Chapter 1

"Aden!"

"Hey! I'm telling you, Aden."

"If you ignore it one more time, I'll hand you over to the Space Cops. We don't need any extra breaths in this world!"

I muted the working earpiece by touching my ear. While I was processing the thoughts in my head on the digital screen in front of me, the set manager scolded me in a high-pitched voice and confused my words.

"What do you want?" I asked, turning off the digital screen and taking it in my hand. I tucked the digital display under my arm before turning around. The set master looked quite angry with her smoke-stained face and red eyes.

The set master was a woman forty years older than me, on the verge of death. We weren't on good terms, he didn't like me. Every time we meet, he threatens to hand me over to the Space Cops. I was beginning to think he was jealous of me because I was young.

"I told you to clean the rollers," she said angrily.

I bit my lips. Yes, I remember you giving me this job late yesterday. He said if I didn't clean the tubes before he left, he would call the Space Cops and tell them I wasn't old enough to live on Earth. What he didn't understand was that if you didn't say and follow up a threat more than once, it would make no sense.

"With spare tubes?"

This angered him even more. "The government has cut off the supply of spare cylinders. How many times do I have to tell you that!"

Sighing and looking everywhere else but him, she said, "You're fired! This is my last firing. Don't beg for a job again!" she said. I ran after her as she walked out of the room screaming.

"Expert!" I yelled at him. "You can't fire me, I'm helping the set you direct breathe."

"Is that why the cylinders are blowing smoke instead of oxygen?"

He didn't stop and I had to run after him so he could hear me.

"You know it's a riot, I told you months ago."

As I was passing through the middle of the set, I saw the players coming from Mars. They were sitting with oxygen masks and were not happy about it. In fact, they were not content to be in the world.

If you don't live on planet Earth, it may sound like a pile of buildings to you. This is how all other planets viewed Earth. Even those who migrated from the world looked here like this. Because Earth was no longer a habitable planet.

The set manager suddenly stopped and turned to me. Waving her finger, she said, "Your little rebellion is only endangering our lives. Only the rest of the world cares, understands. They won't offer us new living conditions. They expect us to die and trash the world. You'd better get used to it." I swallowed when he said it.

It hurts me once again that everything you say is true. All I could do was look at him.

You can't change the world, Aden.

"Now go, I'll do as I say if I see you here again. I've kept you here for the good of the family all this time, but not anymore. I'm not going to protect a girl who puts us. All you do is a rebel and run away from the space cops."

When she had the last word and left, I just stood there. I took a deep breath when I realized that everyone's eyes were on me. Very good, now everyone knew I was a fugitive.

I rolled my eyes and left the building. I muttered to myself as my steps echoed across the marble floor.

A layer of dust hit my face as I stepped outside, cursing the planets and the order of the universe. When the powders got into my throat, my coughing attack started. I pulled my mask out of my jacket pocket while coughing, bent over. While trying to put on the mask, I couldn't see for a while because of the dust that got into my eyes. I heard a crackling sound when the digital screen under my arm fell to the floor and I accidentally stepped on it because I couldn't see it.

"Fuck the universe" I cursed and yelled and threw my foot forward, throwing the screen.

Maybe I should have surrendered, led a normal life on any planet. I had to give up on the world, betray my promise to my family.

According to records, I was the last human born on earth. By the rules, I didn't belong here. I must have been on one of the planets where life existed, lived in luxury.

The birth was banned in the world 22 years ago. All women living in the world who can give birth are prevented from getting pregnant. This happened when my mom got pregnant with me. Other expectant mothers who experienced this had the right to transit to any of the planets they wanted. My mother wanted me to be born in the world and die in the world. That's why he never accepted it. When the state wanted to take me into its own body, it objected. Then, along with my father, they showed me as dead. So I had a record, but I was dead.

If it turned out that I was alive, I would be extraterrestrial.

I was born in the world as my parents wished and I want to die in the world.

"Aden?"

When I heard my name, I took deep breaths and stood up, trying to come to my senses. Opening one eye forcibly, I looked in the direction where the voice came from, and was faced with a familiar face.

"What are you doing here?" I rubbed my eyes. He laughed as I took my glasses out of my pocket and put them on.

"I came on duty."

"What are you doing here?" He laughed again when I repeated it.

"I came to see you. Maybe you'll agree to come to our planet this time."

I rolled my eyes and walked past him. "Didn't I tell you to forget about it? Besides, if I wanted to change planets, would I come to Mars? Your water is bitter."

"Is that the only problem?" He said as he came after me. "The water I brought you has expired. You wouldn't say that if you drink it fresh. Sure, it's light compared to Earth water, but you'll get used to it in time."

"You know I can't drink any other water than the world's water? It upsets my stomach."

"How many planets did you drink the water off?" I got to my motorcycle when he grumbled.

"There are many buyers of goods that are difficult to reach." I closed my eyes and took off my glasses. I opened my eyes and put on my helmet. "You wouldn't believe how many men like you come here on a mission to sell their planet's property."

"Are you taking it too?" He chuckled. "I thought you didn't have an eye for the property of other planets."

I got on my motorcycle and had my fingerprints read. The engine started and all the lights came on. I opened the map and searched for areas with high oxygen levels.

"Curiosity," I muttered. "They were all very bad."

"That's why you're being biased," He grumbled. "Look, I have a proposition for you. Come with me for once. I'll show you the place up close. You'll love it when you see it, you won't want to go back."

"No way, I'm happy here."

"You're just trying to keep the promise you made to your family. The world wasn't in such bad shape the year your parents died, Aden. Oxygen levels weren't this low ten years ago. The world's population is decreasing by 10% every year. The main reason is lack of oxygen."

When I heard the confirmation sound from the map, I went back there. When I examined it, I saw that the oxygen level of the place where I live increased by 0.2 percent compared to yesterday.

"Look here," I said pointing to the screen. "The level of my living space is fine. The trees we planted years ago are starting to bear fruit."

He pouted. "You live in the forest."

"A forest surrounded by a city."

"There is little to no life in the places you call cities. Nobody leaves their house, they are waiting for death. Do not argue anymore, come with me. I have to protect you."

"From Earth?" He frowned, even more, when I laughed.

"From death, loneliness, anything that can happen to her on earth. This is garbage now, the planets have agreed. They will begin to pile up the garbage in the non-living parts of the earth's lands."

"They can't do this, we're not dead yet. The state..." He cut me off when I said. "The President gave permission. He must have realized that life is not right here now, because the planet is looking after itself. He will soon start running this place from another planet."

"The world can renew itself!" He pressed her lips together. "Earth is just a rubbish heap. The ozone layer is about to collapse. Other planets are still doing their dirty work here to protect their airspace. Earth is now a place not to be trodden on, as the show you're working with tells."

I was so angry that I punched the transparent helmet on his face. Even if it hurt my hand, I didn't care. I stared at my knuckles, which began to bleed as they swung back.

Even his helmets were getting on my nerves. For them, this weather was unbearable. They didn't come down here without these helmets. While providing enough oxygen, their helmets also protected them against external influences. For example, I was blinded by the layer of dust I was faced with. They didn't experience it.

"Don't come across me again, Damon. You can't convince me. I don't want your demoralizing words either. I don't need you to protect me. You lost that right the day you left me and went to Mars."

I started driving without waiting for him to reply. I made my way home, adding dust to the smoke. I got so angry that I drove as fast as I could. When the engine gave warnings a few times, I switched it to Manual mode and removed it from the smart system.

I was too angry to stay with him.