The Martian Castaway

The crimson wind blew through the dunes as Captain Zara Beltran eased the chopper towards Gale Canyon. Gabby and Luna held hands tightly, the two passengers in the back, stared out the window with a mix of excitement and fear.

“Alright folks,” Zara’s voice cracked, weathered from years in the thin Martian air. “We’re entering history today, so keep your eyes peeled. You’ll be getting a rare perspective you won’t find in the museums.”

Gabby, a writer, was glued to the window.

“Right about there is where Curiosity made its death-defying landing,” Zara gestured towards a cluster of otherwise ordinary boulders. “Remember that meme about ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’? It came from here.”