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The room is cold, busy, and loud, all the other scientists walk around the room we each get essentially our own cubical, but I like to call it my lab, I mean technically I have a door, just no roof. I don’t let my lab stop me though I mean before this I was just working in a big lab with no personal area for my stuff but now! I get my won cubical. Good things come to those who wait.
I haven’t slept in a while though, none of us have but I shouldn’t be too obvious, I look towards the mirror and try and hype my ghoulish appearance up, my dark brown hair clearly hasn’t seen a brush in a while. My blue eyes stare back at me red with lack of sleep and excessive caffeine, my skin paler than usual and my nose is facial hair is getting a bit off track, tother than that though I’m in tip top shape.
They even got me a fancy sparkly new lab coat, it even has space for my name tag on it, I pin the sliver tag reading out “Dr. Damien Gray” on it woah, I mean it sounds o professional. I mean yes, I am a DR. technically and I’ve been called it before, but to be here. With all these famous scientists and working along side them to help save earth? I mean c’mon it’s, it’s AMAZING.
A new email shows up in my Mail box and I go to answer it expecting a super top secret email about the job, only to be met with an email from my mom and dad asking when I’ll be home cause they want me to be there for my nieces piano recital, I told them I was doing important stuff and they ask me to leave to go toa recital? They do understand I’m saving the world…. I ignore the email, and try to focus on some work.
I look towards my alien plushie that rests on the fish tank in my lab and smile, remembering the hero that saved us all, Ryland Grace. His sacrifice never forgotten even 30 years after he bravely went to space sacrificing himself in the name of life itself. I imagine what it must’ve been like in the lab, his lab. The lab where he saved everyone, billions of miles from home, but he did it and if he can do that than surly, I can find a better way for this Tau Amoeba to thrive and procreate faster.
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A few months back I was working in my biology lab, when I received a not so lucrative letter from Eva Stratt asking me to join the efforts to help sustain Tau Amoeba, one of the only things keeping the sun alive, which would mean only thing keeping us alive. I responded urgently and awaited further instructions.
It’s not often one is presented with the opportunity to be like your hero and save the world; I was picked up by a fancy discreet (looks like a cop car but black) car and driven two hours away to the original building where the Hail Mary was built. Expressing my excitement would be almost impossible but it felt almost as if I was there with The Brace Astronaut Ryland Grace.
I got to meet and work with the original scientists from the Hail Mary project. I mean c’mon! this had to of been the best moments of my life. A few students from my class were even there with me. We hadn’t seen each other since maybe high school, other elementary. Stratt said she got together some of earths brightest minds once more to work on the project she called The Honour, which I thought was stupid and pretensions, so me and a few others started calling it the Saving Grace. As after Dr. Grace saved us all the Whole thing was dubbed the Grace, as it kept getting confused for the Saint Mary.
Eventually we even managed to get Stratt to call it the saving grace a few times to the point where it became the unofficial official name.
“DAMIEN!”
“OH, hello lead scientist Dr. Peslie, what can I do for you?” she looks at me with a smile, although she out ranked me she always had a friendly smile and warm words to share.
“We got donuts in the hall, but uh- what are you doing? Inner monologue” she laughs under her breath at her own joke.
“Sorry, I write better if I say it out loud, like reading out loud I guess?” I shrug but stand up and stretch because I want donuts. “Do they have any red and white sprinkle donuts left?” I ask as we make our way to the hall.
“Last I checked but I saw Dr. Anthony eyeing them earlier.” She says opening the door for me as we make our way to the Hall along some other scientists.
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With my sour cream donut in hand and a coffee in the other I make my way back to the lab, the rooms look so similar not enough that you get confused but no ones taken the time to decorate their space, I guess no one expects to be here long. Which is good of course, I mean if we all get to go home that means we saved the world, and everything’s okay. But I can’t help but be a little sad. I wont be some super cool world saving scientist but hey at least this will probably open the window to some better careers later down the line, I mean as much as I like being a biologist with a bachelors in astrophage, which may have been a bad idea to specialize in something so minor where we have only 14 facilities that require my expertise around the world, but it really doesn’t open a lot of career windows, maybe saving the world people wont care what my degree is i- my sour cream donut falls to the floor and fucking rolls away from my feet stopping Infront of a door.
