Preface
#1 of Evolution
This is a preview for a series of stories that's going to come soon! I won't reveal too much just yet, but the theme of the submission might be a clue as to what will happen!
Characters belong to FA: Railway-Traveller
Story written by myself
Earth. The blue planet.
Nobody had ever imagined they might live long enough for this title to lose its meaning. Ever since it had first been seen from beyond our atmosphere, the world as we know it had been unique by its distinct blue colour and atmosphere. For many, this was the source of the planet's beauty, in relation to the many other lifeless planets.
The Xenophyll changed all this. Somehow, it had not only managed to survive the emptiness of space, but survive its host meteorite's entry into Earth's atmosphere. Even the world's most expert scientists had been unable to discern its origins, or more precisely, its dangers. They had all died after a mere few days of exposure to the alien substance.
Presumed to be simple plant spores, the Xenophyll had proven itself to be perfectly suited to take over Earth. Given the right conditions of heat, humidity, and nutrients, these spores quickly grew into a form of plant life, not unlike a form of moss or algae. Unsurprisingly, most forms of life on the planet happened to be the perfect hosts for these tiny invaders. Forests became heavy jungles dominated by a single life form, while cities became littered with motionless bodies covered in dark green moss. Some might have considered it as a strange form of art, had they still been alive to witness it.
None of Earth's traditional defenses were able to stop the Xenophyll's spread. The various militaries of the world, despite all their technology, had no way to target and annihilate the minuscule invaders before falling victim to the spores. As for Earth's bacteria, which had proven themselves to repel extraterrestrials surprisingly well in the past, they simpled served as a form of nutrient for the spores to feed and grow on.
Humanity's last hope had been a mass exodus to the only region still protected from the invasion: Antarctica. The temperatures were too cold in the region for the spores to remain active very long, leaving them unable to spread further. Conditions were harsh, and only three reinforced cities stood amidst the snow to shelter the remnants of Earth's native life forms.
Some isolated areas elsewhere in the world also managed to survive, having shut themselves off entirely. For these few places, the main concern was not to survive the cold, snowy desert, but to try and find a way out before supplies ran out.
Calling Earth the green planet became more appropriate.