I’m baby smooth when I’m carted into the next room in a wheelchair. I feel fine, but I’m told it’s precautionary because of the sedative. The only hair I have left are my eyebrows and the hair on my head. Everything else is gone. 

There’s a chill in the air as I enter what looks like a locker room. The nurse gives a nod to a new person in scrubs who returns the nod, then looks at me with a big goofy grin. 

“How was it, Jayden? Were they gentle?”

“Not really.” 

“Yeah, he’s a mean one,” He says, grabbing the wheelchair and bringing me deeper into the room. “I’m here to get you outfitted.”

It’s the first person I’ve encountered here that feels like a real person. Everyone else has been so cold and secretive. Maybe he’ll be able to answer my questions. If I can remember any of them. With how quickly everything is moving, I’m starting to forget what I wanted to know. I’m already this far, does it matter anymore? 

“I left my clothes back there. My wallet and phone were in my pockets.”

“Not to worry. They’ll arrange everything and you’ll have it all with you when you’re back. Though you probably won’t need those clothes. You’ll need a new wardrobe instead.”

“I just came here to ask some questions. It’s all moving so fast.”

“Did you read the terms of service? It was all in there.”

“I did. I mean, I skimmed it.” 

“Well, that should have answered most of your concerns. We’re well past the point of no return now, but feel free to ask what’s on your mind. I’ll answer what I can.”

“Point of no return? I never had a chance-”

He stops the chair in the corner. The panic quickly disappears when I see something the 8-year-old me would be doing backflips for. 

There’s a big spacesuit waiting for me. 

“That’s a big suit.”

I’m almost embarrassed that it’s the best that I can muster.

“It sure is,” He jokes, as though speaking to a small child. “We’ll help you get in your pod. Once you’re up there, you’ll be weightless. It won’t feel heavy to you at all.”

“How long do I stay up there for?”

“It depends on how long it takes. Once the sedative kicks in, it’ll only feel like a few minutes.”

“This is all safe?”

“Of course. Do you think we’d be allowed to operate if it weren’t?”

“That hasn’t stopped most things that should.”

“True, but you would have heard about it somewhere about how dangerous it is. These news outlets are always looking for a scoop and who’s to stop a disgruntled client from making a stink for their 15 minutes?”

“I guess. I mean, I did look for negative stuff online. Outside of one conspiracy site, I couldn’t find anything.”

“Exactly,” He says, waving me up out of the chair. “Now, let’s get you in this suit. I want to give you as much time as you can up there before the sedative knocks you out cold. I’m told it’s quite the view.” 

I get up and step into the suit with some help. It feels incredibly stiff and sturdy. It’s a bit of a tight fit. 

This isn’t how I thought my day would go today. I was ready to get some information, chicken out and eat some noodles in front of the television before passing out on my sofa. 

Instead, I’m going into space. I can’t believe it. 

“Here we go. You’re looking like the real deal,” The man says as he puts the helmet over my head. He gives me a mock salute. “Time to rollout.”

Walking in the suit is extremely difficult. Fortunately, he’s behind me making sure I don’t tip over backwards. I hear him through the speaker in my helmet, making his voice sound like it’s coming out of a tin can. 

“Your pod is just a few steps away. A few big steps. Make sure to swing those legs.”

We turn a corner and there’s a dark hallway that feels like an airport tunnel. The light from the end of it comes from a small pod. There’s a window looking at the sunny outdoors. 

Part of me wants to turn around and run. This happened way too fast for me. I just wanted to learn how this could be true. Now I’m leaving the planet. My heart starts to beat way too fast. Part of that may be due to the weight of the suit. This is the first real exercise I’ve had in weeks. 

“You okay, son?” 

“Yeah,” I respond. “I just can’t believe this is happening.”

“It’s pretty amazing how far we’ve come. This is the first step in a whole new life.”

I climb into the pod and sit in the chair. He helps me buckle-up, checks a couple of things around the pod and swings in front of me. 

“A couple of reminders before we get going. One: Don’t unbuckle yourself. You don’t want that sedative to kick in while you’re in zero-g just to have gravity slam you into the wall when you come back. 

“Two: Don’t hold your breath during take-off. It goes fast and you’ll be tempted. Remember to breathe. Otherwise, you’ll miss all the best parts. Got it?”

I nod my head. 

“One question.” 

“Shoot.”

“Why hasn’t anyone here opted for the treatment?” 

“Oh, those terms were a little aggressive for me. We’re treated pretty well here, so I didn’t see the need.” 

“But-”

He closes the hatch on me before I can finish my follow up question. Almost as though he can’t hear me. 

“Alright, spaceman. Bon voyage.”