Venus Bound


I longed for somewhere new. Earth was fighting back against climate change, a planet actively trying to kill us all. Mars was overcrowded and was a terrible place to live unless you joined the mob or were born rich. Every day was a fight for survival. Venus was quickly becoming a hub for the black market. Before that it was casinos and brothels. The planet seems to change every few years. I could have settled on one of the moons. So I'm headed to Venus.

It was never colonized officially. The planet was just too damn hot, and I can't blame any government for not wanting to risk it. But life finds a way and the population has been growing over the last few years. It's become a place for people to get a fresh start. Criminals looking for redemption. Doctors who lost their licenses. Addicts who got clean. They nicknamed it the great white hope, because the planet was so bright. Apparently it holds the hopes of humanity there. Proof we're still good.

I tuck the complimentary sun glasses into my shirt pocket as the doors to the shuttle open up. The flight attendant insists I put them on. As the door opens wider I understand why. The planet is bright. A dry heat creeps into the cabin and I understand. This place is the hell hole they said it was, but I'm here to start a new life.