Writing Resources from Fifteen Minutes of Fiction

Christmas on Alpha Centauri

Dear Sis,
Merry Christmas to you and your family from the Alpha Centauri System, I hope you get this message in time for Christmas. Our 'dog Star' has been acting up lately and although our Centauri flares are, much like your solar flares ours are much stronger and last so much longer. I am trying to get this message through to you during what seems to be a short lull in activity as we are cut off from the rest of the Universe once they start.

How are things with the family I hope all is well with you and the kids? I am trying to guess what Agnes and Oscar want for Christmas but I know by the time we have heard about it, it is already out of fashion back home. Tell me, do the kids still play with the lunar magnet tag sets we used to have so much fun playing? Please, send me some news of the home planet. We are not getting much news these days, and I am dying for an update. I haven't heard a word how my LA Packers are doing, I hope they are still in first place.

Except for those flares, things are going well here at dog town, that's what we call Rigil Ken (but not in front of the natives, they have no sense of humor). They are predicting another green Christmas but lord knows I will never get used to green snow. I must be getting home sick I was sitting here thinking about a Christmas tree. Of course, there are no trees in the whole Centauri System, as nothing will grow here except the red moss we are famous for around the Universe. Have you ever tried to decorate moss? Believe me it doesn't work. Some of the force has piled up rocks into a kind of a pyramid, and then they decorate it with red moss. It's sure no tree but it's all we have.

The commanders tell us we are getting a double ration on Christmas day. To me that is like getting a lump of coal. Did you ever find out what coal was? I remember hearing about getting a lump of coal and I don't even what it is. The rations are so bad I think a better present would be a half ration. Anyway, Christmas is for children like little Oscar and Agnes, there are no children here. The youngest person in our force is like thirty-five and there are no Centaurians under two hundred.

I don't mean to sound down but I always get home sick at Christmas. Give my love to the family and tell them I hope to be home within ten years.
Love, your brother
George

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