Transmissions, Chapter One- Departure

[StardoostLegend]

I look out the window of my snow covered street as a black car parks by my street. I knew I had to go soon, and I just wasn’t ready. In my hand I clutched the letter that turned my world upside down, when I had read it I could not believe this could happen to me.

January, 23, 2091

Dear Beatrice,

Due to the overpopulation of people, you have been selected to participate in the C.E.O.P, or Colonization and Exploration of Other Worlds program. You will be sent off to planets that may be able to sustain life, and will be a part of the mission to be able to help humanity escape our dying planet. Please note that you may not bring anyone on this trip, and failure to oblige will result in Capital Punishment to you and your family. You will be provided with all necessities needed for this exploration. There is no guarantee that you will be able to contact us or anyone on earth.

A government escort will be sent to bring you to the C.E.O.P Spacecraft Terminal on February 6th, 2091, 3:00 PM sharp.

How could this happen to me? I asked myself. I have to take care of my mother and I still haven’t done much with my life, this can’t be happening to me already.

I’ve wasted my entire life working at a gas station, caring for my mother, and now I couldn’t do that. She was the world to me, she was the only one who actually liked me, and now we were losing each other. There was no way she could work, she was too elderly, too frail, nobody would hire her.

Normally, I would’ve just fought back, I didn’t have anything going for me anyway, but I couldn’t, my mother was at risk if I did. She was all I cared about but I would not only have to abandon her, but my entire home, my entire life. Everything that I worked for I am abandoning. I just didn’t know how to feel.

I felt so useless, I wanted to fight and bark back, but I couldn’t. I felt like a dog on a leash, held back and being forced to go where I don’t want to.

I grabbed my luggage as I walked down the creaky wooden stairs of our small home. A man walked out of the car with a blank, emotionless expression, he was like a robot. I walked outside the door and simply handed him my luggage. I started to walk to the car when I heard my name being called

“Beatrice wait.” It was my mother calling from behind. I turned around to see her standing by the doorway of our small red brick house.

“Mother.” I simply said as I walk toward her. She looked up at me and put her hands to my shoulders, clutching me tightly, not wanting to let go.

“Beatrice, before you… you go, please, promise me something.” She requested. “I don’t want you to worry about me, but on this voyage, you will have an entirely new start on life… promise me, that you will do whatever it takes to live on for me, and just try to do something great with your life. Don’t squander it like I have…” I simply stare as I listen intently to my mother’s final request for me. “Don’t get into fights, I don’t want you to get in trouble. And just remember… Everything in my life I have done for you, and you have done so much for me, just promise me you will stay alive, okay?”

“I… I” I started to stutter. Tears were rolling down my face as the cold are brushes against my face. I tried to hold them back, to show that I would be strong for her, but I couldn’t stop it. “I promise mom, I’ll stay strong for you.” I finished. I wanted to do this for my mother, but I wasn’t even sure I could handle it up there. Nobody even knows if we would make it to the planet. I’ve done nothing notable my entire life, how could I do anything good now? I’ll probably die before we even get to see a new world. But I promised, because it was all I could do.

I brought her close and held my arms around her. I grasped her tightly as I didn’t want to let go. I wanted this moment to last forever.

“I love you Mom.” I said.

“and I will always love you, Beatrice.” She responded back. I wanted to stay in her arms, I wanted to have her by me till the end of time. But sadly I could not. The escort tapped my shoulders and split us apart. I walk to the car with my last bag. The escort closed the car door and got back to the driver seat. I look back at my only home, with my mother staring back at me, crying as she started to see me go.



The entire car ride was filled with silence was we drove past the streets of my home town. I stare out the window expressionlessly as the buildings blur together outside the window. As soon as I stepped inside the car, my sadness started to melt inside me. It was replaced with this hallow, empty feeling. I had already said good bye to the one place I called my home, and to the only person I cared about. Leaving everything else behind… un-phased me.

I felt like I was driving to my own execution. but this was perhaps worst. I would be blasted off into space, completely disconnected from the rest of the world, and travelling to a planet I may never see. Hell, even if we do survive, what are we am I going to do? I honestly just didn’t know what would happen. It was like I was about to have a whole new life, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. I always knew how I felt about things before, and I always had an answer. But now it’s different. I’m feeling things that I’ve never felt before, thinking about things I’ve never had to think about.

The driver interrupted my dark train of thought by handing me a packet of papers.

“what’s this?” I asked as I grab it from him.

“Your personal information, information you’ll need while on the ship, and attached there is your ID Card.” He responded.

“Thank you.” I replied back, but he just kept silently driving. I was going to say something but I decided to leave it alone.



We got to the Hovercraft Terminal. The terminal is usually filled with crowds of people trying to catch their hoverbuses, but this time it was different. They have closed down everything in order to prepare for the C.E.O.P launch. Now it is filled with angry protests from activists against the program. The C.E.O.P program was always controversial, but I’ve never given it much thought. I’ve never HAD to until now anyway…

Through all the screaming and guards pushing back protestors, I walked with hundreds of others to the docking station of the ship. As we walked, the sight of all the guards around here surprised me. Usually we only see this many for people who are actually important.

When we went inside the ship, it was much more luxurious than anything I have seen before. The walls and floor were a shiny, metallic white, it was much nicer than anything I’ve ever seen or could afford. I was expecting a rust bucket ship, especially since this program had just started out. I suppose this is what our government has been putting our tax money to…

Still, now that I’m here I couldn’t complain, perhaps it would be nicer than I thought. I walked up with my luggage to the large glass window that faces the town. I reach my hand out to the glass in an attempt to reach out at what I am abandoning. Reach out to what I wish I could go back to…

“Attention, passengers” an announcement boomed from the speaker. “Welcome to the Colonization and Exploration of Other Planets Program. The gates will be closing shortly, and the launch will begin in 2 minutes. That will be all for now.” The speaker cut off. It was all happening so fast, I started to think about my entire life, the mistakes I’ve made, the friends I never met, the things I wish I’ve done. As I doze off, before I know it, another announcement comes on.

“Attention passengers, the launch is beginning. Lift of in 10, 9, 8-“ the countdown felt like a ticking time bomb to me. This was it, this was my departure from Earth, this is my new beginning, a new start. I started to feel nervous, thinking about what could happen to me, if I die out here, nobody would even care, right? “7, 6, 5-“ I take one last look at the town, and wave a small good bye. “4, 3, 2, 1.” The earth started shaking. It’s as if the entire world is lifting off, and then, a loud boom could be heard, and with that, we started to lift off.

Looking down from the window as my entire world fades away, I reach my hand down in a futile attempt to grasp it. I say goodbye to a world I will never get to see again, as I head towards a world I may never get to see.