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Year 1, Day 61
It’s been two months. Two whole months.
Every day feels the same. No, scratch that. Every day is the same. Wake up, eat, work, eat, exercise, work, eat, sleep. It’s mind-numbing. If I didn’t have Maria I would be insane by now.
Maria. We’ve been married for what, fourteen years now? She is just as amazing as the first day I met her. Sometimes I forget to breathe when I’m with her. I would spend all my time with her if I could. She’s the reason I’m the person I am today. She’s the reason I wake up.
I have to go to work now. The water filter is damaged. I need to go have a look at it.
David Wells, out.
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Year 2, Day 187
It’s Maria here today.
David hasn’t been very sick for the past few days. He needs to rest, and I thought I would update the journal so he wouldn’t have to.
He’s been working himself too hard. Every day, he wakes up earlier than me, and he stays up later than me. I can tell that he feels responsible for these kids. He’s so stupid. Reminds me why I love him.
He’s so stubborn. Always going the extra step to do his best. Doing everything he can do to help others out. Such an idiot, placing the health of others before himself.
Ah, David’s coughing again. I’m going to get him some medicine.
Maria Wells, out.
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Year 4, Day 83
Today was a big day. A failure in the cooling system was overheating vital components. Me and Maria spent fourteen hours straight fixing it. God, I’m wiped. Got a burn, too, and we had to use some of our precious biogel.
No gravity is doing a number on us. Deterioration of the musculoskeletal system is having a lot of noticeable effects. It’s annoying having to constantly maintain our health. In addition to that, I sometimes get random headaches in the morning. I have no idea why, but so far it hasn’t been too bad.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
Damn, I’m yawning as I write this. Gonna go sleep now. My bed is calling me.
David Wells, out.
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Year 5, Day 249
The headaches just kept on getting worse. It’s like firecrackers are going off in my head. We should’ve prepared for this more thoroughly.
I got overexposed to radiation, it seems. All those times I worked on maintaining the exterior of the ship and on highly dangerous machinery, I was getting more and more poisoned. I never let Maria work on those parts because they were hard work and I didn’t want her straining herself. Guess that’s coming to bite my ass now.
My central nervous system is damaged. I certainly won’t live until 120 like how I joked. Funny, I lived through shootouts and fights, yet this is what’s going to kill me in the end.
Maria wanted me to use the medical equipment for computer-assisted surgery. I told her no. It was a waste. I was going to die anyways- she should keep the medical resources for herself. I think she would have drugged me unconscious and went on with the surgery if my head wasn’t so damaged. I’m taking just enough medication to keep me alive. I still have a job to do, and I’m not going to let a damn headache stop me.
David Wells, out.
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Year 7, Day 40
Today I held David’s funeral.
I should have done the surgery. I should have. But he kept on telling me no, kept on telling me that I should save the medicine for myself, and wouldn’t let me.
And then he died.
It was a simple affair. He wanted me to release his body into space. So I did. For hours, I sat there, watching him drift away. I took a break, even though it was a stupid thing to do.
He always sat here. On this desk, typing away on this computer. I see reminders of him everywhere, and it’s driving me crazy.
Oh, God, why did you leave me, David?
I’m alone.
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Year 24, Day 78
I forgot this existed.
After all, I never came to this part anymore. When I needed to do anything here, I avoided looking at anything, because all of it were reminders of him.
The years have not been kind to me. I’m dying. As of now, I’m sixty. I lost two fingers working on a machine. I’m nearly blind at this point, and fully deaf. My hair all fell out years ago. I’m barely clinging on to life as it is.
I’m disconnecting myself from life support today.
The ship can run itself pretty well. I made sure everything was working properly. For a little bit, it should be fine. If no planets are found, oh well. At this point, I don’t care. It was a lost cause from the beginning anyways.
I’m sorry, everyone.
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Maria pulled away from the computer, dragging herself off. With a pull, she rid herself of the drip she had been on for months. Biogel was a wondrous thing, capable of so many things. But it couldn’t prevent David’s death. Worthless.
She threw the fluid-filled bag onto the ground.
Shaking, Maria looked down into her palms. There, two nearly identical rings rested.
Their wedding rings.
A final tear squeezed itself out of Maria’s eye.
I’ll be there soon, David.
Two hours later, she passed away.
A month after, a suitable planet was found by the sensors. The spacecraft, now unmanned and empty except for six unconscious people, began moving towards it.