Our ship lands through purple light and haze-

a dusty atmospheric cloud of mystery that hovers over the soft ,

marshmellow surface of Perseus, third planet from the sun Tintern.

 

Securing our masks and radiation guns, we emerge from the the ship

and our anti-gravity boots hold us tightly to the strange, soft

surface.  The ground below us more

like a marshmellow than solid surface. Our boots sink as we step forward.

 

“This is a beautiful planet. UNbelievable. Can’t believe I’m here.”,

Mitchel said, as he stared at the large pink  mountains off to the east;

against the neon green sky, they shone brilliantly and still.

 

“It is wondrous. ” Williams said. “We should begin taking the measurements,

we only have an hour ‘s  supply of oxyg…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Williams filled the radio transmitter

with a scream that shattered the day dreams of the other members.

 

Cortez whipped around to see Williams being attacked by a 6-foot

worm-creature; its  hungry mouth was attached to Williams face mask

and in its writhing tail was a human arm, which it had ripped from his body.

 

Blood spurted out into the atmosphere, globs  resembling dark red roses

spilled and floated weirrdly from where Williams arm used to be.

 

“HOLY SHI….” Cortez was unable to finish his sentence, another worm

had shattered his helmet with angry teeth, was sucking the life from his face.

 

Suddenly the things were everywhere, and in the silence of this weird alien world

six men squirmed to their deaths in the mouths of alien things never imagined,

while a hot sun burst and burned beyond pink mountains,  through a cloudless green sky.

 

MR. H