Red Rock

Chapter 4: A Disfigured Face From Elsewhere

Chapter 4 A Disfigured Face From Elsewhere

The inside of the Dome was separated into many large compartments with their own designated purpose. The orange officials were everywhere, quickly guiding every entry to the compartment that suited their need. "Scan your finger here," an official demanded, pointing down at a small tablet held in her hand. Daire hesitated for only a second before the tall frustrated woman begrudgingly grabbed his hand and placed it on the scanner. The official threw Daire's hand back by his side and watched as the tablet immediately portrayed large bold letters spelling 'No Ticket'. "Purpose?" the official asked monotonously, obviously trained to react to the finger tablet's diagnoses.

"I want to go to Mars," Daire said, being sure not to hesitate for a second time.

"Keep to your left, follow the signs that say 'Admissions'," she spat, pushing Daire in the right direction, immediately shifting her attention to the next customer. Once again, Daire made his way through a frustrated and slightly panicked crowd and headed toward the Admissions Department. The crowd started to thin out the farther Daire travelled into the Dome, eventually finding himself in a line toward a series of booths.

The interior of the Dome had a relaxing touch to it. The temperature was not too hot for Daire to shed his tall jacket, and the mostly white surroundings gave a calming yet alert feel. Now that he was where he needed to be, he let loose his backpack, let gravity slump his shoulders, and took a deep breath to relax for a moment.

"Next in line!" yelled a voice from one of the booths ahead signaling Daire to step forward and take a seat. "Scan your finger here please," the slightly colored elderly official said before Daire even had the chance to sit down. Daire followed the monotonous procedure to please the elderly authoritative figure and waited patiently for further commands. "Daire Malachy O'Connor, is that you?" the man asked with a sigh, tired from a long shift on one of the busiest nights of the year.

"Yes, that is me." Daire spoke as formally as he could.

"And why are you here, Daire?" the elderly official asked, barely making eye contact.

"I want to go to Mars."

The elderly official looked at his magnetic hovering screen for a moment before turning back to him. "And why do you want to go to Mars?"

Daire sadly looked at the elderly man. "I need a new life," he started, dozing off into a trance. "I need another chance."

"And why do you think that chance will be waiting on the red planet?"

"Because it's the only place left for me to go."

The elderly man looked at his screen for a moment before turning back. "Have you tried getting help or staying with any of your family members? It says here that you have an uncle, Edward O'Connor." Daire cringed at the sound of Ed's name being spoken, hoping that the elderly man would not recognize the celebrity. "Have you tried communicating with him in the past little while?"

"Yeah," Daire replied, trying to read the official's facial features. "I had to leave there too."

The official nodded. "Have you thought about leaving Earth for a while?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"A long time."