Short Stories
These short stories expand the world of Horizon beyond the main narrative.
Glimpses of the past and present... quiet moments, small discoveries, and fragments that carry meaning.
Look through the eyes of the characters and how they see the world.
Note: These were written spontaneously and have only been lightly edited. They may be a little bit raw in places, but that immediacy is part of what gives them their character.
Available Stories:
Jessica in the Glass Forest
On a quiet morning on Onyx, Jessica finds herself alone for the first time in a long while.
Drawn by a distant shimmer at the horizon, she sets out toward the mysterious Glass Forest. Where crystalline trees sing in the light and strange, gentle creatures roam the tundra.
What begins as a simple walk becomes a moment of stillness, wonder, and something she wants to carry back home.
Jessica sat alone on the terrace of the living module, gazing dreamily across the tundra.
She had taken Katie to school, and Grant had flown up to the Horizon for a few checks in orbit. Jessica had taken the day off. There simply wasn’t that much to do right now.
At first, she didn’t even know what to do with herself. It had been a long time since she’d had time alone.
She sipped her coffee and let the morning sun of Onyx warm her face. In the distance, a few Sivaras wandered through the blue-grey tundra while a gentle breeze brushed through her hair.
Her gaze drifted toward the horizon. And to the edge of the Glass Forest.
She thought about what she had read: crystalline trees, shimmering birds called Nokaris by the scientists.
The longer she thought about it, the more a single idea took hold:
Should I go there?
Not long after, she made up her mind.
She stood up, put on her boots and jacket, and packed her small backpack with some snacks, a thermos of tea, and her datapad.
Just in case, she thought, a quiet excitement rising inside her.
She stepped off the terrace into the tall grass of the tundra, letting her hand glide over the blades. There was still a bit of dew on them, and she enjoyed the soft tickling against her skin.
After walking a few hundred meters, she turned around and looked back at the settlement.
This is our home.
A sense of warmth filled her as she thought about all the beautiful moments she had shared there.
She looked up at the sky, where the last of the three moons was still faintly visible. Even in the fading light, she could make out its craters.
It reminded her of everything she had been through... and that she was still here.
After about an hour of walking, she approached a small herd of Sivaras grazing peacefully.
They were gentle creatures. If you were lucky, you could even touch them.
Jessica moved closer, slowly, aware of their watchful eyes.
You don’t need to be afraid. I won’t hurt you, she thought.
Still, there was a hint of fear inside her... the Sivaras were massive.
Carefully, she stepped closer until she stood beside one of them. She reached out her hand.
The Sivara lifted its short trunk toward her, as if to greet her.
She felt its warm breath on her skin.
When they touched, her fear melted away.
She gently stroked the creature’s fur plates as it let out a soft rumble.
“Looks like you enjoy that, hmm?” she said quietly.
After a while, she continued on her way.
The Glass Forest was getting closer now. She could already see more of the crystalline trees and felt her anticipation grow.
Passing a group of rocks, she sat down for a short break.
She opened a protein bar that tasted faintly like raspberries and took a sip of her tea, brewed from plants grown in the settlement’s greenhouses.
“Almost like Earth,” she murmured.
Then she shouldered her backpack again and continued.
By the time she reached the Glass Forest, the sun had climbed higher in the sky.
The trees reflected the light, dazzling her for a moment.
But the sight was beautiful.
Light everywhere. Birdsong. A gentle wind carrying shimmering dust through the air.
She reached out and touched one of the crystalline trees. Its surface was smooth... cool, but not cold.
Looking up, she spotted two Nokaris singing to each other.
Their feathers shimmered in hues of blue and violet, sparkling like crystal.
“Katie would love them,” she said softly, thinking of her little sister.
A warm feeling spread through her.
She decided to find a crystal fragment for Katie.
After a few minutes of searching, she found a piece about the size of her hand and placed it carefully in her backpack.
She spent some more time wandering, taking photos of the trees and the Nokaris. Until a message from Grant appeared.
Finished on the Horizon. Heading back. See you soon.
She smiled and started a video call.
“Hey, you won’t believe where I am,” she said, grinning as she turned the camera.
Grant looked surprised.
“You’re actually in the Glass Forest?”
She laughed and nodded.
“I just had to see it.”
They talked for a while. She told him about the Sivaras and everything she had experienced.
“Take your time, Jessica,” he said warmly.
