Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
fear—a fear locked in my mind during the day and bursting out like an were over. The Academy, with its great halls and classrooms and The first because we were the first A voice was speaking, deep, sure, resonant. "... these boys have worked important of all, they'll make other men think of the stars and look up Instead of listening to his words, I was staring at his broad shoulders first! Mickey Cameron, sitting next to me, dug an elbow into my ribs. "I don't see 'em, Ben," he whispered. "Where do you suppose they are?" I blinked. "Who?" a strato-jet crash when I was four, so I hadn't needed many of those "You are cordially invited" cards. Just one, which I'd sent to Charlie remembered, too, how his recommendation had finally made me a cadet. wasn't surprising. The It doesn't matter , I told myself. Then Mickey stiffened. "I see 'em, Ben! There in the fifth row!" tenseness and an excitement had gripped even him. I was grateful that mighty big, but with two of us to face it together, it would be only At last it was over, and the proud faces descended upon us in a huge, it was hard to believe he'd once been young. "You made it, boy," he chortled, "and by Jupiter, we'll celebrate "I'm happy to meet you, Ben," you said. "I've heard of no one else for introduction of Charlie. Charlie gulped helplessly, and Mickey said: "Still going to spend the weekend with us, aren't you, Ben?" Charlie, wouldn't you like a home-cooked meal before going back to the Charlie's answer was obscured by a sudden burst of coughing. I knew But this night seemed too sacred for Charlie's kind of celebration. "We'd really like to come," I said. On our way to the 'copter parking field, Dean Dawson passed us. He was a tall, willowy man, spectacled, looking the way an academy professor should look. "Ben," he called, "don't forget that offer. Remember you've got two months to decide." "No, thanks," I answered. "Better not count on me." A moment later Mickey said, frowning, "What was he talking about, Ben? Did he make you an offer?" I hesitated, and you supplied the right words: "When you've got the You bit your lip, not answering. "What did she mean, Mickey?" Mickey looked down at his feet. "I didn't want to tell you yet, Ben. "Yes?" My stomach was full of churning, biting ice. "What are you trying to say, Mickey?" so exciting. I'll just live a lot longer. I'm sorry, Ben." I couldn't answer. It was as if someone had whacked the back of my "It doesn't change anything, Ben—right now, I mean. We can still have Charlie was muttering under his breath, smoldering like a bomb about to reach critical mass. I shook my head dazedly at him as we got to the "Sure," I said to Mickey, "we can still have a good weekend." At the dinner table he stared glassily at nothing and grated, "Only hit That was when your father said he wasn't so hungry after all. days, just a lot of brawn and a quick mind. It took guts to be a I smiled and shook my head. "If he had, he never mentioned it. Charlie lived for months, just thinking about it. worth the things you'd have to give up?" I didn't understand at first, and I wanted to ask, "Give up "I'm sorry," you said. "I didn't mean to make you sad, Ben." "It's all right," I said, clenching my fists. "You made sense—a lot of The next morning Charlie said good-bye in our room. He rubbed his I scowled, not understanding. "Why, Charlie? What for?" He shook his head stiffly, staring at nothing. "Maybe. Anyway, I'm I shook the thought away. If Charlie was sick, he wouldn't talk about Charlie's hard face contorted itself into a gargoylish grin. "Maybe a I wanted him to say something, to tell me the secret that would kill But he rounded a corner, still grinning and waving, and then he was I began to realize how important a room like this could be to a boy. "What's the matter, Ben? Still sore? I feel like a heel, but I'm just "Well, how about staying with us till you decide? Might as well enjoy courage that would put fuel on dying dreams. Forty days of joy, forty nights of fear and indecision. We did all the One morning I thought, Why must I make a choice? Why can't I have both Then you murmured, "I—I want to marry you, Ben, but are you asking me Ben? You'd be like Charlie. Gone for maybe maybe "Would you, Ben? Would you be satisfied with just seeing Mars? Wouldn't "Do you think I'd dare have children, Ben? Mickey told me what happened was—" "I know, Laura. Don't say it." That night I lay awake, the fears and doubts too frantic to let me sleep. You've got to decide now , I told myself. got to make a choice. was still open—and the big ship, it was rumored, was equipped to make it all the way to Pluto. You can take Dean Dawson's job and stay with Laura and have kids and a home and live to see what happens in this world sixty years from now. I cursed. I knew what Charlie would say. He'd say, "Get the hell out out there on the Odyssey "Oh God," I moaned, "what shall I do?" "lung-rot" and the metallic phrase, "This message brought to you by My heart thudded crazily against my chest. It couldn't be! Not Charlie! The audiogram had lied! I pressed the stud again. "... regret to inform you of death of Charles ..." voice droned on. You ran to it, shut it off. "I'm sorry, Ben, so terribly—" Without answering, I walked into my room. I knew it was true now. I remembered Charlie's coughing, his gaunt features, his drugged gaze. The metallic words had told the truth. Then, finally, I fingered his meager possessions—a few wrinkled This was what remained of Charlie after twenty-five years in space. , I thought. sign of lung-rot. To hell with it! I walked into your living room and called Dean Dawson on the visiphone. I accepted that job teaching. And now, Laura, it's nearly midnight. You're in your room, sleeping, Charlie sensed my indecision, that he left these things so that they could tell me what he could not express in words. decision that I am facing. Two paths were before him, but he tried to no compromise. And you know, too, which path he finally chose. Do you know why he had to drug himself to watch me graduate? So he live to see. Charlie didn't leave just a few trinkets behind him. He left himself, Laura, for he showed me that a boy's dream can also be a He made his last trip to Luna when he knew he was going to die. Heaven knows how he escaped a checkup. Maybe the captain understood and was Do you know It was because he wanted to die nearer home. His home, Laura, was the until the journey is made? Could I or Charlie or the thousand before us bear to look upon a I could have been the first Charlie wanted me to himself that night after graduation. He wanted us to you, but he wanted it with all his heart, and we robbed him of it. Because of these things, Laura, I will be gone in the morning. Explain the best you can to Mickey and to your parents and Dean Dawson. Right now I've got a date that I'm going to keep—at a dingy stone cafe on Mars, the he'll go with me in memory to whatever

<question>:
What finally helped Ben make his final decision?

<options>:
A finding out Charlie was dead
B spending the evening with Laura
C looking at the box Charlie left him
D talking to Dean Dawson on the visiphone

<answer>:

C