Short Story - A Spaceman's Journal

I wrote this story as lockdown started and I had been working from home for a little while. You can probably tell how it was going for me at the time.

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Journal – Day 1

First day! New job! New living place!

I’m in mother-flipping-space! I’m like all those astronauts my history teacher was going on about.

This is going to be so cool! I can see the Earth from my window!

Ok I better get to work, I have a lot to do!

Journal – Day 3

The work is really easy, I just check to see that everything is functional and send a report to command. It’s a bit tedious and time consuming but it’s easy.

When I’m done, I just look out the window and stare at the Earth, it’s so beautiful.

Journal – Day 15

I’m starting to feel a little bit lonely. It’s a good thing I have so much work to do to keep me busy! I’m sure I will get used to it in no time at all. I was told it’s best to stick to a routine as much as possible. So that’s what I’ve been doing. I get up, I eat, I work, I exercise, I shower, I sleep. I feel like I’m going to come out of this a better person!

I kind of wish I had a TV though.

Journal – Day 28

When checking the statuses of the ship I noticed a discrepancy. For the first time there was something different. But when I uploaded the data to send to command, the discrepancy was gone. I’m pretty sure I didn’t imagine it, but computers don’t lie. So, I just sent command my regular “nothing to report” report.

Other than that, nothing really interesting has happened. Not that that was really interesting.

I’m starting to think I don’t really need to be here; the ship runs itself.

Journal – Day 54

Today is my birthday.

Journal – Day 56

Yesterday was the first day I didn’t work due to being ill. I am feeling almost myself again, well as myself as I can. The ship was fine without me checking everything, and command never contacted me to see why I didn’t send them my usual report. I wonder if they forgot about me.

I’m not sure whether these journal entries get read by command or not.

Journal – Day 89

Holy shit! Holy shit!

I saw something! Out the window! I was staring down at the Earth as I do when I eat breakfast and I saw another ship! It looked just like mine only its number was 49 and my number is 201. They were too far away for me to see into their windows so I couldn’t see the person on it but holy shit I saw another ship! 

I wonder if they saw me.

Journal – Day 100

Nothing interesting to say really. I felt like I should write something at least since it’s been a little while and its day 100. Although that number seems kind of arbitrary. 

When I woke up today, I decided I wasn’t going to re-make my pod. I’m thinking of not doing my report either. See how long it takes for anyone to notice.

I’m starting to think there wasn’t anyone on that ship.

Journal – Day 281.

I wake. I work. I sleep. Day in. Day out.

Every day is the same.

The same place. The same food. The same routine. The same.

It’s nearly over though. 29 days until I’m picked up to return to Earth. I think. I haven’t heard from command in a while. The last time I was contacted by them was because I hadn’t sent my report in. Report. Not reports. They didn’t notice 82 reports I never uploaded, but someone noticed the 83rd. And they never checked the others, just the one! So, I started uploading my reports again. 

I still haven’t made up my pod though.

Journal – Day 300

This is it! I’m leaving! Whoever is the next person stuck in this floating bubble, good luck to you! If anyone ever tells me they’re considering this kind of job I’m going to laugh right in their fucking face and tell them to do it! Fucking idiot.

Journal – Day 301

They didn’t come. 

They said they haven’t found a replacement and the work I’m doing is “essential,” so I have to stay until they find someone.

They could have told me this beforehand, they waited for me to contact them and ask where they were.  

If I’m so essential why did it take them 83 fucking days to notice I wasn’t doing my essential job?

Journal – Day 304

Holy shit the other ship came back! It was the same one for sure! It had the same number on the side of it. I even went back through my journal to make sure. It was close enough to see the other person in there. 

I waved. 

They didn’t wave back. 

In fact, they didn’t move at all for the 39 minutes I could see them. I never looked away. They never moved.

Journal – Day 310

Look, I’m not smart ok? I didn’t take this job because I was smart. I took this job because it’s a job. I trusted a giant company like StationsPlus to treat their employees well. But here I am, stranded, hundreds of kilometres from the Earth and running out of food. Command hasn’t returned my communications; I have no idea when someone will be replacing me.

I keep thinking about that other ship.

I’ll be honest here; I’m starting to panic.

Journal – Day 311

Nothing.

Journal – Day 312

Nothing.

Journal – Day 313

Nothing.

Journal – Day 314

I’m out of food.