“In a few hours I’ll be back and show you the photos,” she replied before ending the call.
Slowly, she made her way back.
She took in the scents and sounds of Onyx once more.
The rocks appeared again, then the outline of Serenity, growing larger with every step.
Soon, she could hear the distant sounds of the settlement.
When her terrace came into view, she saw Grant and Katie already waiting.
They waved at her, and she waved back enthusiastically.
Katie ran toward her and threw herself into Jessica’s arms.
The last stretch, they walked hand in hand toward Grant, who leaned against the railing with a smile.
“Well, our great explorer,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“It was amazing,” she replied.
Then she looked at Katie.
“I brought you something.”
Katie’s eyes lit up with excitement.
Jessica pulled the crystal fragment from her backpack and handed it to her.
It sparkled in the light as Katie turned it in her hands.
She hugged her sister tightly.
Jessica then showed them the photos and told them about the forest.
“I want to go there too!” Katie said eagerly.
“Next time... we will go together,” Grant replied.
Jessica nodded with a smile.
Sebastian’s Departure
Before the journey begins, Sebastian leaves everything behind...
A past that no longer holds him, memories he doesn’t want to carry, and a world he no longer fits into.
What awaits him on the Horizon is unknown. But for the first time in a long while, that is exactly what he needs.
Sebastian woke up early that Sunday.
It was 4:30 a.m., and outside it was slowly getting brighter as he packed his last things.
Today... I’m leaving this place, he thought quietly as he walked through the apartment.
He had applied to the Horizon very early, as one of the first.
For him, it was an escape.
From memories, from people, from things he wanted to forget.
On the Horizon, he would become head of security, a role that fit his previous profession perfectly.
But he knew it would be different.
Not because of the journey itself.
But because he was leaving Earth behind.
There was nothing left here that held him.
Too much had gone wrong over the past years, and his father had passed away.
After that, things in the family had become more difficult.
In his eyes, he no longer fit into this world or this society.
He had once asked himself:
Why stay... if no one else does?
He looked at an old photo of himself and his former girlfriend.
But even that meant nothing to him anymore.
He didn’t want to see it again.
For the Horizon, he would only take a few things.
His lucky charm, a photo of his dog, and his favorite clothes.
He picked up his bag and took one last look at his apartment before leaving it behind forever.
He slowly walked down the stairs.
Behind him, the front door closed with a final click.
At the roadside, he waited for the shuttle that would take him to the Horizon launch center.
A lot was going through his mind...
Would everything work out?
What would the others be like?
But he would find out.
Like always.
Most things in his life had never gone according to plan. And yet he had always found a way.
After about thirty minutes, he saw the shuttle approaching.
It stopped in front of him with softly squeaking brakes.
The smell of warm metal filled the air as he stepped inside.
He chose a seat further in the back and sat down.
There were only four other people.
No one spoke.
And from their faces, it was clear that everyone was tense.
During the ride to the launch center, the landscape rushed past.
Sebastian was so lost in thought that he sometimes didn’t even notice when they passed through small towns.
He had stopped trying to take anything in because he wanted to look forward.
Still, he briefly thought of his best friend and the stupidly funny conversations they used to have.
Those were good memories.
Maybe the only carefree ones he didn’t want to forget.
Once, they had tried to speak like aristocrats and had nearly driven people insane with it.
They could barely hold back their laughter as they tried to outdo each other with exaggerated eloquence.
But that was a long time ago.
A short while later, the shuttle passed the entrance gate.
The passengers received new IDs that would allow them to move freely within the area.
The mission would only start tomorrow.
Until then, he would stay in a quarter and receive his first briefing as a department head.
A little later, Sebastian stepped onto the square in front of the quarters.
People and machines moved everywhere.
There’s a lot going on here... almost like a city, he thought, a faint smile forming on his face.
In the distance, he saw the launch shuttles that would take him to the Horizon when the time came.
Even from afar, they were impressive.
Silver hulls built for departure.
Floodlights reflected across their surfaces.
A man in uniform approached him.
“Captain Rick Serring. You must be Sebastian Torus, correct?”
Sebastian greeted him and showed his ID.
“Excellent. Then I’ve already met my first department head. Please follow me.”
Sebastian followed him slowly as the captain explained that a briefing with the department heads would take place later that day.
He showed him his quarters and asked him to report to the assembly room in three hours...
before walking away with determined steps.
