Overlap

Chapter 81: The Space Fieldtrip

<03/09/2012 - 13:31 | One Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL, USA>

As I took one small step for mankind, I took another step back for those who couldn't be here with us now.

This is a moment I wanted to keep with me for all time, to cherish forever as another magical moment of memory. I stood in front of the others, one in a crowd of other eighth graders in a far off field trip to one of the coolest places on Earth; the space museum. Rocket center, landing pad, space museum, whatever; it's still a wonderful place to be when I appreciate the cosmic beauty of outer space so much, the place that somehow gave birth to my wife one generation at a time. I should be happy; I should be stoked!

"Everyone is here, so let's form a line." Ms. Ray Ray, one of the only two chaperones here tried to prepare us for our first group activity with the coordinator, but I stood silently in trance.

I probably need not explain why, for I am the unhappiest student here right now. This museum might be a cool place to be, but I could care less about its wonders at this time. After all, what is the point of trying to enjoy something so cool, when the one person I want to share it with isn't here with me?

Yep, you guessed it. As the locator tag indicates, we're not even in Georgia anymore; we're in Alabama. Despite the climate differences I've already known about, I tried to remain hopeful that luck would be on my side, so that I could end up in cold enough weather to contact Lumina and have her attend this with me too. We planned on it together days before when I signed up for this field trip.

Sadly, there is no way to predict the weather and how it will go. With the sunlight already out and the temperature ten degrees over the psionic cut-off limit, I have no hope of showing any of this to Lumina. So, I just stood there quiet and depressed while everybody else prepared to start first with the G-Force ride.

"Listen up. We can take 18 students per ride for the next thirty minutes." As the coordinator explained how things would go down, everybody in the crowd around me got all excited. "Make sure you don't have any of your personal belongings on you. Leave all items in the bay we have set up."

"Yeah-ha! We get to fly up. This is gonna be sweet!" Nae nudged me from the side, cueing me to get all pumped up with her.

If I had Lumina here with me, I would have totally goofed out upon her request. Instead, I shrugged turning askew. There wasn't any way for me to stay out of all the events and head home. We got here by school bus, and we go home by school bus. Even though I've never been on a G-Force ride before, I blocked out whatever fun or excitement there was to be had. It wouldn't be fair to Lumina if I enjoy anything without her. I know how much she would want to see this; I know how much she misses me now.

"What's the matter?" Nae exaggerated her sad tone in trying to cheer me up.

It wasn't the first time she noticed I was out of spirits. It was March now, and that meant that summer was slowly lurking its way in. Even though I've been trying not to think about the summer, part of me just can't help it. I've already had a few days over the past several weeks of sudden warmth, horrible, disgusting, psionic-blocking warmth. I can't hide my depression from others like I used to; Nae certainly noticed several instances where I just wasn't in the mood to match her cheerful energy, moments like now. Of course, I never told her about Lumina. How can I, when I'm so certain it will destroy what friendship we do have?

"Cheer up Reed. We're about to enjoy the ride."

I don't care about the ride! But I can't be upset with Veronica and the others. It's not like anyone knows about my situation. Even though Banarus and Zero are here too, I've left no breadcrumbs to suggest Lumina would be coming too, since that would obviously generate more suspicion. I guess I'll have to pretend to be happy for now, at least until this part is over.