Claustrophobic in Space

******Thanks for reading! It's  a short story, so it'll only be four parts, but If you guys really like it i can add on or recreate it as a longer story. (I actually wrote this last spring, so it's not as advanced as my other story but i really like the plot line so I'm trying to fix it up) Thanks again, Nellie  

(Feel free to comment suggestions and editing mistakes, thanks!)

Have you ever been in a situation where you are completely and utterly alone? Have you ever had everything you care about disappear right before your eyes? I have. Though I don’t want your pity … I want you to listen, understand, and perhaps apply things to your life I was unable to apply to mine.

Three months ago I was unaware of the change charging right at me. It seemed like any other day aboard N.L, the spaceship where I live. It stands for the New Life my parents and the other founders set out to have when they took off from earth.

I jumped out of my hammock in my personal quarters, slid a navy blue uniform over my newly braided hair, and ran my fingers over the bumpy gold embroidery that made up my name, Aria. Despite being fourteen, I had enough responsibility, as my parents’ thought was necessary for proper growth. I also had the constant threat of the ship being attacked, but we hadn’t had a serious threat for some time.

 Since my parents were captains aboard the N.L., I waited until after they collected the role charts to sit down and have breakfast with them. We were having a traditional American breakfast today, which consisted of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Since we had many nationalities aboard the ship we liked to change it around. While my parents were interested in their food, I silently sneaked a few slices of bacon to Clint, my brown dog. He started wagging his tail and I shushed him to be quiet before my parents found out. Occasionally, I would look under the table and see his brown eyes begging for more bacon.

“There are two new little ones aboard the ship.”

Though I wasn’t interested in starting a conversation, since I knew it would most likely lead to an argument, I responded to my father.

“Are they boys are girls?”

“One of each, but I don’t think the boy will last the night, the doctors say he may have a disease that came from earth.”

 We stayed silent for a while, I couldn’t help but think about that poor mother and her dying son. The Doctors aboard the ship knew all they could, and had a burning passion to discover new remedies, but sometimes it wasn’t in time. I could not see myself saying farewell to a dead friend or family, let alone burry them. I was fortunate to not be in the multitude of people touched by the sicknesses.

My mother didn’t add any words to the conversation during the meal, it saddens me in the way most people are good friends with my parents but I’m lucky to get a goodnight, she rarely spoke unless she was “on the job” with my father, which was the majority of the time I wasn’t around. That fact hardly bothered me, no matter how much I tried my parents continued to become distant, soon it came to the point where it was all numb. The last enjoyable memory I had with them was when I was ten and I was on my first flying lesson. Laughter had filled the air, and I was unsuspecting of what a gap awaited me in my future.

After finishing my eggs, I headed off to my history classes. Most people aboard the ship think its silly to have history classes when we’ve only been on the ship for twenty years. But personally, I love learning about the old world and my homeland, America. Secretly, I desire to be a history teacher to the generations below me, but I know mother and father will never stand for such a crazy thought when I am “Destined to be a captain.” Or so they say. Before I stopped caring too much about their support, I would strive to be perfect so they might side with me. Boy, was I in for something; all I ever got was smiles or pats on the back when I did well in class. But that too died down to mummers. Now, its just building to the point where I find the courage to break through their shell of ignorance.

On my way to class I took a detour to the Willobee’s cabin, where my best friend Groden lives with his parents and younger sister. I stomped on the welcome mat, activating the doorbell, and greeted Groden.

“I’m green with envy right now.”

He laughed, even though it wasn’t a 'first class laugh' it was contagious. Every time either of us used an old saying from English we couldn’t help but crack up, they sounded so silly with their speech.

 “Aria, can we please not bring that up? Every time you come over you’re always complaining about them, cant you at least love them while they’re here?”

He knew I was talking about my parents; I didn’t blame him for complaining about my complaining since I did it an awful lot.

“All right, but if I can go the through classes today with out mentioning it you owe me your leilery, deal?”

Leilery’s were a type of chocolate and strawberry pudding baked with an assortment of fruit. It was one of those experiment recipes that everyone loved.

“Deal.” He said as we headed off to class.

 All the classes passed by quickly. I loved learning in math, history and the ship engineering, but my favorite class was where we were tutored specifically to become teachers. We went over facts for each subject that were drilled into our brain. Grodens favorite subject of questions was learning about all the fresh foods on earth. We had a large garden and frozen foods from earth, but he had always dreamed of picking an apple or pear straight from the earthen plant. A few of the other subjects were: “The N.L is the size of the Titanic.” “Earth is completely abandoned because of the lethal disease rapidly surrounding the planet.” Or “A hundred years ago we would not have been able to make this journey because of the political unrest and the nation’s weakness.” Then we would explain more on the topic. After a half hour of that we headed down to the engine room, and we were quizzed on our knowledge of the pieces. Our teacher, Ms. Blake, started asking questions and putting students on the spot. I brushed my dirty blonde hair out of my face, prepared for anything she would have asked me.

“Groden, please explain to me what the Mindry is and what the functions are in the correct terms.”

He was racking his brain for the answer so I signaled to him and started communicating in sign language; since it took a little for him to decipher it he took some pauses in his answer.

“The Mindry is used on the lower half of the engine… um… oh yes it works alongside with the Battish and - ”

All of the sudden the ships high pitched alarms started signaling.

“This is not a drill, return to the high deck.” Ms. Blake yelled above the noise, she didn’t need to tell us twice.