Every muscle hurt. The memory of pain, incredible pain, rattled my clearly broken bones. Dry yet sticky my lips were stuck together. A cool sweet flavored towel patted my lips. Sweet relief. Slowly I opened my eyes. The Centauria were waiting.

Proxima Centauri b, earth’s closest M planet, was four light years away and the most like home. Nearly eighty percent water, this was an island planet. One giant continent dwarfed by its one giant sea. They reached out to us first. When the Centaurian satellite first appeared Earthlings lost their collective shit.

They were patient and good natured and clearly had way more advanced technology. Earth calmed its ass down. After years of communication NASA and the other space agencies copied their spacecraft design. Rakim and I manned the first vessel beautifully until the meteors. I blinked at the memories of the crash in the desert of Proxima Centauri b.

A cool hand patted away the sweat on my brow and my mind settled. There was the smell of summer grass after the rains. I opened my eyes. The Centauria waited. They were humanoid with delicate features and skins in shades of purple. A lavender one in front tilted their head with sympathy.

“Hey ‘sup?” Tall Lavender said through their translator box.

“Howdy strangers,” I croaked back. My translator sat on my chest.

The Centauria made their happy music language sounds to one another. I was in a hospital of some kind. I looked for Rakim. A cup of liquid floated towards and hovered by my hand. I accepted it and drank. The lights on the monitors around me glowed slightly. One of the aliens, stocky, deep purple, and muscular, surveyed the monitors then scanned its tablet.

“It’s like lemonade with cinnamon. Weird and wonderful,” I said.

This comment really jazzed up my visitors. The empty cup was gently pulled from my fingers.

“How’s Rakim? Where is he?”

Short Violet said solemnly, “you’re partner was busted up bad. We have him under sedation in our … water bed.”

Yeah we would need to tweak these translators or maybe the Centauria were trying to make feel comfortable. They were so chill. We talked about the accident and how a space phone would be brought in so I can communicate with earth.

“By the way you guys never said you were telepathic. Afraid to freak us out more?”

They were puzzled. I tried again.

“You can move objects with your thoughts.”

I gestured towards the pitcher currently pouring itself into my cup.

“Not thought that is Tills. She is a long timer. She was a nurse doctor here but died long ago during the great flood of Andurrier. Pilo Gray is your living nurse doctor but he knows it’s better not to get in the way of a … spirit,” Tall Lavender explained pointing to Short Violet.

The cup floated towards me and I screamed. The Centauria jumped back. Their music grew choppy.

“Rhea Smith please stop the loud mouth music it translates to something… unpleasant sexual in our languages. Please friend please. I am your nurse doctor and I do not want to injure Rhea Smith,” Short Violet aka Pilo said.

They laid a warm hand on my chest. I calmed a little.

“Do not the dying visit your living on planet BlueGreen. How do you say goodbye? How do say the unsaid till too late? We are top confusion Rhea Smith. How do you learn from the past wisdom?”

My mind tumbled. Ghosts are we talking ghosts. Over Pilo’s shoulder I saw a transparent periwinkle Centaurian dressed differently than the others watching me closely before disappearing. I started screaming again and then I must have blacked out.

“ReeRee, girl wake up.”

I opened my eyes to Rakim perched on the side of my bed. My whole body felt heavy and detached from my aching head.

“I heard you had a hissy fit and set feminism back eight light years,” Rakim said laughing.

“Shut it. I don’t play with no ghosts.”

Together we sang the Ghostbusters refrain.

“Look girl serious talk you have to keep it together. Remember we are the children in this scenario. We need to learn from these people. Be open to new things even the effed up ones. I know you can do this, be the best of Earth.”

I said holding my friend’s hand. “You’re right. I know you’re right. We need to better, more patient less human. What are you going to do Rak? Be a pretty face.”

Pilo walked into my room. His pale blue eyes grave.

“Well I’m too blessed to be stressed. I’m good, real good. Don’t worry about me.” Rakim flashed me a brilliant smile. “And Don’t hate me because I’m beautiful.”

I laughed. Rakim always said that in flight training when he got top scores or perfected a maneuver. I looked over to Pilo.

“Hey Rak this is Pilo my nurse doctor.”

Nodding Rakim grew translucent and then faded away. I could hear the Ghostbusters theme song humming out the door. Pilo laid a hand over my heart.