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The Locket of Love

Healing on Mars

By Jessica CollinsPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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Knock, Knock! The sound of knuckles against a pine door echoed lightly through the front of the house perched on the way up to the mountaintop. Blonde hair, blue eyed 7 year old Anora popped her head up from playing with her matchbox cars, dropping to the floor, the toy she held in her hand and hopped up to go find daddy excitedly. Her mom was coming to pick her up and it was time to talk about something important her mommy had mentioned last time they were together. Mom was funny and she laughed loudly. She loved reading books and said it made her eyes get wet a lot. As daddy opened the door, she hugged mommy tightly around her bouncy belly. Anora said goodbye to daddy just as his girlfriend was driving up in a blue Tesla. Anora opened her mouth and her hand came to her pandemic required facemask in adorable surprise as the Night Rider song always caught her off guard. She waved to Jessica as her and mommy got in the car to head out. Mommy’s face always made a squinty look when she saw Jessica.

“Anora. I love you.” mommy said. In fact mommy said it every day even when we weren’t together. “Let’s go get ice cream, ok? Do you remember we have something to talk about today since you are a big girl now...” Mommy’s voice sounded wavy.

Two scoops AND sprinkles? Blue sprinkles! Anora was wide eyed with anticipation. Today was a special day. As the cashier handed the ice cream to them on the patio, mommy started to talk.

“Anora, my dear, I’m so proud of you. I don’t know how to tell you about what will happen soon. Remember how we talked about our ancestor angels? I had a dream where I heard from two of them. They explained that mommy doesn’t have much time left to play. You see, by the time you are settling in at daddy’s for the week, there will be a bright light in the sky brighter than you’ve ever seen before. There might be a loud boom too. I don’t want you to be afraid. Remember how you stand when you wear your superwoman costume? I want you to feel so brave but it’s ok to cover your ears and your eyes.”

Chocolate was dripping everywhere and mommy didn’t even care that it was getting on my ruffled pink shirt, so what was a little more wiped on there to stop the cone from leaking? My tongue felt very cold. Something was very different about today.

“I brought you a present.” Mommy dug in her silly big bag and pulled out a box to hand over. When Anora opened the box, a heart shaped locket glistened back at her. “Oooooo!” Anora squealed.

----

“Anora... Anora... Girl... Anora. Are you ok?” my Peace Corp black sister shook me gently in my chair and I opened my eyes.

“Oh, yes, sorry… I drifted to sleep again.” Sitting up and looking around I remembered the dream. The day that my mom told me goodbye before the world changed. My boots were still laced up, the world of my childhood had passed away decades ago. Now I was gearing up citizens who were entering the next flight to Mars. My robotic dog was keeping my yellow Lab in well behaved mode at the end of the city block where they sat with my brother to greet those in line waiting for boarding. I thrust my hand into the pocket of my military fatigues and felt the locket pulsate in my palm. Mom was always with me. I wouldn’t have been able to smile for much of my remaining childhood after the incident if it hadn’t been for my family and Jessica loving me so much. Things got intense and we worked together to get by some hard times. Now it was my chance to give people a start to healing from their trauma.

Starting my shift, I stationed myself at the entrance and reached out to old lady, Penny.

“Step inside carefully, Ms. Penny. I’ve got your hand. Before you know it, you’ll be in the place of healing and peace at the Mars Center for Advanced Healing and Regeneration.”

I braided my hair to the side and finished loading passengers before the flight. My dad had been in the Air Force. That was before the Space Force was created. We always loved to go fast both on and off road. My heart would race every time this door shut and we prepared for launch. These people were in pain and they had paid a lot for the chance to heal and be brought back to Earth.

Preparations and checks were being completed as I took the locket out of my pocket and placed it into the center column of the craft. It was because of the spark mom put in the locket that we could even keep these people alive on the way to the center. It emitted a silent frequency of peace to calm the travelers. None of the civilians knew about the power of the locket or how it kept me safe in all situations I encountered.

Shifting to the back of the craft, I started my diary vlog:

“This is Anora 12417 of the 11th quadrant of the Space Medic program. Today we boarded another Piper grant child of legendary Virginia G. Piper. Although advanced in years already and even more aged by the radiation she’s endured, it is always an honor to serve those who received the assistance in their youth from the ever graceful Virginia G. Piper’s charitable trust. I will make sure she checks into the medbed facility first on floor one, room 33. As with all Piper grant children, I will honorarily comply with the wishes of the trust to now recite the Prayer of St Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be

consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.”

I never did get used to looking down at what used to be the blue and green Earth I’d seen in NASA pictures as a child. My heart wept with the flashbacks of people dying during the trying times until my fatigue’s biometric sensors blinked at me and released the serum drop of oxytocin to my flight mask apparatus, instantly bringing me back to the care and concern for my crew.

I peered to my left and nodded to X Æ A-12 who was piloting the flight today. He had done so much to advance his dad, Elon’s legacy and dreams for Mars and space flight. We’d been serving together now for 5 years. He was bright for being so young. Talented too, as he beat out all the other applicants for first ranking pilot of The Endeavor craft.

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