Outrunning the Storm by Michele Dutcher	Against a Diamond by Michele Dutcher	A Fisherman's Guide to Bottomdwellers by Michele Dutcher	Louisville's Silent Guardians by Michele Dutcher

The Green Grass of Home

by Michele Dutcher

“Darn it Daisy Dukes! Why do they make those commercials so loud?” The woman holding the cleaver stopped chopping the meat on the counter, putting her arms over her ears.

“Buzz, Buzz, buzz,” blared the sound coming from the living room.
The small dog sitting on a chair in the corner whimpered and the irritating sound subsided.

“That’s better,” said the woman, returning to chopping up the chicken, separating the wing from the breast. She floured the portion and dropped it into the hot grease in the frying pan.

She looked out the small window over the sink and marvelled at the gently rolling hills in the distance. “I never knew how much I missed Virginia until you convinced me to move back home.” She looked over at the medium-sized border collie who perked up her ears. The pair happily listened to the sound of the chicken sizzling in the pan.
“Daisy Dukes, could you go out to the back room and get some more meat from the freezer?” She looked at the dog who cocked her head sideways, inquisitively. The woman chuckled at her joke while washing her hands. “Oh that’s right – you’re just a widdle biddy puppy, aren’t you?” She walked over to the dog and scratched behind its right ear. “Who’s mama’s good dog? Who is it? Who is it?”

“It’s me,” replied the dog.

“Yeah, that’s right – it’s Miss Dukes.”

The woman walked to the back door, held her breath, and opened it. She stepped through the air lock, into the domed, silver room – grabbing a chunk of meat before going back inside her kitchen. Maggie threw the frozen meat into the sink and began running hot water over it, hoping to quick-thaw it. She looked out over the darkening hills in the distance, where a crescent moon was rising.

“That’s odd,” she said with wonder. “Where’s the other moon? Oh, that’s right, this planet only has one satellite.” She looked over at the dog that watched her with huge brown eyes and chuckled nervously. “I’m so silly. Of course Earth only has one moon. What was I thinking, silly me.” She turned off the burner on the stove and began putting part of the fried chicken into the dog’s food bowl, who immediately came over to eat up the tasty meal.

She put a plate full of fried chicken and lima beans on the table and began to enjoy the meal as well. “I had the strangest dream last night, Daisy. I dreamed I was living on Mars – yes Mars! I was in a tiny dome and there were other people there who were running and – well, then I was the only one left.”

“I had that same nightmare,” said the dog. “And in my dream, I came to rescue you – making sure that the rest of those bad people didn’t hurt you. And then you saved me by making sure I had plenty to eat.”

“That’s right. And doggies need meat to keep them strong.” The woman was busy now cleaning up the kitchen, loading her dishwasher. “I’m so glad you helped me get back home. I was so unhappy, waiting, waiting for those other people to arrive – and they just didn’t come. You know how much I hate to wait on people. It’s just as easy to be ten minutes early as ten minutes late!”

Why hadn’t more humans come to Mars as planned? Why hadn’t the colonists heard from Earth in over two years? Had the people of Earth finally killed each other off? Had there been a plague? More than likely the funding had been cut as people simply lost interest, leaving the ten people on Mars to live out their lives alone, with no hope of rescue, in their very expensive prison.

The dog looked up for a minute, and the woman began laughing. “Imagine me back on Mars! What a nightmare! I’d much rather be right here with my widdle biddy Daisy Dukes.” She leaned over to pet the black and white furry animal on the back and noticed the dog felt like cold wet leather. She pulled her hand back quickly, but softened, as she stared into the dog’s big brown eyes.

“I love you Miss Dukes. If you eat all that I’ll fix you some more.”
Maggie went over and sat down at the table to finish her supper.

While the human was busy eating her supper, the Glasathon finished and sat down on its behind, curling its six legs around it. He looked at the woman that some would have called a monster for killing others of her species in this tiny outpost of humanity. But no one could have known how lonely she was with only the other humans for company. No one could have known how much she longed to look out a window and see the rolling green hills of her cozy home. The small creature still marvelled at the depth of what she labelled ‘homesickness’, and her love for the tiny, furry animal she had left behind on Earth.

But that was okay. Soon the swarm would come and the Glasathonians would pick him up on their way to Earth, and they would all profit from the borrowed images inside Plunth’s mind. He looked again at the delusional woman and realized that somewhere, deep down, he loved this monster who cared so much about him. And she really was an excellent cook. He hoped his comrades would come soon, so he wouldn’t have to drag her down and rip her apart, devouring her like they had devoured every member of the colonists of Mars One.
 

Read more stories by this author

Outrunning the Storm by Michele Dutcher	Against a Diamond by Michele Dutcher	A Fisherman's Guide to Bottomdwellers by Michele Dutcher	Louisville's Silent Guardians by Michele Dutcher

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