The orbiter streaked the pastel skies of Alpha Centauri. Two humans stepped out to view their conquest, carrying with them a flag. But another flag was already there. A tyrannosaurus rex appeared emblazoned on it in red. The humans despaired.

“How’d they plant it with such short arms?” she fumed.

Matt Strutz (He/him/his) is a fiction author living in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Born in Downers Grove, Illinois, he moved out East to live with his life partner. They met online through a shared love of writing and live together with their three cats. Matt is interested in exploring the wide range of human emotion and experience through storytelling. When he’s not writing he can be found running, climbing, woodworking, painting, or hiking.