Five second rule, I bend down to pick it up and see a key slightly half hidden under the welcome mat to the door, my old teacher did the same thing, he always said who would want my science posters, he said he did it to never forget his key looks like DR. I peek towards the plaque to find no name on it…
Curiosity takes over me and I unlock the door while shoving the donut in my mouth trying to ignore the obvious taste of dirt on it, I find myself in a dark watcher room? One of the rooms where you can watch science happen, I don’t know. I look out the glass panel to see a very dark room. I turn the light on and see a almost entirely glass lab.
I go to unlock this door and make my way inside only to find this door is locked and there’s no underneath the mat key to get inside. So I retreat to my lab with my now lukewarm coffee.
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Stratt decides to throw a little bash as we’ve made ample progress, everyone is drinking partying and dancing. There's an old karaoke machine that was found under a tarp that the engineers are trying to set up and a few people making new connections, but something is missing, Stratt is nowhere to be found. I turn to Dr. Peslie.
“where’s Stratt? She paid for this wouldn’t she want to be here?” I ask turning to my very drunk friend.
“OH, noooo she would not” she holds almost every word while shaking her head. “Not after what happened last time, she sang karaoke and I guess got embarrassed? I don’t know she ran of quick after that” last time… yeah, I forgot there was a last time, must be hard having to almost do everything over again.
“AYYYYEEEE”, the lead engineer Jurnee shouts as they finally figure out the Karaoke machine while the others high five her. She then turns to us and shouts “WHO WANTS TO GO FIRST!” clearly frunk out of her mind but I guess not enough to stunt her engineer work.
No one decides to go so they end up picking people from the crowd or picking songs and letting people go up if they like the song, I find a secluded spot with Dr. Peslie so that I’m not spotted, until I hear it, Black Hole Fantasy by The Crane Wives, fuck...
(YOU should go and listen to that right now actually, really good song)
I make my way on stage and grab the mic while people cheer, I take a deep breath and let the music take me.
While I sing the memories of my youth fill my mind, finding out the world might end was never good, but I had music to entertain me, at one point they pulled everyone out of school. That’s when I taught myself to play Guitar. One of many things affected by the sun dying but it differed from the rest in the simple fact that it got better, in every song created, every harmony, melody, and tune, you could hear the bitter sweet end, of everything, every artist put their soul into their art knowing that that song may be their last, some sat in it saddened by it, but others prospered.
I like to think I was one of them, any instrument I could find I would strive to master it, I mean what better way to spend the end of the world than composing my own sonnet to death herself. Each cord, saying what a thousand words would never begin to describe. And before you know it as soon as the song started it ends.
I put the mic down and look towards the crowd of drunk party goers cheering for me as I step down from the podium as a new person takes their place in the spotlight as I walk back to my drink and Peslie.
The rest of the night goes without a hitch; I made new friends with the engineers who seemed very impressed with my biology work and a few of the older scientists who said I sang much better than they thought I would.
The way back to my room was lonely as I decided to turn in earlier than the rest and couldn’t convince a drunk Dr. Peslie to walk me to my room. No matter, it’s not like I’m scared, I just didn’t want to seem to anti-social.
Shhahsn…vsshshhsshshhshs
(sorry guys I don’t know how to write sound)
My head turns to the soft noise coming out of the unlabeled room with the mat key. I watch the lights turn off and the door open to find Stratt slowly exiting the room only to turn and find me.
She looks, oh god, she looks horrible her eyes are puffy and her checks flushed with a bright pink, her hair in a messy bun with strands leaking every which way and a look I’ve never seen her face carry, and although she wasn’t at the party she stinks of alcohol. I look down towards her hand and find a hat, with the words Project: Hail Mary embroidered on the front.
