They’d said this countless times. Everything they did ended up being painful and never changing anything.

“Thanks, doc, but I’m not interested this time. If you’d excuse me,â€? I stood up, “I need to go.â€?

I didn’t really need to go; I just wasn’t comfortable around doctors. They always started getting pushy after a while.

“Regan, this isn’t risky, and better yet, it’s free.â€?

See what I mean?

“Nothing today is free.â€? I grabbed my coat from the hook on the wall and walked around the area where I’d last heard him from.

“This is.â€? I heard several other people enter the room, and stopped where I stood. “What is this?â€?

“Regan,â€? Dr. Karon sighed. “The ship to Earth is departing in four hours. Gather your things, be ready to go soon.â€?

Earth? Why Earth? Was he forcing this on me?

“You can’t make me get on that ship.â€?

“We can if we have to.â€?

“Why? Why are you doing this?â€? I felt like there were now five, maybe six other people in the room.