Searching for the moon

Part one: Ethan, Chapter 1

3:57 AM, January 3rd, 2022

I looked at the moon.

It's silvery grey colour, shining against the dim sky. The cool glow it emits, phosphorescent in the darkness.

I peered in closer. Small patches ran along it's rocky surface, and I was looking for something... maybe a human figure? Maybe a woman's silhouette? I wanted to know that she was there. I wanted... I wanted to see if she was still alive.

I picked up a book, my fingers running over the familiar leather fabric. "The Book Of The Moon." I whispered.

My bedroom door creaked open.

I whipped around, startled. "Evie?"

Her grey eyes danced, delighted that she had scared me. "Loser," She sang, and plunked down onto my bed, messing my sheets.

"Oh, be quiet," I said, annoyed, slipping The Book Of The Moon behind my back. Evie giggled, her light brown hair tangled and messy.

Evie was my twin sister, and she was 1 minute and 9 seconds younger than me. Although I am older, Evie still bosses me around and steals my stuff.

"Sooo," Evie began, propping up from my bed, "what you doin'?" She asked, wiggling her bushy eyebrows.

"Nothing." I replied, shoving The Book Of The Moon under my chair.

Evie squinted her eyes at me, gazing pointedly where my fingers were lingering under the chair. "What you hiding?" She asked, getting off my bed and reaching toward the book.

I quickly snatched the book out of her grasp and glared at her, "Stop being so nosy."

Evie is not obsessed with the moon like I am, and often teases me for my obsession. "It's 'The Book Of Something-something', isn't it, you lunatic." Evie watched my reaction like a hawk.

"For goodness sake! It's called 'The Book Of The Moon'! Give it some respect." I said, raising my voice. "Geez! Bro, chill, man. Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But don't expect me to bow down to the book or whatever you do these days. You barely even talk to me now." Evie replied.

I scratched my brown hair that inched past my eyes. I needed a haircut – desperately. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's just that... I miss mom. And knowing that she's on the moon, somewhere, I just... I want to see her."

Evie sighed, and sat down beside me. "Ethan, nobody knows where she is. All we know is that she took off with her fellow crewmates to journey to the moon, and yet never returned."

Almost a year ago, my mother had taken off in her jet black rocket, leaving nothing but a note and a leather cover book, and had soared to the moon. Her rocket, her crewmates, and herself were never to be found, for they had never come back.

I took out mom's note with shaking hands, gently placing it on my desk.

Dear Ethan and Evie,

Hello, darlings, it's your mother.

And that's who I will remain forever, no matter how far I am.

Even though this was never announced, never said aloud, I know that we all knew this, deep in our hearts.

Yes, children, I am leaving.

Do not fret, my dear! For I will return! It's only a simple journey to the moon and back, and I have AUntie Madeleine to travel with!

You kids remember her, don't you? She used to babysit you two when you were still wearing diapers! She's the one who wears overly flowery clothing, the one who insists on eating organic fruit!