Mars is a dangerous place

Things have gone horribly wrong here. Since my last journal entry a lot has happened. All of it bad. I've always thought of myself as a cautious optimist but I'm coming up empty on silver linings. There's no two ways about it, Mars is a dangerous place.

A few weeks ago I snuck out of my dorm room late at night and hid in the Phobos Cafe near the viewing window. Those creepy clinking sounds coming from the roof of my room at night had been steadily increasing. I was starting to lose sleep so I had to find out what it was. I figured the viewing window in the cafe was my best bet.

I was lying on a bench seat in the booth by the window that night. The table above me provided good cover in case anyone walked in. Nothing happened for about an hour. My nervous excitement over hiding out and waiting for the unknown dwindled into boredom. I was about to doze off when a large shadow moved across my half closed eyes. I woke up real quick.

I shot up in my seat and looked out the window. The light was dusky but bright that night. I could see the mouth of the volcano tube and the vast, rocky plain outside. I didn't see what caused the shadow but I heard the same weird clinking on the roof of the cafe.

I had a strong desire to get out of there. Fast. Maybe not knowing whatever was making that sound was a better idea. Why is this my problem? I thought. Someone else should handle this. That's when I saw them. Dozens of huge, crab-like creatures pouring over the rim of the volcano tube. They had dark blue shells that glowed a ghostly white.

I was frozen in place watching them scuttle quickly toward the base. They had to have been around 15 feet high with mammoth claws that seemed suited for crushing cars. The creatures made their way along the sides of the tube, their spiny, spider-like legs carrying them forward. One by one they crawled onto the roof of the base, apparently unaware of my presence, and headed further down until the clanking of their legs on the roof faded away.

I noticed my teeth hurt as I had been clinching my jaw tight for the last few minutes. I relaxed a little, massaging my jaw muscles when a hand gripped my shoulder. I spun around, throwing my hands in front of my face like some chick in a horror film. The man in front of me stepped back. He put up his hand in a "sorry man" kind of gesture.

It was Ed the janitor. I'd seen him walking around the halls of the base since I arrived. He was one of those guys that set his own pace when he worked. Not lazy by any means, just methodical, unfazed by his surroundings. Whenever Frank and I played backgammon he would take a casual interest. He always seemed to know when the tide was turning in a game. It was the only time I ever saw him stop working. He would lean on his mop handle or stop to wipe his hands and watch in an amused sort of way. It was like he was waiting for one of us to realize the game was lost.

We hadn't spoke much up til that moment so I wasn't sure what to say. Thankfully, he spoke first.

Ed: Cafe doesn't open for another couple hours.

Me: Yea, sorry, I couldn't sleep.

Ed: Mm. Well, watching them crawlers won't help you much.

I wasn't ready for that. Obviously my discovery that night was old news.

Me: You've seen those things before?

Ed: Just about every night. A few more show up every time. Won't be long before they take over the place.

I let out some nervous laughter. He didn't smile. Apparently it wasn't a joke.

Ed: Yep, I expect we got about a month left.

Me: Say what?

Ed: Kind of makes you wish you'd just sat tight at home, don't it?

Me: Tell me you're messing with me?

Ed: 'fraid not. They've already broken through a supply room. Half the wall was smashed in. Reinforced titanium. Like a can of Pepsi to those claws.

Me: Don't they have any defenses around here? Electric fence? Anything?

Ed shrugged.

Me: Didn't they know about these things? They must have some kind of plan for the unknown.

Ed: Whatever they got, it's not enough. From what I've overheard, they weren't prepared for half the stuff out here.

I slumped down on the bench seat. I desperately wished I never left home. Ed took a cautious look around and sat next to me.

Ed: You know, a few months back I found something.

Me: Yea? What?

Ed: A stash of weapons. Only a handful, but dangerous looking suckers.

Me: Well can't they use them? Maybe the Guardians can sniper those things at night.

Ed: That'd hold 'em back for awhile. Maybe a month. Problem is, there's hundreds of crawlers out there, maybe thousands. Other things too. Worse. There's really only one option I can see.

Me: What?

Ed: Escape.

Me: Escape? There's no where to go. This is the only base.

Ed: To the ship. I'm getting off this rock.