My Home

               Will we ever go back to Earth again?
               
            That’s the question I’ve been asking myself for the past three days. Ever since the evacuation from Earth, all the adults have been busy in the spaceship. There’s no one to ask or talk to.  It’s probably because I’m the only child left. Why, I don’t know.
               
           “Uncle Eden, can I ask you something?” I ask. He huffs and puffs as he picks up a heavy brown box then sets it down again.
            
           “Not now Sylvester, can’t you see that I’m busy? Why don’t you go explore the rest of the spaceship okay?”
              “I already did twice,” I say sulking away. I have no one to play with or talk to.
               
              “Sylvester!” My grandmother Ellie calls. Her tired wrinkled face turns into a smile that makes me race into her arms.
               
              “Hi grandma!” I take in her sweet scent and lean closer to her apron. “Are those cookies I smell?” She pulls out two chocolate chip cookies and hands them to me.
           
             “I got these just for you. Come, let’s go sit by the window.” The stars are brighter in outer space and even prettier.
             
              “Grandma, when are we going back home again, I miss Earth.” I lay my head against her chest.
               
           “I miss Earth too, but this is our new home now. We’re never going back.” We sit for awhile, just gazing, wondering and maybe hoping.  Days, months and then years go by until there’s only a few of us left.
             
        “Oh come on, Sylvester! It’s your eighteenth birthday, we have to do something,” Myra my thirty-two year old cousin pleads. I roll my eyes.
               
          “Fine, but I’m not in the mood for a party.” She squeals like a little girl and runs off to tell the others in the kitchen. We’ve spent fourteen years, looking for another habitable planet and so far, we’ve found none. After all this time, no one has told me why we left or why I was the only child to survive. Now that I’m eighteen, I’m able to accompany the captain and I cannot wait for that to happen. Maybe I can find out some information. Finally, Myra comes out with a small round vanilla cake and puts it on the wooden table. Eighteen blue candles are lit as everyone waits expectantly.
               
           “Well, what are you waiting for? Make a wish and blow out the candles!”

           I wish we can go back to Earth.

           Cheers erupt as I blow out my candles and smile.

          "Hey you guys! I have some great news!” Our captain Simon yells. “Earth has been deemed habitable again. We can go home! We can finally go home!”

            “You were wrong grandma, we are finally going back.”