Maria gave him another hug, then she and her mother left. He did not react to Maria. He attempted to recall what had happened today. Was it yesterday? Attempting to think hurt his brain, so he stopped. He had never been alone. Desolation flooded his mind and body. He noticed his Betrothed and Mars or Bust bracelet and spun it around his wrist. He guessed that this was Bust.
He glanced over at his uncle that sat next to him. Then he noticed something digging into his lower back. He turned and saw a cold steel doorstop. That should have hurt. It did not. How long had it been there? The aroma of bleach permeated the air as a man appeared from around the corner with a mop and bucket, cleaning the blood and ash-stained floors.
His viewer vibrated. It was probably Hope. He pressed the play button.
A message displayed above his viewer.
Hope: Cole, I love you.
His viewer vibrated again.
Hope: Text me, so I know our connection works.
He did not want to, but Hope needed him. He spun the bracelet again. Then he typed a message.
Cole: I'm here.
He received her response almost immediately.
Hope: 😊
"Let's go," his uncle said.
He helped Cole to his feet, and they boarded a nearly empty jet on the other side of the docking station. They departed, and his uncle broke the silence by stating, "When I was in rehab, we studied grief because we wanted to be prepared to handle it and resist running back to our addiction. The first step is denial. That's easy because you can pretend that this didn't happen to help you through the early days."
Cole understood his uncle spoke to him. Yet, he did not process it or try to answer. He kept trying to wake from this nightmare.
He dozed off and fell asleep the rest of the trip home. No. This was absolutely not his home. He had rid himself of this plague and being here meant he was going backwards. Yet, his direction meant little when he had nothing.
He soared over Mars. He turned to see Hope next to him. They held hands and glided over Olympus Mons. He woke when the steward announced their return. Those dreams used to fill him with joy, happiness, and a longing to fulfill his goals. Now they filled him with resentment and despair. He would have to stop sleeping.
"You gotta get up." His uncle said, staring at him. "You're the last person here."
His uncle led him through the airport, to the parking garage, and then they left in his vehicle. He did not resist where he was going because this still felt like a horrible nightmare. There was no way that he was back on Earth. They drove to his uncle's house. He did not belong here.
Cole flew over Mars and approached the enormous Olympus Mons again, but when he shifted to see Hope, he saw the beautiful young woman with the purple hair. She descended away from him, and he chased after her.
"OK. We're here." His uncle woke him.
Cole opened his eyes. It was sunny outside, and steam emanated from the hot asphalt. His uncle lived in a trailer park, and they pulled up to a mobile home. He saw his uncle's girlfriend waiting for them at their front door.
He missed his parents, and he also missed Hope and her family. His parents were dead, but Hope's parents were alive. Why did he miss them if they were still alive? Right, because he should not be here.
