ⁿᵃᶦˡᵃʰ'ˢ ᵖᵒᵛ

‧₊˚✩ 🪐✩˚₊‧

MOM AND DAD LOCKED THE GARAGE hatch for them to host this emergency-top-secret-totally-not-sketchy meeting while some lab men conducted tests on the sand in our Jupiter from that huge storm we barely made through.

It was ridiculous how those scientists felt the need to invade literally all of our Jupiter for these ordinary little sand grains. But there was obviously more to it.

Anywhere near the garage was strictly prohibited. That could only mean one thing.

I tiptoed to the main console of our Jupiter's cockpit. Our hallways were dramatically draped in sheer plastics while the tests on the sand were conducted.

Rubbing the slumber out of my eyes, I fiddled with the nozzles on the console, with static screeching louder than the commotion outside.

Of course my brothers could sleep right through all of this noise, I truly believe they could sleep through a hurricane as long as it was before 12pm.

There were now voices coming out from one of the radio frequencies of the garage, this was mom and dad speaking — and a few other folks. I crossed my legs down on the cold floor, toying with my pyjama pants as I tried to make sense of the context of the conversation I eavesdropped upon.

"...That sandstorm has been recorded as the most powerful...most violent in human history," A gravelly voice with a Southern drawl said.

Wait till he finds out about how exactly we got out of Earth alive.

"Moments after your Jupiter took off there have been reports of extreme damage to headquarters, including operations that hindered communication between several branches across the globe." A woman with a plummy voice said.

"So, what gives? You bring us down here along with your army of men in hazmat suits invading our Jupiter before I've had my morning coffee ... and proceed to tell us what we already know?" Dad said.

I could vividly picture his forehead wrinkling at his eyebrow raise, and his boiling frustration. One thing about dad; he values his time.

"Commander Cosgrove I...I don't think that that storm was anywhere near natural," The gravelly drawl spoke. I frowned. The sand I felt prickling and pattering at my spacesuit sounded pretty real to me. "I believe it was triggered intentionally."

Holy shit? Was that a suicide mission then?

"We're aware of the Christmas Star's effects on our planet, sir," I know mom's irritated tone like I know the properties of all the periodic table's elements — and mom taught it to us around the same time other kids were learning abc's. "So, like my husband so rightfully asked...what gives?! "

"Doctor...Commander...there's a whole lot y'all don't know about the truth of the Christmas star, how much of a fony of a meteorite it was ... and of the events that surround it," That man's drawl didn't make the news sound any lighter. My chest felt heavy, forcing a great effort out of me to breathe.

"Nothin' is at all what it seems...and I believe somethin's comin'. Somethin' terrible that's gonna change the future of humanity forever..."

'Future of humanity'. I've heard that before. That cunt doctor who tried to killed me told me that; That I'll know the change when I see it. It wouldn't have hurt for that cunt doctor, George, to at least elaborate on the range of this 'change'.

But this wasn't just about that data chip. There had to be more to it.

I raked off the bonnet wrapping my hair. But as I did, this sharp high-pitched screech pierced through my ears like an invisible needle poking into my brain.

I squeezed my hands against my ears as I winced at the discomfort. The noise came as quickly as it left, leaving me feeling so lightheaded that I almost dropped my head onto the pilot-seat beside me.

"What," I breathed. "The fuck." I blinked hard as I twisted my neck to stare on at the cleanroom-film plastic covering the flight deck's open bulkhead.

I only heard the muffled disembodied voices of that troupe of men in teal blue hazmat suits storming down our halls. It was only then when I realised there had been a faint sound of drilling going on — that sounded nearly identical to that piercing noise.

But no, that couldn't be it. Because this wasn't the first time I heard that noise pinching at my eardrums. It was the noise that I followed last night, to find myself jabbing a guard to sleep in front of the Server Room.

I don't know why I followed it, or If someone else heard that noise too. But I know one thing; that blonde boy's got a whole lot of explaining to do.

If he thinks he can distract me from finding answers to the source of all this, then he's got another think coming.

A part of me hoped that he meant well. That he was the first genuine person I've met since Nico. But I had much bigger concerns than that white boy who doesn't know what to do with his height.

Concerns that casually include the affairs of the government and their filthy reeking political lies. If Tyler were here, he'd go ballistic over this.

I swear his eyes glitter every time mom or dad come across uncharted territory in their surprisingly similar genres of work. Sometimes, dad's most difficult cases would intertwine with mom's projects. It just feeds on Tyler's 'everything is propaganda nothing is real' mentality.

I bet it sounds so cool and different to all the girls Tyler woos, but try having to live with that kind of man for a day — we all seriously deserve trophies for that.

