Among Us

Chapter 1

The email arrived through letter.

When I first saw the piece of paper, sealed with a dark blue wax, all I could think was:What kind of person still uses letter? 

The only reason why I found out was because my grandmother checks the mail.

"Old habit." Whe would tell me. She was from a place that delivered news through paper every Sunday. It surprised me she hadn't adapted to the new technology that constantly surrounded her.

It had arrived Tuesday. It lay in the rusted comunity mailbox for almost an entire week. Nobody stole it. Nobody thought I could be accepted. They had no reason to check my mail.

I wasn't disappointed that Tuesday. After all, I was just a normal girl from a normal city. I had nothing special. I wasn't smart or ritch or pretty. I had laughed it off with my grandmother. She laughed too, but it was a forced laugh. I could see it in her eyes. The sadness, the defeat.

I didn't ask her what was wrong. I already knew. She didn't want me to stay on this musty piece of rock we call Earth. She wanted me to go to Planet X and start a new life. Like the other 8 Million people who were rejected, I stayed up wondering what life could have been like if I had been accepted.

Life on a new, fresh planet. 

I could, for the third time in my 18 years of life, see the sun. I could own a dog. 

So that Sunday morning, when my grandma woke me up at 7 AM just to hand me a small slip of paper, I was not angry.

I gingerly opened the letter, making sure no to break the swirly blue seal. I said nothing as I read it. I couldn't. I was absolutely speechless. They chose me. And it wasn't a mistake. My name was on that letter, clear as day. 

Emily Vinderwall.

We are pleased to inform you you have been accepted into the Space X Program. You are now one of 2,00 who will travel to Planet X to begin colonizing a new planet. Please accept this wonderous invitation through the application email by September 24th.

Your crew has already been matched.

Please contact us through your application email if you have any questions. 

Further information will be sent to you if you accept. 

I looked at my grandmother in horror.

"It's September 24th!" I nearly screamed. My grandmother looked at me with a confused face as I jumped out of bed and into my deskchair. I nearly broke my laptop as I pulled it open, desperate. I typed my acceptance email with such speed my thumbs throbed. 

I received a notification almost imediatley.

"Why couldn't they send the letter by email then?" I muttered to myself. My grandmother laughed behind me as I clicked the email. 

Thank you for accepting. 

Takeoff day is scheduled February 22nd. Next Monday, you will receive an escort and be brought to the official Space X Program training facility. There, you will grow accustomed to life in space.

Some common questions:

How long is the trip?

We do not know how long it will feel for you. Our rocket's speed will slow down time. This is all an experiment. By signing the application form, you agreed that we are not responsible for your death. 

I cursed. Should have read more carefully. 

Will I like my crew?

Almost certainly, yes. We matched you to people who fit your personality, and to people who most match past friends and family members.

Will I meet my crew right away?

No. You will not meet your crew until the last week of training. You will perform simulations with them, but you will not see them in person. This is for health reasons.

Thank you for joining the Space X Program.

Safe travels!

I turned around to see my grandmother smiling wider than I had ever seen her. But she was crying.

"Whats wrong, Gran?" I asked, hugging her. She wiped her tear and hugged me back.

"Nothing, dear. I'm so proud of you." She smiled, pulling away. I smiled, but her sadness brought me down. When I left, she would be left all alone on this poluted planet. She cut off my thoughts with a genuine smile. "Who wants pancakes?"

I grinned even wider. Gran only made pancakes on special occasions. She said it was to make them more special, but I knew the truth. We didn't have enough money to afford eggs, even if they were artificial. 

In an overpopulated world, good food is almost as scarse as happiness.

But the way I danced and Gran smiled, you would have thought we were the luckiest people on Earth. 

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Hai! Thanks for checking me out! If you're here for the death, go to Chapter 8. These chapters explain the background, what they're doing, etc, but know it might be slow for some so yeah!