Terrain
She realized she had been staring for a while, at this world so unlike her own. Soft dew lined the buds of the purple tree, it’s arms extending in delicate wisps. The orange hue of the sky interrupted by the slouching forest drifting up the mountain. As she stepped from the steel plank her boot met the crisp blue sand, forming an indent, but only for a moment. As she walked, the sand would weave and reform; leaving the landscape as pristine as before, perhaps more so. Moving toward the forest she thought of the path that brought her here. The trips and turns. But the landscape was transfixing and she was drawn back to it. It enraptured her as the ships warning system let out a futile bleep.
The thick scent of the trees buds, through the masks filter, was almost as enticing as their sight. She continued to walk deeper through the dense foliage. It was hard to imagine anything so beautiful compared to the cold iron and rock back home. It was as if the whole landscape had been painted by a surrealist, one with an eye for colour. She looked for signs of animal life but saw none. Eventually the trees gave way to a field, sprinkled with jutting shoots and flowers. As she walked, they flickered and danced around her ankles, clearing a path through the blue sand. Her hand dangled, gently skimming the tops of the plants; some recoiled, while others allowed her to graze them with her suit. The touch was cool, but pleasant. The planet had no breeze to scatter the leaves and plants, everything lay peacefully. It was as if it was waiting for her, to show her the beauty of the path. Her walk led her to a clearing, perhaps a hundred feet across, it looked to be almost a perfect circle. As she walked towards it’s center she could see rocks ahead.
They were pulled into some kind of pattern, it looked deliberately laid out; however, this place was special and nothing seemed out of the realm of possibility. It could have been a chance formation. As she approached she saw the stones were ashen white, and the blue sand was darker here than in the forest. Approaching one of the stones she placed her hand on it and was surprised by the warmth, even through the suit she could feel a depth, some connection. One of the large stone slabs was overturned on an angle, she climbed onto it and stopped on the centre, kneeling down before lying flat on her back. The warmth spread from the stone, comforting her and restoring her energy.
She gazed at the vivid sky. Swirling clouds of gas formed and released overhead, their colours complementing each other before fusing. The space overhead showed a wealth of constellations. Two moons, one within another, were the focal point. She stayed and stared as the landscape shifted. It was transfixing; powerful, yet calm. The forest surged inward, flowing across the fields and towards the rocks. The purple vines yearning together. They raced towards her as she fell deeper into the relaxed trance. Her breathing slowing, the needles of the dials on her wrist slowly falling. She slipped away.
Alice awoke from her nap, she scratched her chin absentmindedly. Her deep purple hair danced softly against the blue of her cheek. Her finger caught something rough and she flicked it away. She clicked her white teeth, part of her thought she might have swallowed a bug.
