String Lights

Part I: My name is Specter (Chapter 2)

"Having the same classic debate over my name again?" I said with a smile. It was an argument that happened often in our house.

"Darling," said Mother, looking at me, "you're sure you don't . . .?"

"No," I said, more sharply than I intended. "Mother, we've been over this."

She nodded absentmindedly, like she hadn't been expecting anything anyway, and murmured faintly, "Yes, yes, I just thought . . . since you're turning fifteen this year . . ."

A beat of silence passed.

"You called for me," I reminded Mother.   

This got her attention.

"Yes, I did, and several times. What kept you?"

I shifted uncomfortably. For a second the answer "I didn't know it was me you were calling" formed on my tongue, but then I thought better of it and replied simply, "I was reading."

"Not 'Lulu' again?" said Lia, raising her eyebrows.

My cheeks warmed as I offered her a slightly bashful smile.

"Maybe you think I spend too much time reading unnecessary things," I said breathlessly, "but it's not nonsense at all. Besides, you know how much I'm interested in astronomy, and the stars, and—and the universe, all of it." By the returned smile on Lia's face, I knew she was marveling at the excitement shining in my eyes as I spoke. "Really, Mother, it's absolutely wonderful," I continued, turning to my next target. "It's about a girl my age who travels across the universe with her father—she's from Chronicles too. And oh, it's so breathtaking, Mother, the descriptions and everything. It's as though the author traveled to Finis herself."

"Finis?" said Mother. "Not the planet?"

I watched my sister and mother exchange looks.

"I know what you're thinking," I said quickly, regretting saying anything.

Finis, the blue-green planet described in the tale of the girl named Lulu, was an unknown planet located across the universe from Premus that astronomers and scientists from our side had been observing from afar for decades. Our lack of information on the planet's features and forms of life had given Finis its name, which meant "undefined" in our language.

"Darling, the information in that book will most likely be incorrect," said Mother. "No one in Chronicles has yet traveled out of Premus yet, let alone to another galaxy."

"You never know," I argued. "Lots of people are fashioning and building their own spacecrafts these days. It's almost the trend, actually, since there are plenty of our citizens qualified enough to make functioning space vehicles. One of them could have launched without the government knowing—it's not impossible."

"Gosh, I'd like to see who tries to do that right under the dictator's nose," said Mother. "Even international travel is banned at this point; what's there to say that someone will find a way to travel outside the planet?"

"Our people are smart," I said hopefully. "They'll find a way, if they haven't already."

"Enough talk," said Mother, who had already turned back to her work in the kitchen. "I didn't call you down to hear about your thoughts on space travel. There's an errand I want you to run." She took a large glass jar from the countertop and pressed it into my waiting hands. "Go catch some glowphids for me. There should be plenty at this hour."

My mouth opened in protest.

"But I was reading. . . ."

"I heard, and I won't stop you, but the glowphids come first, then dinner," said Mother, wiping her hands on her apron. "Go on."