Relics of the past - Chapter Ten

John woke up by himself. He felt really good. It was like a burden he never knew he was carrying had been lifted off of his shoulders. He wasn’t anxious anymore. He wasn’t scared of the future anymore either. He got up and took a shower. He noticed that he was no longer locked in his room. His captor’s no longer were afraid of him. He understood. It seemed to make sense now. He knew why he didn’t want to have the procedure performed but the feelings associated with it were all gone. He felt peace.

John got dressed and left his room. He walked down to the observation lounge and stared at the stars. He looked at the planet that was without life. He was sure there was life there but he was wrong. There never was. He didn’t know where the aliens who had captured him were. He didn’t know how he was put into the small structure that he was found in but it didn’t matter. He was no longer struggling with it. The sting of what seemed like the past few days to him had been removed. Mark was right, he was better.

Mark entered the observation lounge and joined John. “How are you feeling?” Mark asked.

“I feel really good.” John replied.

“How do you feel about being a different person?” Mark probed.

“I have mixed feelings about it. I feel like a burdened has been lifted off of me. In some ways I feel different and in some ways I feel the same. I remember everything that has happened to me, I just don’t look at it the same way now.” John replied.

“That’s understandable.” Mark replied, “Now all you have to do is find out what interests you and spend the rest of your life doing it.”

“All that ever interested me before was caring for my family.” John still felt some sadness at the thought of his family being gone forever.

“In the world you lived in before, there were strangers, now there are no strangers. Everybody is part of your family. I’m going to be leaving and returning to colony B9746FD. You should come with me. There are around 2 million people that live there. Everything you need to get up to speed and find your place will be there waiting for you. We can make you an appointment with someone who can guide you and help you sort everything out. What do you say?” Mark started getting a little excited about the thought of returning to a fully functional Colony again.

“All right.” John said, “I have to start somewhere and I guess that is as good a place as any.”

“It’s settled then.” Mark said. After three days had passed, Mark and John boarded the transport to Colony B9746FD. Once they arrived, the person with whom Mark had made the appointment for John was waiting for them. John and the person walked out of the transport station to start John’s new life.