The Sun With One Eye

by Jeff Baker

“Oh, my God! Look!” Maybelle screamed pointing. “The clouds are parting!”

“The Sun!”

“”Get the blinds down! Hurry!”

Pietro was closest on the porch, so he lunged for the controls, landing on his belly next to the panel. He reached up and slapped the button. Three of the large treated screens quickly descended from the porch roof. The fourth, the one that would cover the area of the controls and front door stayed up.

Pietro glanced up in horror and covered his eyes with his hands.

There was a glaring stream of pure light that struck him. Andy rushed over and grabbed him as he screamed, pulling him back to the safety of the shadow.

“I got you, buddy!” Andy said as he patted out the wisps of smoke that were rising from Pietro’s jacket and hair. Thank God he’d been wearing the jacket, and that it had long sleeves.

“You pulled my but out of the fire that time,” Pietro said, breathing hard.

“Yeah,” Andy said. “We gotta fix that blind.”

The colony had been on the planet, designated BA 127 for about 100 years, and while the sunlight had always been intense in the last years the direct sunlight had reached burning intensity. Fortunately, the cloud cover was usually enough and the clouds were pretty predictable; Rain in the afternoon, thick clouds till sundown. Sunshields on the vehicles and on the buildings.

So, some of the colonists decided not to evacuate. Mainly because of the rare resources on BA 127.

Pietro, Andy and Maybelle had met during orientation. Their skills complimented each other and they decided to form a team and share resources and profits. They also shared the house, partly because rent was out-of-this-world expensive. They were usually able to keep things platonic although Maybelle had caught Pietro and Andy kissing on the porch late one night.

They were all in their mid to late twenties. If they stayed there and kept refining the stuff they would be rich in another few years.

If the sunlight didn’t get them.

“You okay?” Maybelle asked, helping Pietro to his feet.

“Yeah, I think so.” Pietro said.

“Maybe we should sit on the back porch in the evening from now on?” Andy said, settling down in the metal chair.

“Probably a better idea.” Maybelle said.

“Can’t go there now,” Pietro said, glancing at the sunlight that was hitting the front door. A dash for the door would probably burn their skin. The other blinds, made of treated steel, kept them safe and they had time to sit and at least there was a cool breeze. The sunlight didn’t heat the air as much but it could burn flesh.

“We’ve got about a half-hour before that sun sets.” Maybelle said.

“Yeah, just hope nobody has to go to the bathroom.” Andy said.

“Oh, don’t even joke about that,” Maybelle said. Pietro laughed.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Pietro asked, “Are you sure it’s worth it?”

“It’s worth it,” Maybelle said. “In another few years we can afford to go anywhere we want.”

“Together?” Andy asked. “I mean, we’re a good team, no reason for us to split up?”

“I don’t intend to work for a while,” Pietro said. “Just sit on my money. Somewhere nice and dark.”

“Maybe find a nice rogue planet,” Andy said. “One with a nice hotel.”

“A hotel? On a rogue planet?” Maybelle laughed. “My Dad used to mine rogue planets, remember? Nobody’s dumb enough to build on those. No way to collect the money.”

“I guess.” Andy said.”

“Maybe some place with nice, thick curtains,” Pietro said.

The three of them sat and daydreamed as the sun moved behind the row of houses across the street.

Andy pointed at the blind on the end, the one that wouldn’t go down.

“When we get that working, we just leave it down.”

—end—