Fortuna

1

What a perfect way to end a terrible week: an earthquake. Thank you, Earth. You really know how to make someone blush. But you didn't have to bring your good friend, the sun, here too! 

I stepped beside the window, against the wall. Using my right arm, I pulled down on the cord to open the blinds and at the same time, turned my head away. Instantly, from my peripheral, I could see the room light up brighter than anything I had ever seen or imagined. It was terrifying but also oddly enticing.

Without warning, I found myself spinning around to face the light and like a moth drawn to a flame, I immersed myself fully into it, feeling like I was leaving behind all the baggage that weighed my brain down the past week. It overcame me and the last thing I remembered before everything turned black was one thing: Greg wasn't that bad.  

---

Was I dead? 

It didn't seem like it. I was still thinking and breathing and I heard a mellow chirping outside? Then I saw black and then orange and then my eyes fluttered opened and I saw white. I was staring at the ceiling and I was in my bed. No, it wasn't my bed but it was a bed and it was really comfortable. 

Looking around, I realized everything was white. The night desk was white, the floor tiles were white, the lamp was white and even my clothes were all white. The walls were not spared from this drastic colour scheme either. Abruptly, the camouflaged door, which was also the same colour, opened and an attractive young lady wearing red entered the room. Was this a dream?

"Hey! I see you're awake."

"Where am I?"

"The hospital. We found you by the river the other night and from the way you were dressed, it looked like you came from Earth." 

"I'm sorry but what?" 

In the midst of adjusting to the new surrounding, I had neglected to notice that what she was wearing was not a dress but rather nothing I've ever seen before. It was a cross between a toga and a hazmat suit. Her hair was tied back into a strange shape that resembled a frayed knot. It didn't look very fashionable but hey, who was I to judge? Fashion was weird these days.

"You're on another planet, dear."

Was this some sort of cruel joke? Or did I go crazy? Was this a psychiatric hospital? I played along to find out.

"So...this planet we're on. We're on Jupiter right?" 

"Hahaha. Except for you can't live on a giant ball of hydrogen," she then glared at me seriously. "I know this is hard to take in but I'm not joking."

"What's the planet called?"

"Our planet is named Fortuna."    

"Never heard of it."

"Maybe it's because no astronauts go back to tell the tale."

"Why not?" 

"Well the two way trip would take longer than your whole life so why would you want to waste your time when you've already found a planet you'd be happy to live on?"

Was she lying or crazy? Am I crazy? I couldn't even tell anymore. 

"So...fortune?"

"Yes, the planet is named Fortuna because when mankind found this planet, it was by accident. They would have almost missed it but luck seemed to have played a part and long story short, we're all here living happily."

"How far is Earth and how in the world did I even get here?" 

She tilted her head apologetically. "Earth is far enough that you'd probably be dead by the time you get back if we used current technologies and honestly, we have no idea how you got here." 

I finally snapped. She was definitely lying. "Alright. I'm done playing your game so I want to know the truth now! This isn't funny! Where am I?"

She stared with blank eyes. She walked over to the window I missed previously and pushed the curtains to the side. She motioned for me to look outside.

I sat up on my bed and stared out the glass. The sky was a light tint of purple and I could tell that we were at least four stories up because I could see the roofs of a stretch of houses that lasted beyond the horizon. The houses were oddly shaped too; they were rounded prisms with domes that were a multitude of colors. There were a few circular shaped windows for each unit. This did not look like Earth.

"Convinced?"

She held her clipboard closely to her chest and walked towards the door, turning backwards before opening the door. 

"I'll come get you a little later tonight. Until then, there's a little booklet in the night-desk beside you. Feel free to read up a bit on the planet." 

"Are you a nurse or something?"

She ignored the question and left the room.

I sat up on the bed taking in everything I had just been told. I slapped myself in the face a few times but I remained.

Fortune? More like misfortune.