Home is behind, the world ahead
Kal stood on the edge of the river, staring across it. He’d never been over it. His entire life had been lived within the tribe’s territory. The area had everything they needed, yet he found himself frequently staring at the trees on the other side. “I wonder what’s over there,” he murmured to himself, as he often did.
“Trees. Enemies,” said one of the Elders from behind him. “Death. People who cross the river don’t usually come back.” The Elder turned and started heading back towards the rest of the tribe. “Come, there are still things that need doing.” Kal watched him walk off, then turned back to the river.
The next day found him fording across it. Climbing up onto the opposite bank, he looked back one more time at his home, then headed off into the trees.
And there are many paths to tread
Lisa stood at the edge of her village, looking at the hills the surrounded it. “I wonder what’s over those,” she said to her friend.
“The traders say there is nothing except predators,” Luna replied. “The nearest village is days away.”
“Imagine all the things you’d see as a trader!”
“Imagine all the danger. Predators, the weather, bandits, and more. C’mon, it’s almost dinner time.”
Lisa sighed and followed her friend, looking back longingly at the hills.
The next time the traders came through, she went with them.
Through shadow, to the edge of night
Frederick stood on the edge of the pier, looking out at the horizon. “I wonder what’s on the other side of the ocean,” he murmured.
“Land, eventually,” said a voice behind him. Frederick turned to see an old sailor standing behind him, staring off into the distance. “But it’s too far away. You can’t carry enough supplies to get there, even if the sea allows it.”
“But what if it’s closer? What if we could make it?”
The sailor shook his head. “Those who have tried have never come back. Even if they did make it without dying, all they found in the end was death. Don’t waste your life, kid.” He walked away.
Frederick looked back at the horizon as he left. “Someday, I’ll make it. And come back.”
The next ship heading west had him on it, chasing the setting sun.
Until the stars are all alight
“I wonder what’s up there,” Luke breathed, staring up at the night sky.
“Empty space. No air. No water. No food. No life,” his friend Toby said.
“Yeah, but what if there is life? Or, even just in orbit, you could do cool things! Imagine being able to see the whole earth from your window!”
“That sounds boring. Besides, it’s too dangerous. What if the rocket blew up? Or if the ship you’re in does? Or you get hit by something? There are a thousand ways to die up there, at least!”
“But what if you don’t? I’m gonna do it someday,” Luke said quietly.
Twenty-three years later, Luke watched more stars than he knew existed wink into existence as the rocket shook beneath him, pushing him further and further out of the atmosphere.
Mist and shadow, Cloud and shade
“I wonder what’s out there,” Kim said as she stared out the viewport of the station orbiting around Jupiter.
“The rest of the planets. The Kuiper Belt and Oort cloud. And then empty space and uninhabitable planets, mostly.” Her friend Jorge shrugged. “There’s no way we can get out there, anyway. FTL’ll never work.”
“But what if it does? What if we could get to other solar systems easily?”
“They’ll still be uninhabitable. We’d have to build stations again, and then figure out if terraforming is even possible. What’s the point?”
“It could work! And just seeing other places would be worth it,” Kim sighed. “Just imagine being the first person to set foot on a new planet…”
“Good luck with that,” Jorge said as he walked away.
After fourteen years, Kim found herself standing at a different viewport, on the first FTL ship as it prepared to make its maiden voyage.
All shall fade…
“I wonder if there are other universes,” Hassan said as he watched his computer go through simulations.
“I doubt it. You’re wasting your time with those things,” his co-worker Franza said dismissively. “And even if there are, what good does that do us? We can’t get there.”
“Morgan doesn’t think so.”
“She’s crazier than you are! The gate will never work. This universe is enough for me.” She went back to her station and her work.
“It’ll work,” he told the computer softly. “You’ll see.”
Standing in a protective suit just 8 months later, Hassan prepared to be the first human to follow the probes through the working gate.
All… shall… fade…