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Rocky grew a couple few cracks when I told him about wars on Earth. He was astonished at the idea that a species could hate its own kind enough to kill hundreds and thousands of each other.
When I told him the reason behind each war, he had heard enough. He knocked a claw against the floor angrily.
“Humans stupid! No talk no talk! Only fight fight fight!”
“You said it buddy…”
I sighed and leaned against the xenonite wall.
“And to think, people sacrifice themselves to go to war. Couldn’t be me, I’m not brave enough for that.”
“You brave to come to space.”
I winced. Right, I hadn’t told him about that yet. About how everything I knew of myself was wrong. How I was a coward and always have been, and always will be.
I turned my head towards him but before I could respond, he cut me off.
“You save a world that is bad. You good human.”
I slowly nod, then sit up.
“Yeah well, it’s not exactly about being a good human, it’s about doing what’s right. Sure, humans…fight..but I’m doing this for the children that won’t have a future. The children that aren’t involved in the wars.”
“Yes, you good human. Good good good. Very brave.”
I dismissed his compliment and turned back to my computer. I could feel his presence behind me, waiting for me to respond.
“Grace you hear, question? I say you brave.”
“Yeah I heard you the first time….”
“Why you no respond, question?”
“Because…”
I sighed and closed my laptop
“Listen, some people aren’t— brave”
“Yes but you are”
“Rocky, listen, I’m not brave, okay? I’m not. So please stop calling me that.”
“But—“
“Shhh.”
I pressed a finger to the wall.
“No more.”
He pressed a finger against mine.
“You grumpy, need sleep, question?”
I groaned, my head falling forward against the wall. I take a deep breath, he means well. He care, I know he cares. I should be happy he cares. I should be happy someone cares. Even if that someone is an alien spider rock. Better than nothing I suppose.
I look up at him.
When we had met all those months ago, I couldn’t help but feel instantly connected to Rocky, like I had met him before. I’m sure he just reminded me of someone from my past I couldn’t quite place. My memories were still foggy from before the project, I could hardly place my mother’s face.
I close my eyes, I’m overthinking again.
“You watch…”
Was all I said, before curling up against the wall. I cracked open an eye for only a moment to see Rocky’s claw pressed close against my face. I smiled softly then allowed sleep to lull me over.
———————————
“What about you? Got someone waitin’ for you at home?”
I asked, leaning against the counter, beer in hand.
My buddy sat next to me. We had met at recruit training and stuck together ever since. His name was Private Stone, but everyone called him Rocky. He was built like someone fit for the military, I was not.
But the draft was brutal and here we were, preparing to live or die for our country against our will. Stupid government.
“Yes. My wife….”
My eyes widen as I sit up on my stool.
“You have a wife?”
Rocky looked at me, slightly offended
“Yes?”
“Oh sorry— I didn’t mean anything by that I just—“
I shook my head
“How did she feel when you…got the letter?”
“Oh, devastated.”
Rocky sighed
“We had plans to see the world together, now…well…I’m just hoping there will be a world worth seeing left once this whole thing is over.”
I nod and look at the floor.
“Yeah….”
————————————
I was the one who had to tell Rocky’s wife what happened. He had taken a bullet for me. He saved me. I owed him this…
To at least tell his wife he died a hero.
When she fell to the floor in tears, I couldn’t do anything.
It was my fault he was gone. If he didn’t protect me, he’d still be here. He could’ve let me die and he didn’t.
I watched him fade in my arms. The smoke, the screams, the shuffling around me. None of it mattered. The red of his blood stained my clothes. I had clutched him in the trenches, tears pouring down my dirty face.
I gently hugged the poor woman as I thought…
Maybe in another life he survived.
———————————
I gasped and sat up too quickly, bumping my head against the wall. I winced and gently rubbed it.
“You are okay, question??”
Rocky pressed against the wall.
“Yeah…yeah I…”
I blinked and looked around.
“Sorry I just…had a weird dream.”
“No apology. Dream bad, question?”
“Yeah…kinda…”
“Mmmm kinda, question? Can only be bad or good, was bad or good, question?”
“Rocky, gee calm down will ya, I just woke up!”