"Are you seriously freelancing a wiretap on your poor parents?" Speak of the devil. Here Ty was in the flesh — wearing nothing but those Spider-Man pants he's had an attachment to since the last library on Earth closed down, which was a very long time ago.

"Kids these days half-assing fucking eavesdropping-- At half your age I was holding my breath hiding under the kitchen counter just to hear who your parents talked shit about." He said. I was almost offended that he forgot about how I was the one having to distract his parents so he wouldn't get caught doing such a reckless thing.

Tyler's hoarse morning voice echoed into his mug of dark liquid. 'PEACE AMONG WORLDS' the mug read under a photo of Rick Sanchez flipping me off.

I mocked his complaints, mentally preparing myself for the hypocritical lecture from him. But he only came to sit beside me, looking me up and down — while I tried not to grimace at the fact that every single sound was now more enhanced since hearing that high-pitched screech.

"It's that bad? You look pale." He said.

Of course I was pale; I haven't seen proper sunlight in more than 6 years. Also, yes, the news is terrible; because everything we think we know about the events almost a decade ago may as well be a damn lie.

"Shhh! Shut up" I hissed at his based voice overpowering the faint voices on the radio frequency of the garage.

"...May damn well be a miracle that you and I are standin' 'ere," The man with a Southern drawl said. "That the Alpha Centauri program still exists."

"Still?" Mom and dad asked the same question I did in my head. Ty mouthed something to me as his slit eyebrow lifted. I didn't know which words would be the best possible way to fill him in.

"They said the Christmas Star was," I felt this weight in my chest making it harder to breathe just repeating the news. "It--... It wasn't a meteorite. It was something else."

I met my eyes with Tyler's for the first time since he invited himself to sit by me. He chugged down the rest of that dark liquid in his mug. And I was patient enough to let him. I furrowed my eyebrows at him quietly mumbling to himself.

He had no reaction to any of what I said. None at all. Then, his half open red eyes battered, and a weak smirk creased at the sides of his pink lips.

Oh.

"God, are you high?" I slapped his temple to wake him from this swaying state. His head wobbly shook 'no'. I should've noticed that involuntary grin a mile away.

It definitely hit him like a truck only a second ago. I could tell by his breathy chuckle. I pursed my lips — the only person I could talk to about this, had to be my weed-loving brother. I wish Nico were here.

There isn't a more disappointing moment than this. I knew it all too well. And yet each time it happened, I was never prepared for it.

"Did you even hear what I just said?" I asked. Reading his face for any change in emotion, I was surprised at his sudden reaction as his dark eyebrows twitched.

"Wait-- wait-- So...That thing that fucked our lives the fuck over-- It," I'd take slurred speech over no speech from Ty at this point. "Might just be ... a pile of bullshit?"

He might've sobered up with the thorough way he rubbed his eyes. "Why d'you always gotta tell me the most fucked up shit when I'm like this, God."

I chuckled as he did, most probably at different things. I counted the seconds it would take for him to claim that he did in fact predict that the government's lies would go this far. He's doing pretty well so far.

"I fuckin' knew it, man."

Never mind.

"...We can't risk any more news shared down here," Mom's disembodied voice echoed through the cockpit. "We have a dozen research conductors roaming around here...and some very nosy children. My lab should--...." Her voice got lost in screeching static.

"Well that's just--... plain rude" Tyler whispered, as if she wasn't dead-on accurate.

"I need to borrow your degausser again." I said.

"Mm. I don't like this."

"You don't get to 'not like this'," I began. "Look, mom and dad will come up here pretending everything is fine. That any of this isn't happening. But I won't I-- I can't. Not with this souvenir on my face being my constant reminder," I sighed. "They may not love this truth, but we're involved this bullshit, too. Somehow."

"It's their job, Nancy Drew. To protect us," Tyler pleaded. I heard the heavy sigh of disappointment from him as I stood up from where we sat. "Just let me sober up so I can... properly knock that sense into ya"

"I'll be careful, If that's what you wanna hear."

"...What're you gonna do when someone else knows how close you are to the 'bullshit' you speak of? Someone dangerous." Tyler's slurred words shot me to a stop. I hated how he still had a voice of reasoning even when his head was in the clouds.

But that's already happened before; with George, and I survived it. The only uncertainty that creeped at me was that if George would do that again whether or not I had that data chip with me. He knew that dad hadn't a clue what was on it, and was willing to hurt me for it anyway.

But Ty didn't have to know that, no one did.

"I'll do what I've always done," I shrugged. "Handle it."

