The Descent of the Autumn Sun – Written by Tom Mason

The Autumn Sun begins its descent.

Its engines shatter the thin layer of the upper atmosphere, a crack which vibrates across the sky, shaking continents old enough to remember the sound. On the planet below, the people gather in the cities, in the towns and in the fields, craning their necks towards the heavens for the first glimpse of the demon’s return.

At first, it is concealed, almost transparent against the sky; the clear morning reflecting off its steel underbelly. But, the Autumn Sun was not meant to be hidden and blue begins to drip from the hull as the reluctant crew coax the beast towards the Eastern docks. The roar of the colossus drowns out the surprised cries below.

There is no hiding from it now. Just as before, the grey dragon blots out the sun, black skyscraper scars slashed across its chest. No cannons this time though; the goliath was castrated before it entered orbit. It was the least they could do.

The victorious are not cruel. After the war, the Autumn Sun was left to float with the unimportant stars at the edge of space. They waited to let new skin grow over the wound before they put away their toys.

But now, now under the shadow of the Autumn Sun, the president places a wreath besides the peace tree. He carefully reads the words the official hands to him as the crowd of dignitaries stand in silence. The noise from the engines above drown out his hollow consolidations, while the bones of the fallen vibrate under the earth beneath their feet.

Across the continent, a young boy watches the demonstration through innocent eyes. He sees the angry faces with vertical eyes and horizontal screams and he remembers his grandmother’s story about the city-eating giant. He looks up at the falling Autumn Sun, looming over the capitol building, and becomes afraid. He turns and begins to run.

The security perimeter shuffles aside as he races across the city to get his sword.

Words: 330 Words