the unknown space

chapter 1

There I was, staring at the letter. I had been accepted. I was going to go somewhere no one had ever been. I was never going to see my family again after today. Most importantly, I could die. Going to space was not going to be easy, even though the world had magic sprouted into it. I heard a knock on the door and my mom gently opened it as she and my dad walked in.

"Well?" She asked.

"I've been accepted," I responded quietly. My parents stared at me dully for a second before my mom turned and looked back at me with the same light green eyes that I shared.

"Oh, well I guess I'll make dinner to celebrate," she walked out of my room stiffly.

"I'm really proud of you Evander," my dad said smiling. He had brown hair, very similar to the color of my own. "You're going to do great, just remember what you learned at training. I promise tomorrow won't be the end," I looked to the ground.

"Why did you want me to do this?" I asked, still staring at the ground.

"So you can have a better life, Earth is dying. By the time you're 39 the Earth would be dead, all life will be gone! You have a chance to survive though. I won't pretend that it's not dangerous, but you passed the training exam, you can do this. Plus you won't be alone, you'll have your partner and all the others who passed." By the time I'm thirty-nine? I'm already sixteen. I thought to myself. "Now start packing, dinner will be ready soon and you're leaving tomorrow," I started getting ready but I didn't know what to pack.

When will I ever stop running away? Everything I need will be at the launchsite tomorrow, I can't really bring anything anyways. I don't want to go, why can't I just stay with my family who cares if the Earth is dying? We all die at some point. It's just a matter of time, for all I know I could die tomorrow, the pod could explode!

The car ride became bumpy close to the launch site. My Dad parked in the parking lot and we walked inside the big building. It looked like a giant museum for spaceships throughout the years. We walked to the front desk. "Check in for Evander Woodland," my dad said.

"One second please," the lady at the front desk said, looking down at her computer. After typing something she looked up, "Evander, can you step in front of this camera, I have to take a picture of you to confirm your identity." I walked a step to the right and looked at the camera and I did not smile. There was a tick sound and a flash as the picture was taken. The lady looked back at her computer and typed something else before responding, "Looks good! Go straight down this hallway and enter the door marked section 32D. Your parents will have to say goodbye to you there. Have a safe flight."

"Thanks," I said without making eye contact. We walked silently down the hallway and found the door marked in big letters and numbers 32D. I took a deep breath.

My parents turned to me, "This is it," Mom said, hugging me, tears rolling down her face, dampening her shirt as she wiped her tears away. "You'll be great, remember the whole human race depends on you!" She said jokingly, "Goodbye!" I knew this was not easy for my mom. she had just lost my older brother, now she is losing me.

"Make us proud! Goodbye!" Dad said, also hugging me, tears filling his eyes. Before I left to open the door I looked both my parents in the eyes.

"I know this can't be easy for you, I don't want to go. I want to stay and help you."

"We know you do but you can help us by continuing the human race, start your own family," my father said, trying to encourage me.

"I really don't want to go. You guys need me!" tears were now running down my face. I ran up to my parents and I hugged them knowing it was the last hug I would ever give them.