Midnight Creek Tales

#5. Lunar Darkness / Chapter 5

The food was fucking INCREDIBLE! Course after course made the trip all the more worth it, and Mr. Marchisio began to warm up to the two of us.

Simon and I shared bunk beds in a renovated guest room, and we spent the next few days eating like pigs and busting our guts out. When it was the day before the awaited takeoff, the results of the inspection came in.

"Boys the news is positive this time around! You guys are going to be launched early next morning!"

I looked up from my big plate of lobster, "That's great, I was beginning to think that this would be our permanent home," I said making Mr. Marchisio laugh.

"You boys just get ready for tomorrow by enjoying the rest of the day! I'd also suggest hitting the beds a little sooner tonight because the ship's going to take off at 3 in the morning."

"Why in the dark? Isn't it safer to see in the daylight?" Simon asked swallowing a big piece of duck.

"Well it usually is, but since this is a secret mission, the situation is a bit trickier. The station is twenty miles away from the nearest town, so that doesn't necessarily mean that the people won't hear the rocket go off. In the end, it seems best to do the launch while they're sleeping, so no mass hysteria ensues."

"Yes I suppose so but -,"

"Look I hate to end this conversation so abruptly, but I have to make some last minute arrangements before the trip. I'll see you both later tonight."

As Mr. Marchisio left the table and started to walk away, I still felt as if something was a bit odd about the voyage.

"You think the public would go crazy about this?" I asked Simon as I leaned over the long buffet table.

"I suppose so, but I just don't like the way Mr. Marchisio's been acting these past couple days. One second he acts like we are his sons, and the next he's as cold as a stranger."

"Hell does Mr. Marchisio even have any children, let alone a family?" I said hushing my voice lower so that no one could hear.

"I don't think so."

"Yeah, but don't you think that he -," All of a sudden a chef appeared behind us and began to set some plates down on the table. Immediately I shut up and thanked him awkwardly for the divine food.

As he began to walk away, I asked Simon if he thought the chef had heard us.

"I doubt it, and even if he did what's the worst that could happen? It's not like we were trash talking anyone, just some innocent speculation that's all."

I stared down at my half eaten lobster and didn't feel hungry anymore. I realized the importance of what would soon occur. The fact that we were going to venture out into the unknown began to send chills down my spine, and I could barely morsel another bite.

"Hey, Rich is something wrong?" Simon asked noticing my distress.

"Oh, I'm just tired that's all. Fine as a parking ticket."

He gave me an 'are you for real' stare because of my shitty pun, and I shrugged off his reaction.

I looked down at my food and gave it another flash of disgust, "Are you going to eat that?" He questioned pointing to the plate that I had just moved away.

"No buddy go knock yourself out. If you need me I'll be back at the bunks; you heard what Mr. Marchisio said, we're going to need as much sleep as possible."

Simon replied to me with a mouth stuffed full of lobster, "Ok man, see you soon!"

As I trudged back to the bunks, I crossed a long dimly lit hallway, and as the moon shined brightly through the glass, I could already envision us exploding...

When I got to our room, I wasted no time getting acquainted with some shut-eye. Sleeping for me was like resting on a cloud, and as I dreamt about the next 24 hours, I found myself in a dark, comfortable slumber...