“Grace?” she asks softly with hope “Grace” she hugs me.. her tears staining my shirt and the smell of vodka assaulting my nose.
“Stratt-“
“I’m so glad you found your way back. I’m gla-d rocky-y helped you” rocky?
“Stratt what are you talki-” She hugs me tighter and I decide that I don’t think anything I say to her will make her stop so I do the next best thing, “let me walk you to your office, okay Stratt?” she nods and lets me lead her to her office all while she mumbles apologies over and over again all to Grace… why..
The walk to her office is rather uneventful until I notice she’s dropped her keys, and she forces me to pick them up which was probably for the best as she probably never would’ve gotten back up if she went down. The key ring had 4 keys on it, all of which I attempt to use on her office door, but none work.
“Here these are my keys” she says handing me another set of keys this time with well over 10 on the ring, although conveniently she doesn’t remember which one is the actual key to the door.
After what felt like eternity opening trying keys to open the door, I finally find the key and manage to get Stratt inside, where she immediately slumps onto the couch before looking back up at me.
“I’m glad you’re back Grace. I thought… I thought I killed you.” She mumbles the last part, but a pang of hurt fills my gut, I can’t imagine what it must’ve been like to send people out to space, not knowing if they’d succeed all while knowing in the end they would die. Trusting them they wouldn’t just go off and never help us.
“you didn’t kill me Stratt, you didn’t kill anyone, you did what you had to do” I bend down to her to look her in the eyes and offer her a soft smile. She just shakes her head as tears continue to slid down her face.
“I did, I forced…. Oh god, I don’t.” she lays down and sobs into the pillow before I decide this is beyond my pay grade, and can only imagine if she remembers this she might fire me tomorrow.
“it’s okay” is the last thing I say before backing out of the room quietly and making my way back to my lab where I walk past the same room stratt had come out of, where I pull Stratt’s set of 4 keys out of my pocket.
I once again unlock the first door, and when faced with the second I use the next key and make my way inside. I turn the lights on to reveal the very same lab I saw earlier in the week. The room is empty but has another room inside it? I can only assume this was a lab used to preform experiments they didn’t know whether it would explode or not hence the window and so much extra space.
Beep….
I make my way inside using another one of the four keys and find myself in a dusty lab, there seems to be a few spots where there is no dust most likely because Stratt was just in here. The room has a soft buzzing noise accompanied by a light beeping coming from one of the computers.
Beep….
The room is dark even with the lights on, the blinds are all down so that’s defiantly not helping, the room is rather basic I really don’t understand why it has so many keys to get in. it’s like they didn’t want whatever was in here to get out, i think for a second maybe it was a monster before I see a picture of a Ryland Grace and his students from his very last class sitting on the desk.
Beep…
Oh.
Beep…
“Dr. Graces lab…” I whisper in awe.
Beep…
For fucks sake that’s annoying, I make my way towards the computer and click the flashing red button, when suddenly everything turns on, every computer, every light, and the tv screen Infront of me, where a video of Dr. Grace begins to play.
“Uh Hello, uh… everyone? So far so good me and rocky” rocky! Did another scientist survive on the Hail Mary?
“HeLLo” a voice rings from inside the spaceship but no body is seen to give it a face.
“Yeah that’s rocky, um so far so good we think we found the exactly what we need so now, rocky and I are building a chain to go and get it, so yeah, not much of an update, just thought I’d let you guys know” I smile fondly at the recording of my hero before I feel the color in my face drain when a rock walks onto screen.
What
The
Fuck
“WHATTHEFUCK” I scream at the rock spider on the screen Infront of me. i mean really I'm not surprised aliens exist we have so much evidence pointing to the fact that they do it's just the fact that there's one with with Grace.
“Hello! Rocky says Hello” he says bouncing slightly in a glass hamster ball?
The spide- Rocky lifts the partially made chain.
