Chapter 50: Snow

Weeks passed. Drake healed over time. He noticed that he’d stopped having his usual nightmare—a welcome change, though he didn’t know why.

“…and then Steve saw the spider and screamed his lungs out in front of all his colleagues!”

“Haha. Really?”

“Yeah, like a little girl! He was so embarrassed, he considered resigning from his job!”

“Woah! That sounds like him, alright.”

Drake was now cheerily talking to his father on the balcony.

“Ah, but man, I miss the old days. I know we can’t go back, but… I hope humanity can one day build back what we once had, and live like we used to.”

Bill mulled over his statement for a minute before carefully commenting: “Everyone wants to go back to the times they thought were good. They don't remember that they didn't feel much better then and don't remember the problems that came with that time; nostalgia remembers the good and eliminates the bad.

“Before that day, everyone surrounded themselves with fantasies and luxuries and tried to ignore the problems of the world. That's what led to the 2nd Great Depression, too. Things didn't improve much since then either. No one learned their lesson; the world was stagnant.

“But now, for the first time, we’re coming together to face our problems. Isn't this the greatest moment in human history? Can’t we be content with what we have or try to create a better future rather than regretting and missing the past?

“Take, for example, your own life, Drake. If you’d continued to live in that small town, skipping school, sleeping and daydreaming all day, not doing much meaningful stuff in your life…”

“Ouch.”

“…then, you wouldn’t have met Steve, Jord, those in the Defense Force, and all the other friends you have now. You wouldn’t have worked hard and developed this much. I’m not saying the Apocalypse happening was good, but we can’t just focus on the bad. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“I think you’re right.” Drake smiled. “Alright, then. Let’s have an even brighter outlook. Let’s have a better goal than just returning society to how things were. Humanity will build back and onward to an even better future!” And I’ll do my part in this, for the sake of everyone I know.

Bill looked at Drake. He could tell he was no longer obsessed with revenge; he would settle for everyone remaining safe. He’d changed so much.

“A few months ago, I was worried about you. You were following a dangerous path I was all too familiar with. I know that, like me, you would probably leave it in the end, but I was afraid of the chance that you’d go too deep and never return, not to mention the dangers of being in the Militia. I found myself questioning my parenting.

“Thankfully, in the end, everything turned out alright. What a relief.

“You know, your mother would be proud of what you’ve become.”

“You think so?”

“Definitely.

“By the way, now that you’ve healed, tomorrow’s the day.”

“Already?! I forgot! You mean—”

“Yep. We’re going to space.”

* * *

It was November 20th, nearly a month after the space pod had arrived in Rencia. For the first time that year, it snowed. White flakes gently descended and blanketed the city, resulting in a frigid wonderland. It felt like the snow would clear everything—sins of the past, dilemmas of the present, concerns of the future—away, and everyone could start afresh with renewed vigor.

It gave a sense of hope to some.

To others, the fact that it happened at an earlier date than expected foreboded a cold winter. The coming year would be filled with unending hardships.

At the moment, however, there was something else on everyone’s mind.

A large crowd gathered on the street around the space pod. The Authorities were lined up there as well, to see Drake and Bill off. The President and many others were nervous about sending a kid off on such a crucial mission, despite the weeks of training in negotiation that they had attempted to give an uncooperative Drake, who alarmingly seemed to treat it frivolously by occasionally falling asleep mid-lesson. Little did they know that he’d been paying a lot of attention by his standards—far more than he normally would in a classroom.

Drake and Bill entered the pod through the open door. Inside were two seats in the center and control panels lining the walls with alien-language labels.

“I hope they don’t expect us to fly this thing…” Bill said, concerned.

“What the heck’s in here?” Drake pointed to a few large bags on the floor.

“Ah, those…” a government official said from outside. “There’s an oxygen tank, manuals on communication and understanding foreign customs, a communication device in case you need to speak with Rencia…”

Drake threw them out the door. “They’re taking up too much space. I don’t need them.”

The official looked alarmed. “H-hold on, sir. That stuff’s important.”

“It’ll be fine.” Drake waved it off. “They’ll have oxygen, they won’t expect me to follow their customs, and if we need to communicate to you… well, we already know they can hack into the SORS. You guys are overthinking it.”

I think it’s you who’s taking this too lightly, the official thought.

Drake and Bill took their seats and buckled their seatbelts. The door started automatically closing. Drake looked outside at the Authorities one last time before the door closed.

He smiled and saluted. “See ya.”

The space pod’s engines started and it lifted off. It seemed the flight would be computer-controlled.

Drake looked out a window to see them fly above buildings and eventually the Walls.

Cool! We’re actually going to space! Drake thought as it accelerated, building force on his body. It wasn’t something any human had done since the Space Wars, so it felt like an accomplishment.

Strangely, there was a lot less strain on their bodies than they’d expected. Perhaps it was due to some sort of technology.

Despite that, however, “Ugh,” Drake’s father felt sick. “I hate… space… travel.”

“Already? Come on. Look outside, Dad. Enjoy it. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Maybe to you… I can’t see it that way… while suffering. Urg. If you think about it… a deadly snake bite is once-in-a-lifetime too…”

“What a perspective.”

After a few minutes, the sky turned black as the pod eventually broke into space. The effect of gravity started subsiding, and the force on the passengers slackened. Then, the ship started slowing down.

“Docking sequence initiated.”

Outside, one could get a glimpse of a humongous black spaceship. There was a soft thump as the pod docked with the larger ship. After a minute, the door hissed open. Drake and Bill got up. Outside, they could see a bright, white hallway.

This is it, Drake breathed and prepared himself, we’re going to finally meet our enemies—the ones that sent the Blucteryhem down to destroy Earth; the ones connected to Steve.