Venus is a hellish planet. It is the hottest in the solar system due to it’s position in relation to the sun and the layers of clouds that trap heat and gasses, causing a greenhouse effect like no other. Temperatures reach 870 degrees Fahrenheit. The atmosphere is made mostly of carbon dioxide and is incredibly dense. Surface pressure is 90 times that of Earth, though the gravity is nearly the same. One technical day is 243 Earth days, and one year is 225 Earth days. The sun rises in the west and sets in the east because Venus rotates in the opposite direction as the other planets. Volcanoes that are active and deadly are scattered across vast plains. There are six mountain ranges where the Venusians make their homes, one tribe in each. The cliffs protect us from acid rain.

But we are adapted for these extreme conditions, and we are expert survivors.

~~~~~~

The water still is full today. We use them to collect water from the thick air. Good. We will drink well. Mountain range Maxwell is known for receiving greater amounts of water than the other five ranges. Our tribe is blessed. I pick up the heavy bag and stand up. In the distance I see great billowing clouds of smoke and ash that darken the greenish-yellow sky. Mount Morgana and Jasper are due to erupt soon; it will be the deadliest explosion in a century. My stomach twists in knots. I pray the mountains will be enough protection this time.

When I reach the village, the hunters have already returned and are skinning a large mountain mammoth. The protectors are training the newest recruits. I watch for a minute, smiling, then head home. Serine is practicing with her spear. She will join the hunters on their next run; she has a good arm. Suddenly, the spear whizzes over my shoulder. I duck out of the way and almost drop the water. “Watch it, little sis,” I warn. “That could have been disastrous.”

She grins sheepishly and retrieves her spear. I head inside and set the bag down on the table. “Good fill today,” dad comments.

I nod. “But Morgana and Jasper, I think they will erupt sooner than we expect.”

Dad raises an eyebrow at me. “Nonsense, Asa. This is normal. They will erupt when we predict, one week’s time, and we will be prepared.”

I wasn’t convinced. “But-”

Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, son. I’ve lived through many volcanic eruptions. We will be fine.” He ruffles my hair. Sighing, I go outside.

Serine is still there. “Hey, Asa,” she says. She sits next to me. “You decided yet if you want to be a hunter or protector?”

I shrug. “No. I don’t know what I want, or what I am, really. Maybe I should just be a person who prepares the food.”

She stares straight into me. “Would you be happy?”

I sigh in frustration. We’ve had this conversation before. “I don’t know, okay? I just don’t. I haven’t figured it out.”

“You haven’t figured yourself out,” she says matter-of-factly. I glare at her and am about to say something in response, but she speaks again. “Morgana and Jasper will erupt soon, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” I say, nodding. “But see how much more active they have become? They rumble louder, there is more smoke. I think they’ll erupt in a couple days.”

“You think so? You’ve always been good at predicting these things, you’re very observant. Maybe you should tell someone?”

I sigh. “I tried telling dad, but he’s confident that they won’t erupt for another week. But he’s wrong, I know it.”

Serine laughs. I look at her in confusion. She shakes my shoulders, eyes sparkling. “Don’t you see, Asa? This is what you’re meant to do!”

“What?”

“Your predictions are always correct, reasonable, and observant. You must be a protector, but of a different sort. You could tell us when it will rain, where the herds will roam, when the volcanoes will erupt. This is who you are meant to be!” She is so excited, and she can’t stop laughing.

I don’t know what to say. “You think so?”

“I know so.” She looks so confident, but I don’t know why I’m not. She must see the doubt on my face, because she says, “We can talk to the Chief, we’ll make him see what an asset you are, he’ll give you the job. You will be one of the most important people in the village. Isn’t this exciting, Asa? We finally figured out what you’re meant to be, who you are!” Her eyes are shining, and her smile is so wide that I can’t help but laugh and feel hopeful.

“Fine. So when do we talk to the Chief?” I ask.

“Now!” Serine stands and takes my arm, then drags me to the center of the village. We stand outside of the Chief’s hut. We exchange a glance, then Serine knocks on the door.

“Come in.” We enter, and the Chief is sitting at a table. “What is it you need?” he asks.

“Chief, we wish to speak to you about a talent of Asa’s.” Serine says, dipping her head respectfully.

“Ah, yes, Asa. I was wondering when you would choose your profession. What have you decided?” Chief looks at me expectantly.

I clear my throat. “Actually, it’s something new.”

“Something new?” He thinks for a second. “Sit down and tell me.”

We comply, and I tell him of my ability to predict natural occurrences. “We were thinking my position in the village could be to predict things like acid rain and where the herds roam,” I say to finish. “It would be a benefit to everyone.”

Chief doesn’t answer, just strokes his beard, eyes glazed in thought. Finally, he says, “How do you know these predictions will be trustworthy?”

“I’ve never been wrong, Chief.”

He nods. “Well, then you’ve convinced me. I’m glad you’ve found your calling, Asa. You are now The Watcher.”

I grin, elated. Serine squeezes my arm. “Thank you, Chief,” I say, standing up and bowing. Serine does the same.

“I will make the announcement at dinner tonight,” he says as we leave.

~~~~~~

We all sit around the corpse of the Mountain Mammoth, waiting for Chief to make his announcement. No one in the whole tribe besides Serine and myself know what it is. I am beside myself with excitement. Murmurs of speculation pass around the tribe.

