My heart thumped like a wild beast as my hands nervously shaking had people gossiping and cackling. Diagnosed with social anxiety disorder, I had been always homeschooled, been an emotional wreck, was bullied all the time but none of that had let my dream of becoming an astronaut die. Now after a successful landing on Mars, I was crowned a national hero but the hall seemed to be like a torture cell, whipping my confidence with humans pouring in like rain. My mind was thinking of a thousand reasons how this could go wrong but my heart seemed to be stuck 10 years ago, in the night my mother died.

“Michael, my baby. I want you to always chase your dream, make me proud, and show the world what I have taught you.” She had whispered, her body a lifeless corpse.

“No Mom! Please don’t leave me alone!” I had shrieked as tears streamed down my cheeks. It was the first and last time I had reacted so boldly in a public place.

“How can I leave my baby? I will always be here! I will watch from heaven as my baby will reach the moon. You will, na?” A  faint chuckle appeared on her face as her shaky hands touched my heart.

“I will reach the sun, moon, Mercury, Jupiter everywhere!” Passionately kissing her hand, I saw the blink of those cotton blue eyes one last time before they drifted into a deep slumber.

The claps shoved me back into the present where I saw my partner scientist, James getting off the stage with his head held high as he cheerfully waved to the wild crowd. It meant it was my turn now which even my recent past episode had not prepared me for.

The cloud ticks sounded like the triggering of a bullet as the announcer held the mic.

“Now, give it up for Michael Hudson, an astronaut and mathematician who has not only made significant contributions to humanity before but has played a primary role in this mission, making the nation proud…” I forced a sly smirk at the flowing stream of praises.

“You will, na?” The words of my mom echoed in my ears as I stood up in a silent response. Making my way to the stage, I grabbed hold of the mic with a firm grip.

“Human mind like a battlefield where our dreams fight against our fears, our insecurities but always remember that the person who conquers himself, no one can stop him from conquering the world.” I finally mouthed these words, the words I wished someone had told me when I was young.