DEAR MARS,

by Susan L. Lin

I’m writing to share my plans to investigate a murder you might know something about.

Fact: This murder happened on your soil.
Fact: Over three years have passed since.
Fact: The body has never been found.

But that’s not where the story begins, is it? That’s not where any story begins.

The victim emigrated from Earth at a young age in 2004.
The victim was a proud Mars resident for 15 years.
The victim was an explorer.
The victim was a geologist.
The victim was a talented photographer.
The victim was a beloved member of the scientific community.
The victim was a robot.
The victim had a name. That name was Opportunity.
The victim deserves justice.

Last Known Location: Perseverance Valley
Time of Death: Between June 2018 to February 2019
Weapon of Choice: A Dust Storm
The Murderer: ???

I hope you will cooperate during my mission to find out what really happened out there.

Opportunity, like many of us, depended on the sun for energy.
Opportunity, like many of us, depended on the sun for light.

I’ve been caught in a dust storm before.
You don’t see one coming until it’s too late.
And after that? Well, you don’t see much at all.

Susan L. Lin is a Taiwanese American storyteller who hails from southeast Texas and holds an MFA in Writing from California College of the Arts. Her novella, GOODBYE TO THE OCEAN, won the 2022 Etchings Press novella prize and is now available to purchase at susanllin.wordpress.com, where you can also find her other published work.