Dead Fields - For molliecollie's Story Contest

I looked up at the dark sky.
Celestia, our moon, was staring back at me from space.
I could just stand here for hours, in the high grass, next to my old farmhouse.
I felt the soothing, cool air brush against my face as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The soft grass was gently tickling my bare feet, relaxing me even more.
I wanted to stay here forever.
But I couldn't. Night was getting nearer and nearer, and I needed to get inside.

I trodded back into the house, ready to go to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, as usual.
I quickly undressed and slumped down into my hard, hay bed. I murmured a quick "goodnight" to my long gone parents and drifted off to sleep before the sun had time to set.


I woke up the next morning to a beautiful day. It was warm and sunny, which ment the crops would grow well.
I slipped my boots on and took my old sickle as I walked out of the door.
I gazed out on the unlimited field of high grass ahead of me. I was alone. And I always will be.
Well, I wasn't completely alone. I had Celestia, and the plants were also living things. Sometimes, I would tell them stories about fun times I had with my parents, or compliment the plants if they were growing well.
I snapped out of my thoughts and walked out into the fields.

As usual, it was hard work. I swept my sickle across the weet stocks. The sun wasn't as kind as it was earlier, and was beginning to bare down on me. I started sweating, but didn't care. All that mattered was that the hot sun was good for my crops.
A few hours later, when I was finally done with the first eighth of a small near-by section of the farm, I looked up at Celestia, wiping sweat off my forehead. There she was, in the same spot she was in for years. On Caia (the planet I lived on), the moon turned geosynchronously around the planet, so it was always in the same place in the sky.
I headed back into my farmhouse for lunch. It was very simple, because I always had the same thing to eat: Giraluna. It was about the healthiest thing ever. It had everything you needed in the right amounts. It was what I was growing in the endless farms.
Unfortunately, I had been eating the same thing in years, so it didn't taste very good anymore. I didn't care. As long as it was healthy, I would eat it.

I worked the rest of the day, feeling my muscles slowly getting tired as the sun set behind the grassy hills.
Now was the time I feared.
I quickly ran into the house and started shutting all windows with thick, metal shutters. I locked the front door with the usual four big locks and rushed upstairs, to my room. I had to fall asleep before night came.
I was too late.
I layed in my bed, hearing the screeching and moaning from the monsters outside.
I wouldn't be able to sleep.
But in the end, I managed to drift off.



"Please promise me you'll be quick."
"We'll be back before you know it. Take good care of the farm for us while we're gone, alright?"
"'Course, Mom," I said cheerfully.
I went to hug Dad goodbye. "I still don't get why you're leaving."
"Oh, honey, it's nothing you want to know about."
"Please?" I used my puppy eyes to get the truth out of him.
"Well... Let's just say your mother and I are going hunting."
"Hunting?" I asked, puzzled.
I saw Mom elbow Dad, murmuring something like "why did you tell her?"
"What's happening?"
"Look, sweety, we've just been asked to go assist... Um... Well... The army."
It took me a moment to absorbe what I just heard.
"The ARMY?!" I yelled.
"No, wait -"
"Are you SERIOUS?! Why haven't you told me about this sooner?! You guys may never come back! And who are we in war with now?"
"Honey, calm down -" started Mom.
"You're expecting me to calm down?! This is probably the last time I'm going to see you!" I sobbed.
"Now listen," said Dad, loudly, "we're coming back. We aren't in war. It's just that the last man in space has come back with some sort of virus in his space shuttle. Some strange creatures are now on Caia and we have to help get ride of them."
I stared wide-eyed at my parents. What were these creatures? Where did they come from? Why did my parents have to eliminate them? Were the creatures dangerous?
I had so many questions in mind, but didn't have the time to get answers.
"I am pretty sure we are coming back, okay?" continued Dad, "now if we don't -"
"DON'T SAY THAT!" I screamed, "IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A CHANCE OF NOT COMING BACK, THEN DON'T GO!"
"We have to. We can't just stay here, we have to help. And please, darling, we are coming back, don't worry. Now let me finish what I was saying... Incase we don't come back, we need you to lock yourself up every night with the metal shutters we installed not long ago."
"Wait, what - ?"
"I haven't finished. You need to pay very close attention to what I am saying. You absolutely have to close those shutters before the sun sets every night. Do you understand?"
"Yes," I said, tears in my eyes.
"Goodbye, sweetheart." And I was embraced in a tight hug by both my parents.
I watched as they both drove away in their air car. I would never see them again.