Community Radio

Chapter 1

Graduation

My name is Maria, and today is the day I graduate high school. As a gift, my mother has given me this recorder so that I can pursue my dreams of becoming a radio broadcaster. Well, this is sort of my audio journal, this will be my life from this day, high school graduation.

I was born in the little town of Night Vale on the first of May, eighteen years ago. I suppose I've lived a normal life since then. Luckily, I've progressed through my years in a linear fashion. I've obeyed the rules of City Council, averted my eyes in the presence of hooded figures, pretended to be oblivious to the reign of a vague, yet menacing, government agency, and enjoyed talking with friends about the books we would never be allowed to read. I learned my ABCs and was a girl scout in elementary school, I had my first crush entered into The Registry of Middle School Crushes when I was twelve, and in tenth grade, I had my first girlfriend. Actually, she's still my girlfriend. Her name is Jane, and she's very beautiful, both physically and as a person. Every homecoming, I visited with the ghosts of my grandparents. I went to prom with Jane both junior and senior year. And today, I graduated.

Both Jane and I have full scholarships to Night Vale Community College, which is just as well. I can't imagine leaving this perfect little town, my whole life is here. I will be majoring in radio, of course, but minoring in science, just in case. I didn't want to, but Jane says that it's important to have a fall back plan. She's probably right. Her major will be music, which is perfect for her, since she sings so beautifully. Then, she wants to minor in horoscopes. I think it's just brilliant, really. No matter what, she will find a job. One day, we'll get married and raise our own little family, living their normal lives.

Oh, speaking of Jane, she's in here now. "Hi, Jane!"

"Hey, baby. I see you're all excited about your new recording stuff. Are you ready to go to the party, though?"

"Oh, yes! I'll be right with you, alright. I love you."

"I love you too, Maria."

Well, you heard her. I've got to go to our graduation party, but I'll get back to this afterwards.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See, I told you I'd be back. Oh, it was so much fun! Jane and I arrived right as everything was getting started.

"Hey there, fellow graduates!" My best friend Isaiah was standing in the front of the room, holding a mic in one hand, a SOLO cup in the other. "If you're as excited as I am that we made it out of that place before the grounds opened up and swallowed us into the earth, make some noise!" The seventy of us in there shouted like we'd just won a football game against Desert Bluffs. "I don't think you're excited enough, but that'll do. Let's hear a few words from our class president, Jane Henry!"

"Go on, sweetie," I said, kissing her before gently nudging her towards the front. The crowd collectively "awed" at us.

"We made it, seniors of NVHS!!!" she shouted into the mic, her curly hair falling behind her shoulders as she tilted her head back. "Now, I know not all of you will be staying in the city after this summer. Some of you got out of state scholarships. Others of you will be joining me at our very own NVCC, including my beautiful girlfriend, Maria Andrews. Now, I know I've said it a million times, baby, but I mean it. I couldn't have done these past three years of high school without you, and I can't wait to carry on with the rest of our lives together. You shine brighter to me than the strange lights above the Arby's sign, and I would go anywhere you go. I hope you all have the luck of finding someone as amazing as this girl right here is."

She made her way back to me, kissing me passionately for everyone to see. This was our life. Jane was class president, popular girl, beauty queen, and I was the lucky one who everyone wanted to be, but only I was. Back in sophomore year, she was the homecoming court princess for our grade, and I sat next to her in our last hour class. We'd only talked a few times before, but when the announcement was made over the radio broadcast, I couldn't help but congratulate her. She was so excited, this radiant smile lighting up her eyes, and I felt her happiness too. Well, much to my surprise, by the Friday of the game, she asked me to be her date for the dance. Ever since then, we've been together.

Isaiah jogged over to us, picking us both up in a bear hug. "I wish this night could last forever," he sighed. "I mean, after summer, we all go our separate ways, and I don't want to lose touch, you know?" Isaiah had gotten a scholarship to the University of Michigan, and we didn't even know where that was.

"We'll make sure to call you," I promised him, grabbing his hand. "Every day, just to check in with you. Okay?"

He kissed both of us on the forehead. "Yeah, I know. I just can't believe my life won't be here anymore, you know?" I did know. There was no life to me outside of Night Vale, and I couldn't imagine how hard it would be for him.

"Isaiah, you are going to be amazing," Jane promised him. "Oh, they're starting a chant around the bloodstone circle, let's go!" She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the ritualistic dance.

We were just chanting "Free from high school" as an expression of our gratitude to the ancient deities that we made it to the end of high school, and the dance was nothing too complex, so it was really easy to just slide right on in. Jane looked so beautiful chanting in the moonlit room. I know I should have been focusing on the chant, but it was so easy to get distracted by her. From the letter we each received from City Council on our graduation day, I knew that it was my destiny as told by the strange grumblings under the earth to be in radio broadcasting, and to marry Jane. Knowing our destinies were secured that way gave me a sort of relief I can't even begin to describe.

As our chanting ended, the radio suddenly started to blast the weather, which caused us all to stand uncomfortably until the music ended. The weather in Night Vale doesn't make very much sense, you see. But then came the voice of Cecil Palmer, and I listened in admiration of my idol, my role model.

"Well, listeners, it seems to have been another great year for our NVHS graduating class. Congratulations on making it out alive! Now, as they all move on with their lives, some moving away, others staying, they come to learn the lesson that we all must learn one day. Youth doesn't last forever, and the rush to grow up should never have been a rush at all. So enjoy this last night you all have together, seniors, because it is the last night of your childhood. Goodnight, Night Vale, goodnight."

We all cheered, people starting to dig into the chips and dip set out on tables. We partied like it was the last night of our lives, dancing and talking with our friends we may never see again, telling jokes and reminiscing on our favorite old stories, and playing silly games of Truth or Dare and Would You Rather and Never Have I Ever. It was the perfect end to our high school career.

And now, as I lay here on my bed, next to Jane, I wonder what lies ahead of us. So many things can happen now that we are out here in the world. We're going apartment shopping tomorrow, and working summer jobs at the Moonlite All Nite Drive & Dine, and then we start college in the fall. Anything can happen, and I am so afraid, and so excited. There is so much to look forward to, but I can only see where I am and where I have been, hoping my feet will guide me to where I'm going.

To where we will be going together.