Sebastian placed his bag on the bed and looked around the room.
It was spartan.
But he was used to that.
He immediately left again to search for a coffee machine.
No coffee... no day, he grinned to himself as he walked down the corridor.
Luckily, everything was clearly marked, and he followed the signs toward the dining hall.
As soon as he entered, he could smell the coffee.
Some people were already holding steaming cups.
Small groups stood together, talking quietly.
He filled his cup.
Black, as always.
He took a careful sip.
A quiet sense of satisfaction spread through him.
After that, he wandered a bit, looking out through the windows.
More shuttles had arrived...
and more people were stepping out.
It slowly became clear to him how big all of this really was.
The mission.
His responsibility.
And the unknown they were about to enter.
But for now...
that was okay.
Because that was exactly what he wanted.
A new beginning.
Katie’s First Day of School
A new place with new faces and a world full of small wonders.
On her first day, Katie steps into the unknown. Shy at first, but soon surrounded by curious minds, strange creatures, and the beginning of new friendships.
Sometimes, the smallest moments are the ones that stay.
After Jessica had brought Katie to the school module of the settlement and walked away with a final glance, Katie now stood a little uncertain at the edge of the room.
Some of the other children had already formed small groups and were talking to each other.
As Katie shyly listened to their conversations, one of the supervisors approached her and knelt down beside her.
“You don’t have to be afraid, Katie. We all need a little time to get used to things,” he said gently.
Then he asked her to follow him, and she did so quietly while the other children watched her with curiosity.
Further back in the room, they stopped near a group of children, and he introduced Katie to them. He told them that Katie was the oldest child in the settlement and had only arrived a few minutes ago.
Almost at the same time, they all said, “Hello Katie,” and told her their names.
In front of her stood Paul, Dimitri, Dean, Takumi, and Sakura. Takumi and Sakura were siblings, and their parents were from Japan, as they explained to Katie.
They were all between eight and ten years old, and Katie immediately felt a little more at ease when she realized that, at eleven, she wasn’t that much older.
The supervisor told them that the first day would be very relaxed and mainly about getting to know each other.
Later, they would all go for a walk together and explore the nature at the edge of the settlement.
After that, he left them for the moment and went to another group.
For a moment, they all looked at each other shyly before Dean said that he had already seen some small animals and tried to describe them.
“They have six legs and two antennae on their heads. And they glow in many colors.”
Katie looked at him and said that she had seen them near her terrace as well.
“My big sister says they’re called Kirellids... they’re really cute.”
Dean nodded firmly and asked if the others had seen animals too.
Sakura and Takumi began talking about a worm they had seen in a hole that a machine had dug.
They spoke alternately.
“It looked so strange with the crystals and everything... and a creepy head.”
Dimitri thought he had seen something like that on a picture on his father’s datapad, but couldn’t remember the name.
Everyone now looked at Paul, who hadn’t said anything yet.
“Have you seen anything?” Katie asked him.
In a quiet voice, he replied, “Well. I saw an animal from far away that looked a bit like an elephant. Just different.”
“I want to see those too,” Takumi said with a smile.
Shortly after, the supervisor returned and suggested that they could draw the animals they had seen.
Katie and the others loved the idea and got paper and pencils from a shelf before sitting down at one of the large tables.
While Dimitri, Sakura, and Takumi began drawing the strange worm together on a large sheet of paper, Katie and Dean worked on a Kirellid.
Paul, on the other hand, quietly started drawing the elephant.
Over the next few minutes, it was sometimes quiet at the table, before a creative discussion broke out again between Sakura and Dimitri.
They couldn’t quite agree on what color the worm should be. He wanted it like on the datapad, and Sakura simply wanted it colorful. After Takumi suggested that everyone could draw different parts of the worm, they agreed.
Meanwhile, Paul drew with a pencil, trying to capture the texture of the elephant’s skin.
Dean and Katie, on the other hand, agreed on what the Kirellid should look like and took turns adding different colors to its body.
After a while, the supervisor returned and looked at the children’s drawings. Proudly, they showed him their work.
On Paul’s paper was a kind of elephant with uneven legs and a trunk that was far too long.
The worm team had created a drawing where all colors were mixed wildly. Bright segments and crystals spreading across the entire page.
The Kirellid, meanwhile, had become surprisingly realistic for a child’s drawing.
It had two small antennae and large black eyes. Its body shimmered in blue and violet, continuing down its legs.
