Tether: Phase I

by Douglas Lee

The lights on humanity have gone out. No one knows why the stars stopped shining, but an eerie feeling plagues the denizens of Earth. Existence feels futile. The next generation of Earth seems different than their parents. They are overly polite, obsessed with public perception...and prone to extremely violent outbursts. They maintain normalcy through a high regimen of exercise, social media, education, and dedication to the only thing the world wants: for the lights in the sky to turn back on. Every nation across the world funds and furthers the project of Wayfarers: astronauts sent into space in three-man teams to search for any twinkling of light. They are the heroes of their world, and the stars of social media streams. But one Wayfarer stops looking to the sky, and realizes that he doesn't know what it means to be human. His life is changed in a single moment, and the next time he is sent into the black void of space...he is all too human for what he encounters.

[10,000 Words. First Volume.]

26 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 7, 2016

Reviews

[Jason P · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quality over Quantity

The metaphors are obvious but no less powerful for that fact. The prose is powerful, evocative and dripping with raw emotion.

That anger is justified, on behalf of a generation that rightfully believes that the stars have gone from their sky.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent beginning to a short story serial. The author captures what could be a very realistic future society amped up on social media-infused sex, drugs, and rock & roll because something changed in the sky. I look forward to the next installments!