The Space Man who didn't want to hear - in space.

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Wondering if that is actually true is something that consumed Abe daily, as he awakened in his space pod nestled in the center galaxy - between planets 3 and 6. He ignored the mild ache in his back remedied by a stretching upwards and arching, as he peered through the transparent walls of his floating abode. He knew he could adapt himself against the pain, but he chose not to. Unlike his partner - his wife of now 70 decades - a feat made possible by human genetic regeneration. The human race had been saved by technology.

He turned slowly, emitting a slight yawn as he watched her in deep slumber - plugged in as per usual. Her rest program was usually much longer than his, due to the elevated levels she inputted to maintain maximum youth and optimum health. She had that glow that the chamber enabled. It slightly sickened him. In the "old days", women would inject things into their skin or adapt their bodies with physical procedures. Now they plugged in. The automated reality was acceptable and expected. The year according to Earth's timeline is 2075.

When humans surpassed science, they negated the ability to connect with the previous conception of "reality" or what could be described as "natural" - it's not a word that means anything close to what it once did. The lines of consciousness blurred, the knowledge of oneself, the concept of one's original body, mind, and soul very faint, abstract.

J was emerging from her recharge (formerly known as sleep). As programmed with her mind, the chamber opened to wake her. She sat up with a slight gasp, and her eyes popped open as if she had been shocked.

"Hi, you! Still here? I thought that you would be off by now. Has something changed?" she asked with purposeful vibrancy.

"I wanted to talk to you. Here. Not by waves or transmission." His eyes pointing down as he said this. He knew her thoughts on this. He knew she would laugh at him because nobody cared if anyone talked live anymore - "in person" as it once was called.

She surprisingly skipped the predicted commentary and sprang forward to embrace him suddenly, "You live in the past, my love. Past is pain. Why don't you join me today in the future? The double chamber is arriving today - we can float together." She was talking about the S2447. Couples were using this across the galaxy.

"Look at you." She stroked his long silver locks and gazed critically at the deep ridges on his face. "We can do something about this hair, and your skin, baby. It's not the 20s you know! People will think you're strange."

When they were actually young - not transformed by a chamber that augmented their bodies so that they could extend their lives - people on Earth wanted to escape. They did this with the use of virtual reality. The alternate worlds became so realistic that it was impossible to distinguish what was actually real. As the big blue planet began to critically fail, life in all its forms - people, plants, animals, oceans, and atmosphere deteriorated so severely that it had to be recreated. Hyper-sensory, altered realities replaced the experience of that decrepit planet. With most of the surviving civilizations having been transported to viable Mars, they were able to rejuvenate and preserve parts of Earth, in sectors existing solely for the pleasure of elite humans. Nature in its original form became a luxury. Only the uber-wealthy could indulge in its controlled beauty. It was like visiting a strange ancient world. In addition to Mars, six other planets were discovered in 2050 and were adapted for human existence with terra domes that provided the correct atmosphere to sustain life.

It would seem as if Abe desired to go back to Earth. Some thought he was envious. He did very much so, but not in this way - full of privilege. The planet had all the markings of an exclusive club or resort. He wanted Earth to be accessible to all people. He wanted everyone to feel the connection with other humans and the nature that we all truly evolved from. Why do only some enjoy the Utopia as a commodity? Haven't we learned anything? Even if he never returned, he hoped at least to gather evidence. The less he spent in the chambers, the more he let himself age and just BE - the more aware he became. The more of the charade he saw. Life had become a farce.

"Before I go on my journey today J, I wanted to tell you it might be a much longer one and without any contact. I'm turning off my responder."

He almost saw an expression of shock on her face and in the center of her eyes as he said this. This is why he has to tell her to her face. She could filter out her emotions, she could essentially hide. He knew deep down that she wanted it too. She wanted to experience life as it was before. Before wars, devastation, the crumble of the planet, making it unable to sustain life and all of its population. Her escape - like most of mankind - could no longer deal with the pain and the loss. But it was his mission to recover the connection - to at least start a movement to regain reality.

"Don't do it, Abe, please! Why do you have to be so reckless?" She knew his plan. She had once tossed it aside as a wild fantasy - something he might let play out in a journey he could design in his pod. But more and more, she realized that he wanted to "space surf", it meant riding the solar waves in just a space suit.

"Do you remember when we used to install apps on a hand-held device that we would apply filters with? And the bulky headsets we used to step into an alternate reality?"

"Ah, yes." she nodded reluctantly, " I remember the big VR sets", she laughed, looking away slightly. He stood so close now, it was making her uncomfortable. It was like he was trying to infiltrate her mind - make her see something that she didn't want to see. She didn't want to reminisce.

"You know, uh, I don't think the new System Augments worked that well. I'm not feeling so great. I need to go back in the pod ok?"

But he kept talking, trying to trigger more memories. Hoping that she would see the evolution and how artificial life was here. Stepping back slightly in hopes that she would listen a little more. But he realized it was pointless. Too much fear. And, too much comfort. It was too easy to be in the galaxy. But, to Abe, humans were not really living - they had become soul-less

"J. I need to do this. I need to take this journey. I need to see what's out there."

"I guess I'll have to host without you tomorrow then." It was Mars Day - a grand celebration in the Galaxy - marking the anniversary of human inhabitation of the red planet. But he wouldn't be there - again. This time, it was doubtful whether he would return.

"I just want to see the beauty again, love. Remember rain? Remember oceans? Sounds of birds? Music - real music?" As Abe said this, he could see her eyes moistening and a tear forming. Music always triggered her core emotions. Or perhaps it was the fact that she knew that if he screamed out there, no one would hear - because no one COULD hear a scream in the giant vacuum of space. The concept terrified her. It would unravel everything.