There were people in the sky. Watching down. They had signed up to go up there when they were younger. Back then it seemed like a good deal. They were not yet old. And people they knew weren't dying yet.

A few years into their tenure up in the 

space

station, many began regretting their decision. They wanted to return 

home

for various reasons. Nothing about their contract technically was stopping them. They could decide to change their 

career

s, choose to go home. But many stayed. Remaining in that space station. As the people they knew below them grew sick and died. They watched.

A lot of them spoke about how sad this was. How they'd like to return someday to earth. But most remained up in the sky.

Marianna was one of them. She had come up here when she was 21. She missed her mom. She missed a lot of things about earth. Her tenure at the space station wouldn't end for another three years. She didn't think anybody would still be around by then.