“Rocky fast, Human Grace slow” Grace looks slightly offended “All humans slow” he says with a humorous tone. Before grace shifts the camera so he’s cut out of it.
“Yeah, so that’s happening, probably going to take a us a few days 7 most likely.” Rocky pushes himself back into view.
“Because Grace slow us down” he exclaims “Slow human flesh body insufficient Bad, Bad, Bad.” Rocky says before rolling back over to his chain.
I sit there for what feels like hours watching all these videos of Grace, videos we’ve never seen, the thing is that they aren’t in order, so I can’t make heads or tails of the chronological order, but the information is all there. Rocky is a riot, everyone would love him, but I understand why Stratt wouldn’t want to tell everyone, I know humans and aliens don’t really mix I mean c’mon we can’t even accept out own kind if they don’t fit into social norms. I sigh and continue to watch.
I’d say that Stratt downloaded these all here in a rush. Maybe not tonight but I assume it wasn’t too long ago considering the fact that there’s a chair that seems to have been recently moved to watch them specifically in here.
“Stratt, if you’re getting this.” Grace says while looking at the camera. His glasses dangling by his ears, and tears in his eyes. “I forgive you; I guess I don’t know... there’s a lot of books in here for psychology and they said the best revenge is to forgive and forget, so that’s what I’m doing” he wipes his eyes and takes a deep breath through his nose. “I forgive you for sending me here… but I won’t forget, or I guess I will when I die…. You murdered me, and you know what I hope that haunts you…” what… “you may have thought I didn’t have a life, but I had kids… I had kids, who needed me” he gulps “you murdered me.” He sighs before turning the camera off, and the next video begins to play but I can’t focus.
You murdered me… I’m sorry for killing you… what the fuck is Stratt hiding from us. I look at the clock and realize I have to go; everyone will be awake soon and stratt will- stratt… I... it’s too late to sneak into her room to put the keys back, I say while I lock each door behind me while turning off the lights. I make my way to my lab and sit on the couch; I put the keys on the table Infront of me and nod of to sleep on the couch.
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I wake up with a headache and a wish that what happened last night didn’t but the keys on the table scream at me the truth, I prepare for the day before making my way into the lab. The videos the archives... I once would’ve praised and thought ingenious are no longer a genius at work and all the evidence he has to show his legacy, but the diary of a walking dead man.
Stratt had only released 7 files... 7 she told us there were only 7, 7 video tapes left by a man who died for us, HE died for us and didn’t even get the basic privilege of his videos being seen by someone other than his murderer.
“Dr. Gray?” I hear a familiar voice call out to me from behind... Stratt, I turn around, she looks better than yester day but still messy. But a different look is in her eyes. Embarrassment and understanding. She knows I know… fuck.
“Is there a problem?” I try to play it cool while looking towards the older woman. Her grey hairs taking over what was once red hair a pin holding it up in a bun. Stratt was one of the people to tell me all those years ago where Ryland went. She’s aged like fine wine. But her mood remains the same exact bitter taste although it may seem sweet that’s just to lure you into taking a bigger swig.
“There’s a meeting in the Colosseum” I nod and she walks to my table and picks up her keys before making her way towards the door but stops to tell me off.
“You… Please… you would’ve done the same thing” she yells uh wha- she says softly before leaving the room and making her way towards the other labs to spread the word. I wouldn’t have done the same thing… no... she was cruel... I would’ve sent someone who wanted to go. Not forced... no, never.
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Stratt once again stands Infront of all the scientists who continue to work on The Honor. And once again she gives the crew some very bad news.
“The sun is safe, and we will survive but we need to continue to produce more and more Tau Amoeba if we want to sustain, the sun has gotten warmer but not back to what it once was… some crops just can’t grow anymore and other who we used to be able to grow in the northern hemisphere we can only grow in the warmer regions like Africa. This is not sustainable, so we once again are asking you remaining” she looks to the scientists who were there for the Launch of the Hail Mary. “And newer scientists” she looks to me and the 7 others who recently joined in on the crusade. “To Work together on a way to grow crops without sunlight. And the vitamins the sun provides obviously” she says directed to an old engineer named Jurnee who immediately puts her hand back down, God knows how she got into the program. “That is all” Stratt leaves the room. And I see my chance.