The supervisor seemed pleased and praised them all for their drawings. Together, they hung them on the art wall in the room.
A little later, the walk began, and all the children followed the supervisors out of the school module.
On their way through the settlement, they passed Eidolons and humans. Katie saw Malik and waved at him. He waved back enthusiastically and called out, “Hey Katie!”
Dean asked who that was.
“That’s Malik. A friend of my sister,” she said happily, explaining that he had planted the crystal plants in front of their house.
As they continued walking, children kept laughing or curiously approaching things. The supervisors had to make an effort to keep everyone together.
When they reached the edge of the settlement, a little away from the statue, the children were allowed to look around.
Some wanted to see the statue, others ran toward the crystalline plants. It was windless, and in the distance stood a watchtower where two men observed them.
The settlement and its surroundings were considered safe, but they had decided to keep the guards for now.
Dean suggested looking for the Kirellids, and the small group began searching.
A few minutes later, Sakura called out, “I found some!”
Immediately, a cluster of children gathered around one of the plants.
The sunlight reflected in it, and in the grass around it, the small creatures were crawling.
“They’re so beautiful,” Katie said to Dean and the others as she carefully moved her hand toward one of the Kirellids. The creature stayed still at first, then moved slightly toward her before quickly disappearing into the grass.
Paul asked her, “Aren’t you afraid?”
“No... they’re cute,” Katie replied calmly.
At that moment, Dean stepped into the grass, trying to find where the creature had gone, but he couldn’t. Shortly after, he returned, holding a piece of one of the crystalline plants.
“That was lying back there,” he said, handing it to Katie, who looked at it briefly before passing it on.
When Takumi held it in his hand, he asked, “Can I keep it?”
Dean nodded firmly.
About twenty minutes later, they all headed back toward the school module.
When they arrived, some parents were already waiting for their children. Jessica stood with Grant near an Eidolon who was working on a technical module.
The supervisors said goodbye, and the group slowly broke apart.
Katie and the others were already looking forward to the next day and hugged each other before leaving.
Then she ran toward Jessica and Grant, who were already looking at her with warm smiles.
“Katie, how was your first day?” Grant asked.
Katie began telling them about her day and the others as the three of them slowly walked home, while the sun gently sank toward the horizon.
Grant’s Memory
A quiet moment for a restless mind... and a feeling that refuses to fade.
When Grant meets someone who changes everything, he is faced with a choice he has never truly made before.
To stay silent or to fight for what he feels.
Grant was driving home from work, the streets quiet as the soft drumming of rain filled the car. One of his favorite songs was playing on the radio, and once again, he found himself lost in thought.
The rhythm of the rain seemed to pull him deeper into it. Everything he had been trying not to think about.
He thought about the decisions and experiences that had shaped him into who he had become.
Quiet. Reflective and somehow never truly part of anything.
After about twenty minutes, he turned into his street and parked his green car.
He stayed seated for a while, listening to the rain.
He didn’t really have the strength to get out and go inside.
Everything just felt empty.
When he finally entered his apartment, he dropped his backpack and placed his keys on the shelf.
Before taking a shower, he stood in the kitchen, looking out the window.
The city lights reflected on the wet street below.
The room was almost silent, only the low hum of the refrigerator filled the air.
But inside his head, it was never quiet.
Past and future. Words colliding. Questions without answers.
Later that evening, while scrolling through his phone, he saw her.
Something about her face. It held him.
Should I write to her...?
He hesitated, then gave in.
That single message turned into a conversation that lasted the entire evening.
Effortless. Alive. For the first time in a long while... something felt right.
Weeks passed.
They met, walked, laughed. And slowly, something began to grow between them.
But Grant stayed silent. Afraid.
Because every time before, it had broken.
Then one day she said: “I can’t do this.”
And just like that she was gone.
Still, she never really left. Not from his thoughts. Not from what he felt.
But Months later. A message. A song.
And suddenly... she was there again.
A summer followed. Warm, bright, and real.
But even then. He never said it.
Until the day he finally tried.
A letter. Six pages. Everything he had never said.
And still it wasn’t enough. He lost her. Again.
That day, something inside him broke.
And something else remained.
Unmovable. Unavoidable.
So he made a choice.
Not to forget. Not to run. But to be better than before.
For her and for what he had found in her.
The letter remained.
Hidden. Waiting. For the day...
he might finally give it to her.