COSMIC

5 - Hallo Spaceboy

With Nancy's every glance at her wristwatch, my anticipation was starting to wear thin. As we had begun our vigil, I stared up at the star above us, waiting for something spectacular to happen. Now, my eyes were drifting back down to Earth and settling into the reality that I was mistaken.

It had sounded like such a great idea at home. I recalled my excitement as I thought I was discovering something mysterious, but instead, only sat with my chin resting in my hand. Nancy sighed, which felt like the final seal on the disappointment we were both experiencing.

"I don't think anything's going to happen, Jamie," Nancy said softly.

"I think you're right," I replied before I could stop myself.

"I should get back home." Nancy stood up and began to walk to her bike propped up against a tree. "You coming?"

"Yeah." I took one last look at the star before limply standing up to follow.

"Is it still there?" Nancy said, looking back at me.

"Yeah, it's still there," I said, furrowing my eyebrows as if I could show the star my frustration.

"Maybe it wasn't anything," Nancy said, as I walked to my bike. "I mean, that may just be a regular star and we may just be crazy. Maybe it was the secondhand smoke tonight-or that puff I took." She scrunched up her face. "Whatever it is, we're crazy to believe we would actually see something. No one lives in space, anyway."

"Maybe you're right, but what about the voice? How do you explain that?"

"It may have just been a new show or DJ. They may have even been talking to other people with our names."

"I thought that at first, too, but at the same time? The same station?" I crossed my arms. "It's too coincidental to chalk it up to something as simple as that. It doesn't make sense."

"I don't know what to say," Nancy said, setting her foot on the bike pedal. "Maybe someone was playing a joke on us."

"Well, they would've had to bug my room, if that were the case." I mounted my bike as well. "I swear it heard me."

"Good point. I'm too tired to figure this out. Maybe we can discuss it tomorrow."

"Okay." I walked my bike to Nancy's side. "Let's not tell anyone about this-the voice and coming out here-okay?"

"You have my word," she said, raising her right hand and smiling. "So, want me to pick you up tomorrow?"

"Sure, same time."

At that, she began to pedal and I followed her into the city.

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The following morning, I woke after my mom. Groaning as I heard her moving about in the kitchen, I wanted to attribute my drowsiness to the night with my friends. But I shook the dishonest thought away. Of course, it wasn't that, though I knew it would have kept me awake any other day. However, after the radio incident, I had forgotten all about my friends.

Despite our disproving experience in the woods, the voice still lingered in my mind and wouldn't let go. I replayed the events of our discovery in my mind. After a night's sleep, they almost seemed like only a dream-one that I could remember clearly but was so outlandish it couldn't be real. Yet, as I remembered my excitement, curiosity, and folly, I knew it was.

What if I told Mom? I thought, still lying in bed. But how would that sound to her? A voice spoke to us through the radio and we went out to the woods after midnight to look for a star that would magically appear to us! I shook my head, realizing it would only worry her. Plus, Nancy and I had made a promise.