Chapter 1: The Unveiling

I’ve just released my inaugural short story, and to be honest, it’s not perfect.

“How To Destroy The Universe” — a short story by Sergey Faldin

I’ve taken the plunge and published my first short story. It may not be the best, and it’s certainly a bit strange. However, as Neil Gaiman wisely said, “Assume you have a million words within you that are worthless. Get them all out.” That’s exactly what I’m doing. You can check out the first chapter here or on Wattpad. I’d love to hear your feedback.

As the crew aboard the International Space Station enjoyed their slumber, an unexpected flash illuminated the vast darkness, emanating from the station’s solar panels.

To an attentive observer, this brilliant flare could have been mistaken for a supernova explosion; it was that intense. Yet, it wasn’t any celestial event recognized by humanity—at least, not at that moment. It was merely the result of instant transportation from the other side of the galaxy, appearing for just a split second before fading away unnoticed by nearly everyone.

Only one young boy in San Mateo, California, happened to catch it.

At that precise moment (according to Earth’s timeline), he lay on the ground, feeling the grass tickle his neck and legs, gazing up at the night sky and attempting to count the stars as he drifted off. It was the second day of a school field trip, and the chatter of his classmates had died down. Even the teacher’s distant voice, discussing astronomy, was fading into the background.

As he gazed at the Big Dipper—a constellation he had recently memorized during night walks with his mother—he noted how brightly its stars shone in this part of the city, almost as if someone had poked holes in the sky. Suddenly, he noticed two stars vanishing from view.

Focusing intently, he soon spotted it—the flash. It lasted for what felt like a millisecond, darting towards the Moon, leaving behind a comet-like trail of blue.

“Wow,” he gasped, eyes widening as he turned to his left. “Did you see that?”

But his best friend, Dennis—a young boy from Zimbabwe whose family had immigrated to the U.S. when he was five—was already fast asleep beside him.

With a sigh, he returned his gaze to the sky, hoping to catch another glimpse, but it never reappeared. Eventually, he succumbed to sleep, filled with dreams of space, distant planets, and galaxies colliding.

Years rolled by. The boy grew up, graduated with top honors, pursued a media degree in college (much to his parents’ pride), and landed a job at a prestigious newspaper in New York City.

Yet, the memory of that flash lingered. He found himself reminiscing about it during sleepless nights, where the memory provided solace and eased his anxiety. However, whenever he tried to recount the incident, people dismissed it as a fabrication. No scientific publications or online articles ever referenced such an event, especially one that left a mysterious trail pointing to the Moon.

“The Moon is too far away,” they would argue.

“You wouldn’t have seen any comets, and if you did, there’s no record of it in public archives,” a Ph.D. in astronomy told him during a college masterclass on lunar phenomena.

In a way, it was reassuring to realize that certain aspects of space remained enigmatic—an unsolved mystery. That flash connected him to his childhood and held a significance that felt uniquely personal, as if it were a secret shared solely between him and the Universe.

What he didn’t yet comprehend was just how significant that moment truly was.

Of course, that boy, who transformed into a man and a competent reporter with dreams of space exploration, was me.

In this video, we explore practical tips and shortcuts for publishing your first short story, from brainstorming ideas to navigating submission processes.

Chapter 2: A Journey of Discovery

Here, I share the story behind my first published short story, reflecting on the challenges and triumphs that shaped my writing journey.