I run after her “Stratt, Stratt” she turns around staring at me waiting for what I have to say. I stand up straight and demand what I want. “I want access to Rylands old lab.” I feel sweat drip down my back, this is a massively big request, this request alone could get me fired
She glares at me before sighing and nodding, as if she were giving up. “you will not share them with anyone understand?” she turns fully to me. Referencing the Files that she knows I’ve seen.
“of course, wouldn’t dream of it” I nod vigorously before she hands me the ring of four keys once again.
I look up at Stratt who looks like sad, almost like she’s giving herself up, I mean she couldn’t have liked it that much if she willingly gave it to me so quickly as soon as a problem arises. “Thank you, ma’am” I bow slightly not knowing what to do with my body before making my way back to the ,meeting room
“Careful with that, I only have the one copy…” something I don’t entirely doubt I mean why make multiple copies of something you wanted to keep a secret. “And Doctor, please do think before you make any assumptions”
“Think before I judge?” I whisper. “of course, Stratt, I always do. I’m a scientist after all”
I walk back to my lab with the keys tucked into my pocket after the meeting with a huge smile on my face, that was easier than I thought it’d be. Now all I have to do now is set everything up in the lab and enjoy what’s essentially a movie night. Of course, there’s the fact that Stratt probably sent a man forcefully to his death.
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“Umm astronaut? Captain? Um I don’t know… Uh Grace reporting for duty I guess, I don’t really know why I’m here or what’s going on all I know is I’m in space, or y’know maybe this is all a sick prank.” Ryland looks down off screen and sighs… I guess that’s up to me to figure out….
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“I float through the corridors of the Hail Mary, confused, aching, and well more confused. Nothing makes sense and no one is here to tell me why I’m here. Mary tells me this is normal and it’ll all come back to me, so far all I know is I’m Grace. I don’t really know why I’m talking to this dumb camera, but I guess it beats talking to a wall.”
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Once all the videos are finished in chronological order, and my note pad is filled to the brim with notes I sigh and look down now knowing for sure, Stratt forced Dr. Grace to go, but that’s not the priority right now, I need to focus on Project: Saving Grace.
I look at the unused science room, a lab all to myself doesn’t sound too bad, I’m sure Grace wouldn’t mind. I make myself comfortable in the lab making myself familiar with all the things inside and transfer my stuff inside and begin my work.
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I stare at the ceiling and think of things that could help. Maybe a fuel for the sun? but what happens if it gets too hot? Maybe a green houses all over? That doesn’t really solve the dim sun problem…. The Astrophage is an energy source of it’s own… something that actively eats the sun to reproduce… it’s nontoxic to humans, what if we find a way to reuse the energy that the astrophage produces and turn it towards sustaining life on earth. It’s a hunch but I’m sure there’s an equation in there somewhere that can focus the energy on aiding botany, energy is light as my teacher used to say.
The next 4 hours are spent going over equation after equation until finally something catches my eye and I go running down the hall to tell the other scientists.
Me and the other scientists work hard to try and make something sustainable, but we think we know what to do now. The more experience scientists and engineers are working on a prototype to see how it works, but I have bigger fish to fry.
The man I thought was a hero the man, who I looked up to the man we all called brave was, well frankly a coward. Not till the end but at the start, fuck… he was just a man. a scared man. The videos showed that much. I make my way towards Stratt’s office opening the door without knocking where I’m met with a knowing look. A look of pure shame and longing.
I shake my head at her with tears I hadn’t known were there slipping down my face. She closes her computer “Please sit”
“No” no?
“Dr. Gray- it was a very difficult decision, we needed him”
“You forced a man to” I cut her off.
