Sun

He walked across the burning surface of the sun, not thinking much of the intense heat or nearly intangible plasma surface. For as long as he could remember, he had lived on the surface of the sun, unfazed by its heat, and able to see beyond its wispy flames to the stars and planets in the far distance. He had some vague recollections of words which he could not place a learning to, but that he distinctly knew. Things like Earth, moon, fire, water, and of course, sun.

He knew that he was standing on the sun. He also knew that that should have been impossible. But it was the truth for him, and he had come to accept that. He could remember nothing from before the sun. He did not know if there had ever been a time for him before the sun. He did not even know if he had a name, and he had never given one to himself. He was simply who he was, and that was a man who lived where no man should.

It wasn't a particularly exciting existence, in all honesty. There were not many features on the surface of the sun, and one could only see its solar flares so many times before they grew tired of them. He slept when he felt like it, and he had no need for food or drink - which was fortunate, seeing as there was no food or drink available. There was no one to talk to. Nothing to do but watch the distant planets move.

He could see them with incredible clarity. Of particular interest was Earth, from which he could occasionally watch them send people and objects into space. A piece in the back of his mind hoped that one day they would attempt to send something to the sun, so that they could make contact with him, and perhaps find a way to bring him to their planet. All of the other planets were lifeless. They were simply content to circle endlessly around him. They never changed like the Earth did.

That was why he wanted to go there, of all places. Even from his home, he could see how much the Earth continued to change. The way the people on it were always doing strange things, and how those things could have impacts the world over. The way they worked together to do things. The way the scope of their lives was more than just one ball of mass, unchanging, unturning, unloving.

But he could do nothing to leave. The gravity of the sun was too much for him to so much as jump, much less fly away. He was certain with time he could float through space to reach the Earth. But that required leaving first. And that was the problem.