‘This is Mount Lemmon Observatory calling, is there anyone receiving?’

Only static hiss replied.

Marshall rubbed his sweat-stained forehead.

‘Can anyone update us? What has happened?’

The static noise stopped. Dead silence.

Marshall maneuvered the telescope with the controls. He tilted it down to face the horizon.

Outside he saw bare, dead trees and barren sandscapes.

He had spent his life gazing at the heavens, searching for signs of life and guarding against hostile projectiles.

Meanwhile the real threat to Earth had already been here, and now his search was for any sign of life on his own planet.

Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).

To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.

This April I am taking part in the A to Z Challenge once again. My theme is a collection of stories from around the countries of the European Union, and you can find them here: A TO Z CHALLENGE 2018