The beginning of the end

Before the 21st century had time to grow old, the planet Earth turned cold. At the same time, volcanic eruptions and ferocious, swirling storms tripled and quadrupled in frequency.


The moon, half covered with the detritus of Man's overwhelming population, could no longer be fully seen from Earth.

Most of the world's population starved, as oceans filled with plastic and could no longer support life, any more than could countless miles of trash-covered tracts which had once been profitable farms.

Sending garbage to the moon had been the brainchild of a man ruling a large, powerful country. His poorly-paid labourers gathered waste and packed it into huge rockets built for one-way travel. Overpaid scientists then sent the garbage rockets on their way.

The disposable space ships were timed to self-destruct on the face of the moon, thus spewing their garbage, all of which would then orbit the earth along with skeletons of satellites from the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Space — living space — residential space — was still at a premium on Earth. Millions of starving people crowded into tenements, shacks, and tent cities, while the wealthy sat in air-and-water-purified mansions, eating food cultivated for them (and them only) in huge greenhouses.

Somewhat frivolous fiction written for Fiona's

Sky Watch Friday 

—in hopes we'll always see the sky!