Finally Chief stands and says, “Silence.” The command is so authoritative, all talking instantly ceases. “Before we eat, I have an announcement to make. Asa, stand up please.” All eyes turn to me. Serine squeezes my hand in reassurance. I stand. “Asa has chosen a profession.” Cheers arise. “However, he will be neither hunter nor protector nor gardener.” People frown and mutter to each other in confusion. I hope they will accept me. “Asa will be the new village Watcher. He has a peculiar ability to predict natural occurrences, such as when it will rain and where the herds will roam. He will be an incredible asset, and he will be greatly respected.” Chief sits down.

There is silence. The wind howls. The volcanoes rumble. Then, everyone cheers. “Asa! Asa! The Watcher!” I grin in relief and excitement. For the rest of the night, we feast and celebrate. And when I go to bed, I look forward to my first day tomorrow.

~~~~~~

I am up early the next morning. I am surrounded by the hunters. They want to know where to hunt today, but I am preoccupied. Something in the air is all wrong. “It will rain today,” I murmur.

“What? It will? Should we still hunt?” Asks Jerome, the lead hunter.

“Yes,” I respond. “But you must go now, before it rains. You have five hours to get as much food as possible, or we will have no food during the week of recovery. Head west, near the Great Spikes. You will have luck.” Jerome nods, and he and his men depart.

I am anxious. Something is very very wrong, and it’s not just the acid rain. I look toward the volcanoes, and my stomach clenches. Oh no. They will erupt today. I can sense it deep in my gut, my very being, almost as if I am connected to them. And I just sent out the hunters!

Panicked, I dash to the Chief’s hut, but he’s already outside. “Chief,” I say, breathless.

“What is it Asa?”

“The volcanoes. They are going to erupt today. We don’t have time. We must take shelter!”

Chief doesn’t look bothered. “Nonsense, Asa. This is natural. The amount of smoke is just worrying you.”

“No, Chief. I can feel it. We have less than an hour!”

“Asa,” he sighs. “I do not have time for this.” He turns and leaves to observe the protectors.

“Wait!” I call, but he ignores me. I am panicked. I can’t tell Serine either, she is out with the hunters today. “Mom and dad!” I yell, sprinting to our hut. They are outside working in the garden.

“What is it, son?” Dad asks.

“The volcanoes. They will explode in under an hour. I need your help to get everyone to shelter.”

Mom and dad exchange a glance, then laugh. They do not even answer me. I yell in frustration, then go silent when the ground rumbles beneath my feet. The sky is so dark now, dark like I’ve never seen it. Something lands on my arm and burns my skin. The acid rain. I was wrong. It’s already started. The rumbling again. I stumble this time. Mom falls and dad catches her. It starts to rain harder. My skin, it’s like hot needles all over.

“Take cover!” I hear someone shout. But it’s too late. The ash is raining down now, and deep inside of me I can feel the restlessness of the volcanoes.

Morgana is the first to erupt. Flames shoot into the sky, lava flows down from the cliffs. It bursts from the caldera, and suddenly it’s raining down with the acid and ash. Screams and cries of pain and terror. I see the protectors running for shelter, but it’s too late. A lava flow sweeps toward them, and in an instant, they are gone.

My world is a mess of noise. Thunder, wind, rain, screaming. They all swirl in my head. I don’t know what to do. Mom and dad, where are they? I am watching as if I’m far, far away.

A new sound emerges. A chopping, whirring sound. Something lands on a part of the mountain untouched by lava. It’s a spaceship. I am barely registering what I’m seeing. In the midst of this chaos, a spaceship. Maybe it’s here to rescue us. Something else explodes. It’s Jasper. More lava, more screaming, more people gone. A hatch opens on the spaceship. I can’t even feel the rain anymore. I’ve gone numb with shock. Someone steps out of the spaceship. A woman. In a suit. The rain is not harming her. She runs to me. Her hair is long and silvery, her face lined with wrinkles. “Asa. Come with me.”

“What? I can’t leave them.”

“They are dead already.”

I’m unresponsive.

She takes my arm and drags me. I am dead weight. As the latch closes and we take off, I see lava rising, rising. My home. My people. That is the last I see of Venus.

Something sharp stabs into my thigh. My world goes dark.

~~~~~~

“I am Doctor Lawrence.” The space lady is saying when I wake. “Do you remember what happened, Asa?” It all rushes back to me. The rain, the lava.

“Yes,” I croak. My skin, it hurts so bad. It is fire, licking at my whole body. I am in bandages.

Doctor Lawrence helps me up, and we walk to the hatch. It opens, and what I see is more beautiful than anywhere on Venus.

“Welcome to Earth.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VENUS - Sleeping At Last

"The night sky once ruled my imagination

Now I turn the dials with careful calculation

After a While, I thought I'd never find you

I convinced myself that I would never find you

When suddenly I saw you

~

At first I thought you were a constellation

I made a map of your stars, then I had a revelation

You're as beautiful as endless

You're the universe I'm helpless in 

An astronomer at my best

When I throw away the measurements

~

Like a telescope

I will pull you so close

til no space lies in between

~

And suddenly I see you

Suddenly I see you

~

I was a billion little pieces

Til you pulled me into focus

Astronomy in reverse

It was me who was discovered

~ 

Like a telescope

I will pull you so close

Til no space lies in between

~ 

Then suddenly I see you"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~