the warm THU from the

freezing temperatures of Mars. The opening to the tunnel closed, the opening to the

THU opened, then they stepped inside and took of their spacesuits. Now dressed in

NASA jumpsuits, the couple sat down and looked out the hyper glass window as the

storm approached.

It was unlike anything either of them had ever seen before. When they were in

training, NASA had warned them of storms like hurricanes of sand and rock, but nothing

could prepare them for this. It looked like a tsunami of darkness, quickly roaring toward

them like a freight train. The winds were picking up, shaking the THU slightly. For the

first time, Roy was led to question if the Tic-Tac of Doom (that was what they were

calling it now) was strong enough to handle the power that this storm was sure to bring.

No, thats not right. NASA put this thing through a lot of tests so it would withstand

whatever Mars threw at it. Meanwhile, the swirling storm was growing closer and closer,
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until finally it hit them with unthinkable force, enveloping the THU with dirt and rubble.

Roy and Ciara were terrified at first, for it felt like their little pod would be pulled out of

the dirt and into oblivion, but they soon got used to it.

After all, Ciara pointed out, these storms last for weeks at a time. Those

weeks turned out to be the most boring weeks of their lives.

Finally, the storm was over. Roy woke up that morning to calm for the first time

since they had landed, and it felt fantastic. He rolled over to check if Ciara was awake,

but she wasnt there. As if on cue, she sprinted into the bedroom out of breath.

Roy, come here, theres something you should see. Roy quickly rolled out of

bed. When his wife used that tone, he knew it would be a huge mistake not to listen. He

followed her out to the widow, and what he saw made him gasp. It was a small silver

animal- the silver thing from the day we came! he realized- limping along the landscape.

He and Ciara exchanged a glance and began putting on their spacesuits as fast as

humanly possible. They rushed out the opening of the THU. When the creature saw

them, it yelped and frantically scrambled away from them but tripped and fell. Ciara

jogged over to it and picked it up gently. She gasped. It looked like a silver, glowing

puppy, the cutest puppy she had ever seen. It looked up at her with its big brown eyes

and whined pitifully. She cradled it in her arms and brought it over to Roy. His eyes

immediately began to water.

So... adorable He stuttered. Need... coffee He sprinted inside the THU for

his coffee. Ciara smiled as she followed him back inside. Maybe Mars wouldnt be so

bad after all!

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Within weeks, the puppy began to change, however. He became uglier as he

grew, and grow he did. Two weeks after they found him, he looked like a cow sized

bulldog. Worst of all, he required so much food and water that they were going way over

their daily rations! But he maintained his cheerful personality, so the martian couple felt

obligated to keep him, but they felt they might not be able to. Finally, Roy made his

decision. We have to at least dig a hole for him outside, he explained to Ciara. Were

going to starve if we keep him.

True, sighed Ciara. The next day, they rode about half a mile away in their

buggy, dug a huge den, marked it with a massive flag, and released the mars-dog into

the wild. Well come and visit you, we promise! Ciara said as the dog made himself

comfortable. They did visit throughout the years they were at Mars, in which period of

time the dog found a mate! They came one day to visit and found the two sitting happily

in their den with a litter of adorable puppies. Roy once again found himself craving

coffee.

So when you look at Mars through a telescope 4 years from now, keep your

eyes peeled for a thriving colony of Mars-dogs and the humans that might be among

them.