Page 22 of Between Earth and Eternity
“Can you verify that the health assessment you completed in your information packet is accurate and up to date?” I send a quick prayer to the heavens that she isn’t about to go into details. Verifying that “yes, I am on a contraceptive” was already awkward on the form. It shouldn’t be anyone’s business but my own.
“Yes. It is correct.”
She taps the screen again. I fold my arms and stare at her as I wait for the next question.
“Do you consent to adhere to instructions provided by crew members in the event of an emergency or for the purpose of ensuring your safety while aboard Zenith?”
I don’t like thein the event of an emergencypart, but I respond, “Yes.”
“Thank you, Miss Andrews. That is all.”
I stand, trying not to look too eager to leave this odd conversation. Just as I am almost free, I turn. “Are you really going to ask every passenger these questions, or just Lottery winners?” I stand my ground, even as she glares at me over the top of the datapad, red lips curling into a forced smile.
“Everyone, Miss Andrews. It’s standard procedure.”
I nod and speed walk over to other winners, waiting for the rest to finish up their own debriefing. More like interrogation.
I should shake off the unnerving conversation, try to be grateful that I am one of the many souls leaving this dying planet, all the worries and problems left behind.
But the problem has never been Earth. It’s the people. I chalk the worry sitting in my belly to my emotions on high alert, but I can’t push past the instinct that those straight-forward questions were not as casual as they may have seemed. The journey hasn’t even begun, and I’m already paranoid.
Now more than ever, I fear I may have escaped Hell on Earth, but I’m following the devil into a place far worse than damnation and fire.
You were my world and on my side
From bright as day to dark as night
“Weekends,” Freya Ridings
Lunch is a modest spread of fresh fruit and sandwiches, but my appetite is nonexistent. Ori slowly munches her food, taking her time to savor each bite. As I watch her out of the corner of my eye, I notice how small she is, her clothes worn and more unkempt than everyone else’s here. When she finishes, I offer her my plate, and she graciously accepts. It weighs heavyon my heart, seeing firsthand that the outer edges of Wasatch must be worse than I realized. A brush of anger rises in me, but I push it back down, trying to find a distraction.
The little girl, Romy, sits on my other side, her head hung low.
“Hey there. I’m Skyler,” I say gently. “What’s your name?” I ask, even though I know already.
“Romy.” Her voice is soft like a dove’s coo. She doesn’t look up, keeping her eyes focused on the uneaten food on her plate.
“It’s nice to meet you, Romy.”
She smiles slightly.
“Were those your grandparents earlier out there on the tarmac?”
Her bottom lip wobbles. That isn’t quite what I had in mind.
“I had to say goodbye to my grandma today too—all of my family,” I add. She looks up at me, hearing the sincerity in my voice. “Today has been a hard day for everyone, huh?”
She nods. “When my mom and dad went off planet, it wasn’t so bad because I had Gigi and Pops. I didn’t feel alone.”
Loneliness is not something you need to learn. It’s a sting you recognize immediately.
“I feel alone too, but we don’t have to be,” I say. Her brown eyes are glassy as she gives me a hopeful smile. “What do you say? Will you be my friend?”
She smiles, a real, big smile now. A couple of her teeth are missing, and I can’t help but giggle.
“Thanks, Skyler.”
I bump her playfully with my shoulder, and she immediately picks up the sandwich and pops a bite into her mouth.
