The Controller

Kate Michaels.

That was once her name. A name that was long lost and forgotten in the rivers of time. The only thing it served, was a reminder of a time when things were much simpler.

She was born on Earth, an underdeveloped planet on a low-level galaxy in a mid-level universe. Of course, at the time, she didn't know any of that. Life to her was all about studies, getting a job, maybe a few trips to other countries, a family later on, and hopefully, peaceful death in her sleep with a smile on her face, when she was old and wrinkly.

Born the child of two overachievers, a politician for a mother and a doctor for a father, the expectations on her were always high. Fortunately, she was born smart and her interests enabled her to make full use of her wisdom and intelligence.

Kate loved reading more than anything.

At first, it was an escape from the loneliness. The parents provided everything for her except their actual presence. So, she was used to spending time alone in their enormous, modern villa. Of course, there were the servants but that in itself brings a different kind of separation. I mean, there isn't much for a kid to discuss with adults who treat her like a porcelain doll, is there? In fact, she was fairly certain that they were afraid of coming in contact with her. Perhaps they didn't want to leave a bad impression and lose their source of income as a result.

Therefore, young Kate found solace in literature. She read anything and everything, topics notwithstanding. Eventually, it became less of an escape and more of a thrill. She would spend hours looking for books online, and her time away from school in bookshops looking for more.

Childhood friends, you ask?

Unfortunately, as a child, her classmates were too scared of her background to approach her, even in the private school where the children of the who's who in the upper-class social circles attended. Sure, she had one or two friends, but none too close to actually cross the threshold of an acquaintance.

Being school smart didn't do much for her interpersonal relationships with her schoolmates. That, and the fact that she was really beautiful. It was with good reason that she was treated like a porcelain doll. She inherited her mother's British charm and her father's French allure. She had rosy skin without blemishes, golden blonde hair, clear hazel eyes, a button nose, and provocative lips. Even as a child, you could tell that she would grow into an exceptional beauty. She couldn't be described as an immortal fairy but it wasn't too far off.

As she grew, boys took greater notice of her, which unfortunately did nothing for her except revulsion. They were all just too immature in her eyes. Nevertheless, this made other girls too jealous. As a result, she found herself shunned through most of her life, even during university. No one actually dared bully her due to her background, but not associating with her was always an option.

Perhaps due to her lonesome lifestyle, her first choice after graduation was to take a trip as far away from home as possible, and Africa was the most ideal option since South America was rejected by her mother.

It's not that she hated her family or anyone else for that matter, but she was highly disappointed in people. She had gotten used to living a life where people's opinions of you depended on who you were and the depth of your backing.

Therefore, she chose to travel to a place where she was far enough from her parents' shadows and her own lonely past. There, she hoped to have a fresh start. It was naive to think that but she didn't really care much about it.

She had enough savings on her to tour through Europe and her parents would definitely offer more if she asked, but she still chose to go to Africa. The farther away from her parents she was, the better she could breathe. Her intention was to make a trip through Africa from Cairo down to Cape Town - A trip she expected to take at least a year at the earliest.

That would be her first and last voyage on the "Milky Way" galaxy.

Looking back now, perhaps that was one of her biggest mistakes in all her years of existence. Anytime she looks back to that time, she can't help but wonder what would have happened had she stayed back. Sure, she'd be long dead, but at the very least she would have gotten to live a life of her own where she was in control of her own fate.