“Doctor” she cuts me off.
“TO SPACE, A MAN” I shout.
“He saved billions and more you saw how he saved the Eridians at least we assume he did” I grit my teeth, and glare at the woman, the once heroic and brave Eva Stratt reduced to nothing in what felt like seconds. The Eva Stratt we all sympathized because it wasn’t easy sending humans to their death when she didn’t just send willing people but unwilling.
“Is that what you tell yourself at night? That it’s all okay because people didn’t die off. Obviously, what he did was heroic and brave and I am eternally grateful to him but” I feel myself choke on my words while my body screams at me to scream at Stratt and sob.
“you’re emotional, I know he was your teacher” My teacher….
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“Okay class today we’re focusing on Spiders, people think they are insects but actually” his classes weren’t always the most fun, or even the most groundbreaking, he tried to reach each of us. Like he needed to, to know he was a good teacher. He liked facts more than any actual science, but it made class fun, you were still always learning just in a different way like it was a game.
I remember the one day where my parents dint come to pick me up after school, they had forgotten I wasn’t home.
“Hey kiddo, parents late?” I look up at the taller man, us both knowing they are more than 2 hours late and aren’t coming. “We live in the same area; I’ll walk you home” nothing else was said the entire time except Mr. Graces occasional comments on the nature around us and the science it was made of.
Eventually though we make it to my house, “thank you” I say quietly as we stop at my driveway. He smiles and nods, he waits until I make it inside and turns to leave, later I found out he left his bike behind at the school to walk with me and that he lived on the other side of town. The fact that he took the time to stay with me even if I was one of if not the worst student in his class, grade wise. He knew me... took the time to help me every day. After that I made a little bit m ore of an effort in his class.
When my grades went up around springtime, he pulled me aside and told me how proud of me he was. He asked what I’d do over spring break I told him
“I’m going to study a lot of science” he laughed and asked what I was really going to do.
“What hobbies do you have Demi?” I thought for a moment and realized I dint really have any.
“Reading?” his brow furrows a bit and he nods.
“Why not try something new”
“Like?”
“Guitar” I liked the sound of that.
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My teacher, Mr. Grace, the best teacher I ever had. The reason I decided to go into Stem, the reason I began to work for Startt the reason, I am here. He was so much more than just a teacher. At this point I made this man my life. Or at least did my best to imitate his.
And I forgot one of the first things he taught me, to be myself.
I look down at Stratt, and take a deep breath, she wasn’t much different from Grace, just a broken woman, scared, alone, and desperate. She may have murdered Grace, but Grace in a way was killing her.
“I think we both know what I’m going to do” she sighs softly and looks down nodding.
“I think we do” she smiles “Thank you.”
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I sit down at my desk and begins to type out a reply to my mom telling her I’ll be there for the recital no matter what. I get a reply almost instantly yelling at me for taking almost a month to respond. I can’t help but laugh a little but she tells me the date, and I mark it on my Calendar.
I send one more email before I go to my lunch break, every video recorded on the Hail Mary to each news outlet covering the story, and the local government in which I assume Stratt hid the files from. A part of me debates whether I should send them but a part of me knows I should, but another part of me knows Stratt was right I would have done the same thing she did, I would’ve sent Grace too.
I guess it’s like that one philosopher’s theory, if everyone was drowning but you could kill a dog to save them you would… no that’s not right- uh I don’t know. Either way Grace was and isn’t a dog.
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The first few days after I released Mr. Graces video diary were chaotic, once again Stratt was put on trail, she’ll probably get off the hook, like before. Many people took to the streets demanding justice for Grace or demanding we send a ship to go and bring him home if he’s still out there. Unrealistic, but at least their hearts are in the right place. Many are even trying to make contact with Erid.
I take a deep breath on the cliff by the old building where the Hail Mary first launched, we’re repurposing it for our Saving Grace project, we plan to send a message to Erid that will take well over 11 years to get there but its worth it, to help them the way they helped grace as we assume they are probably dealing or going to be dealing with the sun still being dull problem, the launch is today so everyone is prepping like crazy. And as the new Head and Director of the Saving Grace project I need to be too.
