Click.
The door to the house opened. Alex, as usual, hung up his jacket and left his backpack at the entrance, but something seemed off. There was no typical greeting from his mother, and the sound of his father eating potatoes while watching television was absent. Everything was silent.
"... Hello?"
There was no response.
Alex went to the living room on the right-hand side and by chance saw his sister, his father, and his mother on the terrace. It seemed strange since they were in the middle of January and the temperatures were not warm.
"Mom, dad, Sarah?"
When he called them, the three of them turned around. Alex could see that his sister's eyes were swollen from crying, he assumed, and his mother, upon seeing him, also began to accumulate tears in her eyes.
"My son."
Before Alex could say anything, his mother rushed over to him and hugged him tightly.
"Haa… Alex, your sister has told us that you have been forced by the army. Don't worry, my son, if necessary, I will talk to that Captain García and make them see reason…"
Alex, who was being suffocated in his mother's embrace, was surprised to hear his father's words. He knew it would be worthless. In the best case scenario, they would kick his father out. In the worst case... well, let's hope that never arrives.
"Father, you and I know that even if they hadn't forced me, I would have applied for the lunar academy."
Frederick fell silent as soon as he heard Alex's answer. He knew that his son had thought things through and there was no going back.
"My son… if it is very hard, come home. You will always have us here. Somehow we will get through…"
Alex hugged his mother, looked at the sky, and coincidentally found himself looking directly at the moon. It was not very late, but at this time, it was possible to see the moon, even if night had not arrived yet.
"Father."
Alex smiled at his mother and wiped her tears. He turned around, not because he didn't want to continue hugging her. If it were up to him, he would never let her go, but he would burst into tears, and he didn't want to worry her anymore. So, he turned around and looked his father in the eyes.
"...Now it's my turn, father. No more overtime, no more saving on food, no more depriving ourselves of small indulgences. From now on…"
Alex regained his composure, and a huge smile broke out on his face as he looked at his family.
"I got this."
****
"Cadets, line up, NOW!"
After spending the day with his parents, Alex found himself in the gym the next morning. He saw that the bleachers had been removed and had been replaced by what looked like a row of tents. The walls had been boarded up with huge black tarps, and there were four large spotlights hanging from the four corners illuminating the gym.
"Director, it's a shame…"
The director standing next to Captain García looked at her confused.
"What's a shame, captain?"
Captain García smiled at the director's innocent question. Although she had said it by chance, the director gave her the opportunity to impose her authority, even if she did so unintentionally.
As she spoke to the confused principal, the captain gestured to her team, who tensed and advanced towards the little students.
Poor children, they don't know what awaits them...
With this thought, the sergeants and the two lieutenants stood behind the children, further confusing the students and the principal.
Captain García, with a kind smile, got off the small improvised stage and advanced towards the students.
"As I was saying, director, it's a shame that all these cadets are…"
Already positioned in front of the students, she looked at them as she spoke.
"DEAF!"