"YOU CAN'T CONTROL ME! I'M NOT gonna take it! " A voice pleaded in the obnoxiously loud volume setting from the family iPad — which mom and dad can't admit was a terrible parenting investment because of how many fights it rooted, all of which are apparently my fault.

In simple terms, I've been banned from using it under zero circumstances.

I found Cam already in the main pod with his bug eyes glued on the screen where those voices came from. The dialogue of the program clearly wasn't catered for his age, his blank stare and inappropriate joke that went over his head told me that much.

He was purging with internet use since the last time he could stream TV was a week ago.

"Stick to your own shows, Cam," I said with my head in the fridge to help relieve the heat surrounding my freshly straightened hair, grabbing my daily dose of cherry lollipops hidden in a secret fridge-pocket.

I scoffed at the volume of the iPad being bumped up. "Why are you watching Rick and Morty?" I breathed, only receiving an absent shrug from the boy as he stuffed a spoonful of oatmeal poorly mixed with salted pretzels.

"One day you're gonna trigger the fire alarm while straightening your hair for the hundredth time," Cam said. He could see my frown in the reflection of the iPad's screen. "Dad's words not mine,"

He shifted blame, like I expected him to. But that did sound like dad — he loves my natural hair more than I ever will. "He said the alarm's gonna go woo woo woo just like his siren does when--"

"--Actually, your brother permanently disabled those bathroom alarms so he could...y'know" I mimicked how Ty holds a blunt. Cam burst into his high pitched laughter, forcing a smile out of me.

"Defamation of character!" Tyler yelled from the other side of the main pod's window. But that wasn't as jarring as the pitch black sunglasses he had on. "I didn't disable the fire alarm...not on purpose"

I was half surprised that that was what he chose to defend. 

"Because you hacked into the Jupiters safety systems by...mistake?" I narrowed my eyes at Ty's football-player-waddle towards us to greet Cam by ruffing up his curls — curls he wish he still had.

"Exactly," He whispered in so much relief. I hoped he could still understand sarcasm in his state. His thick eyebrows joined as he pouted his pink lips. "Why are you letting this kid watch fucking Rick and Morty?"

"I'm not even allowed to touch this thing and you think I put this on for him?" I defended.

"Well, change it, what the fuck?--"

"--But this episode's about aliens and mind control mWahahaha" Cam laughed. Ty and I murmured at his terrible impression of an evil laugh, trying to do him one better. But our laughter quickly faded at the men in blue hazmat suits marching through our hallways, one of them carrying a black case.

I felt this uneasy shiver at their human warmth hidden under those reflective helmets. We all felt it. Ty cleared his throat, blocking Cam's view of the men so he could ironically continue watching his Rick and Morty.

"They're trying to get something from us, Morty. Let's mess with their heads before they mess with ours."  The voice said.

Ty and I hovered around the iPad to act like we weren't at all interested in this episode. This uneasiness of these men weighed me down to slouch. I couldn't explain this ostracizing fear of these men, they weren't doing anything terrible, just taking tests. But I knew this coldness all too well.

"And why is everyone still here?" Dad's voice sounded mighty, just like his build that he couldn't hide behind his new uniform. Cammy's contagious giggle echoed the main pod as he ran up to dad only to get lifted into the air as dad made rocketship noises.

He bragged about his new badge, with what looked like the Alpha Centauri program's logo in glittering gold.

"Policeman is space, huh? How does mom like it?" I popped a lollipop into my mouth.

"Your mother loves it," Dad said, before effortlessly yanking my lollipop out even before my tongue processed the flavor. I scoffed at him. "She wouldn't love how you're starting the day with that junk, now would she?" Dad knew I had no defense against him, only the snark I gave him. He mimicked my expression before tickling the frown out of me.

"You guys dont have friends to go play ball with? No grass to scab your knees on?" Dad asked. He awkwardly chuckled at our shared unimpressed glares at him. "Too soon?"

"You're unbelievable" I breathed, sulking at dad's teasing snicker. He seemed to be the only one in the room with a relatively normal childhood. One that didn't include the over-automation of our human experience, or not-meteorites that deteriorated our agriculture and basic way of life that forced us to give up a year of our lives into moving planets.

"If I was in your generation, dad," Cam began. "I'd never let it get this bad. You guys messed us up, real bad so thanks a lot." I couldn't agree more.

"Hittin' the gym today. That count?" Tyler quickly said after gulping down a glass off water to suggest the idea of sobering up to himself.

"That's the spirit," Dad pouted his lips as he nodded. "Dig the glasses you got goin' on." I snorted into laughter at Ty now downing Cam's bowl of oatmeal and pretzels to speed up the sobering process, and how dad had no idea.

