The rewritten and revamped version of the deleted story 2034.

NOW LOADING...
OPERATION: R.E.T.U.R.N.

Recruit
Enters
The
Unknown
Right
Now

The universe is silent. The thousands of G:KND operatives on Cyndihkit have tucked into bed hours ago. So what am I doing up at this ungodly time? To be honest, I'm not doing this on purpose. I just can't sleep at night. I never was able to do that here, and I hate it.

Don't get me wrong, I love Cyndihkit. I'm truly having the time of my life here; really, I am. The missions are all for such a worthy cause, and they provide a thrill that I wish never stops. The kids I've met are nothing short of extraordinary; their achievements and morals are just amazing. I've been getting this solid respect that apparently comes with being Earth's representative. My peers and I share this indescribable passion and unwavering goal. We're all united.

However, night is the only time I'm alone. It leaves me to my thoughts, and I hate it. With absolutely nothing to distract me, they practically eat me alive. My first weeks here, I simply went to the base's labs and did more research. If not, I was here in my room, writing mission reports at my desk. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues thought it was a problem. They ended up moving all my work to an office cubicle and locking my room at night. All I can do now is count sheep and hope for the best.

Sighing, I shift to my side. Across my small space is a round window, moonlight shimmering through. The sight is truly one to behold. The galaxies beyond are breathtaking, the stars so abundant and beautiful, it's mesmerizing. A view like this can easily take someone's mind off things. But, lucky me, I've never been one for sightseeing. I lick my lips, and I will myself to enjoy it. I fix my eyes on the distant, blue and green sphere that is Earth.

I wonder what's going on over there, I think before I can stop. But what is going on? How're my friends doing, my parents? I have no way of contacting them up here, and it's driving me insane. The other day, I ran into someone with a bright orange hoodie. Numbuh 4! I yelled, only to be stared down by a rather unwelcoming alien. I've had countless incidents like that. A red hat, a Rainbow Monkey, a horrible pun. It's awful.

But still, the question remains. What's happening there? I'll do just about anything for even a scrap of news. Heck, if it means kissing Father, I'd do it.

No, no. Scratch that. If anything, I want to be there with everyone. I want to have a spoonful of Munchies, I want to get my tongue frozen to a pole, I want to skip stones in a pond. Simple, it really is. The issue? I can't leave. I want to return soon, before anybody's decommissioned. But, by the looks of it, I'm not going anywhere in the near future.

The future. I may not be able to go in the near future, but perhaps just the future? I have to return sooner or later, right? Yes. Yes, that's correct. It has to be. But how far in the future?

"I will go home in the future," I mutter to myself. The sentence seems so loud, however. So loud, it's like everyone and everything heard it. "Someday in the future, I will go home."

I close my eyes in a vain hope of sleep. After all, my words should be some sort of closure. I swallow as if I can take it back, for a part of me knows that it won't happen. Opening my eyes, I frown.

Don't like what I said, huh, Universe? Fine. I'll fix it.

I stare into its face, and I whisper, "I wish I can go home in the future."

There, happy now?

A piece of me satisfied, drowsiness finally kicks in. As I lower my lids, I gasp at a sudden increase of illumination. The gentle stream of light from the window has gained a gust of strength, and it nearly blinds me. As quickly as it came, it dies. Confusion flits through me for a split second, but I shake it off.

I flip over to my other side, and I shut my eyes. A shooting star has never had an effect on me, anyways.

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