It Imploded

I wanted to see the sun shine, but…

I wanted to admire the sun dance in the trees, but… 

I wanted to eat a peach kissed by the sun, but…

I wanted to race my shadow across a meadow, but…

I wanted to bathe in the sun’s golden light, but…

I wanted to taste the ripeness of summer, but…

Living miles below the earth’s surface there were no seasons. No summer. There was a constant grey and eternal cold which bit to my very bone. Reading a very distant relative’s journal made me long for summer sun. The traitor sun imploded centuries before I was born. So we lived like moles in the semi-darkness.  I felt like a mole – grey, partly blind and forever underground. 

The journal read, “Today we had a summer picnic on the beach before cascading into the sea. Unfortunately, the summer sun burnt my skin…”

How dare my ancestor complain about the sun! Didn’t she realise how very fortunate she was to be able to play outside in the glorious sun!

My days were so empty because all I could do now was dream about summer. All I could do was to read about summer. After taking the monthly injection of nutrition, minerals and fortified vitamins, I slumped on my bed. Burying deeper for warmth, I fell into a dream. I was walking on Earth on a glorious summer day idolising the sun-kissed trees and flowers. I admired the loveliness of a peach before taking a giant bite. It turned to cinders in my mouth. A terrible bang ricochetted. The sun imploded and the very atmosphere was on fire. I screamed myself awake as terror galloped through my veins. Once more I knew the sun-

…had imploded.

…humans had polluted the earth so scant vegetation grew.

…anything growing on earth was highly toxic.

…no sun rays meant no shadows.

…the sun no longer existed.

…summer was a far away once upon a time dream.