Ten: Futility

I looked up at the big, squarish building, and I could still see traces of the red, white and blue paint that was painted in the upper corner of the building.

I reached out and felt the roughened texture of the weathered concrete. I was amazed that this structure was still up.

Inside, I could just glimpse the metal structure inside. Possibly a spacecraft. At this point, I didn’t really care if it was still repairable.

Truth be told, I knew that I didn’t really have the skills, much more the resources to actually repair it. But when you are at the end of your hope, I guess you tend to delude yourself, and actually manufacture hope when there was really none to be had.

As I contemplated the very large spacecraft assembly building, I heard the whine of electric motors.

“Stop right there,” the voice of the lieutenant yelled. “Don’t move!”

That was ridiculous because I wasn’t moving.

“Get off that bike and raise your hands!”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because we got you. After months of chasing you, we finally got you!” I could hear the gloating in his voice.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why? Because you’re under arrest!”

Several of his people started running towards me. I wasn’t going after my rifle so they weren’t firing.

“I mean, why put me under arrest?”

The Lieutenant laughed. “Because you’re a criminal! And we need to bring you back home…” His voice lost a bit of its confidence. “… I mean, as soon as the rescue expedition finds us.”

I got off the bike and turned to face him. The lieutenant brought up his rifle again, and pointed it at my head.

“Don’t move!” he yelled.

“Do you really think there will be anyone coming for us?” I asked.

“Of course! I mean… I mean, there will eventually be… I mean…” He lost his determined demeanor. “I mean, it might take time… but, eventually, someone will come for us.”

He tightened his grip on his rifle. “And when they do, then we’ll bring you back home, and bring you to face justice.”

I might have reacted to that before, but not now.

“But, Lieutenant,” I said, “don’t you know where you are?”

He didn’t expect that. “What?” he said.

“Lieutenant – we’re already home. This is Cape Canaveral.”

Everyone stopped.

“We’re in the United States of America.”

I mutely pointed at the big building, and, now that I told them where we were, they finally recognized the almost-completely-faded painting of the flag on one side, and the blue NASA logo on the other side.

“Oh, my God,” the one beside me whispered. “What happened?”

“It’s not true…” another one said.

I felt beyond sad now. I tried to think of what to do now. But I didn’t know.

Instead, I decided to take off my pack. I took out the containers, sat on the concrete and started eating my dinner.

It was pork chops this time.

I really wished the food wasn’t cold.

- The End -