Daily Flash Fiction

A Trek to the Cosmos

Zhai stared out the viewport, violet hair swirling like nebulae as the ship skimmed the edge of a colossal gas giant. "Are you sure this is the place, Xylem?" she asked, her voice laced with skepticism.

Xylem, his wizened face hidden in the depths of his hood, chuckled. "Trust me, young one. The whispers on the wind market never lie." He gestured towards a swirling vortex of dust and gas, its center was a perfect circle of inky blackness. "The Maw, they call it. Gateway to a hidden galaxy, they say."

Zhai raised an eyebrow. "Hidden from whom? And why?"

Jaxx, the gruff pilot with a mane of fire-red hair, snorted. "Why? Probably filled with treasures beyond imagining, or some ancient evil waiting to be unleashed. Pick your poison, kid."

Ignoring Jaxx's cynicism, Zhai turned back to Xylem. "Can the ship handle it? It looks… unstable."

Xylem's eyes, the color of distant stars, twinkled. "Unstable? Perhaps. But we're not looking for a smooth ride, are we? We're looking for adventure."

Hesitantly, Zhai nodded. The Maw pulsed with an alluring darkness, a challenge both terrifying and exhilarating. With a deep breath, she stepped onto the bridge, hair whipping in the artificial wind. "Alright, let's do this. Let's find what's hidden beyond the circle."

Jaxx grinned, his eyes flashing with excitement. "Finally, some action!"

As the ship plunged into the Maw, the world dissolved into a swirling vortex of color and sound. Zhai clung to the control panel, her heart pounding like a drum. But through the chaos, a flicker of hope remained. Somewhere beyond the darkness, a new galaxy awaited, its secrets veiled in shadow, waiting to be unraveled by a crew with courage in their hearts and stardust in their hair.

WORD COUNT: 291 Words
WRITTEN FOR: "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"  | "Winner for 1/23 and prompt for 1/24"  
PROMPT: Write a story that includes the words: circle, hidden, hair