But that was probably because of how excited he was about commanding in space. But I couldn't tell If he was aware of how typically peaceful a trip to a new planet should be.

"Dad, no one says 'dig' anymore" Cam chuckled as dad insisted that he in fact was 'with the times'.

"Let's leave the scary men in hazmat suits to conduct their tests without your noise levels, por favor," Mom said. She was in a rush out, clapping her hands as we all subconsciously stood up taller in front of her. She tipped her chin up and down signaling at her eldest son lingering in the corner of the room. "What's with the glasses, weirdo? We're in space."

"Ma, it's the sabbath. Why are a bunch of science guys fussing about sand?" Ty pushed, trying not to expose his slurred speech.

"That's classified, sweets." mom tilted her head, her dark hair falling over her right shoulder. There was a moment of awkwardness about dad looking down, about Tyler shaking his head with a scoff as he poured another glass of — something. About mom clearing her throat before making me flinch at her abrupt--

"Nailah, you're on Cam-duty"

"What about your perfectly capable eldest son?" I whined.

"The last time I let my 'perfectly capable eldest son' babysit Cammy, they came back home with thorns poked all over their little legs."

"For the last time ma, that wasn't my fault!" Ty's voice muffled with the food in his cheeks he stuffed into his mouth. But oh, was it useless to try and change mom's mind.

"IS THIS EVEN ALLOWED?" Cam yelled over the roar of our skateboards. I was going so fast that the wind hit at my ears and I could barely hear anything besides my little brother's high pitched voice.

I was 93.33% sure that no, this is definitely not allowed. But he didn't have to know that, that was for me to worry about.

The thumbs up I gave him was all he needed to speed up his board, surpassing me.

At that, that high-pitched wail shot past my eardrums to grate my brain. That noise was back, and worse than before. I winced hard, anticipating that it would only last for the second, but it continued on.

I lost control on my skateboard, swaying left and right as the noise scratched at my brain. Make it stop. I begged.

And at that, the noise faded out. I scratched the one end of my skateboard on the ground to make an abrupt stop. Erratically taking deep breaths in and out, my knees felt so wobbly that I accepted my fate of eating shit and falling ass-first onto the cold hard floor.

I groaned at the pounding headache that followed the lightheadedness. I didn't even need to hear Cam to know that he was dying of laughter — that sadist.

But to my surprise, an army of more men in blue hazmat suits were coincidentally marching past the mess that was me. They looked even scarier from down here — towering over me like giants, with no identity, not with those reflective helmets.

One of them carried a black case, just like the one I saw in our Jupiter. It had a symbol engraved into it, of what looked like the number zero.

I didn't think they'd even acknowledge me, let alone salute Cam and I and they marched by.

I shut my eyes for one second, and when I finally cracked them open, a hand was reached out over me. It wasn't Cam's, definitely not. They were significantly larger, veiny and much paler.

It was him. It was that blonde boy. Will.

His deep eyes held so much concern over me as I read his pink lips as he asked: "Are you okay?" That was a very good question, one I could go deep into, but all I did was nod. He grinned into a chuckle. I rolled my eyes to avoid giving him a queue that would make him ask how exactly this happened.

I took his hand, finally, our hands awkwardly brushing over each others as he slowly let go.

"Are we still gonna race, or what?" Cam asked, his bored puff telling me everything I needed to know about how long I stayed on the ground.

"He's adorable" Will told me.

"I'll give you ten minutes with him, tops, and you'll wanna hold him underwater." I told him. He obviously didn't grasp how dead-serious I was about such an urge, awkwardly chuckling as Cam gave him an innocent smile.

But I couldn't turn my gaze away from those men in hazmat suits marching further and further away from us.

This igniting curiosity froze me in place; I had one question in my mind. "Got any idea where they go?" I uttered. I felt Will's eyes behind me, readying myself for the dismissive answer I expected from him.

"My guess is that they're gonna cook crystal m--" Cam said before I shushed him with my hand over his mouth. He's been hanging out with Ty's band of shitheads he calls friends for way too long. Cam groaned in protest as I turned to Will, waiting for whatever he parted his lips to say. And to my surprise, he said:

"We'll never know until we find out, right?"

IT WAS ONLY FITTING TO HAVE Cam's speech hindered by the duck tape over his mouth. He's lost his speaking rights. Will led the way past the deadbeat security guards as we tailed those men. If everyone else was as thorough with policing as dad is, then I'd be rotting in jail by now.

The deck we followed the men into was much gloomier and more ominous as they grey darker and darker, as If they were closing in on our presence.

