The next day Cal waited for Keith to come out of his room. Usually Keith was up late. He'd been getting up later and later since he was retired. This morning it was particularly late. Cal believed Keith was finally dead. He didn't know when it would be polite for him to go into the room. The doors in
Spacecity
were those technologically slick sliding doors. Just like the
scifi
films. They didn't lend well to knocking. Not like the doors on earth.
Cal felt his throat swell. He felt a cough coming. He tried hard to contain it. Choked instead. Damn it he loved Keith but he really didn't want to be sharing a common space with him. Usually there were four to one common space. Marianna's room had been left vacant so there was just the three of them. If Cal had it his way he'd move to a different pod. They said it wasn't contagious but scientists were always just saying things to keep people calm.
Cal didn't have the balls though. Couldn't ask to be moved. It would reflect too negatively on Keith. Plus dying people needed company too. Maybe they could die together. Isn't that what people wanted out of life? To have someone to die with? Although now that he thought about it. He'd rather not die with Keith up here in space.
What in the hell was he even doing up here? Why'd he choose to blast himself out into space? Maybe his brother was right. He was an idiot for joining Spacecity. Shawn hadn't said it outright, but the absence of any real commentary let Cal know. His older brother thought he was a moron.
It hurt. Cal didn't disagree. At this point in life there wasn't anything going for him. So he made this desperate move. Be the hero. But it didn't work. And now he was going to die up here with this random stranger named Keith.
Cal thought about knocking on Keith's door. Then he decided to give it another ten minutes. Before time was up he got thirsty... not for water but for a drink. Cal went down to the cafe and used one of his drink vouchers. The barista eyed him suspiciously. Drink at this hour? the furrowed brow said.
Cal took a beer. Drank it. And then out of the bathroom came Keith.
"You're drinking?"
"There you were."
"What do you mean? I've been here all day."
"Fuck I thought you were--" Cal though then stopped. "never mind. Yes. Felt like having a drink. Going to take the day off. Might even retire just like yourself."