The Locket

It has been two weeks since my last contact with NASA. There is no way I can see this mission through without support to assist me with shortages. I will starve to death. I lay in bed holding the heart shaped locket my wife's mother gave her before she went to college. Two weeks later her mother was killed. Three months after that she was pregnant and dropped out of school. She loved this locket for it's sentimental value but wanted to get rid of it because she said it was bad luck. Since I don't believe in luck, I told her I would take it and leave it on Mars. That way it would never bother her again and she wouldn't feel guilty for getting rid of it herself.

I had to plan my takeoff and food rations for the nine month journey back to Earth. Torn between staying, hoping someone responds to me or hoping I can make it back home alive isn't who I am. I really have no choice. I am barely going to make it without starving, and there is no way in Hell I am going to let her think that this locket has evil powers or some bullshit like that. So instead of leaving it, I'm bringing it back to her. Surprise, surprise.

It was a solo mission and since I lost contact with anyone on Earth to guide me in, the landing was more like a crash. After realizing I was still alive, I knew the first thing I had to do was open this thing up and ask the first person I saw to get me a beer and a cheese burger. I was starving. I un-strapped myself and popped the door open. In the middle of the damn jungle. Nowhere near where I thought I landed.

I cut through the thick terrain with one of four things I had leaving the shuttle. A pair of high powered binoculars, a compass, the jungle knife I've been packing since Nam, and my wife's heart shaped locket. So I started hacking away. Following the ground downwards in the path of least resistance. I basically stumbled forward heading North. After about three hours I heard running water about fifty yards ahead of myself. As I got closer I realized that in my weakened state there was no way I would be able to cross it. I made myself a spear, a little fire and after a few attempts, had a nice fish to get me back on my feet. I needed to find someone in a hurry before something out here finds me. I was almost done with my fish when I heard some rustling in the near distance. I didn't hear any voices, so I didn't want to alert whatever it was to my AO. I smothered the fire as best I could and fell back into the wood line. As the movement got closer I realized they were humans and not animals. But I still had to wait and see if they were friendly or I could wind up on an indigenous tribes' menu for lunch. As they got closer I could see that they were some type of militant group. Definitely not American, but I still believe that they can help me get back home. I call out as I come into the open. They immediately aimed their weapons at me. Three men began yelling for me to get down on my stomach. I was eager to follow instructions especially knowing they spoke English. I needed their help and didn't want to piss them off. They kicked my legs apart and patted me down. When they raised me to my feet I asked them where I was at. "Mexico", one exclaimed! They placed me in cuffs and started pushing me in the direction I was to walk.

Everytime I asked what I had done wrong or tried to explain that I was an astronaut, they told me to shut up while nudging me in the back. We reached a jeep and they placed me in the back between two of them. I didn't say anything as we drove, just tried to pay attention to my surroundings as best as possible. We entered what looked to be a military base. In the far East corner was one of five gated compounds each holding about two to three hundred people. These people looked worse than me. No telling how long they've been rotting away here. I went and sat down next to a few guys huddled up. I asked if any of them could explain to me where I was or why? What they told me next was shocking and sickening to hear.

First that I was somewhere in Mexico and that there was a solar flare that basically wiped out half the planet. All chaos had broken loose. The people who were close enough to the flare but survived lost everything. There were many who were burnt badly if they were lucky. Some went blind within seconds after seeing there friends and children disintegrate right in front of themselves. Millions of people scrambled looking for shelter. Sole preservation caused mass murders. Anything and everything your worst nightmares have dreamed up has happened, and in areas still are.

So for the last three years while I was safe on Mars, human nature was at the brink of extinction. He explained that a year ago, half of the living Earth with half of the incinerated Earth separated. I asked what he meant by "separated." He explained that half the Earth was approximately two thousand miles from the other half, and you're looking at the other half right here. I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. After getting sick and throwing up the fish from earlier, I asked him some questions about security surrounding the compound. I had to escape somehow to see if I could reach my wife.

I thought to myself, if I could escape Mars, I was out of here. That very first night without haste, I sought out my opportunity and I was gone. I was able to find a jeep after hiking for about fifteen to twenty miles. It had a couple extra gas cans on the back and an additional four in the back seat. I wired it up and drove off using my compass. I headed North. Nevada bound. As I passed through ghost town after ghost town, the thought that I may never see my wife again crossed my mind. The nauseousness overwhelms me. I thought about everything that was planned. All the ways of the world that I never seemed to like, and how I wish I could have them back so I could complain some more.

I picked up provisions where ever I could and was even able to find some full cans of gas. I had barely escaped a few people in the distance that were shooting weapons. They were too far away to know if they were aiming at me or were just trying to get my attention. You never bring a knife to a gun fight. I had one mission and one mission alone. That was to find my wife. I went as far as I could before being stopped at the edge of Earth. The story of what happened was true. I wasn't able to get beyond somewhere in Juarez, Mexico, before I saw the gap between the two surfaces. I stepped out of the jeep, the beef jerkey I had in my mouth fell to the floor. As I approached the edge, I heard water and a crackling sound. I sat down on a boulder. I knew I would never see my wife again. I knew the last goodbye would be the very last one. I sighed a heavy sigh. I looked up at the heavens and not a single thought came to mind. I felt alone. I didn't know what to do. I had no answers. Sitting on the edge of Earth staring through my binoculars at the faces of those that I would never be able to reach again was a haunting site. Was she alive? Is she able to see me sitting here? Will she make it without me? My last thoughts on this Earth will be about only her. Not about all the greed, envy, or status. Only her. I screamed I love you as loud as I could, hoping that just maybe she would hear me. I fell to my knees. At this moment, I feel as we were never closer than we are now. Man this is one unlucky ass locket!

The End