Skyopolis

Chapter 1: The Newspaper

Attention: We are all moving to Mars!

By Regan Jones

October 21, 3000

"Earth is getting old. We need to address this or we will perish. If we try with our little tools to build a structure strong enough to protect us from the Sun, that could take hundreds of years. We barely have ten! We need to move to Mars because it is the most similar to our beloved Earth! Scientist Juno Jorge has been in a years-long dispute with the City Council about the future of our ship in Earth's stratosphere. Jorge believes now is the time to make the move to Mars.

Q: Dr. Jorge, what else do you predict about our future?

A: No comment.

To be continued..."

Cloudene

Eris, my older sister, but just by five years, was playing with me in our apartment on Skyopolis. We were playing dress up, and Eris's blonde, straight hair was curled. She was wearing a tiara, and her captivating gray eyes were embellished with turquoise cattail eyeliner and mascara. Her teal, floor length dress with her favorite auburn belt was perfectly form-fitting because of how tall she was. "Oh my gosh! You look so pretty!" I marveled at her.

Suddenly, I heard the muffled sound of our skyphone. Ding - da - ding! Ding ding ding! Ding - da - ding! Ding ding ding!

"I wonder who that is?" I asked.

"Only one way to find out!" Eris exclaimed. We rushed over to the kitchen doorway; able to hear perfectly, but just out of sight.

"Daphne! Moving to Mars?! What? Do you really think this is the best course of act-" Mom paused, apparently talking to Penny's mom, the mayor. Penny is Eris' friend, so she comes over often. "Yes. I understand. But what about our power supply? And everyone loves it here in the sky! We'll have no clouds, less sunlight, no air, how-" She waited again, longer this time. "Oh. I see. No. We'll be just fine. Thank you." She sounded defeated.

"Ha! Trickster Mom! She must know we're listening!"

"Cloudene, Shh! We're definitely going to get caught with your shouting!" Eris hissed.

"Girls!" Mom called. "Come here, please."

"Uh oh!" We were caught.

"Ugh! Cloudene!" I was done for, with both Eris and Mom mad at me!

"GIRLS!" Mom yelled.

"Yes, Mom?" We said and came into view.

"We have an important decision to make as a family. The City Council has decided that, under the circumstances of our disappearing power supply, it would be best to move to Mars."

"WHAT?!" We both shouted. This was a prank! It had to be! 

"Yes. Mrs. Roberts has kindly offered a move back down to Earth. What do you say? Are you up for a new family adventure?"

"Oh! Wait - What? Moving to Mars! What? Why?" Eris asked, incredulous.

"Well, it's sort of hard to explain. I don't even understand fully. But we don't have to go. It's a family decision. The Council has voted and based on all that we've done for the community, we were one of the selected choices to go back to Earth. Because of the limited power supply, our ship can only afford to send two families down. So, what do you guys think?" Our ship relies on red sprites and blue jets for power, which are like little balls of electricity and energy that orbit around the Earth.

"I need more information. I'm calling Penny." Eris decided.

"I want everything to stay the same! I don't want to move anywhere! Land or Mars!" I hated the idea of this type of change! Either way, we'd lose... Home.