Coke on Mars

Of all the things Cale Wyler missed about Earth was the taste of Diet Coke. Here, he almost didn’t want to drink it anymore. Almost. Health-wise, he supposed that was a good thing. But having it go immediately flat after popping the top didn’t stop him from drinking it.

He popped one open and sipped it carefully as he floated from the bridge to the med bay, where Doctor Simmons had summoned him. “Cale!” she said brightly as he entered. At the sight of his Diet Coke, she grimaced. “That stuff tastes like ozone and lost dreams,” she said. “How can

“How can you drink that?” She asked. “Three centuries old, Coka Cola is the new wine,” he exclaimed. She just shook her head. How did something so repulsive gain such popularity with the National Vintage Society? Especially when it not even a wine!

That night she visited the club house soda cellar. The space was dimly lit, with rich leather details and aged mahogany doors that revealed countless Coke bottles and humming soda fountains. Then she saw it, hidden in a corner. It was yellow, square and very dusty.

It was the original furry packaging of the Coke. Not many knew about this version of the addictive substance because it was hushed up by the government within weeks of its first production. It was supposed to be completely destroyed...She inched forward to take a closer look.

It looked more like a small animal than a bottle or can. It was warm, purred softly, and had thick red fur with a white stripe curving down its back. She was mesmerized, but also afraid to learn where the cola came out.