The Magic Between Us

Locked In

Twyla’s head was reeling. Did she hear him right?

“If that’s not an incentive, I don’t know what is,” Demitri chuckled. Travis informed the group that after signing the contract, their families would receive compensation money. About half a million in funds to each one. And that was just them signing the contract to go on this dangerous mission.

“We know the risks, I want your families taken care of if anything were to go wrong,” Travis told them with a serious tone, handing each person a packet of papers.

“Do we have to read the whole thing?” Sabrina asked, eyeing the papers. Travis chuckled.

“I’ll explain them in bulk, but this is just so everything is covered. Legalities,” he said, waving his hand. Twyla nodded in understanding, knowing what he meant. If Twyla or any of the others were to actually die, their families would have funeral costs covered, and be set up to provide in the absence of their family member.

They sat and listened to Travis go over each page and answered questions. Everyone was quiet as the reality of what they were getting themselves into sank in. Demitri was the first one to finish signing his packet. Fredrick and Sabrina finished, and Twyla signed her papers. Her hand was trembling, but she knew she had to do this. Her mother being taken care of was just the bonus, one she was grateful for. But now she was locked in, and she was scared out of her mind with what was to come.

“We have two months before we have to launch a shuttle, you four will be training five days a week. You’ll have weekends to go spend time with family and rest.” Travis filed away their papers, and turned back around in his office chair. “This isn’t going to be easy,” he admitted to them, and everyone nodded their heads. “You’ll be undergoing intense training to be able to withstand the g-force of the shuttle launching, as well as how to operate your stations.”

“I’m ready Sir,” Demitri spoke, cracking his knuckles. Travis chuckled at his enthusiasm.

“For now, I want you to take this weekend to get some of your affairs in order,” he told them. “Rest up, we start early Monday morning.” Travis dismissed the group, and they walked out towards the elevator.

“Well,” Sabrina started, waiting for the doors to open. “I guess I should pack up my apartment, just in case.” Her statement hung in the air between them, everyone coming to terms with the very stark reality that they could die. Ripped apart and thrown into the void of space, carried by currents in the space between worlds.

“Very blunt,” Demitri said. “I can admire that.”

They all stepped into the elevator, and as the doors closed Twyla felt a lump in her throat. She was afraid to speak, worried she would fall apart right there in front of everyone. Sabrina picked up on it though and held Twyla’s hand.

“It’s okay to be scared Twyla,” she said softly. That was all it took, the release to the flood gates. Twyla closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, trying to still the chaos in her stomach.

“I am so terrified. I don’t want to do this, but I have to find him,” Twyla breathed, holding onto Sabrina as if she was a life raft and she was drowning. Demitri and Fredrick remained silent, feeling the same genuine fear that mixed with a sense of duty. Demitri surprised Twyla by holding her shoulder in reassurance.

“I understand where you’re coming from,” he said to her, and she met his brown eyes. They were full of determination. “I know Lilly isn’t coming back, but I have to do this for her. We will make it through,” he said, and his resolve helped Twyla steady herself before they reached the ground floor. She wiped her eyes dry and stood firm. Sabrina ran her thumb over the top of her hand in comfort.

“We can do this. We have to.” Twyla nodded her head in agreement to Sabrina. The elevator doors opened, and the group stepped out.

“I look forward to seeing you guys on Monday,” Fredrick said as they walked out of the building. “It was great to meet all of you.”

“Same here man, I’ll see you on Monday,” Demitri responded. Fredrick disappeared into the crowd, and Demitri turned to the girls. “Well, I guess I better go home and tell my cat the news,” he chuckled.

“You don’t have any family here?” Sabrina asked.

“They’re on Nocturn, I’m not actually from here,” he said, and Sabrina nodded her head.

“So, you have experience making the trip through the space between then,” she said, understanding now why he was a valuable asset. He had some experience the others didn’t have. Demitri nodded his head.

“My sister and I both came, but when she returned home, I stayed behind. I’ve been here for about three years now.”

“Well, I’m glad you’ll be coming with us, space boy,” Sabrina jested. It made him laugh.

“I’ll see you guys on Monday,” he said before walking away towards the train station. Twyla sighed and she felt her whole body deflate. Sabrina frowned a bit at her friends’ demeanor.

“Do you wanna come back to my apartment?” she asked. Twyla shook her head.

“As much as I would like that, I need to go home to my mother. She wasn’t exactly thrilled when I told her I was doing this.” Sabrina nodded her head in understanding.

“Yeah, my parents weren’t thrilled either, and my brother is giving me the cold shoulder.” She shrugged after she spoke. “It’s my decision though, and I don’t want to hear a peep from my brother when this money buys him a new gaming computer,” she laughed. Twyla chuckled; she remembered Sabrina’s brother a bit. He was working his way up the social ladder, and his gaming skills earned him a pretty decent platform with a ton of followers.

“I’m sure he’ll come around,” Twyla said, giving her friend a farewell hug. “I’ll see you Monday girl.”

“See you Monday!” Sabrina called, waving as she headed off towards the bus stop. Twyla sighed again, starting to feel drained. Today had been a whirlwind, and now all she wanted to do was sleep. She rubbed her hand over her face before she walked to her car. Twyla climbed in, having taken the farm truck her dad bought years ago, before she was even born. It was old in the eyes of society, but Twyla loved this truck. Her father taught her to drive it a bit in her early teens so she could get around the farm and help out more.

“Dad, I miss you,” she whispered. With tears in her eyes, Twyla drove home to her mother.