"This is as far as we can go" Will whispered. We stood before a dark grey bulkhead. This one was different from all the others. In red, it had the words 'RESTRICTED AREA' on it. Sadly, those beaming words meant nothing against my curiosity.

"It's perfect, thanks." I quickly smiled at him. I still couldn't place why I was so surprised at Will happily breaking security protocols just to satisfy my curiosity. He struck me as the goody-two-shoes who's a worse snitch than the youngest sibling of every household.

I squeezed Cam's tiny hand as we hid beside the bulkhead. Somehow, having Will here made me feel a little more protected in case shit went down. He seemed to know this place better than I did, so I had no problem following him straight into the danger. It scared me how trusting I was with him.

I guess it was his soft features; his widened brown eyes and reassuringly awkward grin he gave me as we peaked over the wall together. Or maybe it was his posture that he had to adopt to appear shorter next to me — a thoughtful yet useless gesture.

I scolded my head back to the now, as I spotted those men walking over to a man waiting at the end of the hallway. I realised that focusing on Will somehow drew back my fearful anticipation of that high-pitched sound that occurred coincidentally when those scientists were around.

That identity of the man they surrounded was unknown to us. But despite how far we stood from them, I couldn't get my eyes off of his jarring choice of footwear. He wore the most lavish shoes I've ever seen. They were black and waxed with the most detailed designs engraved onto them. The soles could've even been real gold.

My eyes squinted as that black case was presented to the man with luxurious shoes. When it was clicked open to him, the murmuring made it seem like it's contents had been the holy grail this whole time.

At that, the room glowed blue. White fog spilled out from the case. And one small tube was lifted to the air, glowing bright blue liquid. It resembled the blue liquid that George almost injected me with.

Except, it was as if this tube contained electricity with the way it's bright strokes twitched around, as if it were alive and breathing. It was beautiful. Yet still, my stomach churned with the shiver running down my spine, but I couldn't place the cause.

Before I knew it, the case was closed shut. I flinched, bumping my head against Will's chin. We quietly winced at the same time, silently apologising at the same time, as Cam inaudibly scolded us.

"You saw it too?" He gently asked, resting his head against the bulkhead. I nodded, relieved yet burning with questions, my mind racing on where I might begin. But at that, Will's hair began to float, they were lifting upward, defying gravity itself.

I frowned, tippy-toeing to wave my hand over his lifted hairs tickling me. I knitted my eyes towards the bulkhead he leaned on, with the 'RESTRICTED AREA' sign on it. I shivered at the humming buzz of its immense energy.

"Holy shit." I breathed. Will didn't look surprised at all, mouthing 'Watch this'. He smiled, and I frowned, before I almost flinched at his cold fingers ghosting against mine, lifting my hand up with the least effort. He was slow as he aligned his palm with mine. Something so sacred in how gentle he was, it might've been the fact that if he wasn't careful, his palm alone could swallow my hand whole.

He placed his other hand on the bulkhead, and I felt this surge of energy run through me. I couldn't tell whether it was from the static transfer, or that his eyes seemed to have no idea how to leave mine. At that, Cam's dark curls stood on end, his bug eyes being the only form of expression we could see over the silver tape across his mouth.

My lips parted as I strained my eyes to see my copper hair being lifted. He finally removed his hand from the door, but still kept his other hand against mine. And I couldn't help but blush at how much he towered over me, and I despised that fact at the same time.

I tried to ignore his gaze on me as I stared at the details of the metal bulkhead, saying to him, "I don't suppose you know what's behind this?"

As he smirked with his lifted eyebrows, the ceiling's lights became warmer as part of our contact. Through our nonverbal exchange, it was easy for me to see the child he once was, through those tranquil eyes.

He wore every shifting emotion on his pale face. A refreshing kind of earnestness. When last.

This was the first time I felt awkward in the presence of a boy, as if he read past my cut, past my eye bags, of the child I once was. Of the children we still are, pushed by the tides of life into this in-between mess. He understood it. I missed that feeling.

This was the most awkward yet strangely comforting experience ever. And I knew that although we didn't know each other, we would.

translations

Por favor - Please

author's note

First chapter of 2024 what do we thinkk? This could honestly count as Nailah's Dayinthelife vlog FR

YALL SEE THE PARALLELS OR WHAT

I'm really feeding yall with this chapter its literally over 4k words WOW its basically a 2 in 1 yw🤭

Will and Nailah are about to be a menace to society I swear 😭

dedications

pInkplover perishin saanvinarang_01 solyyybenonyy kurapichips2 euphoreallia candysznn

and to everyone who reads this book that I sacrifice my sleep for 🌟

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