Stardust

Chapter Six

At his parent's door, Thomas opened it with sheer easiness.

Barely noon.

But in there, he saw his friend Pippi and brother Oliver standing in front of the television. When Thomas closed the door, they turned around and faced him. Pippi walked towards him, almost tripping over the furniture in the way.

"Hey, your certificate came in!"

"Certificate?"

Quickly handing him a piece of paper, Thomas's heart immediately jumped.

It was his bachelor's degree in science and space. Written at the top, University of Leicester and his name at the bottom, Thomas Clarke Thomson. The subject in the middle, Physics with Space Science.

He was now a bachelor is science and space.

He did it.

"You did it, Thom. I knew you would pass."

"We all did."

He was awestruck, he didn't know what to say. His professors name was signed at the bottom, Professor Gildon. And a sticky note on the back, saying, "Good job, I'm proud of you. For your last time on Earth, I present to you, your degree. Congratulations!"

And a smiley face at the bottom.

"There is no graduation ceremony for this. You know, end of the world and all? So, she just mailed them out." Then, she handed him another strip of paper, long and thin. "This is your ID number. Every Stardust patient got one. They poll patients in each country using these, it's a 4-hour long program, mate."

Thomas was still happy he got the degree, but he was also curious about the IDs. He took a deep breath to calm his happiness, "They poll people?"

Oliver walked towards them, "Yeah, they polled all of America, Australia and East of Europe. I'm pretty sure they will poll England tonight, so you better get ready."

"But what if we don't get picked?" Thomas asked.

"Then you die here with me, mate!"

Thomas immediately looked grim.

So much for reassurance.

"It starts in a few seconds, so you came just in time. Come on, towards the tellie!"

While Thomas followed them towards the television, he put his degree neatly on a clean table and sat on the couch, his phone buzzing in his pocket.

It was a notification about the poll on the television, and he made it just in time.

He set it on the table.

Pippi turned it on and a newscaster came on, saying, "Welcome all of England, if you are watching. Tonight, is your poll for the ship PEGASUS to the journey into the stars."

Thomas remember the poster about PEGASUS at the doctors.

"After England, it will be Russia, Germany, China, Asia, France, and all of the small countries within. Let's start from smallest to largest number." Then, he started to call out numbers in his British accent. "2 ... 40 ... 100 ... 132 ... 200 ... 360 ... 367 ... 401-"

"I'll get food, this is going to take a while," Pippi replied after a few minutes, getting up to go to the kitchen.

An hour went by and they were already dozing off.

"How much longer?" Oliver asked, groaning in boredom. "My number is 661. What's yours, Thomas?"

He looked at a paper, a huge number popping up and his full name, Thomas Clarke Thomson at the bottom, "1,169."

"Holy Jesus Mother Queen, that's long. Mine should pop up soon if it gets polled."

Thomas set down the tea he was drinking earlier. He didn't feel like drinking any or eating the popcorn Pippi brought.

A few numbers after a half an hour, "559 ... 606 ... 630 ... 643 ... 650 ... 661-"

Oliver jumped up, excitement washed over him and full of ecstasy, "Yes! I was polled! I'm going to live!"

Pippi chuckled, knowing she would never get called. Thomas felt bad for her, but there was nothing he could do.

They have only been friends for a few years, but again, they never hang out as much.

The numbers were nearing the thousands after another hour, but his number would be long to be polled. Thomas looked at the numbers and listening in near unconsciousness just in case, though.

"1,000 ... 1,102 ... 1,110-"

Oliver commented, breaking the silence, "Oh no, Thomas. Your number hasn't been called yet."

"Stick with me, mate. I'm sure it will be called."

Thomas wasn't so excited about it anyway, because he knew he would die either way.

The newscaster was almost done with the numbers.

"1,150 ... 1,158 ... 1,160-" Thomas's heart skipped a few betas as his number was close. Looking at the screen with wide eyes, he heard. "-and 1,162. And that is all the numbers. Good luck to all English Stardust participants. Next time, Russia."

A sigh of disappointment washed over everyone in the living room. Oliver looked at Thomas with sadness.

"I'm so sorry. I don't have to go if you want."

Thomas shook his head, "No, go. I know you were-"

But before he could finish, he was interrupted by the same newscaster, getting a sudden report, "Lads, it looked like we missed a number. Incoming last poll, 1,169. And a reminder to all: on April third, the ceremony for the participants that will depart on PEGASUS will take place in four major parts of the world. Washington DC, America, London, England, Sydney, Australia, and Tokyo, Japan. Go to one of those and you-"

Thomas immediately looked at the screen in awe.

Was his number really called? Did he hear the man correctly?

Pippi stared wide eyed at him, "Wow, they missed your number! Congrats, mate! You're going to live!"