Never in a million years did I think I’d be the Head of a project this big. Something bigger than myself. It took me 3 years, but I managed to track down Erid, and it won’t be long till we hopefully find what remains of Mr. Grace.
I stare up at the sky wondering if Mr. Grace ever did make it back to Rocky in time and if maybe just maybe he’s out there alive, living the life we couldn’t give him. I sigh and stand up making my way to the busy building, I go to my office and pick up the box I plan to send to Erid, I like to call it Hope, but that’s just because I suck at making creative names. The Box gets tucked in with all the rest of the research and Saving Grace utilities we plan to send. Everything is ready. And soon enough we launch.
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11.5 years later
“GRACCCEEEEEE” a loud thud is heard against my door, and I pull myself out of bed my bones ache with old age and my knees crack with lack of exercise.
“GRACE” Rocky’s voice fills the house as I walk to the door.
“Coming Rocky” I mumble as I open the door to find not only rocky but the lead science team on Erid in charge of Grace affairs as they like to call it. With a box.
Me and Rocky sit on the couch he made me and open the box, on the top is the same little me I sent to earth, with a sticky note attached to a USB with, ‘thank you Mr. Grace’ written on top I plug it into the Computer I had given Rocky and a video begins to play.
“Hello Mr. Grace, if it is you watching this that is... the ship was designed to go the Erid which I would like to assume you made it to, we put many research things to help Erid out if you are facing the same problem as us but that’s not why I made this video, I’m not sure if you will remember me as it was around 30 years ago now or I guess 40? Since we last talked, I was your student. Damien.” Gray…. “I just wanted to tell you how much you meant to me” I sigh happily also glad I saved earth. “Being my teacher” what? I feel tears prick my eyes “you meant a lot to all your students. You may be Dr. Grace to everyone else, but you’ll always be Mr. Grace to us” I choke and Rocky chirps at me to ask if I’m alright, I just nod and continue to watch the video as I go through the box. “I put some things I think you’d miss in here as long as another computer with all updated human data I though you’d like to see a few of your favorite movies and their sequels I think you’d like the newest avatar movie. And new music. Alright that’s all, I hope you are well and well alive… just know earth is alright and we all hope you finally found your home. thanks again” Tears are pouring down my face “Mr. Grace”
The box is full of old school stuff I used to have in my class room, the posters, the stress toys, even my old dictionary where I highlighted words that I wanted to learn the meaning of, they had even sent more clothing, much appreciated, I mean I missed my sweat pants. That’s when I see it, the last class photo I ever took. All my kids smiling at the camera all alive and safe because of me. I guess I always did have something to die for, even if I didn’t feel that way until Rocky.
I smile as rocky chirps and goes through the box with me pulling things about and putting them in the room making fun of my poor choice of clothing and posters, but I don’t care they sent me my prized possession.
A letter from Stratt sits at the bottom of the box along with a cd and a cd player. I ignore the letter and toss it in the pile of paper ton my table, to be read if I ever decide I want to hear Stratt’s side which is unlikely.
I move the box and put the CD player on the table before putting the Cd with sharpie written on the top spelling ‘Saving Grace composed by Damien Gray’ and press play.
Back on earth another class is being taught, a music class where the same song is being played by an orchestra of students, although Graces version is only Guitar and piano, this one is finished, violin, clarinet, drums, and of course guitar played by the very man who wrote the song, Mr. Gray, each note a homage to the life Ryland Grace lived, and the lives he changed.
The song fills the room and rocky sings along, as if he knows more about the song than I do, which he probably does, but I has the rest of my life to understand it.
I hang the picture of me and my last human class on the wall and smile knowing that I managed to live on the way I wanted to not as a hero, not as a scientist, but as a teacher. As me. Mr. Ryland Grace.