It was a bright day outside, and the fierce sunlight shone fervently upon a small desert town. The residents of Savorno were bustling about their daily routines despite the immense heat. A dark green bus sped through the dirt roads, passing the many different shops situated in the bazaar. Children splashed water on each other as the angry merchants scolded them for drenching their hardware. Various technologies and cyber prosthetics were on sale under the blazing hot sun.
The bus continued on, passing the crowded bazaar towards a more obscure path. The road led to the Space Military Base. It was an incredibly sheltered area, and the vehicle was stopped the instant it reached the security checkpoint.
The driver called out to the passengers, "We're here."
With these simple words, all of the seated individuals rose and grabbed their belongings, slowly filing out of the bus. Most of them were teenagers, nervous and excited to be at the base. One boy, however, appeared to be frozen in his seat.
"Aren't you getting off?" the driver asked grumpily. She had other matters to attend to.
"Oh! Yes, sorry," said the boy promptly. He scurried off, trying to clear his mind. He had finally reached the place he had heard so much about.
The Space Military Base, often shortened to the SMB, was the main centre for space military training. All of the conflicts with the aliens in the earth colonies out on Mars and other exoplanets had caused the UN to form the Space League, which regulated Earth's safety outside of the home planet.
However, thanks to the bloodbath of World War III, many countries could not send adults to contribute to the program as the older and more able-bodied population had been nearly wiped out. And so, older teenagers were offered up. It was not the smartest decision, but there was no way around it considering the urgency of the alien attacks.
After having their baggage and person thoroughly checked, the teens were permitted to enter the building. The boy admired the hulking stature of it, embellished with a grand logo and a glass dome at the top. Behind it was the various take-off stations for the spacecraft. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to pilot a spaceship on a real mission, although he had flown in simulators many times at the behest of his overenthusiastic father.
The boy snapped out of his thoughts, only to find himself alone. The rest of the group had probably moved on, and now he was without a guide. He sighed and trudged over to what looked like the front desk.
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"Excuse me, where is the-" the boy began.
"Name?" asked the attendant, a bored expression on his face.
"Sanj... Sanj Enriquez."
"Right, a new recruit. It looks like you'll be staying in Room 102A, on your third left. Take this key."
Sanj muttered a quick 'thank you' before walking away, suitcase and key in hand.
Just as he was rounding the corner, a voice shouted, "Hey! Do you know where dorm 102 is?"
Sanj stopped out of courtesy, but he felt a sudden twinge of anxiety settle in his stomach. This wouldn't be a solo mission, like the ones he had trained for. He needed to blend in with his peers.
"Room 102? That's my dorm as well..." Sanj replied nervously, trying to appear convivial. First impressions were important.
"What a coincidence! My name's Cloudy, what's yours?" Cloudy said cheerily.
"My name is Sanj."
"So, do you know where the room is?"
Sanj thought for a moment before saying, "Follow me. It should be around this corner; Room 102."
The two boys turned left and found their room's entrance, an unceremonious metal door with a small window at the centre. The lights appeared to be switched on.
Sanj opened the door, revealing a girl with a wiry frame, about his age. She promptly stood upon seeing him, replacing her previously serious expression with a polite smile.
"Hello, I'm Amarind. Welcome to the team," she announced.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Sanj, and this is-"
"I'm Cloudy!" the other boy exclaimed. "I hope we can get along well."
Amarind nodded awkwardly, not knowing what to say. A suffocating silence settled upon the three. Sanj, growing increasingly aware of the weight of his backpack, suggested that they find a place to put their luggage. Amarind sheepishly pointed to the two smaller doors on the right side of the main meeting room.
She blurted, "Of course, you guys still need to settle in! Those are your rooms. They're kind of small, but they have the basics."
Sanj and Cloudy took their bags to their respective rooms and began unpacking. Amarind was right, the room was indeed cramped. There was a cot in the corner along with a wooden dresser on the other side. Sanj set his suitcase down next to the dresser and began arranging his clothes.
After he was finished, Sanj took a step back to admire his work, only to find the room as monotonous and dreary as before. He grabbed his family photo out of his bag and set it on top of the dresser. It was quite old, as Sanj was just a toddler when it was taken. He was sitting atop his father's shoulders, all smiles, his mother and elder brother in the background. Each of them had fiery red hair, except for his mother, who was a brunette.
Sanj smiled a bit upon seeing the photo. It brought back good memories, back when his parents weren't so busy and his brother could spend more time with him.
It was in that moment that Sanj felt lonelier than he had ever felt before.
It was in that moment that Sanj felt lonelier than he had ever felt before [https://img.wattpad.com/fa12a7d0ea1c616ac5aac0f5986e643b48bdd236/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f456e47582d736e585951456945773d3d2d313334353731323435322e3137363238663932333666623764316538313137363433343331332e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]