Lunar Man

I knelt and kissed the ground. It was such a relief to be back on terra firma after almost three years in space. One stupid night’s prank had left me with a ten year prison sentence to serve. Then the offer had come. I could reduce my sentence for hard labour, working on the new lunar mining station. They were shipping convicts out like it was a new Australia. Naturally, I agreed. Only later did I realise the living hell I had signed up for.
Looking up at the moon, I felt saddened that his smile had now become eroded.