May, 24, 30XX

It was the day. Finally.

Monica couldn't stop pacing up and down, struggling to stop herself from grinning as she waited for her mother to come down stairs. She overheard the sounds of cars starting just past the front door. She paced some more but stopped near the end of the staircase.

"Mom, Hurry up! We're going to be late!" She shouted.

"Yes, I know. I know. I'm coming down." She said, as she strode down the stairs while putting her heels on at the same time. "It takes a while for a lady to get ready, ya'know."

Monica stared at her blankly.

"Oh, just forget it."

With that, They both buckled up and drove to the United Space Flight Station located just a few miles from where they lived. It operated similarly to an airport, in which it had several spaceships just on dock and ready to lift off. However, the spaceships that had taken students of the Academy were different from regular tourist ships and as such, had its own section. That was the place Monica and her mother were driving too, now. It was around 12, practically guaranteed that the place was crowded by now. Monica was miffed about this, but it didn't matter as long as she could see her cousin.

Ophelia Moore.

She was one of her cousins from her father's side, who had enrolled into some kinda space academy. Her reasoning? She wanted to be like her mother, who used to work at a space station protecting the people from alien threats. That's what she had told Monica, who only stared at her with awestruck eyes.

They were driving now to pick her up from the station as her father was too busy with work and spring break just rolled around.

Monica bounced on her seat, her pounding heart was all she could hear. To Monica, Ophelia was her inspiration, her muse. And she just couldn't wait to see her.

Millions upon millions were lined up in front of the station, holding up signs with their loved one's name on it and endlessly shouting. People more in the back jumped just to see if they could spot their precious loved ones. Monica and her mother stood with the ones in the back, as they were too late to get front-row. The spacebuses had touched down a while ago but it took time for the students to leave.

Some had already been reunited with their families and others were still looking for theirs. Monica pushed the crowd in a feeble attempt to get closer. Perhaps, she would spot Ophelia sooner.

"Monica! Stop, where are you going?" Her mother cried out. "Bring your butt back here!"

Monica, deep inside the crowd, was too far to hear her mother between all the screaming. Even if she could, she wouldn't listen. Just a few more pushing and pulling till she would be in the front row, to witness Ophelia getting off.

Alas, to the front row, she waited and waited...and waited. At this point, the crowd was getting smaller and smaller. Soon enough, it was so small that her mother spotted her from a distance and frantically rejoined her side.

"What did I tell you about running off!? I swear, if you get abducted I'm going to have a heart attack! Do you want that!? See your own mot-"

"Excuse me, ma'am."

Monica and her mother both turned around. Monica furrowed her brow, her mouth grew thin as she bore holes into this young woman in a black suit adorned with a shiny badge on her breast pocket.

"Are you the caretaker of Ms. Ophelia Moore?"

There was a long pause. Monica and her mother exchange worried glances before resuming speaking.

"Yes, I'm here to pick up my niece. What happened? Did she miss the bus?"

"I wish it was just that, ma'am. You see..." The young woman took a deep breath."Ms.Ophelia Moore has...gone through an accident. She's unable to speak in complete sentences, and only stares straight ahead."

Monica's eyes had lost their shine, she burst out into a fit of laughter.

"What are you saying? Jokes are supposed to be funny! Stop messing aro-"

"I'm sorry. I'm not joking, young lady."

After a long and heavy silence, her mother spoke up.

"Where is she?" She pulled Monica closer to her side. "Can we see her?"

"Of course, you can. We were transported on a different bus, one for injured or sick people. She should be in the hospital right about now."

The drive to the hospital was silent one and the only sound came from the other cars zooming past them. The cheers had long died out, like Monica's excitement. Which had turned into dread.

Monica stared out the window, not daring to say anything. She couldn't.

The hospital bustled with people, as always. Monica moved lifelessly side by side with her mother, who jogged to the reception desk. Breathlessly, she spoke.

"Excuse me, Can you tell me where Ophelia Moore is staying?"

"Are you family?"

"Yes, dam-Urgh!" She scrambled through her purse to find her ID and present it to the man at the front desk. "Here! Now, please let me see my niece!"

He took it without any sense of hesitation and typed along his computer.

"It's room 1043. Here" He said, giving her ID back.

She snatched it back, and with Monica, rushed towards the elevator to catch a lift.

When they finally arrived, the room ambience came with a drip of IV and monitors beeping rhythmically. The sounds of nurses and patients faded into background noise as soon as Monica stepped into the room. She stopped right next to Ophelia, her throat tightened. The bed that Ophelia was laying on had casted a huge, looming shadow on Monica's lower half. Ophelia did not once, ever look towards the door where they came in. Not once bothering to look at Monica. Instead, she only stared at the off white walls. Her brows cast a dark shadow over the rest of her face, her dark-brown kinky hair disheveled.

Monica took a seat, doing her best to ignore the growing ache in her heart. She opened her mouth slightly but closed it. She took some time to think but her head was blank. But something terrible had dawned in her.

"Is your name Ophelia?"

"Yes."

"What building are we in?"

Nothing.

"How was spring break?"

Nothing again.

"Trick question." She said, forcing a laugh. "The break just started."

She tuned it out but she was sure her mother was crying right about now.

"Ophelia..."

She clenched her fists.

"Please...please, look at me, Ophelia."

Nothing yet again.

Monica slowly stepped out of the room, sparing one last glance to Ophelia before leaving. She spent the car ride home crying her heart out.