2 Chapter 2: The Moment

The day for the opening of the gate has finally arrived. Many of them anticipated standing here and leaving behind their status of patrolled servants who live while wearing a mask of the docile beast. They were ready to explore not only the friendly planet but also their inner desire to their fullest. They wanted a life of adventure and thrill that is not available in the current era.

The similarities between all the people gathered here were that all of them seemed young and spirited. Some wanted a new beginning while some wanted to achieve something and break the invisible chain that's holding them back, but the majority of people gathered here were homeless people. No matter how thrilling and adventurous the new planet may be, the only thing that can drive most people mad and reckless are riches and benefits. And the most desperate ones consist mainly of homeless or poor people.

One thousand people were allowed to be among each group and there were ten groups in total. A big building was recently built 500 meters from the portal. There are 10 large rooms inside the buildings used to house each group until they are ready to cross the portal. Rows of soldiers and policemen were patrolling and checking to make sure this historical moment launches without a hitch. Politicians were using this golden time of focused attention to raise their popularity by appearing on TVs and media and spreading their refined and impassioned speeches.

In one of the large rooms, a group of homeless people were playing cards and chatting with each other. One of the middle-aged men who was holding the cards in his hands looked to his left where a young man was reading a novel from a projection and said, "Hey Henry, can I ask you a question?"

Henry answered while reading, "You can."

The middle-aged man looked at his cards and pushed the chips to the middle of the table while saying, "All in." and continued, "No matter how I think about it, there was no reason for you to be here. You know I like gambling but even I wouldn't want to gamble my life if I wasn't desperate enough to change it. You on the other hand don't seem desperate at all to change your life."

Henry carelessly replied, "so?"

The middle-aged man looked back at Henry and asked "So then why are you here for?"

Henry paused reading and thought before looking to his side where a walking robot was pushing a cart carrying food and drinks, "Do you see that robot there?"

Henry replied with a question and gestured with his chin while pointing at the robot and replying, " Imagine that robot suddenly losing its source of power and shuts down where it's standing. The robot will continue staying there until the power comes back, right? But suddenly a mysterious entity charges it with a small amount of battery power and gives it a chance to choose for itself what it wants to do with its remaining few minutes before it shuts down for good. Whether to bring back its source of power and have the chance to taste the food in front of it that it delivers every day and experience something new or continue doing its job and deliver the food it was carrying. What do you think it chose?"

The middle-aged man looked speechless while looking at Henry and said, "Just answer a simple damn question, why the hell are you bringing riddles here? And robots don't know how to choose. They are just programmed."

Henry interjected, "Exactly. They are but I'm not. Imagine if it was you who was asked that question in your current lifestyle. Would you rather continue living a long assured life as a homeless or go out through the portal to experience something you haven't been able to in your life even if it meant that there is a chance you may perish?"

The middle-aged man looked stupefied for a moment and replied with renowned vigor, "Of course, I would go out through the Portal and dig my way through the uncultivated planet and experience something new."

Henry grinned and felt like he was educating a boorish man on the meaning of life and prepared to give him the last blow of wisdom when the middle-aged man interjected, "Is that what you expected me to say?"

It was Henry's turn to be stupefied.

The middle-aged man continued, "You may have something you want to do and experience in the new world but all I want is the reward that is waiting for me after I finish this stupid mission impossible or mission miracle whatever people are calling it now. Since you are not a normal homeless boy, you may not get it but the majority are here just to have a bite of that magical word called success. Those fancy words that you are spouting don't faze us at all, they are just icing on a cake to glorify our adventurous journey while we are standing on top of the huge mountain of success."

The middle-aged man sighed and slapped his cards on the table and left to sleep on his bed with his final piece of advice, "I really hope you grow up and go back to a normal life. You still have a chance to make peace with your past and marry one of your friends, get a job or open a shop to sustain yourself. You risking your life for such a reason isn't worth it at all."

Just when everyone around the table was contemplating the profound wisdom of their homeless veteran, a soldier came in and shouted at everyone using a microphone that was connected to all the speakers in the room, "Everyone, it's time for rest. Go to your beds quickly so you can wake up early tomorrow and be ready for your mission."

Some of the guys mumbled annoyingly, "Why the fuck is he shouting like that for? Does he think we're in the army or something? So typical."

Henry looked at the middle-aged man one last time before waving the projection near his face and lying down on his bed to ponder what he just heard. He continued thinking about it carefully before closing his eyes to enjoy his last peaceful sleep on earth.

Beep beep beep. The soldier from last night walked inside the room housing the group and shouted with the mic on, "Wake up everyone, the sun is already up."

He waited until everyone got up and finished grumbling before he continued his last speech, "The moment has come. It is the moment for you to march your way into the journey of the unknown to uncover mysteries and spearing your way into the uncivilized planet. It is the moment for you and me to witness the making of history and benefitting our successors with our noble sacrifice and valuable discoveries we shall make on the unknown planet. Our names are going to be remembered for generations to come and be glorified as the ancestors of the new era that have paved the way to the civilization of the human race."

The soldier was getting excited by his own speech when he saw a hand raised up. He looked at the young man who ruined the mood and angrily shouted for interrupting his speech, "WHAT?"

Henry put down his hands and asked the man nonchalantly, "Are you coming with us to the unknown planet?"

"....."

Everyone including the soldier looked dumbfounded.

The soldier glared daggers at henry for a while before commenting neutrally, "Even though I may not be traveling with you, I will be cheering and praying for all of you to come back safe and sound."

Most people just looked at the soldier as if he was making fun of them. Some couldn't help but comment, "Are you being sarcastic or what? You have the cheek to say the next generation will remember you. Will they remember you for sending us off? HAHAHA"

Everyone couldn't help but burst out laughing at the mention of that.

A short man who already started smoking his last smoke chuckled while saying, "You said the moment has come. I don't know which moment but I will surely remember this hilarious one even when I'm fighting the cosmos aliens. HAAHHA HAHACOugh COufghhh."

He burst laughing at his own joke only to cough awfully due to the inhaled smoke. The soldier felt badly embarrassed and just gave the order to be on stand by for their group's turn to pass through the portal before hurrying his way out. Everyone joked some more before dispersing to get ready.

Henry shook his head at the pitiful fellow before making his way to his group of homeless friends and standing before the middle-aged man he spoke to yesterday.

The middle-aged man looked at him back while getting ready and receiving his spacesuit from a staff worker and said, "Have you thought about it? It's not too late yet."

Henry went and sat on the man's bed and replied while looking at the ceiling, "I indeed thought about it and you may not like the answer."