[ WP ] You are the first person to walk on Mars . But just as you step on the soil , your intercom says `` Help us . ''

When the dust of the landing began to settle around us, the rocky red landscape came in to focus. My partner and I held our breaths as we gazed out of the landing capsules window. 
 
 
 `` Let's open the door,'' I murmured, still looking out the window. I listened to our space suits crunch as we moved. I to the portal that served as our door and he to the lever that controlled it. We looked at each other. It had been a long time coming. Almost 3 years too long. 
 
 
 He pulled the lever. 
 
 
 Immediately, there was a rush of air as the capsule depressurized and the door pushed slowly out. As the panels separated, the steps mechanically glided down until they met the surface. The door was open. 
 
 
 My partner came to the door, as I squatted down in front to get a better view. We stared out into what looked like a dusty brown abyss. 
 
 
 `` Is this real?'' I heard him whisper though the headset. He put his gloved hands atop the door and peered down with me. 
 
 
 Slowly sliding down to the first step, I replied, `` Yeah, this is real.'' 
 
 
 As I stood, a deafening silence erupted around me. My breaths became thunderous in my ears, barely able to hear my partner shuffling behind me. Eyes wide open, I could n't stop staring at what was before me. Curving on the horizon, it went on for miles, just rocks and dust. Above, was a blackness I had only ever dreamed of seeing. And in just a small corner of the sky was Earth. 
 
 
 I took the next step. 
 
 
 Squinting my eyes, I raised my hand to block it. The sun is harsh on a planet with little atmosphere. As I looked closer, distinct land formations came in to view. There was what appeared to be a small mountain range of sort to my left, just peeking out from beyond the horizon, and to my right, a smattering of craters from hundreds of years ago. Between everything were dunes of rough sand, even though there was no wind to make them. 
 
 
 I stepped down once again. 
 
 
 Straightening himself, my partner slowly ventured out behind me. The silence is louder the closer I get to the ground. Shuddering, I look down to my feet and the soil just beneath them. I glanced back to my partner, if only in assurance that I was n't alone. We nodded to one another and with bated breath, I took the final plunge. 
 
 
 *Crunch. * 
 
 
 I placed my right foot first, 
 
 
 *Crunch. * 
 
 
 And then the left. I held my breath and closed my eyes, trying to work my way out of either an adrenaline rush or a panic attack. At this point, I did n't know what would come first. 
 
 
 Like lightning, my headset began to crackle. It got louder and louder until I though my ears were going to bleed. I threw my hands up to attempt cover my ears through the helmet but the crackling stopped. I opened my eyes, hands still on my head. Then began a low buzzing, fuzzy syllables I could n't distinguish. The syllables quickly became half-words, still indistinguishable. The fuzzing stopped and two bright clear, distinguishable words rang through my ears: 
 
 
 *'' Help us. `` * 
 

