Shooting Stars

chapter 1

Red, blue, purple, yellow, orange, and other colors blended together creating the sunset. Creatures began to finish up whatever they were doing and head home. Things were settling down for the folks in Maryland, well, except for my home. We were getting ready for my departure to space. I looked out the wanted posture to my space college again.

            Up, up, and away to a place surrounded by thousands of stars. Study the science of astronomy or in the medical field in the special space station by Jupiter. Students through the ages of sixteen to thirty-four are wanted. Be the first to try out space living. School starts in September....

            "Selna, come on you'll miss your flight, if you stay up there any longer. Your father is waiting in the car," my mother, Kary Syler, yelled as I finished up locking my suitcases.

            "Mother, I'm coming. I just need to grab one more thing," I shouted back as I grabbed my phone and bags.

            I ran down the stairs, kissed and hugged my mother, nearly crashed into my younger brother Tom, and ran to the door yelling goodbyes. I looked back at my mother to say one more thing before leaving when I ran into something. I fell back onto the ground with a thud. I rubbed the side of my face and looked up. Our metal door was closed.

            "Tom, you told me that you'd open the door before I came down the stairs." I said as I grabbed the door knob.

            "That's what I was going to do that when you cut in front of me. Sel, you'd think you'd learn to look in front of ya before running at top speed into something." Tom said with a sigh.

            Tom maybe younger than me and my older brother Neal, but he was the more responsible one of us when it came to not getting injured. Tom never broke anything. He only has a couple hospital trips on his list. Neal had a few more trips than Tom but they were mostly of illnesses and small stuff. I was the worst of us. I have gone to the hospital so much; I knew exactly what they wanted of me. I've had my every part of my body x-rayed or had an MRI at least once.  Sad, I know.

            I rushed out the door to the car. Dad was holding his laughs in as he shook his head. Though our door was mostly metal, pieces of glass were stuck to make a vine design, but also allowed people to see when I would hit the door. I mock punched him in the shoulder.

            "You k now one of these days, you gonna destroy that door and be paying for another one," he said as started the car.

            "Yeah thanks for the worry about my health." I laughed as I turned to stuff my bags into the backseat.

            "Sweetheart I always worry about you. Especially now that you volunteered to go to a college in a space station in Jupiter," my father replied as he stared out the windshield.

            There was something in his voice. He wasn't telling me something. I watched him closely as he continued to stare out the window. "Don't worry Daddy. It's not good for you to worry without a reason. I'll be fine. I'll have my graduation here on Earth. OK?"

            My father slightly nodded his head like it was instinctual. I glanced out the window. My mother and brother stood on the porch waving goodbye. Tears streaked down her face, but the joyous smile of a proud mother held its place against the sadness of letting her daughter go free. We started to back out of the driveway when dad got out of his thoughts. Mother followed us little by little.

            "I love you, mom! I will call every week to tell you about everything that happened. I promise. I love you Tom. Behave for mom and dad. I'll miss you guys," I yelled to her to reassure her I wouldn't forget them.