Work 4 : Where No Where Man Has Gone Before

 

            

 

“Sagitta. Serpens. Lyra.” Mariah listed off to herself from the soft blanket she laid upon, located in the open field as she observed the clear August night above. Ever since she’d been a young girl, she’d fallen in love with the natural lights that illuminated the dark skies when the bright, orange sun vanished. One of the earliest memories she could recall involved her pulling on her father’s dirt-stained slacks, begging him to purchase a three thousand-dollar telescope. She remembered his kind expression with a deep fondness, as he lifted her onto her lap and wrapped his large pinky around her tiny one, promising to purchase it for her if she kept her love true and alive.

  Perhaps this love of space, this long kept flame, that drove her into the arms of Diego, who laid beside her, having finished off the last bit of weed that they shared between them. He was a few years older than herself, having graduated from college just as she entered. Now, while in her junior year, he’d just returned from his space travels. He shared the same enthusiasm as she had and made it clear upon their first conversations, gaining the credit of being the only person she’d spoken so openly about her dreams and desires. Ever since, they’d been something akin to vampires, gliding through the night under the thousands of individual spotlights, admiring the world and its natural choir that played just for them. It was lovely. They were lovely.

  But something in Mariah felt off. It wasn’t anything that needed discussion or anything along the lines of the usual set of daily emotions. It was something more and, at the same time, nothing at all. In short, she felt that something was missing, as though something within her felt unfulfilled. When she looked over to Diego’s confident grin and noticed how sure he was of himself, it filled her with a touch of envy. Just a touch, she assured herself over and over. Mariah had no harsh anger or insane jealousy against Diego. She loved him and was sure of it. But would she live an adventurous life? Would she be able to see space as he had? Would she experience happiness in this way?

“Something on your mind, sweetheart?” He asked with his calming, smooth voice. It almost wasn’t fair how he could simply speak and stir feelings within her.

She said nothing to answer him but instead, rolled over until she was next to him. Grabbing onto his collar with one hand, she moved one leg over his torso and, with a push, placed herself on top of him, knocking over one of the two nearby wine glasses.

  He was so calm, so cool and collected. It was almost too frustrating to see. It was too frustrating to try to hate.

“You’re so beautiful, you know that?” He said with a smile.

She shook her head to this.

“That’s not what I want to hear right now.”

“Oh?” His head tilted in confusion, much like a puppy.

“Mhm.” She brought her face closer to his. “Tell me… Show me what space is like.”

…

She was dressed in her space attire, the suit that she cherished as it would protect her from the dangers of space. Before boarding her shuttle that awaited her nearby, she carefully inspected her suit to make sure it was secure and safe to continue with. No holes, no tears, and no scratches that might open during her ride. Once she felt she was ready, she took a deep breath and climbed onto her rocket. It was a little more difficult than she’d imagined but she was determined, finding a comfortable position in her seat and strapping herself in. Controlling her breathing with a calm rhythm, she reached forward, bringing her ship to life, and began to make her way to the clouds.

 Troposphere -

The familiar part of the atmosphere that she, as well as many others, lived in. The pressures of the world were stronger here, greatly felt around herself and her rocket as it soared. Inside, she felt a nervous fear and an urge to get away from such a mundane, boring place. Her rocket moved gently and carried her through the gorgeous blue sky.

Stratosphere –

Slowly but surely, her body temperature began to rise as sweat began to form and drip from her body onto her comforting suit. She gripped the handles of her controls as the ship began to shake more aggressively. Excitement began to grip her as her heartbeat grew faster and faster as the rhythm of her breathing increased as well. She was really doing it, she thought. It was really happening.

The Mesosphere –

At this point, as each feeling continued to build, she would begin to wonder if she was really making the right decision. Would this lead her on the path of the happiness and peace she craved? Would this ship be enough to support her in her endeavors? If she continued along this path, would it crash and burn? Should she eject while she had the chance to? She forced these thoughts away as quickly as they came. They’d be fine, her and her rocket. She hoped, at the very least.

Thermosphere/Ionosphere –

The heat that Mariah felt in her body increased at a greater speed than any other layer she’d reached, spreading around her limbs and burning into her mind like a passionate inferno. Never in her imagination did she think she’d make it this far. The pressure around her ship caused it to shake even more as she continued to push on. In an attempt to control her breathing, which had become much louder panting, she released one hand from the controls and placed it over her mouth. This might’ve worked if the ride hadn’t become so intense and the pressure hadn’t built up so much within her. It needed to be released, she thought, as she tasted the streams of sweat and tears that matted her hair to her face. Closer. Just a little bit closer.

Exosphere – It was a glorious moment. After just a bit longer in the final layer, the pressure was allowed to exit as she broke through that final layer. With final pulses and shaking from herself and her ship, peace was found. The silence she craved was found. Mariah allowed herself to relax, chuckling softly between breaths as she finally arrived at her destination. Surrounded by the infinite darkness she yearned for, she’d finally be able to dance with her night-time merrymakers.

…

“…Fascinating.” Mariah managed to utter after taking a few moments to recover from her event. The August fields returned to being as quiet as they’d been a while ago. She was thankful that the night had also been warm enough to make the exposure of bare skin bearable. A familiar hand gently slipped around her back and pulled her closer. She smiled and allowed herself to be pulled closer. Now resting her head on Diego’s chest, she closed her eyes and began to list her concluding thoughts as her free hand gently pulled at his chest hairs.

Was she in love? Yes, she answered.

Was she happy? More or less.

Was she doubtful of the future? Of course.

Was she scared? Definitely.

Did she know what she might do in the next year, month, or day? Not at all.

Would she be prepared for her journey?