Change

1. Restart

1. Restarting

S

eriously?! Again?! We are moving again?! Leaving everything behind and starting afresh, again?! Before, moving was okay.

When I moved countries, I was about three years old, so that was okay. It was not as if I would really miss anyone. It was just my relatives that missed me, for some strange reason. When I moved again, at the age of six, it was really surprising, as it did not really help that I was not really told we were moving until the eve before, when we were packing. That is what I remember, anyway. I could handle it, though. I had been bullied at school, so it was good to be leaving there, although I would miss the two friends I had made there.

Now, I have finally settled down, learnt how to look after myself and made friends- something I always had difficulty with. I have learnt to ignore my father’s ideas of moving to America or Australia. I thought this was another idea of his, although this time wilder and sillier than before.

I remember laughing when he suggested moving there. In fact, I agreed with him; I was in a good mood that day, which was strange, considering how I had felt in those few months. Perhaps I was just slaphappy. I told him how it would be a great place to explore and learn about.

But this is ridiculous! This is not a time to be dropping bombshells casually, over Christmas dinner! Well, it is my father we are talking about. Yes, I would love to visit the place if visiting was possible, but why would I ever want to leave the people I love, the people who make me, me, and ruin my career plans?

I have always wanted to be an explorer-adventurer is a better word, but I prefer to call my current environment, home. It is true that I have always been interested in Astronomy and outer space, but seriously? Risking ten years of my life, a life where I could have gone to university, created an independent life, going to somewhere never ventured before? Yes, I like going to places for the first time, and it would be cool being the first person to explore the place, but this place? Not cool. Really? Leaving this planet, leaving this galaxy?

New Year’s Eve walks by very quickly. There is the rumour of the world ending at midnight, as it is midnight that it becomes the year three thousand, and as always, people want to see it as the mark of the end of the world. I watched a programme once about history-in particularly, the year two thousand to the year two thousand and twenty, and it was really interesting. There were the same rumours that the world would end, and throughout those two decades, other rumours of the he world ending. All stupid predictions, of course, which includes this one about the world ending tonight. And television was so strange. During both decades, programmes were two-dimensional! So were computer screens!

Anyway, the world will not end tonight. This is a pity, because I would rather die here than die on the way to an unknown planet. Of course, I do not want to die; it is how I want to die, even if I did want to die, a few months ago. This is my last New Year’s Eve, though. And the year two thousand and nine is-was, the last full year of my life on Earth.

I don’t know how most will manage to survive on the ship. With no internet, gadgets and robots, I am sure many will suffer. I am used by now to taking my mobile phone with me to most places, and ordering it to complete tasks for me using voice command. I will not have that luxury on the ship. Have my parents even considered this point?!

I still have to have an education on the ship, of course, which I am quite glad about, because although I do not like school (who does?), I know that it is important for me. I am not really sure what an education is for anymore, though. On Earth, education gives you a job, money, a life. I will be in education for another four years on the ship, and then I will have to wait another six years before I can do anything with that, and then what? By the time we might have settled into the planet, I shall be dead.