One Wish Granted

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say.

The thrumming of the generator has always been the source of my peaceful sleep. Moderate vibration and homey warmth suffocates the room, somehow relieving me from the feeling of loneliness. Being isolated from the general population isn’t as bad as most people makes it seem. It gives me time to think. Time to focus on what most think is a dream that’s too far to reach.

This isn’t my first rodeo here in the man-hut. I’ve been here two other times. It’s where we’re sent if we break one of the countless rules that have been set in place for two centuries, since mankind had to evade earth and inhabit the confines of a space shuttle. Since then, there have been many stories from the elders, each adding new details every time they tell a story about there being uninhabitable planets surrounding us, yet, they’ve restricted us from crossing the silver lining of concrete-OSA 1023.

It’s said that the rules are set to keep order but really, I think they’re set to limit our freedom. The shuttle that I call home is losing its light and the oxygen supply is dwindling. Everyone’s on the brink of panic. Members of the hierarchy along with our leader– the dictator have been holding private meetings to find a solution, which I only know about because my older brother is a doctor. He tells me that they’ve talked about decreasing the population if all other plans fail to deliver. These days, there are only 4,400 of us, while two years ago, there were 2,000 more of us.

We’re stationed near Venus where gravity is heavier than the surrounding space. It’s said to be similar to earth’s gravity.

The time seemed to pass by slowly as I lay in bed with my eyes closed and my hands connected behind my head. The thrumming sound stops, leaving silence in its absence. It has never gone completely silent in this place. I thought.

For several moments, I lay, waiting for a sound. A disturbance to override the harshness of silence.

A shrill, insistent alarm suddenly blares through the overhead speaker as two emergency lights above the door begin to flare red.

As I sat upright at the edge of the bed, the lightness of my limbs and the natural feel of gravity dissipated. It’s clear that the gravity device has been tampered with, as this has not occurred for several years since the last dictator had been exiled. I stood, floating toward the door as a loud clicking sound came from it. The small window on the door is frosted over as if the temperature has dropped. The metal bars across the door disengages, unlocking it. I turn around to retrieve my jacket and shoes which are floating just as I am. Walking out of the room on a normal basis would have been ideal to feel and breathe my first air of freedom, but my luck doesn’t permit normal things.

“Doctor Romell is needed in line-way 290” The robotic voice of a woman resonates through the speakers.

There is absolute chaos in the long hall, as everyone is panicking. Naturally, I wander past everyone after being unsuccessful in finding my brother amongst the crowd. He must already be on his way to lineway 290. I grabbed onto edges of the walls as I made my way through the halls of the shuttle until I made it to room 67.

Stale potato chips lay scattered around the floor, randomly spread on different surfaces of furniture. None of the furniture is turned over but are settled in different places than normal, not in a way that they’re organized but more so scooted defiantly, seemingly leaving traces of a struggle. This room is normally immaculate. Cozy and welcoming. It’s rare that things would be out of place here—our safe haven. This is a space where we congregate, where we can relax after a long day of hard work. It has its own gravity companion, cut off from the rest of the shuttle’s configurations. Nothing’s floating but everything is different.

Cold air spills into the room, urging goosebumps to rise beneath my skin. The already dim fluorescent lights flicker in a breadths beat. Worry pools at the bottom of my gut. “Something's not right.” I whisper to myself. The air is dense as if the chute had been opened. No one uses it unless they’re free roaming.

As I pass the protective glass near the wall of awards, I realize that several of the astronaut suits are missing.

"What’s going on here?" I question, not really expecting an answer.

Anxiety rose like the excitement of mischief.

Three tall silhouettes stood guarded in the far right corner, watching every move I made. I had not noticed them until their reflection appeared in the glass.

The air was thick.

My head began to feel as if it was swelling.

The three tall figures swiftly moved from the corner, stalking in my direction.

Forcefully, they grabbed my arms and legs. Dressing me in an astronaut suit.

Struggling to break free was a no-go. My strength was no match for theirs.

The slickness of sweat hydrates my skin as they place the globe helmet on my head. They were a three man army of few words. The last thing they’d said to me was that they were giving me a chance at my freedom and to not come back. They’d given me a small shuttle that we call capsules, enough space for only one. A small bag with dehydrated food was also given to me.

Suddenly everything became very clear to me.

They’re secretly exiling me. They’d used a distraction for Romell, my brother so that he wouldn’t stop them from casting me away.

Fear strikes me as I realize that I’d be alone.

Romell and I had been planning this for an entire year. It was his plan. But he wanted to do it the right way which is why we had been planning for a while rather than just leaving.

He has always been more uniform than I am. I guess you can consider me a rebel.

Climbing into the small capsule stole my energy. The cruelty of silence antagonizes my thoughts as they close the lid.

This is what I’ve been wanting. This is what I need. But this is not how it was supposed to go.

I undo the emergency latch, opening the lid. The guards move aside as Romell steps past them. I can’t read his face. It’s devoid of any emotion.

“Now!” He says without hesitation. Without remorse.

It's a slap to my face. A betrayal of my trust.

An avalanche of emotions coursed through my body.

One of the three men presses the emergency button to open the chute. A vacuum like suction has a force so strong that I fly without movement of my own. Warmth evaporates as coldness steals its glory. I'm holding on for dear life to the capsule but I'm separated after losing my grip. I’m yelling, begging for mercy but no one looks my way. The limitless darkness surrounds me. I’m floating but in a rhythm that I’m not used to. The shuttle is getting further away, mixing with the gasses and darkness.

I'm small in all the open reigns of space.

I am without.

I'm alone, apart and broke off.

I am now, no more than a fragment in space and yet, it is still undetermined if a scream anyone can hear a scream in the vacuum of space.